In the years following 1946, after Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took charge of the conservation of Brihadisvara temple.

At Thanjavur, conservationists noticed that the jambs and lintels of all the doorways in the tower were systematically damaged by gun fire (caused in the 19 {+t} {+h} century).

The intent behind this wanton destruction, the conservationists observed, “was perhaps to let the whole structure collapse by itself”.

None of that happened. Good design and sound structural logic served in good stead and for the last thousand years the structure has stood firm. The Brihadisvara temple, completed in 1010 CE, for good reasons, is celebrated as a towering example of architectural excellence.

Powerful symbol

A monument was in order after Rajaraja I (985-1014), the Chola emperor, had vastly expanded the limits of the empire and brought immense wealth. It had to be ambitious and befit the imperial vision. By that time, temple architecture in South India had significantly advanced. The Pallavas of Kanchipuarm, in the 8 {+t} {+h} century, demonstrated how multilevel functional temples could be built. There were also examples of temples with more than three tiers. These structures offered a broad template, but it was clear to the architects of Rajaraja that the temple at Thanjavur should far exceed all of them.

Rajarajesvaram, as the temple complex was known in the inscriptions, when completed, was 40 times larger and five times taller than any average temple that preceded it and consumed 130,000 tons of granite. The 60-metre tall vimana(tower over the sanctum) built in 15 tiers, appeared like a huge mountain and remains the tallest in South India.

Striking structure

This conception and construction, as Pierre Pichard, the architectural historian justifiably describes, is an “architectural audacity”. The unusually tall vimana alone weighed about 43,000 tons and supporting it was a challenge. Though the pyramidical shape of the vimana is self-stabilising, the architects could not afford to make the base appear wide and loose out on the visual appeal.

A proportionately large sanctum with double walls and circumambulatory passage in-between was designed. It rose to two tiers and merged at the third and held the tower.

Simultaneously, the vimana and the structures in front were consciously separated by a constriction in the elevation so that the tower could visually stand out.

Architectural studies show that a larger forecourt measuring 241 by 121 meters was specially designed to spatially hold the tower. The court was made of two equal square parts and the vimana was placed at the centre of the rear square. This provided the necessary foreground to view the elegance of the tower in full.

If the vimana was exceptional, the gopuras or gateways of this temple are milestones in architecture history. James Harle's seminal work demonstrates that Rajarajesvaram was ‘the greatest single step forward' in the development of gopuras in South India. Their axial placement frames the view of the vimana impressively and visually anchors the visitor. Though many structures and shrines were added to Rajarajesvaram till 19 {+t} {+h} century, they have not fortunately cluttered the complex and the original design intent can still be appreciated.

What is not well known, despite abundant inscriptions, are the names of the architects who designed it and the methods of construction adopted.

It is popularly believed that a linear ramp stretching seven kilometres was built and stones were hauled to the top. Few others suggest that short ramps around the tower were constructed. There is no final word yet on this.

Popular myths

However, a few of the myths have been proved wrong. The cap-stone on the tower is not a monolith, but made of many parts. The belief that the shadow of the temple does not fall on the ground turns out to be incorrect. Even the Thanjavur District Gazetteer, published in 1915, could not resist the stories. It footnotes that a European-like figure carved on the vimana probably foretold the arrival of the British.

Building a temple as large and as magnificent as Rajarajesvaram was a stupendous effort. Men and materials were mobilised from far-off places. Whether it took six or 30 years to complete the structure is still debated. Answers to questions as to why Rajendra, the illustrious son of Rajaraja, instead of completing the temple after his father's death commenced a new temple to rival it and why he moved the gifts and proceeds from the Thanjavur temple to his temple are yet to be fully known. The story of Rajarajesvarm, it looks, is not yet fully told.

Unique and incomplete

Dancing figures are found in plenty in South Indian temples, but only in five of them are the karanas or dancing postures depicted as a collection. Amongst them, Rajarajesvaram is the oldest. Here, the dance panels are placed right over the sanctum in the first floor of the vimana. At other temples such as the Sarangapani temple at Kumbakonam and Nataraja temple at Chidambaram, the karana panels are to be found at the outer gopuras or gateways.

Karanas are fundamental units of movement in classical dance and they `illustrate small movement formations'. Natya Sastra, the ancient texts on dance and drama, describe 108 different karanas. Of them, 81 are found carved together in a sequence at Thanjavur.

It begins with the four-armed Siva performing the Talapuspaputa karana wherein the flowers are offered and ends abruptly with the Sarpitam, the 81st karana. The presence of uncarved stone blocks on the walls suggests that the original plan at Thanjavur was to complete the entire 108 karanas, but unfortunately that did not happen.

At present these sculptural panels are difficult to access and are out of public view.