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 Thanjavur - The Brihadeshvara Temple

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A bird's eye view of the Brihadeshvara Temple

Through the temple gates ...

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Above: a view from distance on the temple's sanctuary

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Gate 1 from front (above) and rear (below); a close-up is here

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Below: both gates from inside the temple area

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Gate 2 from front (above) with 2 dvarapalas as guards; below is the rear view

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... to the sanctuary ...

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Above and below: Nandi Pavilion showing Shiva's vehicle (vahana), the bull (Nandi)

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The Hindu flag pole/bell tower (below)

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... a walk around the sanctury ...

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The east entrance to the sanctuary via the mandapa (above/below) ...

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... and a walk around seeing some details ...

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... the south side (above) ...and a view on the western side (below) ...

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Details of the photo above are here (1. row of sculptures utmost right and left to utmost right)

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View along the nothern side (above) and the close-ups of  nothern side below

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An offering channel supported by a gana (above)

You will realise that the base below the sculptures is covered with inscriptions. These run around the mandapa and the sanctuary and tell the history of the temple in Pali script (see a close-up here)

... to the Chandeshvara shrine

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Above and below: the Chandeshvara shrine

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The Ganesha sculpture on the southern side of the shrine (above left)

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Copyright(c) 2003 Dr. Oswald J. Kolb. All rights reserved.