Gangaikondan

கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம்

Shiva temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Unlike others I never had chance to travel to home town or any villages during summer holidays. Most of my relative stayed within the city, I have hardly been out of Chennai. I wish to travel across latitude and longitudes. Recently had a chance to visit Gangaikondacholapuram, which was half an hour drive from my friend’s town, where we went for a wedding.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram, a temple for lord Shiva built by the cholas marking marking their victory over Pala Dynasty. Rajendra Chola-I son of the Great Rajaraja-I, established this temple after his great victorious march to river Ganges on Northern India. This temple looks exactly similar to the shiva temple at Tanjore. there are many stories which revolve for the origin of this temple. We guys spoke with one of the person in charge there, he told us the entire temple is one foot less in all aspects when compared to the Tanjore temple.

To my surprise this temple was maintained so green and clean. Later we found that this is under the maintenance of UNESCO as a part of world heritage. Probably that’s the reason for it.

Nandhi* @ Gangaikondan, Nandhi is the bull which Shiva rides and the gate keeper of Shiva and Parvati in Hindu mythology.

Another version of Gangaikondan