Gangai Konda Cholapuram - A slideshow

Gangai Konda Cholapuram - In the long list of my travel wish, probably Gangai Konda Cholapuram was the one which has been around for a long time. So far I didnt made a honest effort to shrinken my wish list, hence went on with this trip to visit all these three great chola temples.

When I had the first sight of this temple, there was hardly any tourists. For almost an hour ... I was only one there to admire it; like through the eyes of Great Rajendran ... It was like a lone date with this grandeur and I was simply lost in a world where these stone statues took breath and enacted its glorious past days ...

It's like yet another miniaturaized version of big temple, but it stands against time for pride, pride of victory beyond ganges. In its adoselnce, this place was the nerve center of power and culture for an great empire; but now its hardly in the grade of small village. Its past glory can be remembered only by the existence of this great Temple.

Raja Rajendran had fought great war till ganges and built this exquisite masterpiece; but now this temple is on its own war against time and irresponsible human elements. Thanks to UNESCO for declaring this great temple as world heritage center, atleast now some effort has been made to rejuvenate.



I think this time eroded, de-shaped front Gopuram make the main one more appealing to look ...





With the Vimana in background, a huge ox will welcome you inside the temple complex



Mighty Thuwaarabalakars - Temple Guardians God/Godess ... again even though not being an Athesist, still left part of my brain pops out a question; why a need for guard in God's home ? :-)


A fine example of sculptures ....


A fine example of sculptures ....


Bunch of displaced statues on display :-) just felt sorry for the craftsman who took pain in shaping these stone ... atleast let preserve ones that are left now.



A stone inscriptions keeping its words for the furture ...


Last few shots before I say a big good bye ...


Last few shots before I say a big good bye ...


At last a perfect - Gangai Konda Choleshvaram Postcard

Dharasuram - A slideshow

Though this temple at Dharasuram is smaller when compared to the ones at Tanjore and Gangai Konda Cholapuram but in no means it is simpler to them in terms of the fine sculptures. Its complexity is not in its size but in its fine architecture. This temple is located in the outskirts of the temple city Kumbakonam, it took just 10-15 mins bus travel to reach out here.

I have been to kumbakonam earlier, some 10 years back (thanks to maddy for his hospitality last time :-)) but I havent got a chance to drop by. On gazing this fine carved statues, I was just surpised how I havent heard of this temple before. I have just came to know about this temple when I browsed for Big temple in wiki where these three temples were grouped as World heritage centres. I should thank our tourism dept for their effort in highlighting our great cultural centers.

To tell the truth, there were more foreigners paid a visit and appreciated its beauty, than our locals. Do we lack the sense of appreciating fine arts and architecture ?

A couple of shots below for you :-)



On seeing this Main gopuram itself one can say that is the minitaraised verison of the great big temp at tanjore.


The temple was built like a ratha(chariot) pulled by horses and elephants on either sides. It was so natural like that time has frozen the crouching horse's and running elephant's motion.


A close view of the scenes at a pillar's base. Its like the scene of a "antha-puram" where Queen is adjoined along with her subordinates.


Another scene where two beauties at dancing posture .. These fine carvings were made against grainte, the hardest one to work with.


Look at this, the penciled eyebrows, pointed nose and dwelling smile around the edges of lips ... awesome ... whom I should appreciate more the beauty who posed or the craftman ? I still wonder whether our ancestor were that much beautiful or its just the imaginary portion of our craftman's brain did the trick here ....


Managed to get a picture of the Godess there.


I always like that color ... dark red, just clicked :-)


In my childhood I used to ask my grandpa what are those creatures with lion head, elephant trunk and horse legs. He will tell a big story for that and it’s really fun to remember those…


Its fun to capture yourself .. atleast the shadow in your frame. I tried similar photo in the philae temple,luxor but it came good this time also :-)


Durga statue at the usual place.


Its a old paradox, See an Ox or the elephant ?

I have seen similar sculptures in most of the cholas temple. I think its like the "hello world" kindof stuff to the newbies with the stone at that time ;-)


"Arthanaareeshwarar" Even god is ok for 50% to women, It is just we are making a big fuss for 30% in the big house at Delhi