Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Overview

The Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple marks the spot where an emperor chose to celebrate a victory in stone. Rajendra I, son of Rajaraja I, pushed his campaigns as far as the Ganges, and on his return he founded a new city whose name means the city of the Chola who took the Ganges. UNESCO dates the completion of its Shiva temple to 1035, and the place remained the Chola seat of power for about 250 years. Tradition says water from the northern river was carried south and poured into a well here, a gesture that gave the capital its theme. Today it stands in Ariyalur district as a rural Ariyalur temple, a short detour from the busier towns of the Cauvery delta.

Compare it with the Thanjavur monument built by his father and the contrast is clear. The tower here, put at roughly 53 to 55 metres, curves inward as it climbs and has recessed corners, where UNESCO describes the Thanjavur design as more austere. The sanctum holds a lingam of about 4 metres (13 feet), cut from a single block. A large Nandi faces it across a courtyard that measures about 170 by 98 metres. Niches carry Nataraja, Durga, Ardhanarishvara and Sarasvati, and one panel shows Shiva garlanding a devotee. UNESCO also points to a sun altar bearing eight deities and to bronze figures of Bhogasakti and Subrahmanya.

Little else of the capital has survived. A lake called Chola Gangam was dug to mark the northern campaign, a palace area nearby has been excavated by the Tamil Nadu archaeology department, and a stepped well entered through a stone lion, called Simhakeni, can be seen within the compound.

Most travellers reach it from Thanjavur, about 70 km away, then carry on to Darasuram and Kumbakonam, about 35 km from here, which completes the trio of Great Living Chola Temples. That is how it fits into the Great Chola Temples Trail, as a day-visit stop with no overnight. A Gangaikonda Cholapuram tour needs about two hours on site. Facilities around the temple are limited, so carry water and some food. Plan the visit for the cooler winter months, since the district turns very hot from May to August. Entry is reported to be free, but confirm opening times locally before you set out.

Known for

UNESCO-listed, completed in 1035