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Uthamar Kovil in Uthamarkoil, a village in the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Trimurti Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Purushothaman Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Poornavalli Thayar.
The Great Living Chola Temples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for a group of Chola dynasty era Hindu temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Completed between early 11th and the 12th century CE, the monuments include:
The period of the imperial Cholas in South India was an age of continuous improvement and refinement of Chola art and architecture. They utilised the wealth earned through their extensive conquests in building long-lasting stone temples and exquisite bronze sculptures, in an almost exclusively Hindu cultural setting.
Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval is a famous Shiva temple in Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) district, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Though it is that Kocengannan, one of the Early Cholas, have built this temple. It is located in the Srirangam island, which has the famous Ranganathaswamy temple.
Vimana is the structure over the garbhagriha or inner sanctum in the Hindu temples of South India and Odisha in East India. In typical temples of Odisha using the Kalinga style of architecture, the vimana is the tallest structure of the temple, as it is in the shikhara towers of temples in West and North India. By contrast, in large South Indian temples, it is typically smaller than the great gatehouses or gopuram, which are the most immediately striking architectural elements in a temple complex. A vimana is usually shaped as a pyramid, consisting of several stories or tala. Vimana are divided in two groups: jati vimanas that have up to four tala and mukhya vimana that have five tala and more.
Brihadishvara Temple locally known as Thanjai Periya Kovil, and also called Rajarajeswaram, is a Hindu Dravidian styled temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in South bank of Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest Hindu temples and an exemplary example of a fully realized Tamil architecture. It is called as Dakshina Meru. Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples", along with the Chola dynasty era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple that is about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively.
Thyagaraja Temple is a Shiva temple, located in the town of Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshiped as Puttridankondar, and is represented by the lingam. Daily poojas are offered to his idol referred to as Maragatha lingam. The main idol of worship is Lord veedhi Vidangar (Thiyagarajar), depicted as a Somaskanda form .His consort Parvathi is depicted as Kondi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written in Tamil by saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
The Kampaheswarar Temple or kampa-hara-ishvarar is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It is situated in Thirubuvanam, a village in Thanjavur district in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu, on the Mayiladuthurai-Kumbakonam road. Shiva is worshiped as "Kampahareswarar" as he removed the quaking of a king who was being haunted by a Brahmarakshasa. It was built by Kulothunga Chola III and is considered the last of the four masterpieces built during the Medieval Chola era.
Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil poet saints known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple is counted as the earliest of all Chola temples. Shiva in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king..
Kayarohanaswami Temple, Nagapattinam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Siva situated in the town of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is known as Kayarohana and his consort is Nilayathakshi. The temple has been in existence from the 6th century AD and has been praised by the Nayanmars Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar. The temple has been constructed by the Lakolisa cult which originated in Gujarat and their only other temple in Tamil Nadu is at Kanchipuram. The idol of Thyagaraja in the temple is made of lapis lazuli.
The Soundareswararswamy Temple or Sountharyanathar temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It is situated in the village of Thiruppanaiyur, three and a half kilometres (2.2 mi) from Nannilam. The temple is centred on a palmyra tree which is the sthalavriksha. The palmyra tree gives its name to the village itself
The Jurahareswarar temple is located in the temple town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is dedicated to Shiva, who is worshipped as Jurahareswarar.
Vedal, pronounced as Vaedaal is a village in the Cheyyur taluk of the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 105 kilometres (65 mi) away from Chennai and 45 kilometres (28 mi) away from Pondicherry on the Tamil Nadu East Coast Road ECR. Vedal is situated about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) far from the Bay of Bengal coast.
Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 2000 years old, are found scattered all over Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 38,615 temples. Most of the largest Hindu Temples reside here. Studded with complex architecture, variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.
Pugal Chola, also known as Pukal Chola, Pukazhchozha Nayanar, Pugazh, Pukazhcchozhar, Pukal Cholan and Pugal Chola Nayanar, is described as a Chola ruler and was a Nayanar saint, venerated in Shaivism, one of the main sects of Hindu. He is generally counted as the eighth in the list of 63 Nayanars.
Mela Kadambur Amirthakadeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Melakadambur in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, India. The historical name of the place is Tirukadambur. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Amirtha Kadeswarar. His consort is known as Vidyujothi Nayaki. The temple has beautiful sculptures and the vimana is in the form of a chariot. It was built by emperor Kulottunga Chola I.
Othandeeswarar Temple in Thirumazhisai Chennai City in Tiruvallur district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It is located 22 km from the state capital Chennai. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple was built during the 11th century by Chola king Kulothunga Chola II. Shiva is worshipped as Othandeeswarar and his consort Parvathi as Kulirvithanayaki.
Vijayalaya Choleeswaram in Narthamalai, a panchayat town in Pudukottai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, India, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Dravida style and rock cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 9th century by Mutharaiyar dynasty kings, the cardinals of Pallavas, with later expansion from the Cholas. The rock-cut architecture is an early example of Cholan Art, continuing the tradition of the Pallavas. The other portions of Narthamalai houses the 8th century Jaina Abode, the Aluruttimalai Jain Caves. There are also two rock-cut caves, one of which houses twelve life size sculptures of Vishnu. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India.
Agnipureeswarar Temple in Thirupugalur, a village in Nagapattinam district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Tamil style of architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the Cholas period in the 10th century. Shiva is worshipped as Agnipureeswarar and his consort Parvathi as Karundar Kuzhali. The temple is believed to be the place where Saiva saint Appar is believed to have attained salvation.
Veerateeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Vazhuvur in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Shiva in the form of Veerateswarar and his consort is known as Bala Gujambigai. The village is mentioned in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Vaippu Sthalam, the 276 temples that find mention in it.
References
- Chopra, P.N; Ravindran, T.K; Subrahmanian, N (2003) [2003]. "History of South India ; Ancient, Medieval and Modern." New Delhi: S. Chand & Company Ltd. ISBN 81-219-0153-7.
- Anna Dallapiccola. "Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend" ISBN 0-500-51088-1.