Brhadeshvar

Temple built in the southern Indian city
of Tanjore around the year 1000 B.C.E. by
the Chola king Raja Raja (r. 985–1014).
The temple is dedicated to the god Shiva
in his form as Brhadeshvar (the “great
lord”). It was built in the Dravida style
characteristic of southern Indian temples, in which the buildings are of modest height but cover an immense area
and are surrounded by a boundary wall
with massive towers (gopurams) over
each wall’s central gateway. The
Brhadeshvar temple is famous as a center for traditional arts and culture, particularly as a home for the dance style
known as Bharatanatyam. It also contains some exceptional murals, an
126
Braj
extremely unusual feature in Indian
temples. See also Chola dynasty.