Chola Period Temples
Art & Culture › Architecture · Topic 1.20
Chola temples (Chola architecture), built in Tamil Nadu from the 9th to the 13th century CE, are the high point of the Dravidian style. The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur (Brihadeeswara, the Big Temple), raised by Rajaraja I and consecrated in 1010 CE, has a 13-storey vimana about 66 metres tall. Rajendra I built the temple at Gangaikondacholapuram, and Rajaraja II built the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram near Kumbakonam. Together they form the Great Living Chola Temples, inscribed by UNESCO first in 1987 and extended in 2004. Chola bronzes and murals are also famous.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Architecture
At a Glance
- Period 9th to 13th century CE
- Peak builders Rajaraja I and Rajendra I
- Main feature Tall vimana over the sanctum
- UNESCO Great Living Chola Temples, 1987, extended 2004
- Art link Nataraja bronzes and murals
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Architecture
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the Pallava temples and shows the Dravidian style at its peak. The Chola vimana is the model against which the later gopura-led temples of the Pandyas and Nayakas are compared. Previous topic: Mahabalipuram monuments,…">Pallava Period Temples. Next topic: Pandya Temples.
Which Are the Great Living Chola Temples?
| Temple | Place, district and state | Builder and date | Key facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brihadisvara Temple | Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu | Rajaraja I, consecrated 1010 CE | Shiva temple with a 13-storey granite vimana about 66 m tall, a large Nandi, and a dome-shaped stone cap; UNESCO 1987 |
| Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple | Gangaikondacholapuram, Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu | Rajendra I, c. 1035 | Built to mark his Ganga campaign; the vimana is graceful and curved, with a large lingam; UNESCO extension 2004 |
| Airavatesvara Temple | Darasuram near Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu | Rajaraja II, 12th century | Fine sculpture and a chariot-shaped mandapa with carved wheels; UNESCO extension 2004 |
| Nageswaraswamy Temple | Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu | Early Chola, Aditya I and Parantaka I period | Early Chola work of the late 9th and 10th century |
| Kampahareswarar Temple | Tribhuvanam near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu | Kulottunga III, c. 1200 | Late Chola temple also called the Sarabeswara temple |
What Are the Features of Chola Temples?
- Vimana: the tower over the sanctum is the main feature, rising in stepped storeys, unlike the later gopura
- Kalasa and cap: the vimana ends in a single stone dome or shikhara with a finial
- Layout: a mandapa, ardhamandapa, a circumambulatory path around the sanctum and a walled courtyard
- Sculpture: deep niches with Shiva forms, dvarapalas and Dakshinamurti on the walls
- Bronzes: lost-wax bronze icons, especially the Nataraja, were made in this period for processions
- Murals: paintings on the inner passage walls at Thanjavur
- Nandi: a monolithic bull facing the sanctum at Thanjavur
- Material: granite for large temples, with brick for the earliest shrines
What Else Should You Remember?
- Early phase: Vijayalaya founded the line in the 9th century, and Aditya I and Parantaka I built small brick and stone temples
- Sembiyan Mahadevi: the Chola queen who renewed many older brick temples in stone in the 10th century
- Brihadisvara name: also spelt Brihadeeswara or Brihadeeswarar and called Rajarajesvaram and Peruvudaiyar Koyil, and popularly the Big Temple. Gangaikondacholapuram is also written Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara as Airavateswara
- Construction note: its vimana has two walls with a hollow space between, which carries the load, and the temple was built without a deep foundation, as often said
- Cap stone: the top stone at Thanjavur is a very large single block, which is often said to weigh about 80 tonnes, and the figure should be treated as a traditional estimate
- Temple as institution: Chola temples held land, ran schools and hospitals, and employed dancers, musicians and priests
- Inscriptions: walls of the Brihadisvara record gifts and the list of dancers, and Uttaramerur records village assembly rules under Parantaka I
- Gangaikondacholapuram: the capital founded by Rajendra I, who took the title Gangaikonda Chola
- UNESCO: the listing is called the Great Living Chola Temples because worship still continues in them
- Bronze tradition: Swamimalai in Tamil Nadu still makes Chola style bronzes and holds a GI tag, as in Medieval School of Sculpture (Chola Bronzes – Nataraja)
- Compare with the Pallavas: the Chola builders took forward the form seen in Pallava Period Temples
- Compare with Vijayanagara: later temples gave more height to the gateway, as in Hampi, Karnataka (also spelt Vijayanagar) Best-known patron Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty…">Vijayanagara Period Temples
- Chola painting: the murals in the passage around the sanctum at Thanjavur were painted in the Chola period and later overpainted by Nayaka work, and the lower layer was uncovered in the 20th century
- Naval and trade reach: Chola power reached Southeast Asia under Rajendra I, and temple art and bronzes travelled with trade
- Later Cholas: Kulottunga III built at Tribhuvanam, and Darasuram and Tribhuvanam show the more ornate late phase
- Temple names: the suffix isvara or isvaram denotes a Shiva temple, as in Brihadisvara and Gangaikondacholisvaram
- Dancers: the Brihadisvara inscriptions list 400 dancing women attached to the temple, a figure often quoted
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Match questions: Brihadisvara with Rajaraja I, Gangaikondacholapuram with Rajendra I
- UNESCO: three temples under the Great Living Chola Temples label
- Features: vimana taller than gateway towers
- Art: Nataraja bronze and murals at Thanjavur
- Common errors: calling the Brihadisvara a Pallava temple or giving the UNESCO year as 2004 for the first listing
As an analytical point, Chola temples worked as centres of economy and learning, not only of worship. Their continued ritual use is a model of living heritage that conservation policy tries to keep.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Peak of Dravidian Most asked southern style
- UNESCO Years and names
- Bronzes Art link
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Pandya temples, where the gateway tower began to dominate. Next topic: Pandya Temples.
Key People and Terms
- Rajaraja I Builder of Brihadisvara
- Rajendra I Builder of Gangaikondacholapuram
- Vimana Sanctum tower
- Dvarapala Guardian figure
- Nataraja Dancing Shiva bronze
- Sembiyan Mahadevi Patron queen
Related Topics in Maarg Manthan
Study this topic together with these linked topics from other subjects.
- Chola Rulers and Political History (Rajaraja I, Rajendra I) (Medieval History)
- Chola Socio-Economic Life (Medieval History)
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Big Temple: Thanjavur, 1010 CE.
- Rajendra I: Gangaikondacholapuram.
- Darasuram: Airavatesvara.
- UNESCO: 1987, extended 2004.
- Chola tower is the vimana.
Do Not Confuse With
- Vimana and gopura Sanctum tower versus gateway tower
- Chola and Pallava temples Peak versus beginning
- Brihadisvara and Meenakshi Chola Shiva temple versus Nayaka goddess temple
Memory Hook
Raja built Big at Thanjavur, Rajendra built Ganga city, Darasuram has wheels.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about living heritage and cultural reach. These points give a balanced frame.
- Living heritage Worship and tourism together
- Institution Temple as economic and social hub
- Art Bronzes and murals
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Chola temples were not only places of worship but centres of social and economic life. Discuss with examples.”
How to Answer
- Intro Peak of Dravidian style.
- Examples Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram, Darasuram.
- Role Land, schools, art, dancers.
- Way Protect living heritage.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur?
The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur was built by Rajaraja I of the Chola dynasty and consecrated in 1010 CE. Its granite vimana has 13 storeys and is about 66 metres tall, capped by a large stone dome. It is a Shiva temple and a UNESCO site inscribed in 1987.
What are the Great Living Chola Temples?
The Great Living Chola Temples are three temples inscribed by UNESCO: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur in 1987, and the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple and Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram as an extension in 2004. They are called living because worship continues in them today.
What is a vimana in Chola architecture?
A vimana is the tower built over the sanctum of a South Indian temple. In Chola temples it rises in stepped storeys and ends in a dome-shaped cap with a finial, and it is the tallest part of the temple. In later periods the gateway tower, or gopura, became more prominent.
Which Chola king built Gangaikondacholapuram?
Rajendra I built the temple and city of Gangaikondacholapuram around 1035 CE to mark his northern campaign to the Ganga and took the title Gangaikonda Chola. The Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple has a graceful curved vimana. It was added to the UNESCO list in 2004 as an extension.
Why are Chola temples important for UPSC?
Prelims asks for the builder of each temple, the three Great Living Chola Temples with their UNESCO years, and the features of the vimana. Mains uses Chola temples for the temple as an economic and social centre, for bronzes and murals, and for living heritage. The common trap is mixing the 1987 and 2004 inscription years.
What is the difference between the Brihadisvara and Gangaikondacholisvaram temples?
Both are Chola Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, built by Rajaraja I and consecrated in 1010 CE, has a 13-storey vimana about 66 m tall. The Gangaikondacholisvaram at Gangaikondacholapuram, built by Rajendra I around 1035, has a smaller and more curved vimana.
What is special about the Airavatesvara Temple?
The Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, built by Rajaraja II in the 12th century, is known for its fine sculpture and for a mandapa shaped like a chariot with carved wheels and horses. It is a late Chola work and forms a part of the Great Living Chola Temples site.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Brihadisvara Temple was built by Rajaraja I.
It was consecrated in 1010 CE.
2 The Airavatesvara Temple is at Gangaikondacholapuram.
It is at Darasuram near Kumbakonam.
3 Chola temples are marked by a tall vimana over the sanctum.
The vimana is the main feature.
4 The Great Living Chola Temples include three temples.
Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram.
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