Gangai konda Chozhapuram
My long term Wish of visiting this place came true on my birthday! Another trip with my cousins.
We started from my home town in my uncle's car and had to drive 135 KM to reach Gangai konda chozhapuram (from Gunaseelam). It took 3 hours to reach the place and on the way we saw a beautiful sight of a lake filled with birds sitting on the trees. It was an exquisite sight and was delight to the eyes. There was also lake and ruins of the ancient cholzha palace enroute.
The significance of this place is that it has the same design as the Great Thanjai Periya Koil, built by the legend tamil Chozha king, Raja Raja Chozha. This one was built by Rajendrachozha the son of Rajaraja Chozha. The deities are the Same, Shiva is named Bragedeeswara & goddess parvathi is Brugannayaki or Periyanayaki. The Shiva Linga is too huge bigger than Tanjai periya koil I hope.
The Nandhi at the entrance is also stunning with its huge appearance and beautiful ornaments.
There were 2 main sculptures that caught my attention. They are the ones below.The Lord Shiva himself coronating the King Rajendra Chozha and Goddess lakshmi
As per history, the king Rajendra Chozha conquered till River Ganga, brought stones from Ganga and built this temple. Hence, the name Gangai konda chozhapuram. The nerby town is also called Jayamkondan, the one who attained SUCCESS.
The temple is similar to tanjai periya koil in its set up. The outer Gopuram is incomplete and also the outer premises walls stand unfinished. One can find a huge Yazhi, a lion faced elephant like creature said to have lived in this world but extinct now. Below it is a outlet of the well near by. It is believed that the people can take bath there without being seen from outside, but the ones who take bath can see people standing out.
There is also a separate sanctum for Durga Devi having several hands and hands full of weapons.
The specialty is that people can visit the gopuram top as there are steps leading to it. The temple has beautiful lawns and is neatly maintained.
With this I have completed the TRIPLE CHOZHA TEMPLES
1. TANJAI PERIYA KOIL- By THE GREAT RAJARAJA CHOZHA
2. GANGAI KONDA CHOZHAPURAM- By RAJENDRA CHOZHA
3. DARADURAM- By RAJA RAJA CHOZHA II
The Red Granite stones and the Unique Vimanam structure are the lucrative feature of all the three temples.
However the Legend RAJARAJA CHOZHA, someone I feel proud every moment, is definitely someone who I would like to meet if he were still alive and congratulate him for making such a Master piece that not even his Successors couldn't match up. The stunning top of the Tanjai Periya koil still has researchers, scholars wondering how the King brought the granite stones not found in its 100 KM radius!!
Reading tamil Novels like Amarar Kalki's Ponniyin selvan, Sivagamiyin Sabadam, Parthiban kanavu, I often dream how life would have been those days, how people would have lived those days! Visiting these places tells me few things for sure.
The kings of those days definitely had a good Culture , interest for Art & Architecture. Above all their LOVE FOR GOD had been and still is so Huge that these temples stands as an evidence and has WON over time. TIME is the only thing that HUMAN RACE is still working hard to win over in every possible way. I would say these KINGS have already WON over TIME,as I sit after several centuries writing this blog..
SHAMBO MAHADEVA! MAY THE NAME OF THE LORD BRING PEACE TO THIS WORLD!!!
My long term Wish of visiting this place came true on my birthday! Another trip with my cousins.
We started from my home town in my uncle's car and had to drive 135 KM to reach Gangai konda chozhapuram (from Gunaseelam). It took 3 hours to reach the place and on the way we saw a beautiful sight of a lake filled with birds sitting on the trees. It was an exquisite sight and was delight to the eyes. There was also lake and ruins of the ancient cholzha palace enroute.
The significance of this place is that it has the same design as the Great Thanjai Periya Koil, built by the legend tamil Chozha king, Raja Raja Chozha. This one was built by Rajendrachozha the son of Rajaraja Chozha. The deities are the Same, Shiva is named Bragedeeswara & goddess parvathi is Brugannayaki or Periyanayaki. The Shiva Linga is too huge bigger than Tanjai periya koil I hope.
The Nandhi at the entrance is also stunning with its huge appearance and beautiful ornaments.
There were 2 main sculptures that caught my attention. They are the ones below.The Lord Shiva himself coronating the King Rajendra Chozha and Goddess lakshmi
As per history, the king Rajendra Chozha conquered till River Ganga, brought stones from Ganga and built this temple. Hence, the name Gangai konda chozhapuram. The nerby town is also called Jayamkondan, the one who attained SUCCESS.
The temple is similar to tanjai periya koil in its set up. The outer Gopuram is incomplete and also the outer premises walls stand unfinished. One can find a huge Yazhi, a lion faced elephant like creature said to have lived in this world but extinct now. Below it is a outlet of the well near by. It is believed that the people can take bath there without being seen from outside, but the ones who take bath can see people standing out.
There is also a separate sanctum for Durga Devi having several hands and hands full of weapons.
The specialty is that people can visit the gopuram top as there are steps leading to it. The temple has beautiful lawns and is neatly maintained.
With this I have completed the TRIPLE CHOZHA TEMPLES
1. TANJAI PERIYA KOIL- By THE GREAT RAJARAJA CHOZHA
2. GANGAI KONDA CHOZHAPURAM- By RAJENDRA CHOZHA
3. DARADURAM- By RAJA RAJA CHOZHA II
The Red Granite stones and the Unique Vimanam structure are the lucrative feature of all the three temples.
However the Legend RAJARAJA CHOZHA, someone I feel proud every moment, is definitely someone who I would like to meet if he were still alive and congratulate him for making such a Master piece that not even his Successors couldn't match up. The stunning top of the Tanjai Periya koil still has researchers, scholars wondering how the King brought the granite stones not found in its 100 KM radius!!
Reading tamil Novels like Amarar Kalki's Ponniyin selvan, Sivagamiyin Sabadam, Parthiban kanavu, I often dream how life would have been those days, how people would have lived those days! Visiting these places tells me few things for sure.
The kings of those days definitely had a good Culture , interest for Art & Architecture. Above all their LOVE FOR GOD had been and still is so Huge that these temples stands as an evidence and has WON over time. TIME is the only thing that HUMAN RACE is still working hard to win over in every possible way. I would say these KINGS have already WON over TIME,as I sit after several centuries writing this blog..
SHAMBO MAHADEVA! MAY THE NAME OF THE LORD BRING PEACE TO THIS WORLD!!!