9 reasons why the Brihadeeswara Temple is one of the greatest structures ever built.
1. The Temple is built using the interlock method where no cement, plaster or adhesive was used between the stones. It has survived 1000+ years and 6 earthquakes.
2. The Temple tower at 216 feet was likely the tallest in the World at the time.
3. The other structures built using this method Big Ben and Leaning Tower of Pisa are tilting with time. The Brihadeeswara Temple which is far older has zero degree inclination.
4. 130,000 tons of granite was used to build the Temple which was transported by 3000 elephants from 60 kms away
5. The Mandir was constructed without digging the earth. There was no foundation dug for the Temple!
6. The Kumbham at the top of the Mandir tower weighs 80 tons with some sources suggesting that it is monolithic..!
7. Several theories exist as to how the 80 ton stone piece got atop the 200+ feet tower. Some suggest the use of levitation technology, but the more plausible explaination seems to be the use of elephants to pull the stone piece across a nearly 6 km long ramp
8. It is said that several underground passages exist below the Mandir, most of which were sealed off centuries ago. It is said that these underground passages were safety traps and exit points for the Cholas. Some sources put the count of these passages to 100
9. The Mandir is so remarkable that some people go the the extent of saying that it was built by aliens. There is nothing quite like the Brihadeeswara Mandir and there will never be something quite like it. Raja Raja Chola was a visionary. We must treasure this timeless marvel.
The mighty Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. Built by great emperor Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010 AD. The Temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
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