Brihadishvara (dedicated to God Shiva) Temple, locally known as Thanjai Periya Kovil ("Thanjavur Big Temple") was built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the only temple in the world entirely made of hard rocks of Archaean group- oldest rocks on earth about 3 to 4 billion years old. It an architectural splendor built in typical chola style.
Brihadeewara temple at Gaṅgaikoṇḍa Chōḻapuram, a village close near to Jayankondam town, Ariyalur district, TN built by Rajendra Chola, son of Rajaraja Chola, is yet another architectural grandeur. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. King Rajendra founded the town to commemorate his victory over the Pala Dynasty
Both these temple have fine sculptures of Dwarapalas and this post is more about the Parivara devata at the Big temple, Thanjavur,
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| Dwarapalas west wall big temple,back of sanctum. Thanjavur 23rf.com |
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| Dwarapalas, GK Cholapuram temple.madhujagdhish.blogspot.com |
They may be gentle looking or fierce looking armed with weapons mostly mace - gada; doing duty for the lords. They are always in pair or in even numbers. The Agama texts recommend four pairs of Dwarapalas, each pair to guard a cardinal direction based on the size of the temple. In rare cases smaller structures may have had only one dwarapala. Some larger temples have four (lokapālas, guardians or 8 or 12 facing cardinal direction. Unlike in Shiva temples, at Vishnu temples dwarapalas look subdued and not ferocious.
Dwarapalas as an important temple architectural feature have their origin in tutelary deities, like Yaksha and warrior figures, such as Acala, of the local popular religion. Depending on the size and wealth of the temple, they are placed in pairs or in larger groups.
The Dwarapalas at the Brihadeshwara temple of Thanjavur are massive sculptures and have attributes of the presiding deity- God Brihadeeswara in the form of large monolithic Shivalinga in the sanctum which itself is more than two floors tall.
What is interesting is the entire Dwarapala panel is related to the image of an elephant, the largest animal on earth. This depiction will give you some idea about the size and power of the parivara devata- gate guardians at the big temple. This is linked to the size of the temple as well as the main deity in the inner sanctuary.
This being a Shiva temple the temple guardians have four hands holding a Pasha (noose) and Trishula (trident) with their upper hands and one of the lower hands holding a Gada ( mace) and another showing Suchi or Tarjani Mudra warning the devotees to enter the holy shrine with reverence and bhakti.
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| Dwarapala with protruding teeth Thanjavur big temple dreamstime.com |
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| Brihadeeswar temple Thanjavur. thehindu.com |
Above image: A dwarapala at the entrance of Brihadesvara temple, Thanjavyur showing a python swallowing an elephant at the foot of the dwarapala at t the bottom of the panel, The serpent which in turn is coiled around the mace held in the hands of the guardian. The serpent looks quite small in comparison to the mace on which the Dvarapala has planted his foot. The big mace it self looks like a toy in the hands of the gatekeeper.
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| Dwarapala in Gangaikonda cholapuram temple, TN. dreamstime.com |
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| G.K.holapuram temple, TN.dreamstime.com |
Above image: A Bhikshatana-murti and dwarapala, southern niche of the central shrine, Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda cholapuram, Tamil Nadu, India
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| dreamstime.com |
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| Brihadeesvara Temple, G.K.Cholapuram Dwarapala with Saraswati. image. dreamstime.com |
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| Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjore dreamstime.com |
Above image: Dwarapala and deities in niches, southern entrance, Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu......
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| Dwarapala Alamy.comGK Cholapuram |
Above image: Chandesanugraha-murti and dwarapala, southern niche of the central shrine, Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda cholapuram, Tamil Nadu........
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| dwarapalas 2nd entrance gate, big temple, thanjavur.en.wikipedia.org |
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| canstockphoto.com |
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| Dwarapalas on higher floors on entrance tower to the temple brihadishwara, Thanjavur |
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| dreamstime.com |
Above image: Stone Dwarapalaka Statue on Gopuram Of Brihadeswarar Temple, Thanjavur.
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| Dwarapalas northt wall big temple, Thanjavur 23rf.com |
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| Dwarapalas, Big temple, Thanjavur. upload.wikimedia.org |
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| Dwarapalas south wall big temple, Thanjavur 23rf.com |
Above images; Giant Dwarapalas at Brihadeeswar temple, Thanjavur-. They are facing south direction and the open court yard on the north side. The image are mirror reflection of the other. A small shrine dedicated to Dhakshinamurthy is near by and can be accessed by a flight of steps.......
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| Dwarapalas at the 2nd entrance gate, big temple, Thanjavur meer.com |
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| Dwarapala, Subramanya shrine, Big temple, Thanjavur. dreamstime.com |
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| Subramanya shrine, Dwarapala. dreamstime.com |
Above images: Thanjavur big temple. Sculptures of Dwarapalaka, inside the Subrahmanya shrine.They are well polished meduim size images. Part of it is damaged by the vandals.
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| Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjore dreamstime.com |
Dwarapala and deities in niches, southern entrance, Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India
Above image: Dwarapala on the left side of the entrance to maha-mandapa, Brihadeeshvara Temple, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India.
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