Thanjai Periya Kovil — A Historical Treasure! — தஞ்சைப் பெருவுடையார் கோயில் ஒரு வரலாற்று பொக்கிசம்!
‘Brihadeeswara Kovil’ is not a Tamil name at all, but it is a Sanskrit name. How did the Tamil Kovil get a Sanskrit name? Briha means மிகப்பெரிய — Mihapperiya (huge) and Eswara means God Sivan. It was named so when Maratha Kings ruled Thanjai during 17th-18th Centuries. But, the real name of the Thanjai Periya Kovil is Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Kovil (தஞ்சைப் பெருவுடையார் கோயில்). Not only the name alone Tamil, This is a fully Tamil Kovil. You will be wondered if you hear the true story.
The height of the Lingam in the sanctum of the temple is 12 feet which is equal to the number of Tamil vowels. The height of the Linga pedestal is 18 feet which is equal to the number of Tamil consonants. The height of the Temple Gopuram is 216 feet which is equal to the number of Consonantal-vowels. The distance between the Lingam in the sanctum of the temple and the Nandi (Bull) is 247 feet which is equal to the total number of Tamil characters.
5000 elephants were used for this Temple construction. It took 30 years for the completion of the construction and all the workers’ names, the prime sculptor to water boy, are carved on the stones. It took five years to take an 80000 Kg stone from the floor to the top of the temple. This temple is fully constructed with the balance to the gravity of the Earth. Only one stone is used to make the Nandi of the temple and it is the second largest in India. This temple is made up of grenade stones, but there is no grenade stone to be found within the surrounding 60km of the temple. It is still a wonder how it was possible. Archeologists found many figures reflected foreign people and kings inside the temple. It reveals that King Raja Raja Chola had a strong relationship with many foreign kings. Every Tamil should visit Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Kovil. Let’s walk around the temple once in our life where King Raja Raja Chola walked.
UNESCO declared Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Kovil as a world heritage (1987). Why was the temple not proposed to the ‘Wonders of the World’ List? India proposed Taj Mahal to the Wonders of the World List. Why India did not propose Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Kovil which is 1000 times worthier than of Taj Mahal. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is also in the Wonders of the World list which began to tilt during construction. While a worse construction was added to the List, why Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Kovil, which is standing without even any small breakage over 1000 years, is not announced as the Wonder of the World?
Let’s preserve Tamil and Tamil Culture!!!