" Devotion At Highest Levels ! "
"
Tamil Nadu can easily be referred to as the 'The Land of Temples' for its
unmatched mastery in designing temples. Tamil Nadu is home to more than
30,000 temples with every one of them being an architectural wonder. The
temples were constructed over a vast period of time by various dynasties.
Tamil Nadu is where the legacy of ancient Dravidian art and culture is still
preserved in all its glory. The temples are the greatest mark that
Dravidians left on the face of Tamil Nadu.
The main principle behind every temple is almost the same with same
composition. There are Gopurams, huge gateways, pillared hallways and a
Sanctum Sactorum. However it is the subtle effects given to the temple that
makes then standout. The carvings, the size of hallways, the shape of the
gopurams are all different. Unlike other states where century old temples
are no more operational and are just a tourism attraction, Temples of Tamil
Nadu still hold daily rituals and one has to maintain complete purity inside
the temples. So tourists are advised to follow all the rules. The temples
were also much more than a place of worship. They were a place for social
gathering, for education, for celebration.
Marvels of Temple Architecture
The most noticeable contribution to Tamil Nadu Temple architecture was made
by the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar rulers and the Nayakas. Every
one of these dynasties believed heavily in innovations and tried not to copy
the style of any other dynasty. This gave the architects exposure to
different types of temples. And with every passing dynasty, their mastery
only grew. Ever since, people of Tamil Nadu are known to be the best Temple
builders in India. The earliest temples were built uisng brick and mortar.
Up till 700 AD, temples were replicated out of caves. The Pallava Kings were
the first known dynasty to have given great priority to construction of
temples. They also started and perfected the art of constructing temples of
stone. The Cholas (900-1250 AD) have a number of monuments to their credit.
The most well known temple by Cholas that still stands today is The
Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tanjavur. The carvings on it are simply out of this
world. The Cholas added many ornate mandpams or halls to temples and built
large gopurams - towers. The high wall enclosures, gigantic towers and
magnificent gateway arches were all the contribution of Pandya Dynasty and
the carved pillars are the addition of Vijayanagar Dynasty. Today, thousands
of temples with rising towers adorn skyline of the entire state of Tamil
Nadu. Temples from the pre Christian era as well as those from the 20th
century exist in this state, where the ancient rulers have made outstanding
contributions to the growth of these monuments of great artistic value. The
spectacular architecture of these temples indeed inspires architectural
innovation.
Tamil
Nadu Temples
