- Special FeaturesFoundation Year1000 - 2000 years oldSthala TreePinnai, VanniTheerthamSimma kinaruRathamArchitectureOther SpecialitySunlight falls on the Nandi each day reflecting on the Linga
- Sthala Puran
Sunlight falls on the Nandi each day reflecting on the Linga. Even if all lights in the sanctum are put off, devotees can see the Lord in the sunlight.
A rare stone called Chandrakanta stone is installed under the Linga which has a strange characteristic of making the sanctum sanctorum cool in summer and warm in winter.
Mother Periya Nayaki, Her very name suggests, is 9.5 feet tall standing majestically.
A devotee has to raise his/her head to worship the Mother to see Her merciful face. His Holiness Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi of Kanchi Kmakoti Peeth had installed a Sri Chakra at the feet of the Mother.
Navagrahas, the nine planets, are together on a lotus-shaped Peeta made of a single stone. The planets are around Sun on a Rath drawn by 7 horses.
Annabishekam is performed and celebrated in the temple on Aipasi full moon day by Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Mutt for quite a number of years. Hundreds of bags of rice are cooked for the purpose to cover this biggest Shiva Linga. This abishek begins at 9.00 a.m. on the day and continues till 4.00 p.m.
Mother Durga in the temple graces the devotees as a 9-year-old pretty smiling little girl with 20 hands killing demon Mahishasura. She is the family deity of King Rajendra Chola. This is a rare form of Mother Durga praised as Mangala Chandi.
Rajendra Chola was born to King Rajaraja Chola and Queen Tribhuvana Madevi on the Margazhi Tiruvadhirai day. He was named Maduranthakan. He ruled from 1012 to 1044 AD.
He built a temple for Lord Shiva as his father did in Thanjavur and named the Lord and Mother, Bragadeeswarar and Periyanayaki as in the first temple. He brought the abishek water from Ganga for consecration carried by kings defeated by him. Hence the name of the place, Gangai Konda Chola Puram.
The whole temple is built with rocks. The Shiva Linga is biggest in Tamilnadu. Dhotis and upper cloth are specially woven for the Lord to cover the size.
Rajendra Chola called his Minister and demanded accounts for the temple construction. The minister was unable to submit the account correctly. He fell at the feet of Lord Vinayaka who restored his memory.
Hence, this Vinayaka was called Kanakku Vinayaka (accountant Vinayaka) presently praised as Lord Kanaka (Gold) Vinayaka. He appears with a pen (Ezhuthani in Tamil) in His right hand.
Mothers Saraswathi and Mahalakshmi are in meditation here, hence are praised as Gnana Saraswathi and Gnana Lakshmi.
- Architecture
The Shiva Linga in the temple is bigger than the one at Thanjavur temple. Thanjavur Linga is 12.5 feet tall on an Avudayar of a circumference of 55 feet. The Linga in Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple is 13.5 feet tall placed on an Avudayar of 60 feet circumference.
The Nandi, the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva, is also bigger than that of at Thanjavur. The Nandi in Thanjavur is made of a single stone and placed on a high-level mandap. The Nandi in this temple is made of limestone and placed on the ground. In Thanjavur, the Nandi is 100 meters away from the sanctum, while in this temple, the distance is 200 meters.
The Rajagopuram of the temple is testimony to Chola temple architecture. As in Thanjavur, the tower was built only after the installation of Lord. 216 feet tall Tanjore Tower was built on a single base going up gradually in an even manner.
The 180 feet tall tower in Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple has a base of 100 feet in width up to 100 feet in height. The base is reduced to 80 feet in width after this level. The shadow of the tower does not fall on the ground.
The Vimana-tower above the sanctum in the temple is the second biggest next to that at Thanjavur.
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