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 King Rajendra Chola, the son and successor of the great Chola King Rajaraja Chola, built the Gangaikondacholapuram and it was the capital city of the Cholas for about 250 years. The city was founded by Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victorious march to the Ganges. The name means The town of the chola who captured the Ganges. It is now a small village, its past eminence only remembered by the existence of the great Siva Temple.The temple of Siva at this place is next only to the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur in its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality. The temple at Gangaikondacholapuram was constructed during 1020-1029 AD which can be described as the \'golden age\' of the Cholas.As it rises to a height of 160 feet and is shorter than the Tanjavur tower; it is often described as the feminine counterpart of the Tanjavur temple. The temple is built on a hard southern granite stone and displays the beauty of the carvings of the temple leaving behind the simplicity gracefulness and elegance of the Pallava and the earlier Chola empires. The most outstanding and unique sculptures in this temple are the Nataraja, Coronation of king Rajendra Chola by Shiva and Parvati, the Dancing Ganesha and the Ardhanari or the half man-half woman manifestation of Lord Shiva. It lies right next to Kumbakonam. The place is now known as Ulkottai, where there is a mound called Maligaimedu or the palace-mound. The temple is closed between noon and 4 pm. |
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