Missing Brihadeeswarar Temple Shadow, Thanjavur

In south of India, in a beautiful temple town of Tamil Nadu, Thanjavur, stands a 10 centuries old mighty temple! The several strange facts associated with this BIG temple – Brihadeeswarar Temple – has kept historians and scientists perplexed even today! Most intriguing being the missing Brihadeeswarar Temple shadow.

Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur Tamil Nadu, oldest among the Group of Chola Temples, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in 1010AD, that is exactly ten centuries back (at the time of writing this post)! Raja Raja I of Chola empire (985 – 1014 A.D.) dedicated this magnificent temple to Lord Shiva, as Nataraja, the king of cosmic dance.

I was amazed at the number of names the temple has. That had to be the case though considering its popularity and long history spanning 10 centuries! The temple has the names – Rajarajeshwaram (during reign of the Cholas), Thanjavur Shiva Temple, Thanjavur Sivan Temple, Bruhadeshwar Mandir, Thanjai Periya Temple, Peruvudaiyar Koyil, Thanjavur Kovil. (Here Kovil, koyil, mandir – all means temple.)

The meaning of this Sanskrit composite word Brihadeeswarar (Brihat + Iswara) is large or vast + Lord. Thus vast lord is referenced to Lord Shiva who is believed to be supreme being. One of the reasons why it is known as Dakshin Meru or Meru Peak of south.

Brihadeeswarar Temple Shadow mystery

Thanjavur’s Brihadeeswara Temple History

The Brihadeeswarar Temple, locally known as the Thanjavur Periya Kovil, stands as a majestic symbol of South Indian architecture. Completed in 1010 CE by Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This 1000 years old temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site and reflects the might and vision of its royal patron of the Chola dynasty.

Brihadeeswarar temple was built between 1003AD and 1010AD by the Chola King Raja Raja. Inscriptions found at the temple state the architect and engineer of the temple as Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Rama Perunthachan. If you study the timeline of historical monuments in Tamil Nadu, you’ll find that this temple was constructed in the 10th century, after the group of monuments at Mahabalipuram, which were built in the 8th century.

While the main temple stands as it is, there have been several additions to this complex in the next 10 centuries. Series of wars between Muslim invaders and Hindu rulers caused damage to temple. The Hindu dynasties that ruled the land after this phase repaired the temple and added several shrines to the main temple. The significant shrines of Kartikeya (Murugan), Parvati (Amman) and Nandi are from the 16^th and 17^th century, during the rule of Nayaka era. The Dakshinamurti shrine was added much later.

They attempted to renovate the temple by painting over the faded paintings. It is worth spending some time over the Chola paintings on the walls of massive colonnaded prakara, corridor (circumambulatory pathway) around Brihadeeswarar Temple.

Brihadeshwara Temple work on entrance gopuram

15 Interesting Brihadeeswarar Temple Facts

Here are the highlights of the Tanjore Big Temple that you should look for during your visit. Scroll down to read more about these fascinating facts and features of the Brihadeeswarar Temple, which are sure to entice you to visit not just once, but again and again.

1. Brihadeeswarar Temple shadow does not exist.
2. The temple is constructed from massive interlocking granite blocks without any binding material.
3. The Tanjore Big Temple has withstood all natural disasters since its construction.
4. A staircase above the main deity inside the sanctum leads to the upper part of the tower.
5. Chanting the mantra “OM” inside the hollow sanctum creates a divine vibration.
6. Even after 1,000 years, the natural colors of the temple’s paintings remain vibrant.
7. The statue of Thanjai Nandi continued to grow in size over time.
8. The builders engineered an 8 km incline to transport the massive granite stones to the top of the Tanjore temple.
9. Several underground passages connect the different temples from the Chola period.
10. At the Brihadeeswarar Temple, the gopurams are shorter, while the main Vimana stands tall.
11. The Brihadeeswarar Temple also served as a fort at one point in history.
12. The main Shiva Lingam inside the sanctum is one of the largest in India.
13. There is also a cluster of 108 Shiva Lingams made of black granite, contributed by Maratha King Saraboji.
14. The Big Temple complex is a rectangular shape, nearly two stacked squares, covering 240.79 meters from east to west, and 121.92 meters from north to south.
15. The time required to tour the Big Temple can range from two hours to multiple visits, depending on your interest.

Brihadeeswarar Temple Moon rise Nandi Mandapam

Architectural Wonders of Brihadeeswarar Temple

Though the Brihadeshwara Temple has been researched over and over there is no clear idea about the exact architectural plan and details. There are several architectural secrets, mysteries and wonders of Brihadeeswarar Temple which are yet to be fully understood or deciphered. I have elaborated on some of these interesting Brihadeshwara Temple facts.

Raja Gopuram of Tanjore Big Temple

The temple is a 13 storey tower (Raja Gopuram) made out of granite. Raja Gopuram of the temple has a hollow shape and is made by inter locking huge blocks of granite stones which stay in place without any binding material. It was constructed entirely out of granite blocks, which was transported from quarries miles away. Most unique factor about this Chola temple is that the tower over the sanctum is taller than the gopuram (tower) at entrance. The temple tower is 70m high and is credited to be the highest of its kind in the world. No matter wherever you are in the city of Thanjavur (Tanjore) you can see this Big Temple. It is a great point of reference if you get lost.

Shikhara (dome), the central stone of the Vimana, believed to weigh 106.5 kg (plus 15.8 kg of gold plating on it) is said to have been placed with exceptionally brilliant human skills, without modern machinery, a feat that continues to baffle experts. The precision and craftsmanship with which these stones were cut and assembled allowed them to interlock seamlessly, creating a solid and enduring masterpiece that has withstood the test of time for over a millennium.

How did they get those massive stones for Raja Gopuram of Tanjore Big Temple? The place of location of this temple does not have granite stone. All those stone used for making this mighty temple was sourced from distant areas almost 80.46 km away. Our guide explained how the builders achieved this feat. The builders then engineered a scaffold nearly 8 km long to transport the massive granite stones to the top of the temple.  It is assumed without elephants this work of transportation of the rocks from that place might not be possible. 1000 is a mere number! I am sure more than 1000 elephants were used for the construction of this temple.

Another interesting architectural feature of this temple is that unlike in many South Indian temples, where the entrance towers, known as gopurams, often rise higher than the central temple tower, or Vimana, at the Brihadeeswarar Temple, the design is strikingly different. Here, the gopurams are shorter, while the main Vimana stands tall and dominant, reversing the typical architectural pattern.

The Brihadeshwara temple walls are adorned with intricate carvings, frescoes, and sculptures that depict episodes from Hindu mythology, as well as scenes from the daily life of the Chola empire.

Brihadeshwara Temple corridor

The sheer size and the detailed sculptures on the facade just swept me off my feet. At the top of the shikhara is a metal vase with a lotus design. It is said the pot has inscriptions mentioning the names of various kings.

Temple sculpture

The Mystery of the Missing Brihadeeswarar Temple Shadow

Most striking wonder about this Brihadeeswarar Temple, one of India’s architectural marvels, holds a fascinating mystery—the phenomenon of its missing shadow. Brihadeeswarar Temple casts no shadow during the day. Brihadeshwara Temple is the only shadow less monument in whole world.

This intriguing feature invites both wonder and speculation. Regardless of the season, time of day, or angle of sunlight, the temple’s shadow seems to disappear. We visited the temple twice to just check this fact. No matter how hard you search, you won’t find the shadow of the temple’s towering structure outlined on the ground. However, the myth was debunked by our intelligent guide.

The shadow of the main tower, Raja Gopuram does not fall on the ground at noon. The Tanjore Big Temple does cast a shadow, but it extends toward the periphery of the temple grounds. The shadow is not easily visible due to the dense cover of trees in the area hence the general belief that Brihadeeswarar Temple shadow doesn’t exist. It’s said that the way the stones cascade to build the structure of this temple, it creates an illusion that the shadow of the temple never reaches the ground.

Brihadeshwara Temple Nandi at Entrance

The credit for this remarkable phenomenon of the missing Brihadeeswarar Temple shadow belongs to the visionary architects and engineers who designed the Brihadeeswarar Temple with unparalleled precision. If you observe closely, you’ll notice that the temple’s façade is crafted in such a way that the circumference of the structure increases as the stones cascade downward causing the temple shadow to merge into the facade. Whether this is a result of arithmetic progression or geometric progression is a question best answered by mathematicians, but one thing is certain—the brilliance of the temple’s design continues to captivate minds across the centuries.

Temple kalasa on dome

Brihadishwara Temple was used as Fort

Another interesting historical fact of Brihadeshwara Temple is that this temple had doubled up as a fort too. A rare feature that makes it stand out differently from other temples of south India. At one point in history Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur served as a watchtower and as religious site.

The wall around the Big Temple is very high and the entrance is built like a fort, along with a moat. Our local guide elaborated, after the Chola dynasty, both the Marathas and the Nayaks utilized the temple as a defensive structure during kingdom wars, repurposing it as a watchtower. This explains the added fortifications, including the moat, outer gates, and walls that now surround the temple. Observe carefully, you will find slots in the outer wall of the temple where canons fit in easily once.

There are two entrances to the temple. One that looks grand with a gopuram and one more, smaller one, behind with narrow gates. At the grand entrance of Big Temple there are a series of 3 gates. The first gate is connected to the moat, on the outer wall. The next two are named-Keralantakan Tiruvasal and Rajarajan Tiruvasal. Keralantakan Tiruvasal built as memorial of victory of Raja Raja Chola is elaborately sculpted with statues of several Hindu Gods. Rajarajan Tiruvasal gate has sculpted statues of 2 dwarpalikas (guards).

Temple Moat and Fort wall

Thanjai Nandi

Stepping into the complex the first enshrined sculpted figure is that of Nandi, Lord Shiva’s vahan (vehicle). This Nandi is carved out of a single stone There is a local legend that Thanjai Nandi, the statue of Nandi, sculptured during the Raja Raja Chola period, kept growing in the size. However. the explanation being given is-it could be even because of the unique weather condition and to control its growth, it was nailed to the grounds and a pavilion (Nandi Mandapam) was built over the statue of Nandi in 16^th century.

Thanjavur Big Temple Nandi made of black granite is 6m in length and 4m in height.

Interior of Raja Gopuram of Tanjore Big Temple

A small staircase above the primary deity inside the main shrine leads to the upper part of the tower. It is said chanting of mantra OM inside the hollow area gives rise to a divine vibration. The main Shiva Lingam inside the sanctum is one of the largest in India. The lingam in the Brihadishwara Temple is a huge stone symbol of Lord Shiva’s divine power. It’s made from a single piece of stone and weighs a massive 20 tons.

Another mysterious fact associated with this temple is there are several underground passages which connected the different temples of Chola period. In addition to that there are secret passages within the temple which connected all the secret places of the kings. Many of them have been sealed.

Temple inscriptions

Tour of Brihadeshwara Temple Thanjavur

We toured the main temple twice, on 2 consecutive days just to see its splendor at different times of the day. Also we wanted to check if the temple really didn’t cast any shadow. Photography of interiors of temple is strictly prohibited. This main shrine houses  a huge linga. Since it was not a festival day there was no crowd inside and we could linger on for around half an hour. During festival days there are long queues.

Chola Paintings in Thanjavur Periya Kovil

Paintings on the walls of massive colonnaded prakara, corridor (circumambulatory pathway) around Temple has faded. They allow photography of these paintings. Even a fast paced tour of this can take half an hour. Even after 1000 years the colors of the paintings are still bright and healthy. They all have been painted using natural colors.

Chola Paintings in Tanjavoor Big Temple Lord Shiva.

Shrines inside Brihadeshwara Temple

Outside this main shrine but within the complex there are several smaller shrines.

The shrines inside the temple complex are: Chandeshvara shrine, shrine of Devi – spouse of Shiva, shrine of Subrahmanya and a Ganesha Shrine. It was easy to offer prayers at each of these smaller shrines. Tour of these shrines can take an hour if you wish to offer puja at each of the shrines.

We watched the sunset of 26th Dec 2009 here. It was mesmerizing watching the darkness set in and the moon rising over the gopuram. The temple was lit up even before the sun’s rays had faded away. It wasn’t a full moon night yet the soft glow enhanced the evening. We revisited the temple next morning again just to see how it reflected the early rays of sun.

Brihadeeswarar Temple lit up at sunset hours.

Brihadeeswarar Temple Open Timings and Tickets

It is open all days. But for the spiritually inclined, intending to offer prayers there are special timings. No tickets required for entrance and camera. But for special darshan and film shooting tickets and permission required respectively.

Best Time to Visit Brihadeeswarar Temple

Best time to visit this temple would be early mornings. It is very calm and the freshness of the day coupled with holy chanting and clanging temple bells makes a divine experience. If you are okay with crowds there are some incredible festivals that take place within the temple complex.

Avoid summer months: March to June when it is very hot and dry.

Role of Tanjore Shiva Temple in society

The Brihadeeswarar Temple has been more than just a religious site; it has served as a vital institution shaping the spiritual, cultural, educational, economic, and social life of the region. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple has been a major place of worship for over a millennium. It continues to serve as a site for religious practices, rituals, and festivals, attracting devotees from across the region.

Historically, the Tanjore Shiva temple was a center of learning and knowledge dissemination. It housed scholars and priests who were well-versed in Vedic texts, philosophy, astronomy, and various other disciplines. During the Chola period, the temple also functioned as an administrative and economic hub. The temple was granted vast lands, which were managed by temple authorities, and served as a base for collecting taxes and regulating trade. The surplus wealth generated from these lands supported not only the Tanjore Shiva temple but also public works, such as roads, irrigation systems, and the welfare of the community.

Besides that, the big temple also contributed to the study of architecture, given its advanced engineering techniques and the precision with which it was built. Brihadeeswarar Temple has long been a cultural cornerstone, promoting art, music, dance, and literature. Even today, it remains a symbol of Tamil Nadu’s rich artistic heritage, inspiring modern artists and performers who look to the temple’s traditions.

Plan a trip to the Brihadishvara temple at Thanjavur around February, around the Mahashivratri. The Big Temple becomes the site of annual dance festivals. You can witness major classical Indian dance form artists, as well as regional teams, perform their repertoire at this Brahan Natyanjali festival over 10 days.

Pin this for later…

Were you aware of the mystery of Brihadeeswarar Temple shadow? Do let me know in your comments. Do save and share this travel blog on interesting facts of Brihadeeswarar Temple with the buttons on left of this page.