July 2011 : The Great Living Chola Temples – Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Travel Title: A Day-Tour To The Great Living Chola Temples – Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.

When: July 2011

About The Trip:

Purpose: A Day-Tour To The Great Living Chola Temples – Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.

Days/Nights: 1 Day

Arrangements: Travel Agent / Self-guided Tour

Route: Tiruchirappalli INDIA – Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur INDIA – Tiruchirappalli INDIA

Traveling Method & Time:

Tiruchirappalli – Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur = by car (≈ 3 hours)

Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur – Tiruchirappalli = by car (≈ 3 hours)

Details:

Thanjavur, or formerly known as Tanjore, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is known as the ‘Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu’ and an important center of South Indian art (home of the Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region) and architecture. The city is also home to most of the Great Living Chola Temples – The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur city center, the Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. All three are in the district of Thanjavur and were declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Monuments.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram that makes up The Great Living Chola Temples was erected in the Thanjavur district by Rajendra Chola I, the son and successor of Rajaraja Chola (The Great Chola) who conquered a large area in South India at the beginning of the 11th century C.E.

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