Chola: Temple at Tiruvalur, Tanjore district

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Collections	Arthur Llewellyn Basham
Title:	Chola: Temple at Tiruvalur, Tanjore district
Author(s):	Fergusson, James Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
Keywords:	Chola, Pandya, etc.;architecture;diagrams/drawings;book scan
Series/Report no.:	Basham Collection
Description:	Nucleus here was a small village temple, a double shrine dedicated to Valmikesvara or Siva and his consort, standing in a cloistered court 191' x 156', and has one gopuram in front. On the south is a shrine of Tyagaraja-swami. The central shrine is said to belong to early 15th cent, but there are some defaced inscriptions of Rajaraja I and Rajendra Chola (A.D. 985-1018) on the small shrine of Achalesvara, which may be the oldest portion now existing. Otherwise there is nothing to distinguish it from the ordinary temples found in every village. Later, however, it became sacred or rich and a 2nd court was added, measuring c. 470 ft. each way, with two gopurams, higher than the original one, and containing within its walls numberless little shrines and porches. Additions were again made at some subsequent date, the whole being enclosed in a court 957 x 726 ft. - this time with 5 gopurams, and containing subordinate shrines. Big hall never built. Beauty of detail but not in general.
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/1885/176839
Other Identifiers:	ANUA 682-1843

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ANUA_682_1843.tif		16.77 MB	TIFF

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