Brahadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur
When you think about Thanjavur (or Tanjore), what comes to the mind is “Brahadeeswara temple”, also known as the “Big Temple/ Thanjai Periya Kovil”. Thanjavur is located in the southern part Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Cauvery river. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple serves as a symbol of India's rich cultural legacy and architectural ingenuity.
Brahadeeswara temple was built by Chola emperor, Rajaraja I, during the 11th century. The temple features Dravidian style of architecture, and has tall gopurams, huge towers, numerous shrines, and a huge campus.
This temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, and it also has shrines of Parvati, Nandi, Ganesha, and Muruga.
The 80-ton stone used to crown the temple is an engineering marvel that adds to the temple's grandeur. This colossal stone, is atop the temple tower (Vimana). Crafted out of a single granite block, the kalasam is not only massive in size but also intricate in design. Its shape resembles a lotus flower.
The transportation and installation of such a colossal stone would have been a daunting task during the 11th century when the temple was constructed. It required ingenious engineering techniques and immense manpower to quarry, shape, and transport the stone to the temple site.
Scholars and historians speculate that ancient builders likely employed a combination of ramps, pulleys, and sheer human strength to move the massive stone into position atop the vimana. The precision with which the kalasam was installed speaks volumes about the advanced architectural skills and craftsmanship.
The Maha Shivaratri festival, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a major highlight, inviting devotees from far and wide to partake in rituals, processions, and cultural performances. Other festivals such as Panguni Uthiram and Arudra Darshanam are also celebrated with equal enthusiasm.
To mark the occasion of 1000th anniversary of the building, the state government organised a Bharathanatyam Yajna, classical dance show under noted dancer Padma Subramaniam. A thousand dancers from all over India, Singapore, Malaysia and the US danced in this concert. You can get a glimpse of this here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcAjrl_oQS8
Lesser known facts: Brahadeeswarar temple is the first complete granite temple in the world. Around 60,000 tons of granite is said to be used to build the temple. No cement has been used in this temple, and yet , this temple made of only stones proudly continues to stand tall for a thousand years.
Despite the temple being tall, the shadow of the temple never falls on the ground at noon. It is said that the temple has been designed in such a manner that it does not cast a shadow at noon during any part of the year. When King Rajaraja Chola asked the architect if this temple was ever going to fall down. To this, the architect replied: “Even its shadow will not fall on ground”. This is not a mystery but an engineering marvel - 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.
Do visit this temple, one of my favourite places in India.
Arulmihu Sivan Temple / Zurich Sivan Kovil
Established in 1994, with a vision to preserve and propagate the Hinduism and Tamil culture, this temple stands as a testament to the enduring values of peace, harmony, and devotion.
The Arulmigu Siva Temple, also known as the Zurich Sivan Kovil, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The central shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, where worshippers offer prayers and perform rituals.
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with great devotion. Devotees fast and offer prayers throughout the night. Most other Hindu festivals such as Pongal and Navarathri are also celebrated.
Siva Temple also plays a vital role in promoting cultural exchange and understanding. Throughout the year, it hosts various events and festivals that showcase the rich tapestry of Tamil culture, including traditional music and dance performances, religious ceremonies, and community gatherings.
The Siva Temple in Glattbrug, Zurich, stands as more than just a place of worship—it is a symbol of unity, spirituality, and cultural heritage.
The temple performed “Bhoomi Pooja” for constructing Gopuram (Temple tower) and this will be called as “Sivapuram – Glattbrugg”. 3 days (22nd to 24th March 2024) grand celebration was held including several rituals such as morning and evening pooja, Ganapathi homam, Bhoomi Yaagam, reciting vedas and Rudram. Prasadam was distributed on all these days.
History of events can be found in the website of the temple https://sivankovil.ch/ and Facebook page provides latest updates of events https://www.facebook.com/zurichsivankovil/?ref=embed_page
Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple, Adliswil, Switzerland
Sri Sivasubraminar Temple in Adliswil was founded in 1994. This temple is located on the shores of the Sihl river in the industrial area of Adliswil, is the most famous and largest Hindu temple in Switzerland.
Lord Murugan is the main deity and other deities include Shiva, Ganesha, Durga and Rajarajeswari Ambal.
All the Hindu festivals are celebrated here, mainly Pongal, Thai Poosam, Navarathri, Deewali, along with any special events on personal requests. Apart from the those festival days, the temple gets crowded on Friday evenings, weekends and New Year days.
For more details visit the website https://www.murugantemple-zh.ch/
