High medieval · Hindu · India

Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu · 11.2061°, 79.4482°

ShivaCholaDravidaUNESCO World Heritage
Sacred since
1025 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
c. 1035 CE
patron: Rajendra I

History & significance

Built by Rajendra I to celebrate his victorious march to the Ganga, in a new capital whose name means 'the town of the Chola who took the Ganga'. Slightly smaller but more delicately sculpted than his father's Thanjavur temple; the capital around it has vanished, leaving the shrine alone in fields.

Sthala katha — the legend

Rajendra is said to have made defeated kings carry Ganga water south to fill the 'liquid pillar of victory', the Cholaganga tank.

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Related sites

Brihadisvara Temple
Thanjavur · India
1003–1010 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.
Shore Temple
Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) · India
c. 700–728 CE
Arunachaleswarar Temple
Tiruvannamalai · India
9th-c. Chola core; 16th-c. gopurams

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola