A Morning at Peruvudaiyar Kovil, Thanjavur.
There are some places that you think you know the beauty of until you stand inside them. Peruvudayar Kovil in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu is one of those places. It was constructed by the Chola king, Raja Raja Chola I, over a thousand years ago. It is a World Heritage Site and an example of greatness in the field of Dravidian Architecture. Early in the morning, I went to see it; nothing could prepare me for what I encountered. After crossing the threshold, you take in the scale of everything. The main tower, the Vimana, was the first structure to break the 60 meters barrier in India. It is the first tower that broke the barrier for height in India. Of course, I had seen photographs of this, however, the shock of seeing something that old and that massive is something along the lines of standing still and looking up. I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of seeing this in person. I can only say it leaves you breathless.What surprised me the most was the Shiva Lingam in the sanctum. The lingam is so big that the temple had to be built around it. That should give you an idea of its size. The walls were built around it after the lingam was placed. You can say the walls were built after the lingam was placed. Outside the main shrine you will see a granite sculpture of Nandi, the sacred bull, which was also carved in one piece. That one piece of stone was carved into a beautiful sculpture that looks so real that you will imagine it is moving. The early morning light coming through and the sweet smell of the incense sticks and the faint sound of the temple bells makes you feel like you are walking into a part of history that remains alive. The stones may be over a thousand years old, but the faith and devotion of the people around them is new. If you visit Tamil Nadu, Thanjavur is a must.
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