1. Temples
A prominent feature of early medieval urbanisation is the development of vast temple complexes into major temple cities. A new type of urban development began under the Pallava dynasty (sixth-ninth centuries), centred especially in the capital city of Kanchipuram. The developments originating in the Pallava period came to fruition during the subsequent reigns of the Chola kings, when many areas of Tamilnadu experienced growth of urban centres around the temples. The central place in the Kaveri River delta was the town of Kudamukku (present Kumbakonam). During the Chola period Kudamukku was a major site in the urban complex attached to Palaiyaru, a Chola capital, which spread over a large area to its south and west. Kudamukku functioned as the sacred centre having a number of temples. The twin cities were located on an important trade route and famous for bulk transactions in two items, areca nuts and betel nuts. There was also a concentration of metal workers in the area. These temples usually dominated the urban landscape. Though Thanjavur had already existed prior to the rise of the Cholas, its heydays began with the accession of Rajaraja I in late tenth century. At the very centre of Thanjavur stood the monumental temple, Brihadeeshvara. Around the temple was located the quarter for the political and priestly classes, forming the uppermost crust of the elites and thus occupying the urban space closest to the shrine. After this came the residential area housing other groups, including the residence of the merchants. By the time temple construction reached its final stage, a veritable colonisation had taken place, indicating the implanting of a royal city, including a series of army contingents.
Chola kings built a number of Shiva temples along the banks of the river Kaveri. The Chola temple architecture has been appreciated for its magnificence as well as delicate workmanship. The Chola school of art also spread to Southeast Asia and influenced the architecture and art of Southeast Asia. Temple building received great impetus from the conquests and the genius of Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola I. The maturity and grandeur to which the Chola architecture had evolved found expression in the two temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram. The Brihadeeshvara Temple, the temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were declared as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO and are referred to as the ‘Great living Chola temples.’
Temple architecture, particularly the dravida or south Indian style of architecture was developed by the Cholas.The chief feature of a Chola temple is the vimana or the storey, which was later eclipsed by the richly ornamented gopuram or gateway. Under the Cholas, temples became the centre of life. The village assembly invariably held its meetings in the temple mandapa (pavillion), which became an additional feature of the Chola temple architecture.
The Pudukkotai district in Tamil Nadu has an unusually large number of early Chola temples, which give us a good idea of the growth of the south Indian style of architecture from the Pallava period to the Chola period. Most important among them is undoubtedly the Vijayalaya Cholesvara temple at Narthamalai (also called Melamalai). Other important temples in this category are the Nagesvarasvami temple at Kumbhakonam, Kuranganatha temple at Srinivasanallur, the twin temples of Agastyisvara and Cholesvara at Tiruvalisvaram.
The best example of Mature phase temples is the Siva (or the Brihadeehsvara or the Rajarajesvara) temple, built in 1009-10 by Rajaraja I, at Tanjore. It is a fitting memorial to the material achievements of the Cholas under Rajaraja 1. Apart from being the tallest (216 feet) of all Indian temples of the medieval period it is a masterpiece of south Indian architecture.
The temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram (also dedicated to Siva or Brihadeesvara), excelled its predecessor in every conceivable way. Erected around 1030, the greater elaboration in its appearance attests to the more affluent state of the Chola empire under Rajendra I. It is larger in plan though not as tall as the previous one. Later Chola temples include the Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram (Tanjore District) and the Kampaharesvara temple at Tribhuvanam.
Sculpture and Painting
The Chola period also witnessed great strides in the field of sculpture. The three main categories of Chola sculpture are portraits, icons and decorative sculpture. There are three well-preserved and nearly life-size portraits on the walls of the Kuranganatha temple at Srinivasanallur and several others in the Nagesvarasvami temple at Kumbhakonam. The Siva temple at Tiruvalisvaram is a veritable museum of superb early Chola iconography. The walls of the Brihadeeshvara temples at Tanjore and Gangaikonda cholapuram contain numerous icons of large size and fine execution. The Chola sculptors started bronze-casting sometime around the middle of the 9th century. The Cholas are particularly known for their Nataraja bronzes (bronze statues of Nataraja or the dancing Siva) which are masterpieces of this art. The best example is the Nataraja image in the Nagesvara temple at Kumbhakonam. Decorative sculpture is exhibited in many forms— architectural motifs, floral and vegetal patterns, friezes of animals, birds, dancing figures and legendary and Puranic stories.
Chola wall paintings are found on the walls of the Vijayalaya Cholesvara and Rajarajesvara temples. On the walls of the Vijayalaya Cholesvara temple, large painted figures of Mahakala, Devi and Shiva are still visible. In the Rajarajesvara temple, scenes representing lord Shiva in his abode at Kailasa, as Nataraja and Tripurantaka are painted on the walls in large size.
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