Trichy tales: Tanjai Periya Kovil

 Today, I'm going to talk about my three days trip to Trichy where I really lost my cool. I experienced some challenges during my stay there, especially with the intense heat that nearly left me half cooked. I went there for my first ever State Championship with a team of 12. Despite the trip being for a competition, I felt it was more like a tour since my family accompanied me. My mom took on the role of acting team manager, my sister joined me as a teammate, and even my brother assisted my mom.How great it is!

Let me tell you guys...   the highlight of the trip wasn't us winning the Championship but the visit to the Tanjai Periya Kovil also called the Brihadiswar temple. It is listed as a part of UNESCO World Heritage site.We went there on the third day of the Championship and despite the scorching sun, which showed us no mercy, the one-hour drive from the match grounds was worthwhile. My feet felt like they were almost burnt during the walk around the temple, but the experience was definitely worth the discomfort. We arrived at the temple at approximately 2:00pm.

We were guided into the temple by a local guide. He spoke about the history and architecture of the temple. The temple was built in the 11th century using granite. The Vimana tower is one of the tallest in South India. The sculptures and inscriptions were predominantly related to Saivism. Some shrines were built by the Nayaks, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar rulers. Each pillar of the temple was adorned with inscriptions which spoke about the victorious rulers of the Chola dynasty and Saivism. A wonder that can be seen here is the 80 tons stone which is placed at the top of the tower. It's believed that it took 7years for the construction to be completed. 

This temple is a must visit destination in South India, not as a religious structure but as an architectural wonder.

Credits: pinterest.com