Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu, India
Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram literally means the Great Shiva Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram. It was built (11th century) by Rajendra Chola I, the son of the famous Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I, who built the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur.
Rajendra Chola I built the majestic temple after his victories across India and as per Chola era texts the conquests included Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The king demanded that the defeated kingdoms send him water from the sacred Ganga - and the water should be collected into the Brihadisvara temple's well which was originally called CholaGangam.
Thus Rajendra I was referred as Gangaikonda Cholan and he also shifted his capital to Gangaikonda Cholapuram from where Chola dynasty ruled for about 250 years. How to reach Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram?
