International Research Journal of Education and Technology

The temple of Brihadeeswara in Tanjaur, Tamilnadu, built around 1010 CE by the Chola emperor Raja Raja I, represents one of the greatest architectural and engineering achievements of premodern South Asia. The temple was not only intended to be an object of aesthetic appreciation; it is also a manifestation of a religious belief system, a political ideology and a technological innovation integrated into a single entity. To clarify how Brihadeeswara's structural decisions were intended to depict an image of cosmic permanence and sovereign legitimacy, this paper will introduce a notion of engineering eternity. This paper will submit that Brihadeeswara's architectural and material approaches, such as the tall single stone vimana (sanctum tower), precision masonry, and spatial sequencing, are inextricably linked to the Chola Empire's conception of a sacred kingship and the structure of the cosmos. By employing an interdisciplinary method that combines art historical critiques, architectural theory, and political history, this study places Brihadeeswara in the context of the discussions surrounding sacred space, the ability of monuments to communicate messages, and the ability of material objects to act. The writer will use works by Kramrisch, Michell, Hardy, and Shulman to demonstrate how the construction of the Brihadeeswara temple serve as symbolic representations of divine sovereignty and eternal cosmic order. The study utilizes an extensive investigation of the physical elements, texts (inscriptions), images (iconography), and methods used to create the structure of Brihadeeswara to better understand how these elements work together to create a greater understanding of Chola's cultural efforts to justify their authority. Through this analysis, the study provides scholarly insight into how the constructions made in the temples of South India place them as major works of architectural design and how they support the ideologies of those who built them. Through this discussion, the study helps to enhance present discussions of the use of sacred architecture as materials.

KEYWORDS

Brihadeeswara Temple, Chola architecture, sacred space, engineering eternity, Dravidian