Brihadishwara Temple in Thanjavur
· Summer: (27°C-36°C) Hot weather.
· Winter: (12°C-22°C) Warm and pleasant weather.
· Monsoon: June-September. Low to moderate rainfall.
Best time to visit:
October-March
Opening Time: 05:30 a.m.
Closing Time: 08:30 p.m. (closed from 12 noon to 04:00 p.m.).
Weekly Holiday: Open 7 days a week.
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Entry Fees for Foreign Nationals
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One of the Great Living Chola Temples that are collectively designated as the World Heritage Site, Brihadishwara (or Brihadeeswarar) Temple is the epitome of classical Indian temple architecture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple recently turned 1,000 years old and has maintained its glory over all these years. Towering vimana (about 216 ft, high) mounted by an 80 ton Kumbam and the spectacular carvings offer spellbinding beauty to this marvellous structure.
The whole temple is made of granite and is popularly known as the Big Temple. It is designated as India’s largest temple and has other attractions like gigantic statue of Nandi, the bull, at the entrance and beautiful murals and frescos inside. Apart from glorifying the Dravidian art, the temple is also a popular pilgrimage destination. The city has many other equally charming temples in and around.
Warnings:
Wear decent clothes and follow the rituals strictly. Non-vegetarian food, smoking items and alcohols are prohibited.
Connectivites
Road:
The city of Thanjavur is served by National Highways 67, 45C and 226, making road travel to the temple extremely convenient. State run buses as well as private vehicles and taxis can be the convenient options.
Railway:
Thanjavur also has its own rail access point which is known as Thanjavur Junction (about 2 km. away). Dail express trains connect the city with destinations like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Mysore, Palakkad and many others.
Airway:
Tiruchirappalli International Airport (about 61 km. away) is the closest airport to the temple. Flights are available to and from Chennai, Kochi, Bangalore, Colombo, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.