Arulmigu Peruvudaiyar (Brihadeeswarar) Temple
Thanjavur, Thanjavur district · Lord Shiva as Peruvudaiyar / Brihadeeswarar (the Great Lord), with Goddess Periya Nayaki (Brihannayaki)
Raja Raja Chola's 1,000-year-old granite masterpiece: a 66 m vimana, a giant Nandi and a living UNESCO World Heritage temple.
Built by the Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I between about 1003 and 1010 CE, the Brihadeeswarar Temple (Rajarajeswaram, the Big Temple) was the largest and most ambitious temple in India when it was finished. Its pyramid-shaped vimana (the tower over the sanctum) rises about 66 m (216 ft) in 13 tiers of granite and is topped by a huge stone capstone. A single-stone Nandi guards the entrance, and one of India's largest lingas stands in the sanctum. Together with Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram, it forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Great Living Chola Temples. Worship has continued here for over 1,000 years.
Timings
- Temple open (morning): 6:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Closed: 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Temple open (evening): 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- Outer courtyard (for viewing the monument): approx. 6:00 AM – 8:30 PM; check locally
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
- Guided tour – approx. ₹300 – ₹1,000
Sevas and costs
- Archanai – ₹5 per ticket (During darshan hours)
- Upayam for Archanai (archanai sponsorship) – ₹100 (Check with the temple office)
- Arulmigu Murugan Abhishekam – ₹750 (Bookable for chosen dates. Time slot set by the temple; check at booking.)
- Abhishekam for Lord Peruvudaiyar (main linga) – Check with the temple office. Not on the online HR&CE schedule. Older third-party reports range from approx. ₹2,500 (ordinary) to ₹8,000. (Morning, around the 8:30 AM pooja (check with the temple office))
- Pradosham abhishekam for Nandi – Free to watch. Sponsorship cost: check with the temple office. (Pradosham (13th day of each lunar fortnight), around 4:30 – 6:00 PM)
How to book darshan
Darshan is free and needs no booking. Archanai (₹5) and the Murugan abhishekam (₹750) are listed on the official HR&CE portal. Other abhishekams are booked in person at the Devasthanam office in the temple.
Dress code
Modest, traditional clothes are expected for the sanctum. Men: dhoti or trousers with a shirt. Women: saree, salwar or churidar. Shorts and sleeveless tops are discouraged. Footwear must be left at the counter outside the gateway, and socks help on the hot granite courtyard.
Best time to visit
October to March. Visit at sunrise or after 4 PM: the granite becomes too hot to walk on barefoot at midday. The vimana glows beautifully at sunset and is lit at night. Pradosham evenings and the Sathaya Vizha (October–November) are special but crowded.
How to reach
- air: Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) International Airport is about 60 km away (1–1.5 hours by road). Thanjavur has a small air force station but no regular commercial flights.
- rail: Thanjavur Junction (TJ) is about 2 km from the temple. Direct trains run from Chennai (e.g. Uzhavan and Cholan Express), Trichy, Madurai and Bengaluru.
- road: The new bus stand is about 5 km away and the old bus stand about 1.5 km. Frequent government buses come from Trichy (about 1.5 hours), Kumbakonam (about 1 hour), Madurai (about 4 hours) and Chennai (about 7–8 hours).
Festivals
- Sathaya Vizha (Raja Raja Chola's birth star) – Sathayam star in Aippasi (October–November), 2 days
- Chithirai Brahmotsavam and chariot festival – Chithirai (April–May), about 18 days
- Maha Shivaratri and Brihan Natyanjali – Masi (February–March)
- Annabhishekam – Aippasi full moon (October–November)
- Pradosham – Twice a month
- Navaratri and Ashada Navaratri for Varahi – Purattasi (September–October); Ashada/Aani (June–July)
- Arudra Darshanam – Margazhi (December–January)