The project was conceptualized and led by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan and coordinated by Dr. R Nagaswamy, who was also present at the event. The exhibition showcased and tried to replicate the artistic excellence of the Brhadiswara Temple in its entirety as the studies so far have been uni-dimensional, focusing attention on one particular fragment. The symbiosis of subjects extends from the archaeology, architecture, epigraphy, Sanskrit, temple rituals and photography on one platform. The main Vimana of the Temple is about 216 feet high, carved of a single stone of granite and never casts its shadow on the ground.
While inaugurating the exhibition, His Excellency Governor of Karnataka Dr H.R. Bhardwaj, commented,” Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), has taken up the herculean task of bringing forth the heritage and culture that South India has to offer. I appreciate their commendable effort and I am glad to be a part of this exhibition.”
The Brhadiswara Temple, built by Rājarāja Chōla in 1010 A.D, has been the cradle of artistic excellence. The temple has attracted the attention of archaeologists, epigraphists, literary critics, musicians, dancers, craft specialists, sociologists and anthropologists over decades. Moreover, the inscriptions on the walls of the temple provide a vast corpus of information at the level of economic, social, cultural, organizational and administrative patterns and structures.
Commenting on the exhibition, Mr. Vikram Sampath, Executive Director, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Southern Regional Centre, said, “The Brhadiswara Temple has been acclaimed as the finest achievement of Chōla art and architecture, so much so, that it’s architectural grandeur and beauty has been recognized by UNESCO. We at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) have studied and documented the temple over decades after a painstaking research and today we are here to showcase it in our city.”
The exhibition tries to replicate the temple as it is in Thanjavur. There is the Main Shiva linga (miniature) in the centre and all other shrines are built around the main shrine. The inner walls contain the paintings of the different dynasties of Chola, Pallava, Nayakas and the Marathas over the period they ruled over Thanjavur. This exhibition captures the beauty and essence of the temple’s archaeology, architecture, epigraphy, Sanskrit, temple rituals and photography all on one platform for Namma Bangaloreans to see and experience.
The exhibits also have visuals of inscriptions in ancient Tamil on the walls of the temple. Other features of the show includes over 200 exhibits portraying different components of the Brhadiswara Temple such as Nandi Mandapam, Ganesha Shrine, Amman Shrine, Karur Devar Shrine, Subrahmanya Shrine, Chandikeshwara Shrine, Nataraja Shrine and the paintings of the inner walls over different historical periods.
Videos of all the Pujas that are performed in the temple are also documented. Pujas like Mahamastakabhiskekam, Linga Abhishekam, daily rituals, annual festivals like Dhvajarohanam, Nandi abhishekam etc are also documented.
