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128 national GeoGraphic traveller inDia | JUlY 2012 JUlY 2012 | national GeoGraphic traveller inDia

X X X X X X X X X X X X

( D I S C R I P T I O N )

By Samhita arni

The Chola temples, built overa 1,000 years ago,

are much more than places of

worship

Each January, devotees across South India visit templesdedicated to Lord Vishnu. M

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w s s . W i s B d s w

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d g u , u us c s u m .

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s m s s w w k d g g r j d c , w s

d u m m t j u . t guy c w qu d G

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, -k m - g a s s w c d w s

t m Ramayana , Iravataram ( yana ) w w s m s d by s m d umm , K mb w g u s d t j u . t c s kavichakravarty m s. t Ird s s us, g m g

dus - s, d g s y g

SymbolspreStigeof

Journeys

Cul u e

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132 national GeoGraphic traveller inDia | JUlY 2012 JUlY 2012 | national GeoGraphic traveller inDia

X X X X X X X X X X X X

( D I S C R I P T I O N )

m d s ds d , b g x g ds. t w m w b u u , s d y sm gs s k gd m w

w s s ss b m d s.Bu d y, s g y G g k d u m.

t s jus m m ds ddy ds. G z g k d ddy ds, s d m g g m u c -

m s. a d m m a g Su y i d gu d s m u d. h s s m s gu g b s , k g mu k y dd d m y s s s s s s d gopu-

ram . i s w d w ss, d k s d by b d gs s k s m , w g zy gs x .t x d y i m c - m , n j m c d mb m, w s mu m . a y u g s , s

d bu s d , ms arti u , sd s f y s. h u s u b k d y w m w y d d i w ss rahasyam . t s

g . c d mb m s w m s w S d v s u w s d s m . trahasyam ( -

s m s ) i w ss, symb y s m u m d y ( y) s ds d s , d s

u s d s m ss (nirguna brahman ).c d mb m d f s m k b y m G g k d u md t j u . i s busy, m w s g y, sm s s.

i k y u g s , w s s - ssu d, s y d s mdd ss. c wds su u d mantap ( ). i s d m us

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mu y s s, k w s Deekshithars . t s w d u s -y s a K r m uj s: t K mb ,

m s g s s Ramayana , 3,000 Deekshithars c d mb m. h

y g d s y s k d u Deekshithar s s

s k b . a 3,000 s s x as b ys s s y , K m w k b k by s f y. U

m s ms g s u k by naga-astra ( w u my

s k ), s u s us. h um s d s j b d u s w w b ug b k . as K mb s s b dy d d b y

s k b . t b y m s b k K mb s m . h 's

J mmu y, d devadu d ud , s y , w -i s k s m , d

d b , cs d sm . t y ddevadasis

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s su y c s u u s sugg s , s d s b , d

d u .n

Samhita Arni is a Bangalore-based writer and anovel S 's r m y (Tara Books) retells the R Sita's perspective.

Guides at the Brihadeshwara Templerelate an interesting fact about the

main gopuram of the templeit supposedly never casts a shadow on

the temple grounds at any time of theday; The Chidambaram Temple (facing

page) , is one of the few temples where Shiva isnt represented as a traditional

lingam. Instead He takes the form of Nataraja, the lord of Bharatnatyam.

Spirituality and sensuality were not perceived as irreconcilable,and both were celebrated in temples and in literature.

THe VITALs

OrientatiOnall t r t mpl r n r t t o t of

j v i bout 330 km out of c nn i. Gp m i 71 km nort t of T nj vur, 32 kmof Kumb kon m, nd 240 km from c nn i.120 km nort t of T nj vur, 66 km out o225 km out of c nn i.

GettinG theret c p ll i t lo t irport (65 km 108 km nd 195 km out t of G ng ikondc id mb r m r p tiv ly). T nj vur

i onn t to Tiru ir p lli nd c nnr l o v il bl to t iti nd m ny

N du.

hOursB d w (UNescO world h rit g it )6 a.m.-noon and 4-9 p.m.G g ko d c ol p m (UNescO world h6 a.m.-noon and 4-9 p.m.n j 6 a.m.-noon and 4-10 p.m.

Journeys

Culture