DMPQ-. “Temple architecture reached it’s peak during Chola period.” Elucidate.

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. The Chola period is a very significant span of time in that the south Indian art and architecture made marvelous achievement. The Chola dynasty was founded by vijayalaya Chola who controlled the vast geographical terrain of TamilNadu region that was earlier ruled by the Pallava kings of kanchipuram. Vjaylaxmi was a great builder of his own time. He made the famous Vijayalaya cholesvara temple, nurta mallai that is the first Brahmanical shrine of his period. This temple resembles like a Pallava structure. It is a impressive complex with eight subsidiary shrines made around the main temple. These subsidiary shrines are called Parivarlayas. All these Parivarlayas contains of images of different gods and goddesses. The whole complex is placed within a boundary wall made of stone. This fortification wall is called prakarabhiti. The Kuranganath Swami temple Srivasanallur made during the period of parantaka I is a masterpiece of the chola architecture. It marked the beginning of a new style that was district from the Pallava temple in aesthetic treatment and architectonic designing.

The Shiva temple at Gangakondacholapuram made by the son and successor of Raja Raja chola, named Rajendra Chola is another master piece of Chola architecture. It was made in replication to the grand chola temple of Thanjavure, the rajaraja rajesvara. This temple is unfinished except the lofty and mountains vimana and a spalius pillared porch called Mandepam adjoined with the vestibule again made in imitation to the raja raja rajeshvara temple. Gangai kondacholapuram, was a new capital city with large Prakarabhiti. Within the temple complex other small shrines were also made. There is a sacred well in the complex. Its is believed that this well contained of water of holy Ganga that was brought there by Rajendra after his expedition against the Pala kings of Bihar and Bengal.

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