Brihadeeshwara temple - Gangaikondacholapuram, originally uploaded by © Arjun Valsaraj.

The Brihadeeshwara temple is one of the largest temples in the world. Observe the people on the lower right and you will get an idea of it's sheer size.

The temple was constructed by Rajendra Chola-I, the son of Raja Raja Chola who constructed the larger version in Thanjavur. The temple was constructed circa 1030 A.D. to celebrate Rajendra Chola's campaigns in the north.

Rajendra Chola moved up the east coast conquering all the kingdoms along the way. He stopped only when he reached the waters of the Ganges. He returned with the waters of the Ganga in golden pots and began the the construction of a new capital. He called it Gangaikondacholapuram - "The City of the Chola who Conquered the Ganga".

The Brihadeeshwara temple was built to symbolise his might. Almost a 1000 years later it still does. Most of the Chola kings who succeeded him had their coronation ceremonies here.

I visited the temple in the afternoon; a wrong time to visit. The heat was intense and the inner sanctum was closed. I did not get to see the enormous 13 foot Shiva lingam. I spent an hour looking at the external reliefs of the temple. There were no signs of the great city that once flourished here. In every direction, I could see green paddy fields stretching out to the horizon. Only the temple remains.