Choosing rocks for the Tamilnadu temple construction

Posted Date: 25-Oct-2010	Category: Temples	Rating:
Author: Balasubramanian Srinivasan	Member Level: Diamond	Points: 30 (Rs 25)

Choosing the best rock for the construction of the temples in Tamilnadu is not a very easy task. It is very much necessary that the kings should go for the deep search and bring the rocks from the long distance for the temple construction.

Choosing rocks for the Tamilnadu temple construction

When the kings make the construction plan of the Tamilnadu temples they go in search for the rocks that are available and that can be used for the construction. The rocks have to be chosen in such a way that the rocks should withstand all the conditions and the natural disaster that may occur to the Gopuram of Tamilnadu temples. Most of the great kings like Raja Raja Chola and some other Pandiya Kings choose one single rocks to build the idols. The idol of the Nandhi and Lord Shiva in the Tanjore big temple is made with the help of one single stone.

The Pallavas who built the sculptures that are present in the Mahabalipuran also used only one single stone to design all the idols. The idols that are present in the Mahabalipuram are designed in such a way that the sculptures that are designed there are very good to see. Each and every sculpture that are chosen and designed tells some specific stories accordingly. For building the Tanjore big temple the Raja Raja Chola chose the rocks from lots of miles away and moreover the Transportation of the Rocks was also done with the help of nearly 100 elephants.

The kings who go in search for the choosing of the rocks for the temple construction find the rocks that are very hard enough to withstand the construction for more than thousands of years.
Rock Designs in Temples

Perfection in selecting Rock for Tamilnadu temples

Based on the construction plan of the Tamilnadu temples the kings also choose the rocks. If the temple is going to be constructed in a normal way the rocks are also selected based on the normal quality. If the construction of the temple is going to be a very big project then the kings go for a serious search for different and hard rocks. In some cases the rocks are cut from the mountains that are present in and around Tamilnadu. Every king took lots of efforts to choose the rocks and bring it to the temple spot with the help of the elephants.

In those days there were no machine works and there was only human works. Everyone will have a serious doubt on how the rocks were cut and shaped to different pieces. This doubt is still being a great question that cannot be given a good prediction or a right answer. Some of the construction issues are still held as a secret and it also exclaims us. The interlocking of the rocks was also implemented in order to increase the strength of the construction by the kings. The palace of the Tamilnadu kings was also constructed based on certain different architectural techniques used for easy and best construction.

Sometimes the rocks will also be brought from miles from the construction spot of the temple. This transportation was taken care by the elephants that were used. These elephants were trained in such a way to do many works in the construction part like holding the rocks and placing the rocks. All the construction was made by the human work with the assistance of the elephants.
Tanjore Big temple

Cutting Granite Stones for Tamilnadu Temples

Most of the temples that are constructed by the great kings like Raja Raja Chola are the one that are made of Granite stones. The Granite stones are one of the hardest stones in the world. It is a very tough task to cut the granite stones and shape the granite stones. Like the normal stones the granite stones cannot be cut and shaped it needs high end equipments in today's world but the kings in those days have cut and shaped it without any advanced equipment.

Even though the transportation is a difficult task to be implemented to carry the granite rocks from one place to the other, it can also be achieved in a tough way with the help of the elephants. But the cutting and shaping of the rocks and that too granite is not at all the easy task and the kings have also achieved doing that.

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