08-20-2010, 08:16 AM
Quote:Millennial moment
TN to celebrate Brihadeeshwarar temple's 1,000 years
M R Venkatesh, Chennai, July 28, DHNS:
After months of dithering, the Tamil Nadu government has
eventually agreed to celebrate "in a fitting manner" the 1,000th
year of completion of the majestic "Brihadeeshwarar Temple" in
Thanjavur, popularly known as the "Big Temple."
Built by Chola king Rajaraja-I in 1,010 AD , the 216-foot temple
was declared as a World Heritage monument by the Unesco for its
"exceptional universal value as a cultural site."
Deccan Herald had first reported the state government turning
cold to the temple's millennium year celebrations in March this
year. The state was then reportedly busy preparing for the World
Classical Tamil Conference (WCTC) held in June at Coimbatore.
Announcing the government's intent to hold a grand festival to
mark the Big Temple's millennium at a rally in Thanjavur on
Tuesday night, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said he was offering
it not only as a tribute to the Chola king, but also as a "gift"
to the resilience of the people there.
A plan for improving Thanjavur's infrastructure was also on the
cards, he said.
Karunanidhi also disclosed that Tamil scholars from different
countries who participated in the WCTC had unanimously urged him
that, given the Big Temple's architectural marvel and its
yet-to-be-comprehended "engineering secrets," it would be only
proper for the state government to organise the millennium
celebrations.
Weeks before the WCTC, a rare treasure of 86 Chola period copper
plate inscriptions, dated to Rajaraja's grandson Rajadhi Rajan's
reign, had been unearthed in Nagapattinam district. The entire
inscriptional bunch was on display at the WCTC's cultural
exhibition.
The Tamil scholars, pointing to this coincidental archaeological
find, had cited the latest discovery as yet another reason for
"remembering the king's grandfather Rajaraja I and the temple he
built in its millennium year," Karunanidhi said.
Using the opportunity to strike a chord with Brahmins, who
revere Thanjavur as an ancient seat of culture, Karunanidhi
recalled how a "Brahmin-friend," Gopu, had helped him win the
Assembly elections from the Thanjavur constituency in 1962. "I
am saying this only to drive home that the DMK is not against
Brahmins, but only against Brahminism," he added.
Karunanidhi has ordered the opening of the Mettur reservoir from
Wednesday evening, bowing to the sentiments of farmers and
people of the Cauvery delta districts to let water flow into the
river in view of the ensuing "Adi Perukku" festival on August 3.
Though the water level in the dam stood at 82.4 feet on
Wednesday against its full level of 120 feet, the monsoon
getting active in the Cauvery's catchment areas in Karnataka now
raised hope for releasing water from the reservoir for the
"Samba" (second crop) paddy in the delta, officials added.
Cauvery waters have not been released for the "Kuruvai" (first
crop) paddy this year.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/8453...-brihadees
hwarar-temples-1000.html