it has remained the question of mystery that in the era when there were no machines, elevators and lifts how devotees have managed to build such a magnificent structure an place such a heavy stone at the top.
Thousands of years ago, a south Indian king Raja Raja Chola sworn to build a magnificent temple for his beloved God Shiva.
14 storyed temple was among the tallest temples of the world during the time of its construction. Moreover the temple has the hollow portion right from top to bottom upto the garbhgraah where 3.66 meters tall Shiv Lingam is placed. The temple was designed in such a way the shadow of the topmost vimann does not fall on the ground.
The temple has one of the largest statue of Nandi weighing about 20 tons, carved out of single rock. The structure of Kalash finely carved out single rock weighting 80 tons is placed at the top of the temple.
The entire temple is built of 130,000 tons of the granite rock which is not found in the nearby area of about 50 miles. For many years, it has remained the question of mystery that in the era when there were no machines, elevators and lifts how devotees have managed to build such a magnificent structure an place such a heavy stone at the top. The answer is devotion, the king emptied his treasury, the devotees poured their sweat and build the temple. In return the temple gave employment to thousands of people, it also served as hospital, educational institute and provided food to starving for a thousand year.
But unfortunately the management of the temple was in the hands of Tamil Nadu government. As per the report published in India today –
The temple owned about 157 acres of fertile agricultural land, sufficient enough to give 100 quintals of paddy per acre yearly. Under the state government rules the tenants cultivating the temple land are expected to give 25% of its annual produce as the rent to temple. But in reality the temple is getting only 280 quintals. The land has been given for the lease of 3-4 years, but the tenants consider themselves as the permanent owners. The expenses are high, there is a paid staff for the temple, unable to bear the expenses the temple is ruining day by day. The story is same, names are different, there are approximately 34000 temples in this list.
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