The vimana rises over a massive basal square of 30m side. The platform is heavily moulded and the adhisthana is further extended to support the ardha-mandapa and the mahamandapa which form a unified structural composition. A grand flight of lateral stairways attached to the sanctuary tower makes here its first appearance in the chola temple architecture, contributing immensely to the exterior accentuation of the tower and the ardha-mandapa at the entrance to the garbha-griha. The massive balustrade, decorated with the figure reliefs on the outer sides, is grand and curls up dramatically at the end.
The square
base of the vimana rises perpendicular to a height of 15m. its double-storeyed
face is didvided horizontally by a prominent cornice. A frieze of yali-heads
runs around the whole structure. The cubical base of the vimana has two
storeys, each containing six niches on each face west, north and south. There
are also three large door openings one over the other on each of the three
sides. These niches contain bold reliefs of deities, mostly Shiva in various
manifestations. The deep rectangular niches are framed within pilasters chiefly
remarkable for the koshtapanjaras and kumbapanjaras, both a dictinctive chola
form of embellishment.
The
Brihadisvara vimana is a pyramidal hollow. Between the outer wall and the wall
of the sanctum nis contained the pradakshinapath which rises to a height of 15m
to accommodate within the splendid emblem of Shiva The grand monoloithic lingam
and pedestal.
The
superstructure of the vimana contains thirteen storeys rising in a pyramidal
form, each storey demarcated with heavy parapet moulding ,shallow relief work
on the arcature and crowned with a lionhead, salas and panjaras. On the eastern
front, the first five storeys and extended long enough to include under it the
ardha mandapa. On the uppermost square terrace sit four pairs of nandis at the
corners.
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