describe the 15 15 lines of 5 temples
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Answer:
01
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Madurai, Meenakshi Temple
Kodimangalam, Tamil Nadu 625234, India
Ancient Madurai in Tamil Nadu is home to the most impressive and important temple in South India—the Meenakshi temple. If you only see one South Indian temple, this temple should be it. The temple complex covers 15 acres, and has 4,500 pillars and 12 towers -- it's massive! Most astonishing of all is its many sculptures. The 12-day Chithirai Festival, featuring a reenacted celestial wedding of the temple's god and goddess, is held in Madurai during April each year.
02
Thanjavur (Tanjore), Tamil Nadu
Brihadeshwara Temple (Brihadisvara Temple)
Thanjavur emerged as the stronghold of Tamil culture in the 11th century, with Chola king Raja Raja I at the helm. The powerful Cholas built more than 70 temples in Thanjavur, with the most outstanding one being the Brihadeswara temple (known as the Big Temple). This temple is one of three Great Living Chola Temples listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It turned 1,000 years old in 2010, also making it among the oldest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in India. Constructed solely out of stone, its dome rises to over 60 meters, and the passage around the sanctum is adorned with Chola frescoes.
03
Kumbakonam and Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu
Airavateswara temple
You'll find the other two UNESCO-listed Great Living Chola Temples at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Kumbakonam, about an hour northeast of Thanjavur. The royal temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram was built not long after Thanjavur's Big Temple in the 11th century, when Rajendra Chola I relocated the Chola capital there in celebration of victory. Its design is similar to the Big Temple but on a lesser scale, and it features an enormous stone Nandi (bull). Just west of Kumbakonam, at Darasuram, the 12th century Airavatesvara temple is special for its art and exquisite intricate stone carvings. Kumbakonam abounds with temples and is a fabulous place for temple hopping! If you only have time to see a few, the 13th century Sarangapani temple (dedicated to Lord Vishnu) is most impressive, with a shrine in the form of a horse-drawn chariot.
04
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Temples at Kanchipuram
Popularly known as a "City of a Thousand Temples", Kanchipuram is not just famous for its distinctive silk saris. Located around two hours southwest of Chennai, on the main road to Bangalore, it was once the capital of the Pallava dynasty. Today, only a 100 or so temples remain, many of them with unique architectural beauty. The diversity of temples is particularly noteworthy. There are both Shiva and Vishnu temples, built by various rulers (the Cholas, Vijayanagar kings, Muslims, and British also ruled this part of Tamil Nadu) who each refined the design.
05
Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Rameshwaram temple
The special feature at Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameshwaram is its astonishing pillared hallway, regarded as the longest in India, lining its perimeter. The seemingly endless rows of carved pillars have a mesmerizing painted ceiling. The temple is located only 100 meters from the sea (Agni Theertham) and pilgrims take a bath there first, before going inside the temple and bathing in its 22 wells. The water is considered to be holy and purifying to mind and body. Rameshwaram, located on a small island at the tip of the Indian Peninsula, holds a special place in Hindu mythology as it's where Lord Ram built a bridge across the sea to rescue Sita from the clutches of the demon Ravan, in Sri Lanka.
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