Rock Cut Carving Of Lord Hariharan On The Brihadishwara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram, India, 2008 (photo)

Gangaikondacholapuram, located in Tamil Nadu, was a former Cola’s capital from about 1025 AD for about 250 years; the city was founded by the Chola King Rajendra I to commemorate his victory over the Pala dynasty that ruled kingdoms bordering the river Gaga; hence its name Gangaikondacholapuram which means ‘the town of the Chola who conquered/brought the Gaga’; the main tourist post is the Brihadishwara temple constructed by Rajendra I and inspired by the Brihadishwara temple of Thanjavur erected by Raja Raja Chelan, his father; this house of worship is a model of Chola architecture; the area possesses lot of focuses such as statues of Ganesha, Maharaja, Harihara, Nandi, the bull which serves as the mount of the deity Shiva, Ardhanari, the man-woman depiction of Shiva, some sculptures and a frieze in honour of Rajendra I