GANGAIKONDACHOLAPURAM
- ART & CULTURE
News:
Brick channel unearthed
at Gangaikondacholapuram
What's
in the news?
●
A portion of a brick channel, running to a length of about 315 cm, has been
exposed by archaeologists at Maligaimedu near Gangaikondacholapuram in Ariyalur
district, where the third season of excavation by the State Archaeology
Department is currently underway.
Gangaikondacholapuram:
●
Gangaikondacholapuram,
the city King Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044) built after his victorious
expedition up to the Gangetic plains, was the capital of the Cholas for about
250 years from about 1025 CE.
●
It is widely believed that palaces of
Chola kings had existed there about 1,000 years ago but were destroyed during
the Pandya invasions or later.
Excavations
in Gangaikondacholapuram:
●
Excavations carried out in the 1980s by
the Department of Archaeology unearthed parts of a palace and the city.
●
During the latest phase of excavations
over the past two seasons, more brick
structures of what are believed to be portions of the palace were exposed.
Monuments:
●
The great Brihadeeswarar Temple at this
place is next only to the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur in its monumental
nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality.
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It has been recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.