The tale of how 3,000 elephants carried a dome stone up the Chola temple in Thanjavur | THE WEEK

Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur Tamil Nadu, oldest among the Group of Chola Temples, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in 1010AD. Raja Raja I of Chola empire (985 - 1014 A.D.) dedicated this magnificent temple to Lord Shiva, as Nataraja, the king of the cosmic dance. Inscriptions found at the temple state the architect and engineer of the temple as Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Rama Perunthachan.
While the main temple stands as it is, there have been several additions to this complex. Series of wars between Muslim invaders and Hindu rulers caused damage to the temple. The architectural marvel still stands unshaken despite six earthquakes.