Brihadeeswarar Temple – Chandeshwara Shrine
The shrine on the north central court is the only one
put up contemporaneously with the main temple. Chandeshwara is one of the 63
Saiva saints and is considered to have been made the chief of Saiva devotees by
Lord Shiva.
He is assigned a shrine and a honoured place in every
Shiva temple. He was looked upon as the manager of the temple. Any worshipper
visiting a Shiva temple has to appear at the Chandeeswara shrine before leaving
the temple premises and clap his hands evidently to satisfy the God that he is
not taking away any temple property with him.
Perhaps the oldest shrine in this complex is that of Sri
Chandesvara in the north-central part of the compound. It is thought to have
been built at the same time as the main temple. Chandeeswara, the chief of
Shaiva devotees, is usually assigned a shrine in every Shiva temple.
Chandeswara or Chandikeswara is one of the 63 Nayanmars;
Nayanmars are saints of 6th to 8th Century who were devoted to Lord Siva.
In the Siva temples of South India, Chandeswara's shrine
is positioned within the first enclosure wall of the temple complex and to the
North East of the sanctum.
He is considered to guard the temple. Only here in this
Big Temple Chandeswara is given a separate large temple for himself.
Another peculiarity here is this tower is the miniature
of the main temple tower in the architecture. The Chandeeswara shrine is the
only one built contemporaneously with the main temple. Others were added later.
