Brihadeeswarar Temple – Millennium Commemoration
Built in the year 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola in
Thanjavur, Brihadeeswarar Temple popularly known as the 'Big Temple' turned
1000 years old in September 2010.
To celebrate the 1000th year of the grand structure, the
state government and the town held many cultural events. It was to recall the
275th day of his 25th regal year (1010 CE) when Raja Raja Chola (985–1014 CE)
handed over a gold-plated Kalasam
(copper pot or finial) for the final consecration to crown the vimana, the 59.82-metre tall tower above the sanctum.
Barathanattiyam Yajna
To mark the occasion, the state government organized a Barathanattiyam
Yajna, classical dance show under noted dancer Padma
Subramaniam. It was jointly organized
by the Association of Barathanattiyam Artistes of India (ABHAI) and the Brhan
Natyanjali Trust, Thanjavur.
To mark the 1000th year anniversary of the building,
1000 dancers from New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Singapore, Malaysia and the US danced in
concert to the recorded 11 verses of divine music Thiruvisaippa (ninth of Thirumurai) composed by Karuvur Thevar (the guru of Raja Raja
Chola) named Thiruvisaippa.
The small town turned into a cultural hub for two days
beginning 26 September 2010 as street performers and dancers performed
throughout the town.
Commemorative Stamps & Coins
On 26 September 2010 (Big Temple's fifth day of
millennium celebrations), as a recognition of Big Temple's contribution to the
country's cultural, architectural, Epigraphical history, a
special ₹ 5 postage stamp featuring the 216-feet tall giant Raja
Gopuram was released by India
Post.
The Reserve Bank of India commemorated the event by releasing
a ₹ 5 coin with the model of temple embossed on it. A
Raja, Cabinet
Minister of Communications and Information Technology released the esteemed Brihadeeswarar Temple
special stamp, the first of which was received by G K
Vasan, Cabinet Minister of Shipping.
Mumbai Mint issued Rs 1000 Commemorative Coin with the same
picture as on the Rs 5 coin. It was the first 1000 Rupees coin to be released
in the Republic of India coinage. This coin was a Non Circulative Legal Tender
(NCLT).
On 1 April 1954, the Reserve Bank of India released a ₹ 1000 currency note
featuring a panoramic view of the Brihadeeswarar Temple marking its cultural
heritage and significance. In 1975, the then government led by Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi demonetized all ₹ 1,000 currency notes in an effort
to curtail black money. These notes are now popular among collectors.
In 2010, the then Tamil Nadu chief minister, M
Karunanidhi renamed Semmai Paddy, a type of high productivity paddy variant,
as Raja Rajan-1000 to mark the millennial year of the constructor of
the temple, Raja Raja Chola.