Rajaraja Cholan, The Great Chola King

Rajarajan constructed the Great Bragtheeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, his capital, remembering the pious religious works of his ancestor Parantaka I. The temple is a stupendous monument of the religious instinct of the sovereign. The king was ardent devotee of Lord Siva and was highly tolerant in matters of religion. Everybody received equal favour at his hands. he also granted large endowments to the Cudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam built by Sailendra king, Sri Mara Vijayatunga Varman.


As a worshiper of Sri Thyagaraja at Thiruvarur, the king heard the recital of the holy presence, that remained the current collection of the Thevaram hymns of Saint Sundarar, Thirunavukkarasar and Jnanasambandar. King concerned about the loss of priceless Saiva devotional treasure, and set out for their search.He sought Adi-Saiva Nambiandar-Nambi of Thirunaraiyar's help and discovered the collection of the Thevaram - Divine garland of hymns- in a room at the back of the Sri Nataraja's sanctum at the Chidambaram temple. At the instance of the king, Nambiandar-Nambi compiled them and Rajaraja arranged to have them sung in the Saiva shrines.

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