Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q66 (CDS-II/2016) History & Culture › Art & Architecture › Temple architecture styles Answer Verified

What form of Shiva is most prominent in the Brihadeshvara Temple built by the Chola dynasty?

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: D
Explanation

The Brihadeshvara Temple at Thanjavur, built by Raja Raja Chola I, is a masterpiece of Chola architecture dedicated to Lord Shiva [1]. While the primary iconic form in the sanctum is the Shivalinga, the temple's iconography and murals prominently feature the Tripurantaka form of Shiva. This specific form, depicting Shiva as the destroyer of the three mythical cities of the asuras, was repeatedly represented in Chola sculpture and painting to provide a warrior aspect to the deity. This helped the Chola rulers gain political legitimacy by aligning the king's martial prowess with Shiva's divine power. The temple also contains exceptional paintings of Tripurantaka riding a chariot driven by Brahma. Other forms like Nataraja were also significant in Chola bronze traditions, but Tripurantaka remains the most prominent thematic representation in the context of royal Chola temple iconography.

Sources

  1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Bhakti-Sufi Traditions > 2.4 Relations with the state > p. 146
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
63%
got it right
✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CDS-I · 2024 · Q108 Relevance score: 2.94

Which one of the following has been an important early Chola painting discovered at the Brihadesvara Temple, Thanjavur in 1931? (a) Buddha with Chauri-bearers on either side (b) Shiva as Yoga-Dakshinamurti (c) Yakshi Kali (d) Parshvanatha with snake-hood and a lion-throne

CDS-II · 2009 · Q75 Relevance score: 2.50

Which one of the following statement about Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, is not correct?

NDA-I · 2021 · Q29 Relevance score: 1.46

At which one of the following places was a Shiva temple not constructed under the patronage of the Chola rulers?

CDS-I · 2014 · Q40 Relevance score: 1.23

Which one of the following was a temple built by the Chola Kings?

CDS-II · 2015 · Q83 Relevance score: -1.05

Borobudur is the site of