This temple in India doesn’t cast a shadow!

Brihadeeswara Temple is one of the most ancient temples that you will find in the city of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. There are many reasons why you should visit this place once, but the mystery around it is definitely one of the prime reasons.

In ancient days, Thanjavur was also known as the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu, and served as an important city to the ancient Cholas.
Here is more about the temple. It’s one of the world’s tallest temples, yet the shadow of the temple surprisingly never falls on the ground at noon. It’s said that it has been designed in such a manner that it does not cast a shadow at noon during any part of the year.

A brief introduction
This temple is dedicated to Hindu deity Shiva, and just like other prominent temples of South India, it also has shrines of Parvati, Nandi, Ganesha, and Kartikeya. It’s also a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, which includes several other temples of the region, called the Great Living Chola Temples.

Read more: Inside the great living Chola Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage sites

Built almost 1000 years back, in the 11th century, the Brihadeeswara Temple features dravidian style of architecture, and has tall gopurams, huge towers, numerous shrines, and a huge campus to boast of. There are also inscriptions and intricate decor that define the characteristics of its architecture.

The mystery behind the no shadow case

Well, the biggest mystery that surrounds this temple is its shadow, which doesn’t fall on the ground! The reason behind this is not magic of course, but the credit goes to those genius engineers who built it. It’s said that the way the stones cascade to build the structure of this temple, it creates an illusion that the shadow of the temple never reaches the ground.

But if we go by what legends have to say, they said that when the temple was completed, King Rajaraja Chola asked the architect if this temple was ever going to fall down. To this, the master craftsman added—Even its shadow will not fall on Raja.