Main Temple

The main temple is in the center of the spacious quadrangle composed

of a sanctuary, aNandi, a pillared hall and an assembly hall (m

andapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divide

d into different levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasizing the principle cult icons.^[8] The karuvarai, a Tamil word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, is the inner most sanctum and focus of the temple where an image of the primary deity, Shiva, resides. Inside is a huge stone linga Literally the word Karuvarai means "womb chamber" from Tamil word Karu for foetus. Only priests are allowed to enter this inner most chamber.^[12] In the Dravidastyle, the Karuvarai takes the form of a miniature vimana with other features exclusive to southern Indian temple architecture such as the inner wall

together with the outer wall creating a pradakshina around the garbhagriha for circumambulation (pradakshina). The entrance is highly decorated. The inside chamber housing the image of the god is the sanctum sanctorum, the garbhagrih

a.^[9] The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth, its location calculated to be a point of total equilibrium and harmony as it is representative of a microcosm of the universe. In the center is placed the image of the deity.^[8] The circumambulation winds around the massive lingam in the garbhagriha and is repeated in an upper story, presenting the idea thatChola Empire freely offered access to the gods.^[10]

The inner mandapa leads

out to a rectangular mandapa and then to a twenty-columned porch with three staircases leading down. Sharing the same stone plinth is a small open mandapa dedicated to Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull mount.^[8]