Thanjavur ( aka Tanjore ) is famous for the Brihadeeswara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola (985 A.D - 1012 A.D), the first sailor king of India. The Brihadeeswara Temple also known as the Big Temple is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The temple is enclosed in two courts, surmounted by a lofty tower and including the exquisitely decorated shrine of Subrahmanya. Among the other historic buildings is the Vijayanagara fort, which contains a palace that was expanded by the Maratha raja Sarfoji with an armoury, a Bell Tower and the Saraswathi Mahal Library, which contains over 30,000 Indian and European manuscripts written on palm leaf and paper.

The greatest of Chola emperors Rajaraja-I (985 A.D - 1012 A.D) the son of Sundara Chola (Parantakaa-II) and Vanavanmahadevi built this magnificent temple named Brihadisvaram at Tanjore - the capital of Chola dynasty. In later period Maratta and Nayakar rulers constructed various shrines and gopurams of the temple.

From the epigraphical evidence it is known about Rajaraja-I started building this temple on his 19th year and completed on 275th day of his 25th year. It took just 6 years to complete this work on 1010 A.D.

Rajaraja-I named this temple as Rajarajesvaram and the deity Shiva in Linga form as Peruvudaiyar, the temple is also known in the deity's name as Peruvudaiyarkovil (in Tamil language). In later period when the Sanskrit language was more popular during the Maratta rule the temple was named in Sanskrit as Brihadisvaram and the deity as Brihadisvara. Now-a-days it is also known as Thanjai Periyakovil (Tanjore Big temple).

Swami Vivekananda - A Great Philosopher of India

Swami Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta on 12 January 1863 in Calcutta
in a respectable middle-class family. His father, Viswanath Datta, was an attorney and was a lover of the arts and literature. Although liberal-minded, Viswanath was sceptical about religious practices. On the other hand, Narendra’s mother, BhubaneshwariDevi, was a pious, kind-hearted lady, devoted to the Hindu traditions.
The influence of each of his parents on Narendra was different, yet together they provided a congenial atmosphere for the precocious boy to grow into an energetic young man with high ideals.

During his formative years he developed extraordinary mental abilities which some people either misunderstood or ignored, but which others appreciated and took as signs of an outstanding individual. As a child he liked to play at meditation and would Completed his university education in 1956 and took final monastic vows with the Ramakrishna Order in 1966. He has served in several educational institutions run by the Order – as headmaster,
principal or secretary – besides doing some rural development work.

In 1983 the Swami became a trustee of the Ramakrishna Order, and is now head of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta. His research work on Sri Ramakrishna and the history of the Order is well recognized. He has written fourteen books in Bengali and three in English, besides contributing many articles to various journals.

Today is his birthday,on this occasion we should follow at least one of his great attitude..
so always BE Positive.............