Thanjavur, India: Brihadisvara Temple (Brihadeeswara Temple)

Under the fiery Tamil sun, hubby and I trampled on Thanjavur's dusty streets. To which direction, we were quite unsure, yet we rambled on. Minutes ago, we just hopped off a bus that traveled from Tiruchirappalli. As I looked up and down what appeared like a major road, the lack of foreign tourists and absence of the infamous Indian gridlock made me wonder, "Is this worth the trip?".

It was February, two years ago. Summer was off to an early start in the state of Tamil Nadu. The pavement beneath our soles was ablaze, each step we took was such chore. Funny how templed out we were when prior that day we had only seen one since we arrived in the country. That's India's hard-to-handle intensity for you.

From a distance, we caught sight of Brihadisvara Temple's fortified walls. That worn out map could be trusted after all. Unlike Madurai's Meenakshi Amman Temple, this one's far from multihued. Its shades mainly played with a palette of browns. A characteristic that made me fall for it.

This temple dedicated to Shiva is one of the Great Living Chola Temples (a collective of Hindu temples in south India) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At about a thousand years old, it's looking mighty preserved. From the structures to some of its frescoes.

Brihadisvara Temple or Brihadeeswara Temple is also known as "Big Temple", named so for an obvious reason. Its complex is so massive that it will prolly take you a couple of hours or more to take everything in. Best appreciated when you visit with a knowledgeable guide to point out all the awesomeness of Dravidian architecture.

Since we came by ourselves, we wandered clueless and aimless. Occasionally tailed a few tour groups with the letter L on our foreheads. Because we lacked objective and purpose, I had random realizations like... My bare feet could amazingly tolerate the sizzling floor. And that the grassy area on the temple grounds is a popular hang out for young Indian couples. Also, for the nth time that trip, I longed to touch our then five month-old Luna who we left in the Philippines.

And well, I spent the rest of the arvo stalking (and sometimes cuddling) cute Indian tots who stray away from their parents. An activity cut short when we decided to see nearby Thanjavur Maratha Palace, which by the way failed to entertain us like Brihadisvara Temple did.