Sorry for the delay in updating the photos. The visit to GKC was really a memorable experience. 40 type of abhisegams to the lingam was a wonderful to see. It was started by 9.00 am and ended by 1.00 pm.
I could feel that the temple is compressed structure of Tanjore Periya koil. We visited the museum, aranmanai medu. When we asked the way to go the museum and aranmanai medu, the local people told us nothing was there, why are you wasting the time by going there. Even though, I compelled every one that without seeing that my purpose of visit would not fullfilled.
My 8 year old son supported me to visit there, I have told him the story of Sandeswara moothy ( the story in Vengayin maindan) he was very much impressed by that and asked me to tell the whole story of the temple and about the King. Even he wants to see Tanjore temple and he himself wants to compare the structure of both the temples. I am really happy that even the kids are attracted by our great Cholas and by the temples. (My view is that the curriculum in our schools should be much more practical oriented. Then every student will like to study history subject).
In the museum it was mentioned that "there were no evidence (kalvettu) in the temple about RJC was constructed it. Only his Son Veera Rajendran's kalvettu is the older one which mentioned about the donors and their donations. But in a place called Araslam in Villupuram District there was a kalvettu which praised RJC for building GKC. That is the proof that RJC constructed GKC" . My doubt is that why there is no kalvettu of RJC?. RRC recorded everything in Tanjore Periya koil. But why RJC failed in that or did all of it destroyed?
In aranmanai medu the security person showed us a stone which is the way to go to temple as surangapathai (as mentioned in VM by Akilan).
We are travelling a lot to see pride places of our Cholas But the local peoples are not realising the value of the place.
Very interesting question. You can find a rough idea from dr rn's ref above. But it poses more questions than answers....especially as to why the grants for the big temple were transferred to the gkc temple !!
The village manampathi near vandavasi. Read somewhere that the name of this place actually was vanavanmadevi. Rajendra created this village and temple in memory of vanavan madevi.