Dear vijay,Thank you a lot.Really it is a treasure.As I am a TanjurianI have the opportunity to notice that statue from my boyhood.Still it is there in the same place in the same position.This photo should have been taken before the G A canal was dug ie before 1920. The Ambalis in a mutilated condition Of course she belongs to Cholas period. Now you can see this sculpture in the eastern side of the fort near the steps leading to the river-G.A Canal.Really a beautiful one.Once again I thank Mr.Vijay. NS.
Dear Sambath,There are many temples in Thanjavur dt with fort or moat or both.Aalangudi(Guru Sthalam),Thirumananjeri(some of you might have forced to visit that temple!),.In these places even now you can see the moat At Thirukkattuppalli you can see the fort. I asked the reason behind it. Madras IIT civil engineer( my sambandhi,)explained me that the Thanjavur delta KALI MANN get dry during summar Then there will be crakes on the suface of the earth and basement of temple may go down.To avoid this there are moats with water around the temples espesially in Thanjavur delta.Oh! 1000 years back,what an engineering skill our ancesters had! Many temples might have lost the moat in due course.But we can see the traces around the temples.Next time when you visit the temples in the delta dt you please notice this. N S.
Yes,Mr.Arvind,There are some more small size sculptures fixed on the western side of the Big Temple fort,I have seen them some 40 years back.Today that side is fully encroached.I'll try to take some photos and send to our group.