Explanation

Although the sanctum of the Brihadeshvara Temple at Thanjavur houses a great Shiva linga, the temple's celebrated sculptural and mural programme most prominently depicts Shiva as Tripurantaka — the destroyer of the three demon cities — including the famous Chola painting of Tripurantaka riding a chariot driven by Brahma. Chola kings used this warrior form to align royal martial power with divine might. Harihara, Bhairava and Rudra are not the dominant thematic forms here.