Engineering Without Steel

What makes these tall temples even more fascinating is that many were built without modern equipment or materials like steel or concrete. Instead, ancient architects and craftsmen used interlocking stone blocks, lime plaster, and gravity-based techniques to erect these giants. Despite centuries of natural wear and human conflict, they still stand firm.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, built in the 11th century by the Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I, is another iconic example. Its main vimana (tower above the sanctum) rises to over 200 feet, made entirely of granite—a stone not even locally available. It is believed that a 6-kilometer-long inclined ramp was used to transport the top stone weighing around 80 tons.