Tallest Vimanam in South is that of Thanjavur only. We know that Bhuvaneswar Lingaraja temple was constructed immediately after Big temple and that Vimanam does look taller... Not aware of statistics..
This was based on MAHUDABARANAM (Kreedam) principle of Aghama - as per some scholar. But there are different views on this. However, when one looks at this Vimanam - he does remind of Kreedam.
Second view is that the Aavudayar and Sivalingam were erected earlier and then the Vimanam was constructed.. There are inscriptions in Big Temple which show that daily poojas performed to the main diety prior to Kumbabhishekam (consecration) on the 275th day of the 24th Regnl yr of RR. (1010 AD. The construction commenced in 1004 AD).
To decide this RR's ascendency date becomes important. It was on an Aadi Punarvasu in 985 AD. The date is fixed around July end. There is a dispute between English Scholars and Kudanthai Sethuraman in fixing this date.
There was a view that it was Porkoil. Vimanam covered with gold!
There was another view that it was Aakasalingam !
There is an opinion that Varahi in Big Temple is one of the Saptha matrikas and other six are missing.
The view that Thalikulathar was replaced with Brahadeeswarar did not stand since even after Brhadweeswara's consecration, worship in Thalikkulathar temple (Hymned by Appar) was continued.
Gopurams represent Homagni (Fire in Homam) is another theory .. Every sculture - its position - position determine the over all temple structure - says Temple Architectures ...
To my knowledge no comprehensive work is done on Big Temple yet ..
We knew a lot and lost a lot .. ========================================
Dear Krishnan,
Nice to read of your mother's efforts in collecting PS. Luckily PS was rerun in Kalki after 1975 and 1990 and some of us are able to collect PS with pictorial pages ..
If some one is very keen, please visit any Lending Library. They are likely to have such collections and may sell the books for an attractive offer. I collected one such lot of PS and gifted to a friend a few years back.