Every morning the gates open at dawn and every day thousands of people worship at the Cholas' grand Brihadishwara Temple. Enter under the Nayak gate and spend lots of time here. We saw groups arrive and leave in less than 30 mins just taking in the main areas. The advantage of travelling independently if that you can come and go as you please and spend as much time as you like find for example the pretty much hidden exquisite lime-plaster Chola frescoes, for years buried under later Nayak-era murals.