Sivaganga Park surrounds the large Sivaganga Tank adjacent to the Brihadisvara Temple — the sacred tank that has served the temple complex for over a thousand years. The tank itself is substantial: roughly rectangular, faced with stone steps on all four sides, and large enough that the vimana tower of the Brihadisvara is reflected in the water on still mornings. It is one of the best vantage points for photographing the temple from the east, especially in the early morning light.
The park around the tank is a popular evening destination for local families — vendors selling street food, children running along the bund, older residents sitting in the shade. The mood is entirely different from the formal temple precinct. A walk around the tank perimeter before or after the temple visit gives a sense of the city's daily life that the main monument cannot. The steps down to the water are used for ritual bathing at auspicious times; on ordinary days they are quiet.