Thanjavur
was the ancient capital of the Chola kings whose origin goes back to the
beginning of the Christian era. Thanjavur, also known as the "Rice Bowl
of Tamil Nadu" is blessed by the waters of the river Kaveri in south
India. Thanjavur is the culture capital of the region. It reached its
pinnacle of glory under the later Cholas (10th to 14th centuries AD), under
whom several great temples were built and the art of developing bronze
figures emerged. They were followed by the Nayaks and Marathas, for the last
of whom Thanjavur or Tanjore was the southern capital.
There are 74 temples in Thanjavur, of which the most famous is that of
Brihadeeshwara.
Sightseeing at Thanjavur
Brihadeshwara Temple & Fort : Brihadeshwara Temple & Fort
built by great Chola king in the 10th century AD. It is an exceptional
example of Chola architecture and is listed in world heritage. The temple is
capped by a monolithic cupola made of a single granite block weighing 80
tons which was taken to the top by being pulled on an inclined ramp 6 km.
long, a technique used by pyramid builders of Egypt. The temple has been the
centre of continuous worship for over thousand years. Only Hindus are
allowed inside the tempe.
Thanjavur Palace & Museum : The 16th palace near the temple is a
vast building of masonry built partly by the Nayakas and partly by the
Maratha. Two of the palace towers, the Armoury and the observation tower are
visible from all areas of the city. The palace houses an art gallery, a
library and a hall of music.
Art Gallery : The art gallery occupies the Nayak
Durbar Hall. It has a superb collection of Chola bronze statues from the 9th
to 12th centuries.
Saraswathi Mahal Library : The Saraswati mahal Library is next door
to the gallery. Over 30,000 Indian and European manuscripts written on palm
leaves and paper are preserved in the Saraswati Mahal Library.
Best Season to Visit : Through out the year.
Reaching Thanjavur
Air : The nearest airport is at Trichy (65-km).
Rail : There is a railway junction in Thanjavur. It is well
connected with Trichy, Chennai, Madurai and Nagore.
Road : Thanjavur is well connected by road with all the major towns
and cities in Tamil Nadu nd also with Kochi, Ernakulam, and
Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Bangalore in Karnataka. There are regular
bus services for visiting all the places of interest in and around
Thanjavur.
STD/ISD Codes
If dialing from India ------ 04362 (number)
If dialing from abroad -------++91-4362 (number)
Shopping in Thanjavur
There are several art and craft items which you can buy in Thanjavur.
Thanjavur is famous for Tanjore plates (inlaid with brass and silver),
musical instruments (like the veena, tambura and mridangam), paper mache
dolls, silk carpets, pith models of temples, garlands, models made from
unhusked paddy, bell metal products etc.
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Thanjavur Attractions
