Thanjavur

Thanjavur
Location: Thanjavur District
Distance: 350 km south of Chennai
Main Attraction: Bragatheeswarar Temple, Thanjavur Palace, Tanjore Paintings



Thanjavur is a royal and historic city near Chennai. It is known as the 'Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu' and is the granary of South India. The city, also known as Tanjore, was the capital of Chola kingdom between the 9th and 13th century and reached heights in the sphere of knowledge and culture. The strong historical background of Thanjavur attracts a number of tourists every year. It is an excellent place to be explored from travel and tourism point of view.

Thanjavur is famous for its splendid temples, their intricate carvings, sculptures and architecture. One of the main attractions of Thanjavur is the Bragatheeswarar Temple, which is also known as the Big Temple. It was built by Rajaraja Cholan, the Great Chola King. The most interesting feature of the temple is the Saraswati Mahal Library, which was established in 1700 and has the rarest collection of manuscripts. To enrich your experience further visit the Thanjavur Palace.

The palace was built in 1550 AD and was a joint effort of Nayakas and Marathas. This splendid structure is known for its fine masonry. Apart from this, the Tamil University in Thanjavur is also a place worth watching. The University Museum houses a collection of coins and musical instruments. Amongst these, the Nayak Durbar Hall Art Museum and the Rajaraja Chola Museum are the most important ones. They display magnificent collection of Chola Bronzes.

Last, but certainly not the least; Thanjavur is highly acclaimed for its Tanjore paintings. These paintings have a distinct style of decoration and paint. They are done on glass as well as on board and in both the cases, the figures and the background are richly decorated with gold leaves and gems. The paintings mostly show Lord Krishna in various poses, but the ones in the temples depict other Gods and Goddesses also.