One
time historic domain of the great Chola Emperor Raja Chola, Thanjavur or
Tanjore bustles has high flow temples and monumental domes of architectural
wonder. 55 km east of Tiruchirappalli, it is a highly fertile delta of the
Cauvery River and is famous for its lush green paddy fields. As the centre
of cultural development Thanjavur attracted master craftsmen, and it still
continues to produce attractive handcrafted ware.
Its heritage as a centre of learning, culture and craft is reflected in the
variety of handicraft work that goes on here. Thanjavur is still famous for
its bejewelled, gold leaf Tanjore paintings, fine silk carpets, bell metal
work, musical instruments, pith work and bronze sculptures. Tanjore is
primarily a place for the art admirers.
Best Time & Climate :
Tanjore enjoys a moderate climate. The maximum temperature during summer is
approximately 37°C, while during winter it dips to a low of 20°C.
Therefore, the best time to visit Tanjore is from October to March.
How to get there ?
» By Air - The nearest airport is at Trichy (58 km).
It serves planes from the Middle East, Colombo, Chennai and Madurai.
» By Train - There are direct train connections from
Trichy, Chennai, Nagore and Madurai.
» By Road - Clean and efficient express buses from
Thanjavur go all over the state. Local transport is available in the forms
of three wheelers (a.k.a. auto rickshaws), cycle rickshaws and taxis. From
Trichy, Thanjavur is easily accessible by road. Thanjavur is also well
connected by road to all the major towns in the state.
Must Visit :
» The Brihadiswara Temple - The temple is dedicated
to Shiva, but the sculptures on the gopuram are dedicated to Vishnu and
inside there are Buddhist sculptures. The giant Nandi bull, within a single
courtyard is the second largest in India. There are 80 tonnes block of
granite capped in the monolithic tower, pulled to the top along an inclined
plane that began in a village 6 Km away. The discreetly planned and executed
architecture makes the temple a fine example of Dravidian craftsmanship.
» Palace - The palace near the temple was built
partly by the Nayaks in 1550, and partly by the Marathas of the west and is
characterized by vast corridors, large halls, shady courtyards and
observation and arsenal towers. The Durbar Hall of the palace still retains
the glory of the bygone era. It houses an Art Gallery, the Saraswati Mahal
Library, the Royal Museum and a music hall.
» The Raja Museum and Art Gallery - The gallery has
an excellent collection of Chola bronzes with different interpretations of
the same figure from early to late Chola dynasty. The royal museum displays
the royal costumes, cutlery, utensils and weapons.
» Saraswati Mahal Library - The library has 8,000
rare palm leaf and paper manuscripts in many languages.
» Thirubuvanam - 45 kms from Tanjore, it has a 13th
century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is known for silk weaving.
» Manora - 65 kms from Tanjore, Manora has an
eccentric souvenir from the colonial times; an eight storey high Victory
Tower built in 1814 by an Indian king to celebrate the British victory over
Napoleon at Waterloo.
» Kumbakonam - 36 km from Tajore, it hosts an
important Mahamaham Fair every twelve years. It also has five important
temples that are known for their semi erotic sculptures.
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