Thanjavur [Tanjore] lies in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is also the capital of the Thanjavur District. The city lies on the south bank of the Kaveri River. It is one of the chief political, cultural and religious centres of South India. Thanjavur is home to the famous Brihadeeswara Temple, one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Thanjavur is famous for its the Tanjore paintings. This style of paintings is widely followed by the artists in South Tamil Nadu for over two centuries. The art flourished in Tanjore and hence the name. These paintings are deeply rooted in tradition and still innovative within limits.
Thanjavur is also known as the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu. The Big Temple and the other famous temples in the district are known all over the world.
History:
The city was once the stronghold of the historic Cholas and at one time was also the capital of the Cholas, Mutharayars and Marathas when they were at the peak of their power. Since then, Thanjavur has been one of the chief political, cultural and religious centres of South India.
Thanjavur contains over 90 temples, as it was favored by the Chola rulers between the 1st - 12th centuries, the Nayakas in the 16th century, and the Marathas in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Source: wikipedia
Best For:
Ancient Temples with beautiful architecture
Art & Culture
Musical Instruments and Tanjore Paintings
In summer, the temperature touches about a maximum of 35ºC and in winter, it drops down to 18-20ºC. The best time to visit this place is any time between November and April.
The Indian Rupee (INR) is the acceptable form of currency here. Larger merchant locations and hotels accept debit and credit cards. Many of these hotels also change currency for their guests. Banks like Canara bank and foreign exchange centres like VKC Forex change travellers cheques and cash. ATMs of various banks can be found around town.
A tourist visa applicable for the entire country (India) will be sufficient.
Driving from Chennai or Coimbatore is a good option as both the places are well connected by flights throughout the country.
Domestic Flights
The nearest airport is at Tiruchi [65 kms]. Next closest airport is at Madurai [200 kms]. The most convenient option is the airport at Chennai [350 kms] which also had international connections.
Road Travel
Thanjavur is well connected with all the major towns in TamilNadu through National Highways. It is connected with Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Bangalore in Karnataka
Train Travel
There is a railway junction in Thanjavur. It's well connected with Tiruchi and Chennai. The train route is not very popular.
Sri Brahadeeswarar Temple: This famous temple was built by the great Chola King, Raja Raja I in the 10th Century AD.
The Royal Palace and Museum: The Palace near the temple is a vast building built partly by the Nayaks around 1550 AD and later on completed by the Marathas.
Sivaganga Tank: This water tank is located near the palace. It is known for its sweet water.
Puliyur Vyagrapureeswarar Temple: This temple is located around 80 Kms from Thanjavur. It is an important religious temple in the state. This village is also called as Vyagrapuri named after the lord.
The Art Gallery between the Royal Palace and bell towers and The Saraswati Library nearby are other places of interest.
Where To Eat: There are a lot of local eateries and joints in and around the town where one can relish authentic South Indian cuisine Where To Stay: There are no five star hotels here, though one can find good, decent three star hotels and boarding and lodging facilities.
Thirukandiyur: [10 kms.]
Kumbakonam: [36 kms.]
Tharangambadi (Tranquebar): [105 kms.]This coastal town was a Danish settlement from 1624 to 1825. There are two churches and a fort. This is one of the special tourist areas.
Swamimalai: [32 kms.]
Darasuram: [34 kms] This temple was dedicated to Lord Siva and was built by Rajendra Chola. It is also a silk weaving centre.
Thirubuvanam: [45 kms.] This was built in13th Century. It is a Chola temple dedicated to Lord Siva.
Nagore: [88 kms.] It is a renowned Muslim Pligrim centre.
Vailankanni: [90 kms.] Roman Catholic Pilgrim centre.
Nagapattinam: [83 kms.] This is an important port town. Hotel Tamil Nadu is extremely popular here.
Tiruvarur: [55 kms.]The Thyagarajaswami Temple here has the biggest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu.
The handloom industry is very famous here and one can explore the local shops also check out exhibitions of the textile materials. One can buy various musical instruments here like the Veena, Mridangam, Ganjira & Tambura in different patterns & sizes..You can also pick up leather work, wooden carvings, jewellery etc at the local shops in Thanjavur. East Main Rd and Gandhiji Road are the main shopping areas.
This was a major cultural center during the eighteenth century and the fervor continues till date as a lot of festivals are celebrated in beautiful harmony in this place. Since it is a religious center, many different festivities are celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Trichy: [60 kms] Trichy is situated on the banks of the river Cauvery. It is the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu. It was a citadel of the early Cholas which later fell to the Pallavas.
Coimbatore[259 kms]: This is a vibrant city that has major facilities. It is a very well developed city and has a planned infrastructure as compared to other places in the state.
Pondicherry: [177 kms] The traces of the French culture are still alive in this place. The city makes for an excellent study of the combination of the French town planning that is very elegant with a touch of Indian-ness.
The place is filled with the ancient temples of the Chola dynasty that have a lot of mythological importance. Those who love ancient history and architecture and want to learn more about it will truly enjoy Thanjavur.
