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Thanjavur
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.