Tanjore

General Information

Tanjore (Officially Thanjavur) is a district of south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The historic city has several temples and monuments built by various rulers especially the Cholas which are UNESCO declared World Heritage Sites. Tanjore Paintings are world famous for their elaborate use of color and art work and are shopped a lot by the tourists. This important agricultural center is also known as the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu. Vijayanagar Empire rulers, Nayaks, Pandyas, Marathas and the British rulers have enriched the heritage of Tanjore with their valuable contribution. There are several renowned centers of learning in Tanjore city.

Three rivers viz. Pudhaaru, Vadavaaru and Vennaaru flow through the landscape of Tanjore. Thanjavur city is situated in Cauvery Delta region, 56 km east of Tiruchirapalli and 314 km off Chennai. Vallam Tableland is a small plateau in Tanjore which is interspersed with ridges. Tanjore's maximum temperature could touch to 40 °C in summers while the lowest temperature may go down to 15 °C in winters.

Tourist attractions in Tanjore

Brihadeeswarar Temple : Also known as the Big Temple, the ancient temple was built by Rajaraja Chola in the year 1010 and it recently commemorated 1000th anniversary of its foundation. This biggest tourist draw of Tanjore is a UNESCO declared World Heritage Site. The 216 feet high Vimana or the Temple Tower is the tallest of its kind in the world. There is a 16 ft long and 13 ft high Nandi Bull statue at the entrance of the temple. The Kumbam or the apex of the temple is believed to be carved out of a single rock. Birhadeeswarar Temple represents the epitome of Chola temple architecture in India.

Vijayanagar Fort : The fort is located 2 km off the Big Temple. It was built by the Nayak and Maratha rulers around 1550 AD. Saraswathi Mahal Library, Tanjore Palace, Sangeetha Mahal and Siva Ganga Garden are the main attractions of Vijayanagar Fort.

Sangeetha Mahal : It is a Hall of Music located at the first floor of Tanjore Palace where Chola and Nayak rulers used to enjoy dance performance by the artisans. It is a good example of the skilled craftsmanship of the architects of the ancient times.

Chnandra Bhagwan Temple : The temple is dedicated to Moon God. It is located 25 km off Tanjore and is visited by the people who are suffering from the bad effects of the moon god.

Other attractions of Thanjavur are:

• Art Gallery
• Lord Murugan Temple
• Vellai Puliar Temple
• Guru Bhagawan Temple
• Thirunallar Temple
• Schwartz Church
• Aalangudi Temple
• Thiruvanajozhi Temple
• Suryanaar Koyil
• Our Lady of Sorrow Church

Getting There

By Air: Tiruchirapalli International Airport (56 km) is the nearest airport to Thanjavur. Second nearest international airport is at Chennai. Thanjavur has a fully fledged Indian Air Force Station.

By Train : Thanjavur Junction is the main railway station of the city which is connected with broad gauge line. Regular trains run from Thanjavur to Ernakulam, Bangalore, Vijayawada, Madurai, Salem, Thrissur, Varanasi, Jabalpur, Bhubaneswar etc.

By Bus : State owned buses connect the city with other cities of Tamil Nadu and other cities of neighboring states. Private air-conditioned bus and cab service is also available for travels within the city and other destinations of tourist interest.