Tanjore Travel Guide

About Tanjore

Tanjore or Thanjavur is one of the oldest cities of India. It was a centre of learning, fine arts, culture and architecture. Presently situated in the state of Tamil Nadu Tanjore continues to be a place of keen interest among many.

It is a place that even in modern times sustains the interest of people in the various things that it has to offer.

Tanjore is located in the rich delta region of the Kaveri river and is also known as the rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu.

Places in Tanjore

An important centre of learning and fine arts of ancient India Tanjore has a number of places to see.

Brihadeeswara Temple

– This is a famous temple that was built in the 11th century by the Chola king Rajaraja I. A unique structural feat built of Granite this temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The Palace

– The credit of building this temple goes partly to the Nayak dynasty of Vijayanagar and partly to the Marathas.

Saraswathi Mahal

– This library was established in 1700 AD. It has the privilege of containing more than 30,000 manuscripts some of which are on palm leaves. The texts of these manuscripts are both in Indian and European languages.

Manora Fort

– This fort is situated 65 kms from Tanjore. It was built by a Maratha ruler named Serfoji II to mark the success of the British over Napoleon.

Tanjore Paintings

One of the noted aspects of the art heritage of Thanjavur or Tanjore is the noted Tanjore painting. These are some of the finest examples of painting.

• The uniqueness of these paintings lies in their themes and the use of various materials in their making as opposed to the conventional paintings.
• The paintings of Tanjore are adorned with semi precious stones, gold, pearls and glass pieces.
• Generally the themes of Tanjore paintings have are Gods and Goddesses. Among many the Tanjore paintings stand out by their rich and vibrant hue of colors brought about by the use of gold, stones and glass.
• The making of a Tanjore painting has several process involved in it during which an artist has to prepare the painting through the careful use of the raw materials like gold, semi precious stones and glass pieces. The final piece that comes out is an elaborate painting highlighted with various colors and embellishments.