The rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, the capital of the Medieval Chola Period, and the birthplace of many art forms of Tamil Nadu is Thanjavur, in the south of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur has been under various reigns, from the early Cholas to the Maratha Bhonsle. The city has contributed to many forms of art in Tamil Nadu, to name a few: the paintings of Tanjore, the dolls, and the fine-tuning of the classical Bharatanatyam styles.

The well-liked medieval Chola King Vijayalaya retook the throne after the Pandyas had ruled the city for a considerable amount of time, and the city continued to be the centre of power for about 300 years. The Nayak Kings, famous for patronizing arts and music while ruling the city, have contributed more to the development of art and culture. The city on the Cauvery Delta has been a prominent place for agriculture and has catered to people all over Tamil Nadu.

The city is one of the major tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu. The South Zone Cultural Centre, instituted by the government, is keen on promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of India. The fact that five museums in Thanjavur depict the many dynasties' lifestyles would surprise you. Some museums that house conserved idols, palm leaf scripts, and other priceless artefacts are the Archaeological Museum, Tamil University Museum, Saraswathy Mahal Library Museum, Nayak Darbar Hall Museum, and Raja Raja Chola Museum.

The most important monument to be visited in Thanjavur is the Brahadeeswarar Temple, popularly known as the Big Temple. It was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. The temple was constructed by Medieval King Raja Raja Cholan during the 11th century. Even after a thousand years, it stands as an engineering marvel, and the technology deployed in building the huge Lingam and the single-stone tomb atop the tower is still a mystery.

The other places of interest are the Saraswathy Mahal Library, housed inside the Thanjavur Palace. The library has a collection of 30,000 manuscripts, including those written on palm leaves. The entire library is only a reference section where amazing information on Indian and British literature and contents on other subjects are preserved in their original form.

The Darbar Hall of the Maratha Palace is another place to visit. The next place to visit is Sivaganga Park, opened to the public in the mid-18th century.

Enjoy the mesmerizing architecture of the Big Temple and the other fascinating tourist attractions of the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu, Thanjavur!

How To Reach :

By Air : The nearest airport is Trichy, which is at a distance of 70 km from Thanjavur.

By Train : Thanjavur is well connected to all the major cities in the southern states of India.

By Road : The city is connected across the major cities of Tamil Nadu with well-laid roads to ensure smooth travel.