Thanjavur is a little town placed among the lush rice fields of the Cauvery delta, which is why it is called The Rice Bowl of India. Formerly known as Tanjore, the city is situated some 55 km east of Trichy. From 9th to 13th century, Thanjavur served as the capital of the powerful Chola dynasty which was spread in most of south India. The 8th largest city of Tamil Nadu with a population of around 250,000, the people normally speak only Tamil with only a few citizens who are well versed in English. The splendorous temples are the perfect example of Cholas architecture.
The most important temple in Thanjavur is the Brahadeeswarar temple which is now a UNESCO world heritage site, built by the great King Rajaraja I. The Thanjavur Palace is another masterpiece worth a visit. There are museums and galleries for artifacts and ancient paintings inside the palace apart from a library named Saraswati Mahal which has an extensive collection of over 40,000 manuscripts, palm leaf inscriptions and books of times gone by.
Thanjavur is specially famous for its breathtaking temples, more than 70 of them. The grandest and the most attractive of them is the Brahadeeswarar temple, the tallest temple in South India. Apart from the temples, the Thanjavur Palace, which houses a few of the most magnificent galleries, is also widely visited by tourists. The Royal Museum, The Saraswati Mahal Library and the Art Gallery have carved a name for themselves. There is also in store the famous Tanjore paintings seen in the art galleries and temple ceilings.
