Thanjavur formerly known as Tanjore is a municipality and the headquarters of the Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The name Thanjavur is derived from “Tanjan”, a legendary asura in Hindu tradition. Thanjavur is situated in the Cauvery delta, at a distance of around 314 km, south-west of Chennai and 56 km, east of Tiruchirappalli. Most of Thanjavur district is a level plain watered by the river Kaveri and tributaries. The nearest seaport around the temple is Nagapattinam which is 84 kilometres (52 mi) east of Thanjavur. The nearest airport is at Tiruchirappalli.
Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian art and architecture. Most of the Great Living Chola Temples which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments are located in and around Thanjavur. The foremost among the Great Living Chola temples, the Brihadeeswara Temple, is located in the center of the city. Thanjavur is also the home of the Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region. The city is an important agricultural center located at the heart of the region, known as the “Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu”. South Zone Culture Centre in Thanjavur is one of many regional cultural centres established by Indian Government to preserve and promote traditional cultural heritage of India. It had a population of a 2,90,732 in 2011.
History of Thanjavur Temple
Thanjavur temple was constructed by Raja Raja Cholan in the years 1003-1010 A.D and the type of construction is antique. Thanjavur temple area is around 29.24 square.kms. The Cholas came once more into prominence through the rise of the chivalric Chola monarch Vijayalaya in about 850 CE. The Vijayalaya made Thanjavur his capital and built a temple to the Hindu goddess Nisumbhasudani at this place. Vijayalaya, son of Aditya I consolidated their hold over the city.Thanjavur is one of the ancient cities in India and has a long and varied history dating back to the Sangam period. The city rose to prominence during the rule of the Later Cholas when it served as the capital of the Chola empire. After the fall of the Cholas, the city was ruled by various dynasties like Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Thanjavur Nayaks, Thanjavur Marathas and British. It has been a part of independent India since 1947.
Time to visit
The devotees can visit the Thanjavur temple throughout the year but the best time is winter as summers are very hot over here. Thanjavur Temple is a Awesome Place For Vacations.
Nearby tourist places to Thanjavur Temple
Thanjavur has as many as 74 temples but the most superb is the Sri Brihadeswara temple. Thanjavur palace which is a fifteen minute walk from the temple is also worth visiting.
The Poompuhar handicrafts is the famed shopping place here and the Tamil University, set up recently is situated here and is devoted to the growth Tamil literature and language.Brihadisvara temple is the only high-rise building in the town rising up by 14 storeys and 216 feet. It is also called the Brihadisvara.Few temples which are located near the Thanjavur temple are Gangaikondacholapuram temple, Nageswaraswami Temple and the Airavateswara Temple, Panchanatheswara temple(which has been dedicated to Lord Shiva ) A visit to all these temples is mandatory to complete the trip to Thanjavur. Around 13.5 kilometers nearby to the place of Thanjavur is Thiruvaiyaru associated with saint Thyagaraja.
The visitors can also visit kaleidoscopic Kumbakonam that is at a distance of 36 km from Thanjavur temple and the few places here display the semi erotic sculptures at the Sarangapani, Nageswara, Kumbeswarar, and Ramaswamy temples which really attract many visitors Travel Guides in Tamil Nadu. Kumbakonam is the venue of the magnificent Mahamaham festival that is celebrated once in every twelve years. The last festival was celebrated in the year 1992 and the next expected is to be in the year 2014.
How to reach the temple
- Through Airways – Through AIR, Thanjavur is easily accessible from other cities of India. In terms of air transport the Tiruchirapalli airport is about 58 kms away from Thanjavur and is the nearest.
- Through Railways- Through RAIL, Thanjavur is directly connected with Trichy, Madurai, Nagore, and Chennai by rail. The excellent road network links Thanjavur with the major towns in Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring states of Kerala and Karnataka. Get going to the terrific destination of Thanjavur.
- Through Roadways-Through Road the visitors can get clean and efficient express buses from Thanjavur go all over the state. Local transport is available in the forms of three wheelers (auto rickshaws), cycle rickshaws and taxis. From Trichy, Thanjavur is easily reachable by road. Thanjavur is also well connected by road to all the major towns in the state.