The Chola rulers made it their capital; the Nayaka and Maratha kings couldn’t resist its charm. Neither could the British. Latha Anantharaman finds out what makes Thanjavur so special
If you have to visit just one place in Tamil Nadu, let it be Thanjavur. Once the capital of the Chola Empire, its most famous monument, the Brihadeeswara Temple, still has an imperial impact.
The temple’s construction was started by Chola king Raja Raja I a thousand years ago, but he died before it was finished. At the time, the tower over the sanctum was the tallest structure in India. Over the centuries, the Pandian, Nayaka and Maratha kings added to the shrines, and even the British were represented, with a booted soldier on the stucco work. The temple’s museum, within the same complex, contains reproductions of the art we have no access to — the fine frescoes and carved dancing figures in and above the sanctum.
The Thanjavur Palace, a short ride from the temple, contains practically the entire history of this town. Its construction was started by the Nayakas and completed by the Marathas, so there are sprawling buildings of various styles. You enter through the arches into the Saraswati Mahal Library, which has a museum displaying manuscripts, including richly illustrated medical treatises and botanical encyclopaedias. A series of museums and galleries follow.
The palace museum contains artefacts from awe-inspiring stone idols to pots and pans of the royal household. In a small gallery upstairs, along with coins and costumes, are the formal, gem-studded portraits of the Mahratta court style — the Thanjavur painting. The art gallery contains some of the best Chola bronzes to be seen anywhere. For every refurbished section of the palace there remains an untouched hall that echoes with pigeon murmurs and long-gone footsteps.
The glories of the surrounding Cauvery delta are best enjoyed by road. On a drive to Tiruvaiyaru (13 km away), we cross five rivers. There are ponds winking in the sun and paddy fields dotted with crumbling pavilions and domes. The town itself is famous for being the home of the illustrious 18th century saint-composer Thyagaraja, but it has an enormous and unspoiled temple to Panchanadeeswara, lord of the five rivers, as well as the picturesque ruins of the Husoor Palace on the riverside and the music college, itself beautifully mouldering and clearly visible from the bridge over the Cauvery.
Getting there: The nearest airport is in Tiruchirapalli (50 km away), which is connected from Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram. Trains are convenient from Chennai, but from other locations, it is best to reach Tiruchi by rail and then go to Thanjavur by road. Thanjavur is connected by bus to most large towns in southern Tamil Nadu, but it is best to reach Tiruchi and move from there.
(Latha Anantharaman is a freelance writer and editor based in Palakkad)