Overview of Thanjavur
Thanjavur is the royal city of the Cholas and Nayaks. Thanjavur derives its name from Thanjanan asura (giant), who according to local legend devastated the neighborhood and was killed by sri Anandhavalli Amman and Vishnu. Sri Neelamegapperumal Thnjan's last request that the city might be named after him was granted. Chola, Chera and Pandya kings were ruling Tamizhagam even before Mahabharat peroid. Chola kingdom was leading and patronizing literature, art, science and religious than the other two kingdom.
Historians believe that Thanjavur was captured by vijalaya Chola (AD 846-880) from Perumpidugu Muttaraiyan. From then till Rajaraja Cholan, Thanjavur was flourishing. Rajendra Cholan, Rajarajan's son moved the Chola capital to Gangaikonda Cholapuram. After that Chola kingdom started declining and the Pandya Kings captured Thanjavur.
An erstwhile viceroy of the Vijayanagar empire assumed independence and founded the dynasty of the Thanjavur Nayaks. In 1758 AD French attacked Thanjavur, but were retaken by British in 1773 AD. Thanjavur became a protected state under the East India Company.
In 1799 AD Thanjavur became a British principality and its ruler Sarofoji II was given the fort of Thanjavur and an area outside it. Sivaji, has successor died in 1855 AD without an heir and after him Thanjavur passed directly under British. The Chola seem to have left the Great temple of Sri Bragateeswara a striking relic of their genius.
Thanjavur paintings
Thanjavur is famous for a special style of decorating the paintings which were done both on glass and board. In both types, the figures and the background are richly embellished with gold leaf and germ as ornaments. The relief work on board is achieved by applying gesso, a mixture of gypsum or plaster of paris and glue. Krishna in various poses has been the main theme, but there are also various paintings in temples, of all the other Gods and Saints.
Sculptures
A remarkable collection of South India sculptures and paintings is housed in the museum was built by the Nayak rulers. Within the museum there is a gallery with a representative collection of stone sculpture from the Pallava, Chola, Pandya and Nayaka periods. There are two principle traditions in this style of painting in South India, especially in Thanjavur.
Every Hindu home is supposed to have a prayer room, where the family deity is installed after the house is built. These household images of god and goddesses are in bronze, silver or clay are painted pictures. The museum is however best known for its bronze sculpture collection, of rare artistic quality.
This library has one of the most important oriental manuscript collections, in India. Established around 1700 AD. The Tamil work includes treatises on medicine, and commentaries on works from the Sangam period. The Saraswathi Mahal Library has remarkable collection of about 30,433 sanskrit and other vernacular palm leaf manuscripts and 6,426 printed volumes, besides a large number of journals.
Over eighty percent of its manuscripts are in sanskrit, many on palm leaves and are very unique. The library is the effort of the three hundred years of collections by the Nayak and Mahratta kings.
Shivaganga Fort
The quadrangular Shivaganga Fort, Southwest of the old city. Its battle mented stone walls, which enclose an area of 14 ha (35 acres) are surrounded by a party rock cut moat. The Square Shivaganga Tank in the fort was excavated to provide drinking water for the City. The fort also contains The great Brahadeeswara Temple, Schwartz Church, and public amusement park.
Palace
The Palace, on the east main street is a series of large and rambling building of fine masonry, build partly by the Nayaks around 1550 AD, and partly by the Marathas. The entrance is by way of a large quandrangular courtyard. The courtyard leads to a many-pillared hall. A small inner courtyard gives access to a large one.
On the sourthern side of the third quadrangle is a vimana like building, 190 feet high with eight storeys and it is the Goodagopuram. This was the palace watch tower and also the armoury of the Thanjavur Kings till 1855 A.D.
The two Durbar Halls of the Nayaks and the Mahrattas and the Raja Sarafoji Saraswathi Mahal Library are the chief sights of the Palace.
Brahadeeswara Temple
The Brahadeeswara Temple also known as Rajarajeswaram, at Thanjavur, is the world's first complete granite temple and a brilliant example of the major height achieved by Cholas in temple architecture. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temples". The temple stands amidst fortified walls. The 'Vimana' - or the temple tower - is 216 ft (66 m) high (about 70 meters).
The kalash or 'Shikhara' of the temple is of monolithic granite weighing 81.25 tons. There is a big statue of Nandhi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high. The entire temple structure is made out of hard granite stones. The temple had its foundations laid out by the ambitious emperor Chola King Rajaraja Chola I in 1002 CE, as the first of the great Chola building projects.
Bland Thanjavur
Thanjavur district stands unique from time immemorial for its agriculture activities and its rightly acclaimed as the Granary of the South India lying in the deltaic region of the famous river cauvery and criss-crossed by lengthy network of irrigation canals, this coastal district abounds in green paddy fields, tall coconut groves, vast gardens of mango and plantain trees and other verdant vegetation.
Various testimonials available in the ancient Tamil literature referring to the Cauvery as possessing the sanctity of the Ganges in conformity with the legendary and mythological stories attributed to its divine origin, rightly point out why the river is popularly called the 'Mother Cauvery' and its sacredness is evident from 'Kaviri-Thala-Puranam'.
The river has also been named 'Ponni' because it is yielding 'pon' - gold in the form of paddy. That is why it is said with pride that every iota of the earth of Thanjavur is equal to an iota of gold. The tillers in Tamil literature have been righty called as 'Kauvirippudhalvars' - the sons of the Cauvery as they alone are worthy of this title for the rich production of grains in this fertile soil.
