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Thanjavur
Sign in to saveAlso known as Tanjore, Thanjai, Tanjore
Thanjavur (), also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of southern Indian religion, 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 these, the Rajarajesvaram or Brihadisvara Temple, built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, is located in the centre of the city. This temple has one of the largest bull statues (called Nandi) in India carved out of a single
Thanjavur is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu that serves as an important center of southern Indian religion, art, and architecture. The city is home to several Great Living Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, including the renowned Brihadisvara Temple built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I.
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Place details
- Locality
- Thanjavur
- Region
- Tamil Nadu
- Country
- India
- Population
- 291,067
- Timezone
- Asia/Kolkata
via OpenStreetMap · GeoNames
Key facts
- Settlement.pushpin_map_caption
- Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
- Settlement.subdivision_type
- Country
- Settlement.subdivision_type1
- State
- Settlement.subdivision_type2
- District
- Settlement.subdivision_type3
- Region
- Settlement.subdivision_type4
- Zone
- Settlement.subdivision_name1
- Tamil Nadu
- Settlement.subdivision_name2
- Thanjavur
- Settlement.founder
- Raja Raja Chola - I
- Settlement.government_type
- City Municipal Corporation
- Settlement.governing_body
- Thanjavur Municipal Corporation
- Settlement.leader_title
- Mayor
- Settlement.leader_name
- Sun.Ramanathan (DMK) since 2022
- Settlement.unit_pref
- Metric
- Settlement.area_total_km2
- 36.31
- Settlement.elevation_footnotes
- 52
- Settlement.elevation_m
- 77
- Settlement.population_total
- 222,943
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- big city
- Country
- India
- Located in
- Thanjavur district
- Population
- 222943
- Area
- 36
- Elevation
- 88
- Capital of
- Thanjavur Maratha kingdom
- Official website
- www.municipality.tn.gov.in/thanjavur
- Image
- Marshal Hall, Thanjavur.jpg
- Dialing code
- 4362
Show 5 more facts
- Commons category
- Thanjavur
- topic's main category
- Category:Thanjavur
- postal code
- 613001
- P8168
- Theodor Steinbüchel
- P12749
- food
via Wikidata · CC0
Travel guide
Understand
thumb|Brihadisvara temple Thanjavur (tuhny-JAH-voor) thrived as the ancient capital of the Chola Empire, later of Marathas and Nayaks. Thanjavur was at the height of its glory during the Chola period between the 10th and 14th centuries and became a great centre of learning and culture. The Chola Empire eventually grew into one of the most powerful empires India had ever seen under the rule of Rajaraja Chola I, also known to many Tamils as Rajaraja the Great, and his son, Rajendra Chola I. Under Rajendra Chola I, the capital was moved from Thanjavur to the nearby Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
An important landmark in Thanjavur is the great Brihadisvara Temple, also known as the Big Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola I. It is one of the most magnificent pieces of South Indian temple architecture. Established in 1011 CE in celebration of the victory of the Chola kingdom that extended to Ceylon and some parts of the Malaya archipelago. Now it is a world heritage site.
Even today Thanjavur is not only considered the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu but also many linguists consider it the cultural capital and the dialect of Tamil spoken here to be the purest form of the language. Though the Thanjavur district is dominated by agriculture, the town itself is diverse, having a literacy rate of more than 75% and a heterogeneous mix of populations of all religions. The presence of numerous Engineering colleges nearby has increased the student population in Thanjavur.
Thanjavur is very famous for its f…
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thumb|Panorama of Brihadisvara temple complex
Buy
Thanjavur is famous for its 'Thanjavur dancing doll' (Thanjavur thalai attu bommai), Tanjore Paintings (Lord Krishna paintings are the best) and Tanjore art plates (Lord Balaji are the best).
There is an outlet inside the palace where old and new art works are sold. You can pay with your credit card too. Many shops accept UPI payments nowadays.
There is a Phoompuhar art Gallery, which exhibits and sell a wide range of artistic bronze idols, Thanjavur paintings and artistic plates.Its been a hot spot for the foreign travellers.
Bargaining is a necessary skill that needs to be used. Like everywhere else, foreign travellers may be charged extra and may be fleeced. Adequate precautions must be taken.
Sleep
Hotels in Thanjavur are generally not that expensive. Try to avoid booking rooms from online websites as these websites may show increase in demand and may charge extra. Calling the hotel's phone and booking is the best way. For a more adventurous soul, going to the hotel, haggling and then booking the rooms may be another way. Hotels in the centre of the town tend to cost extra due to ease of access to the tourist spots. However, one can avoid the crowds and stay at hotels near to the New Bus Stand, for ease of travel to other cities.
Go next
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Travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0)
~31 min read
Encyclopedic overview
17 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- Geography and climate
- {{anchor|Tourism and culture}}Tourism and culture
- Economy
- Demographics
- Transport
- Administration and politics
- Education
- Utility services
- Villages
- See also
- Notes
- Footnotes
- Citations
- References
- External links
Thanjavur (), also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of southern Indian religion, 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 these, the Rajarajesvaram or Brihadisvara Temple, built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, is located in the centre of the city. This temple has one of the largest bull statues (called Nandi) in India carved out of a single granite rock. Thanjavur is also home to Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region. Thanjavur is the headquarters of the Thanjavur District. The city is an important agricultural centre located in the Kaveri Delta and is known as the Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is administered by a municipal corporation covering an area of and had a population of 222,943. Roadways are the major means of transportation, while the city also has rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli International Airport, located away from the city. The nearest seaport is Karaikal, which is away from Thanjavur. The city first rose to prominence during the reign of the Cholas when it served as the capital of the empire. After the fall of the Cholas, the city was ruled by various dynasties such as the Mutharaiyar dynasty, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Madurai Nayaks, the Thanjavur Nayaks, the Thanjavur Marathas and the British Empire. It has been a part of independent India since 1947.
== Etymology == The city's name is believed to be derived from a portmanteau of "thanjam puguntha oor" () which means "the town where refugees entered", referring to the town's history of providing hospitality to newcomers.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Thanjavur” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.
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