Also known as Tanjore or the city of temples, Thanjavur has a lot of cultural value and is known for its famous Tanjore paintings, antiques and handicrafts, textiles and saris , its Carnatic music and musical instruments and of course the temples. Thanjavur enjoys a rich historical heritage and holds a very important position in the moulding of ancient as well modern south Indian civilization. Being of religious importance, this place is a must for all pilgrims. There are many religious places in and around the district. Siva Ganga Garden, Art Gallery, Palace & Saraswathi Mahal Library, Sangeetha Mahal are the main tourist attractions. This is a place where you can constantly witness the magnificent and dynamic cultures of the past and present breathing life into and living in the everyday, giving the area a unique and glorious identity.
Places to Visit
Brahadeshwara Temple
The biggest attraction of Thanjavur – The Brahadeshwara Temple, also known as the Big Temple. Built during the reign of the Great Chola emperor, Raja Raja Chola, this temple is an architectural marvel.
Protected by deep trenches on either sides and the Grand Anaicut River running through another, this temple is a favorite among the pilgrims. The shrine itself is a 216 feet structure. The sanctum is dotted with paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods. The statue of Nandi the Bull welcomes at the entrance.
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
A place which is a testimony to the architectural and engineering genius of the region and the pride of one of the greatest empires of India – Chola Empire, Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a place worth exploring. The magnificence of the Brihadishwara temple along with few others will enchant you and thrill you with its history and engineering. A place of great historical relevance which marked the beginning of one of the greatest reign in Southern Indian history, Gangaikonda Cholapuram was the capital city of the Chola Empire for more than two centuries. The town was built by the Chola King Rajendra in order to commemorate his victory over the Pala Dynasty. He along with his son King Rajendra I envisaged of building a city with great architectural marvels, lavish fields and great pride. It was the center of Chola Empire’s reign over much of south-east Asia. Today the great historical city is nothing but a small village with the Lord Siva temple as the symbol of the grandeur of its once glorious path. Compared many a times to Thanjavur, another great Chola city, Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a great place to explore and unfold its heritage, grandeur and elaborate marvels and tales, safely tucked in history.
Shiva Ganga Garden
This garden lies within the Vijayanagar Fort and is open to the public. This garden is very well maintained and hence a pleasure to visit. A square tank is located in the Siva Ganga Garden built by the 16th century rulers for providing water to the Tanjore Palace is still in use and is well known for its sweet tasting water.
Vijayanagar Fort
This famous tourist spot is located nearly 2 km from the Brahadeeswara temple. This majestic fort was built by Nayaks and partly by Maratha rulers during the early 1550 AD. The fort houses a Tanjore Palace, Sangeetha Mahal, Library and an exquisite art gallery that includes many sculptures and paintings. The Shiva Ganga Gardens are also a part of the complex. Though the fort is mostly in ruins, it still echoes its strength and grandeur it must have once possessed.
Thanjai Mamani Koil
Thanjai Mamani Koil near Thanjavur is a set of three Vishnu temples, together called a Divyadesam. It is among the 108 such more temple premises in India. The temple has a local origin myth that has its roots in one of the many canonical myths about Lord Vishnu. He is worshipped over here chiefly in his Narasimha avatar, which he mainly took to defeat the evil king Hiranyakashipu to save his devotee Prahlad. Their idols are present here as well. It a shrine loved and frequented by the devotees of Vishnu. The temple offers the unique opportunity to witness three abodes of the Lord at the same place, along with deities of his consort and other associated gods. People visit the place for all sorts of reasons. In one of the shrines, Goddess Lakshmi sits on the right side of a furious Vishnu, which signifies that goodness cannot survive where there is uncontrolled anger. Being one of the 108 Divyadesams, the temple has a different appeal altogether.
Alangudi Guru Temple
Alangudi and its temple are famous for being the Holy Sthala surrounded by the three holy rivers Cauvery, Kolidam and Vennaru. The place and the temple are intimately connected with each other and have some historical, mythological and local folklores tied to its past origin and present legend. The Alangudi Guru Temple is devoted to Abathsahayeswarar form of Shiva – the one who digested the poison of Vasuki Nag to save humanity from its toxin during samudra manthan. It also houses his female counterpart Elavarkuzhali and some other deities as well. The temple is also known for being the home of Devguru Brihaspati or the planet Jupiter. As per Hindu Mythology, the nine planets are considered to be gods of heaven, where Earth, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are replaced by Sun, Moon, Rahu and Ketu. Tamil Nadu has nine temples dedicated to each of these nine celestial beings, and this one is for Jupiter. Staying true to the yellow hue of the planet we see in pictures, gifting yellow garments here is considered sacred. The transition of Jupiter from one zodiac to another’s constellation is celebrated here as a big festival. Other festivals like Thai Poosam and Chithhtirai Purnima are also celebrated with pomp and show.
Chandra Bagwan Temple
This temple is dedicated to the Moon God. Located almost 25km from the town, this temple is largely visited by those who believe that they are under the bad effects of the Moon as per their horoscopes. They believe that by offering prayers with utmost faith to the Moon God, their ill fates can change for the better.
Bangaru Kamakshi Amman Temple
Bangaru Kamakshi Temple is located in a very well-known and crowded locality of Thanjavur, which is a residential as well as a commercial hub. This temple is situated amidst a few others, but it sure holds its own importance. A large part of its popularity lies in the history and legend of the temple. The word Bangaru means ‘gold’. This is an obvious reference to the golden body of the deity. However, if you visit the temple, you will see that the goddess’ face is black. This once again has a direct connection to its past. When the idol was shifted to Thanjavore from Kanchipuram, to hide it from the invaders and thieves, the face of the goddess was smeared with a black substance called ‘punugu’. The temple authorities maintain that tradition to date, and it has become a part of the temple’s legacy. Lots of people from the surrounding areas visit this temple to offer prayers to Goddess Kamakshi.
Schwartz Church
The Schwartz church in Thanjavur is one of the oldest churches of India, though it has not gained much popularity throughout the country. It is because unlike the rest, the cornerstone of this church was laid down by an Indian king, Maratha ruler Sarfoji II. When the Marathas ruled over Thanjavur, he came in touch with the Prussian Lutheran missionary Rev Friedrich Schwartz and became his disciple. Although he retained his original Hindu religion, there was a great deal of love, friendship and respect between the two. To pay tribute, Sarfoji built the church in around 1779. Earlier it was just called Big Church, and it stood tall and white in the Thanjavur Gardens or the Sivaganga Park. Schwartz spent the rest of his life there, teaching kids and preaching religion. There is a marble installation in the church which you should not miss seeing at all. The carvings depict the death of Schwartz as he gives his final blessings to the king, surrounded by others. Although quaint and peaceful, and nothing much ornate, you can realize the vintage charm when you step in the premises. Unlike most of the Catholic churches, this one was not built out of love for God and to propagate Christianity. Instead, it celebrates love and respect between two religions, which is very significant.
Swami Malai Temple
Located in Thanjavur, the Swami Malai temple has great religious significance in the Hindu community of south India. It is one of the Arupadaiveedu, the six main abodes of Murugan, each of which marks the six different phases of his life. The temple stands on the ground where Lord Murugan is believed to have passed on profound knowledge of the universe to his own father Lord Shiva as his Guru. Thus, this particular temple is a commemoration of that. Another point of significance is that the temple is one of the seven Saptha Vigraha Moorthis. According to Hindu myth, the Mahalingaswamy Shiva Temple is the centre of all the Shaivaite temples in the region, and it has seven prime consort temples, dedicated to seven gods, located at seven cardinal points from the temple location, spread all across the state of Tamil Nadu. The Swami Malai Temple is one of them, belonging to Karthikeya or Murugan or Subramanya – whichever name you prefer to call him. The temple celebrates all the important festivals related to Murugan as well. One unique thing about the Swami Malai temple is that the shrine of Lord Murugan stands above all the rest, even his parents Shiv and Parvati. The Lingam and the Parvati temple lie at the base of the hillock, while the sanctum of Murugan is at the peak. It is an important place of pilgrimage for the devotees of Murugan.
Must Try Food in Thanjavur
1. South Indian Restaurant Sree Ariya Bhavan
2. Chettinad Restaurant Kamatchi Mess
3. Grand Dine Multicuisine Restaurant
4. South Indian Restaurant Adyar Ananda Bhavan
5. Bombay Sweets
6. Green Heaven Multicuisine Restaurant
7. Chellammal’s Manpaanai Samayal Restaurant
8. Thillana Fine Dining
9. New Thevar’s Mess
10. Chick Buns Restaurant
How To Get Here
The major nearest city to Thanjavur is Tiruchirapalli, which is both the nearest International Airport and the railway station. The overall connectivity to Thanjavur, it being an important tourism centre, is convenient. Regular mode of transport from all major nearby cities are available to be boarded by tourist planning a trip to the city.
By Air
The nearest airport to the city of Thanjavur is the Tiruchirapalli International Airport, or popularly known as Trichy, located at a time distance of 1 hour. Regular taxis and a few bus services run between the two cities, making the travel comfortable and hassle free.
Nearest Airport: Madurai Airport (IXM) – 155 kms from Thanjavur
By Road
The road network to Thanjavur is pretty much well developed, with the roads connecting the city to major nearby cities and towns like Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Bhubaneshwar, Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli. Regular private and state-run bus services are also available for one’s convenience. One can also drive their way through Thanjavur or book a private taxi according to their liking.
By Train
Tiruchirapalli also acts as the nearest major railhead to the city of Thanjavur. Trains from all nearby major cities, like Coimbatore, Rameshwaram, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Salem, and Madurai, are connected to Tiruchirapalli by means of railways. Board any one of these to reach Trichy and then book a taxi for an hour long drive to Thanjavur.