Located at the mouth of the Kaveri delta, Thanjavur flourished under the patronage of the Cholas and later, the Nayaks and the Marathas, all of whom contributed, in their own unique ways, to make the city the nerve centre of Tamil architecture, art, culture, and culinary heritage. It is the birthplace of Carnatic music and the Thanjavur style of painting and home to the Brihadeshwara Temple, a UNESCO Heritage Site dating back to the 11th century. Find more about things to do in Thanjavur our Thanjavur Travel Guide.
THANJAVUR, TAMIL NADU / INDIA
Thanjavur, or Tanjore as it was called in colonial times, is one of Tamil Nadu’s famed temple towns. Ruled by the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagara kings, the Madurai Nayaks, the Thanjavur Nayaks, the Marathas, and the British over various periods in history, modern Thanjavur is a city with a long and complex history. Beyond the fancy malls, showrooms, and new age apartments, the lanes of Thanjavur lie lined with buildings of historical significance and unassuming studios where artists craft wooden veenas and nurture the forgotten art of Cire Perdue. Here in the Cauvery delta, almost everybody is a connoisseur of art: Over a devara of coffee at one of many old school cafes in the bazaars, you might get an invite for a Bharatnatyam recital or you might get quizzed in musical traditions. After all, Thanjavur is the birthplace of Carnatic music; one of the major styles of Bharatnatyam was developed here; the Thanjavur style of painting, too, flourished here during the reign of the Nayaks in the 16th century. Modern-day Thanjavur is a bustling city, much like any other city you see on the subcontinent, except for the awe-inspiring Brihadeswara Temple whose 63.4 ft tall vimana can be spotted from all over the city.
TIP: The first thing that hits you in Tamil Nadu is the dust. It’s everywhere, in your hair, on your lips, settling in gritty layers on your skin. And then the heat. Even in December, the midday sun will leave you scorched and thirsty. So, before we head out to explore this gem of a town, dress appropriately. Full sleeved shirts and full pants to keep the dust away, a hat or a cap to shield your head from the burning sun, and perhaps even a scarf to cover your face just like the locals do. And of course, don’t forget to carry a bottle of chilled water.
Thanjavur Travel Guide
Morning: Brihadeshwara Temple | Schwartz Church
Begin your day with a traditional Tamilian breakfast of fluffy idlis soaked in sambar, a few vadas with a side of coconut chutney, and a paper-thin ghee-smeared dosa. Vasant Bhavan serves good uttapams, idiyapams, and other local breakfast specialities. If it’s street-side hawkers stalls you prefer, track down the couple who sell idli and vada from a cart near the railway station. The idlis are impossibly soft, the chutney creamy and nutty, and sambar is spiced with just a bit of asafetida to make it taste out of the world! If you speak Tamil, chat with the couple a while.
Post breakfast, head to the Brihadeswara Temple. A visit to this UNESCO site is the top thing to do in Thanjavur. Hire a guide. We can’t recommend it enough. The temple is gigantic and there’s no way you can understand all of the carvings, the symbolism, and the mythology without a guide.
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Built between 1003 and 1010 AD by Raja Raja Chola, the Brihadeshwara Temple is the grandest of the three living Chola Temples. The other two are the Airavateswara Temple near Kumbakonam and the Gangaikondacholapuram Temple. The rectangular temple complex contains the sanctum with the towering superstructure (vimana), a Nandi mandapam, a community hall, a gathering hall, and a pavilion that connects the great hall with the sanctum. Carvings, inscriptions, and murals adorn the temple. 81 of the 108 dance karanas (postures) of Natya Sastra are carved in the walls of the aditala. The ceiling of the Nandi mandapam has a mural dating back to the Nayak dynasty. Chola frescoes narrating Hindu mythology adorn the walls of the circumambulatory pathway. Numerous inscriptions can be found along the temple walls; it was only towards the end of the 19th century that a German archaeologist called Hultzsch discovered that the inscriptions were in Tamil.
Exploring the temple can take anywhere between one and three hours, so start early and budget your time accordingly. Schwartz Church, adjacent to Sivaganga Park, is only 500 metres from the temple. Built in 1779 by Raja Serfoji in honour of the Danish missionary, Rev. Friedrich Christian Schwartz, this church is one of the oldest in South India. Inside the church is a marble tablet that shows the king and his ministers receiving blessings from the dying missionary.
Also read: Find out about some wonderful weekend trips from Bangalore in our post: The Best Weekend Trips from Bangalore.
Afternoon: Maratha Palace Complex
No Thanjavur travel guide is complete without a mention of the local food. For lunch, head to Sri Ariya Bhavan Restaurant where you can try regional specialities the Ashoka Halwa. Thevar’s restaurant serves delicious dishes like Kottu Roti, Ginger Chicken, Mutton Varuval, and Chettinad-style preparations. Lunch, at many restaurants, is limited to thalis: expect dal, curries, curd, and tamarind or tomato rice.
Next stop: the Nayak-era Maratha Palace Complex. The Mahratta Durbar Hall, one of Thanjavur’s main attractions, could have well been a showstopper if it hadn’t been vandalized over the years. Sadly, almost every part of the wall in reach has names etched or carved on the surface. Beautiful, vibrant frescoes adorn the ceilings and the upper portions of the walls. It’s utterly Instagrammable and therefore a pity that not many venture deep into the Tamil heartlands, into small-town India in search of such gems. In the Serfoji Memorial Hall, you can see artefacts used by the royal Maratha household.
The Saraswati Mahal Library, a must on all Thanjavur travel guides, is a treasure trove of manuscripts, including some rare palm-leaf manuscripts, in Indian and European languages. On display is a tiny fraction of Serfoji’s eclectic collection; we saw a book displaying Chinese methods of torture, some old maps of Calcutta, a herbology encyclopedia, and Audubon-style botanicals. Recently, a manuscript of recipes written in the Modi script was discovered in the library. Unique preparations fit for royalty (think fish curry with powdered flamingo bones and venison cooked with saffron) share space with simpler dishes like pickled eggs and dals on its pages. If you wish to view collections that are not on display, you must make a prior arrangement with the authorities.
The palace compound has other buildings too. An art gallery displaying archaeological finds, including Chola bronzes and stone sculptures, from the 8th century to the 18th century and the gooda gopuram or arsenal tower, an eight-storied (192 ft) building. Inside the tower, you can find unique ceilings shaped like inverted lotuses and the skeleton of a whale that washed up in Tranquebar. Also of note is the seven-storied bell tower, built in the style of the Gingee Nayaks, and the Sharjah Mahdi (best viewed from East Main Road), a pastel pink building with ornate balconies.
Also read: Read about the best edible souvenirs to buy on your trip to India on Edible Souvenirs to take Home from India.
Evening: Shopping
No Thanjavur travel guide can be complete without a mention of Thanjavur’s bustling bazaar where there are shops selling luscious Thanjavur silks, local handicrafts like the famed Bommai dolls with their bobbing heads and colourful skirts, and of course, the famed Thanjavur paintings. Spend the rest of the evening shopping for souvenirs and strolling through the streets, stopping to check out dried fish or fresh flowers. Or, how about buying some fragrant mogra to wear in your hair? One of the most common sights in Tamil Nadu is women in brightly coloured saris wearing gajras in their glossy, black hair. Stop at Dhivya Sweets for some local coffee and savouries. Don’t forget to buy a packet of plantain chips to munch on the way home!
For dinner, head to Thevar’s Biriyani for a plate of delicious Thanjavur-style biriyani. Moist, spicy, and aromatic, the biriyani is some of the best we have tasted. They serve it on a banana leaf alongside portions of raita and two types of chicken curry.
TIP: 15 km north of Thanjavur, on the banks of the Kaveri is Thiruvaiyaru, the town where the legendary Carnatic composer and saint Thyagaraja attained samadhi. Every January, the Thyagaraja Aradhana is held here. Artists from all over the world perform live at the aradhana. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience; so, if your travel dates coincide with the Thyagaraja Aradhana festival, come for the music.
Thajavur travel Guide
Best Time to Visit Thanjavur
Like any Thanjavur travel guide will tell you, South India is hot year-round but summers are unbearable. In winter, the evenings are cool but midday heat is still scorching. November to March is the best time to visit; even then, be prepared to beat the heat with glares and sun hats.
How to Reach Thanjavur
The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli, from where you can either take a bus or ride a passenger train. Chennai is the nearest major airport. From Chennai, it’s a 6-hour long drive. Buses and overnight trains are available from Chennai to Thanjavur.
We travelled from Pondicherry by bus. The 4-hour bus ride via Kumbakonam was pretty comfortable. Plus, buses in Tamil Nadu play the most eclectic Tamil pop songs! With energetic numbers like Allegra and Sundari Meenakshi, it’s a party all the way! Overnight trains from Pondicherry and Villupuram (nearest major railway station to Pondicherry) to Thanjavur are also available and our Thanjavur travel guide recommends this.
Where to Stay in Thanjavur
We stayed at the Oriental Towers. Basic rooms and friendly service less than 500 m from the railway station! Depending on the room and services, you’ll end up paying anywhere between INR 500 to INR 5000. The in-house restaurant, Red Ruby, serves local and continental fare. Their Chettinad preparations are worth trying!
For a luxury experience, book a stay at the Svatma. Guests can opt for Carnatic concerts, Bharatnatyam recitals, Vedic chanting, cookery classes, and visits with master craftsmen specializing in Thanjavur painting and bronze sculpting. The in-house restaurant serves the best of Thanjavur Maratha dishes, the recipes of which were meticulously collected by the owners from home cooks in the area. Sadly, we couldn’t accommodate a meal here in our tight schedule.
Thanjavur can be a wonderful introduction to India’s heartlands. Bustling markets, delicious South Indian food, a lively arts scene, a UNESCO heritage temple, and close to heritage destinations like Chettinad make Thanjavur a must-stop on your itinerary. Get a glimpse of real India, far from the touristy cities, and spend a few slow days exploring the heart of Tamil Nadu with our Thanjavur travel guide.
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