Thanjavur
(2002 est. pop. 220,000). Thanjavur (or Tanjore) is an important city in the south of Tamil Nadu, India, and one of the most ancient. Located on the Vedavar River near the head of the agriculturally rich Kaveri Delta, the city first gained prominence in the tenth through twelfth centuries under the Chola dynasty.
In about 1010, the famed Brihadishvara Temple was erected, and it is still the main attraction in the city. The pyramidal stone tower rises to a height of 66 meters and is capped by a massive stone and a gold pot finial that was donated by the royal founder, Rajaraja I (reigned 985–1014). The centerpiece inside is a massive stone lingam (phallic symbol), and facing the east entrance to the shrine is a huge bull (Nandi) in black granite, which is said to have been brought from a place some 650 kilometers away. The art gallery in the former raja's palace is also worth a visit for its fine collection of Tanjore bronzes of the Chola age. Tamil University has recently been built on the outskirts of the city.
Further Reading
Heitzman, James. (1997) Gifts of Power: Lordship in an Early Indian State. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Michell, George, and Philip Davies. (1989) "Thanjavur." In The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, edited by George Michell and Philip Davies. New York: Viking Press, vol. 1, 473–75; vol. 2, 574–75.
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