Thanjavur Tourism Places - Temples, Monuments, Museums..
It is common in a city with a handful of population that is encompassed with constructions all around it. But, if there is a city with temples wherever we turn, it is none other than Thanjavur. Be it painting, music, dance, drama, crafts, cuisine, Thanjavur has exemplified the best and perfected the art of fine living. The town has been in existence since antiquity, during what is known as the Sangam period around the 4th century B.C. A local legend states that the name was derived after Neelamegha Perumal, an incarnation of lord Vishnu, killed one demon named ‘Thanjan' here.
The city rose to prominence during the rule of Chola monarch king Vijayalaya Chola who made it the headquarters of his rule. The city was ruled exclusively by mighty Cholas who were known for their architectural brilliance which is how the city got its stunning temples. The town saw an incredible growth in the field of politics and cultural development during the Sangam period. Pandyas had their rule over this region in the 13th Century. During the second invasion, the Chola king Rajaraja III was set in exile and he sought the help of the Hoysala king Vira Narasimha II to regain his lost power. The Pandyas ruled Thanjavur from 1279 to 1311.
During an internal civil war, the sultanate of Delhi Alauddin Khilji, raided the region, eventually came under the Muslim rulers. The Sultanates extended their reign till the start of the 14th Century. When the sultanates turned their interest towards the South, one Sevappa Nayak, the Vijayanagar viceroy of Arcot, founded the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom. In 1560, Sevappa Nayak handed over the kingdom to his son Achyuthappa Nayak. Shortly after getting old, he abdicated the crown in favour of his son Raghunatha (1600-1630). During his reign, a Danish settlement was established at Tharangambadi. Thanjavur was successfully conquered in 1674 by Ekoji I, the Maratha feudatory of the Nawab of Bijapur and half-brother of Shivaji of the Bhonsle dynasty. Ekoji founded the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom which ruled the place till 1855.
The Marathas exercised their sovereignty the whole of the 18th century and had to face the consequences of the English rule. In 1799, Raja Serfoji II, who was a student of a Christian missionary of Schwartz, surrendered Thanjavur to the East Indian Company and was allowed to control a very meager portion of the surrounding areas. After the death of Raja Serfoji in 1833, the region completely fell into the hands of the British. On par with the abundant temples, the region is in the Cauvery delta region, which is one of the leading rice producers of the country. Obviously, the district is fondly called as the ‘Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu’.