Thanjavur Travel Guide

 Willettsworld Says:  This large tank is located to the north of the Brihadishwara Temple and is said to be renowned for its sweet water. It was excavated by Rajaraja I and later renovated to provide drinking water for the city. There's some kind of small cable car that can take you down from the... 

 Willettsworld Says:  This is a family park, just to the north of the Brihadishwara Temple and comprises a swimming pool, boating and water sports facility, pathways and a play area for children.Admission: Rs3. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The quadrangular Shivaganga Fort just north of the Brihadishwara Temple was built by the Nayaka ruler, Sevappa Nayaka in the mid-16th century. It enclosed an area of 35 acres and was partly surrounded by a moat. 

 Willettsworld Says:  This church was built in 1779 by Raja Serfoji to honour Rev. Frederik Christian Schwartz of Denmark and is located just to the north of the Brihadishwara Temple in the Shivaganga Park. When Schwartz died in 1798, the Maratha ruler donated a striking marble tablet to the... 

 Willettsworld Says:  The whole temple complex is surrounded by a pillared cloister containing more lingas and some wonderful frescoes. The frescoes were discovered when the 17th century Maratha paintings covering them began to disintegrate. Some of the frescoes have been moved to the... 

 Willettsworld Says:  There is a small museum located in the southern side of the temples cloister that houses an interesting collection of sculptures and photographs that give an idea about the ancient temple before and after restoration. 

 Willettsworld Says:  This is the showpiece of the temple complex. The 'Vimana' - or the temple tower - is 216 ft (66 m) high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kalash or 'Shikhara' (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is of monolithic granite weighing... 

 Willettsworld Says:  The decorated Nandi Pavilion dates from the 16th century. Most Shiva temples and shrines have an associated sculpture of Nandi, Shiva's mount, who faces the linga enshrined within. This huge Nandi bull is carved out of a single piece of granite, measuring about 20 feet long... 

 Willettsworld Says:  This isn't an uncommon sight in Hindu temples and indeed there was an elephant outside the main temple entrance who blesses people upon entry. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The temple complex is entered through under two massive five-storey gopurams (towers) which are about 63 meters in height. Unlike the later practice in Southern India, these gopuras are smaller than the shrine tower. The inner, and to my mind more impressive (although... 

 Willettsworld Says:  The Brihadishwara Temple is the world's first complete granite temple and the finest example of Chola architecture. It was built by Rajajaja Chola I in AD 1010 and dedicated to Shiva as a symbol of the unrivalled power and might of the Cholas. This temple is one of India's... 

 Willettsworld Says:  These are some photos from inside the impressive Nayak's Durbar Hall in the Royal Palace which feature some wonderful murals and a statue of Raja Serfoji. It is home to the Art Gallery. 

 Willettsworld Says:  This museum is housed in the Nayak's Durbar Hall and features some wonderful Chola and Pallava bronze statues from the 9th to 18th centuries. There are also some stone sculptures, paintings and other artefacts.Admission: Rs20 & Rs30 for camera. 

 Willettsworld Says:  This actually acted as the palace watch tower and also the armoury of the Thanjavur Kings till 1855. If you climb to the top, the views over the palace and city are very good plus you can see the gopuram (tower) and vimana of the Brihadishwara Temple. 

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 cadzand Says:  In order to separate further more the wheat from the small wheat-straw remainings, it is tossed up in the air. The wheat grains fall down on the street, while the straw remainings are carried by the wind.The increase in food-grain production has been brought about by...