Thanjavur

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Coordinates: 10.8° N 79.15° E

Thanjavur

Thanjavur
State
 - District(s)		 Tamil Nadu
 - Thanjavur
Coordinates 10.8° N 79.15° E
Area
 - Elevation		 36 km²
 - 2 m
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Population (2001)
 - Density		 215,725
 - app. 7700/km²
Municipal Chairman C. Sultan Mohideen
Codes
 - Postal
 - Telephone
 - Vehicle		  
 - 613 001 till 009
 - +914362
 - TN 49

Thanjavur (தஞ்சாவூர் in Tamil), also known by its anglicised name Tanjore, is a city and a municipality in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies on the south bank of the Kaveri River, 200 miles south of Chennai. Thanjavur is also the capital of the Thanjavur District. Tanjore is also the name of Air India One [1], the special aircraft of the President of India and the Prime Minister of India.

Thanjavur derives its name from Tanjan-an asura (demon) who according to local legend caused devastation and was killed by Sri Anandavalli Amman and Sri Neelamegapperumal. Tanjan's last request that the city might be named after him was granted.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Thanjavur is located at 10.8° N 79.15° E[1]. It has an average elevation of 2 metres (6 feet).

[edit] Sights

Thanjavur is famous for the Brahadeeswara Temple(also called as Brihadeeswara temple) built by Rajaraja Chola, the first sailor king of India. The Brahadeeswara Temple also known as the Big Temple is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The temple is enclosed in two courts, surmounted by a lofty tower and including the exquisitely decorated shrine of Subrahmanya. Among the other historic buildings is the Vijayanagara fort, which contains a palace that was expanded by the Maratha king Serfoji II with an armoury, a Bell Tower and the Saraswathi Mahal Library, which contains over 30,000 Indian and European manuscripts written on palm leaf and paper.

Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur
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Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur
Bell Tower
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Bell Tower

[edit] Culture

Thanjavur is one of the chief political, literary and religious centres of southern India, known for its contribution to Carnatic music, it has produced many classical musicians and Bharathanatyam dancers. Tiruvaiyaru, which is close to Thanjavur, is the place where the great musician Saint Tyagaraja lived. It is also well known for its unique painting style called Tanjore Painting, a percussion instrument called the Thavil, a divine classical string instrument Veenai and the Thanjavur Dolls.

[edit] History

The city was once the stronghold of the historic Chola dynasty and was later ruled by the nayaks of Vijayanagara and Maratha rajas. Thanjavur contains over 90 temples, as it was favored by the Cholas rulers between the 1-th and 12th centuries, the Nayakas in the 16th century, and the Marathas in the 17th and 18th centuries.[2]

[edit] Under the Cholas

Thanjavur, or Tanjapuri as it was called in the ancient times was chosen by Vijayalaya Chola as the seat of his new kingdom in 848 CE. He built a temple for his favourite goddess Nisumbhasudani in the city. Although during subsequent emperors, Kanchipuram also became a subsidiary capital, Thanjavur maintained its position as the chief city. The great Brahadisvara Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola I was completed around 1010 CE. It remained the centre of the Chola administration for many years channelling the state revenue into a number of civic projects. It also acted as a repository of the empire's records as the great Rajaraja had its walls covered with numerous inscriptions recording his conquests and his endowments to various charities. The impression we get from the inscription is of a wealthy progressive city although totally dominated by the temple

The inscriptions tell us about a number of royal palaces in the city and of the districts where palace servants lived. We also learn of the names of a number of streets: the big street of Virasola and the big market of Tribhuvanamadeviyar. During the reign of Rajaraja we learn that the city was divided into two parts: Ullalai (inner) and Purambadi (outer) city. Purambadi could have been an extension to the city built during Rajaraja's reign. Among the new streets built by Rajaraja were two running east to west in front of the Brihadisvara Temple and called Northern and Southern Talichcheries. People who worked in the temple occupied these streets. There were other temples in existence such as the Jayabhima temple and Tanjai Mamani found in the inscriptions, which do not exist anymore. There was also a public hospital attached to a Vishnu temple named after Sundara Chola called Sundarachola Vinnagara Salai which was endowed by Kundavai, the sister of Rajaraja Chola.

The influence of Thanjavur began to diminish when Rajendra Chola I built a new city named Gangaikonda Cholapuram and moved his capital there.

[edit] After the Cholas

A Mighty Cannon of forge-welded Iron. This cannon was built during the reign of Raghunatha Nayak (1600 - 1645 CE), and it was located at the defense barricade at the Eastern entrance to the city.
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A Mighty Cannon of forge-welded Iron. This cannon was built during the reign of Raghunatha Nayak (1600 - 1645 CE), and it was located at the defense barricade at the Eastern entrance to the city.

After the Cholas the Pandyas conquered the Chola country. Madurai was the Pandya capital and Thanjavur remained in the background, as a province of Vijaynagar empire.

Later in 1535,the Vijaynagar king installed a nayak king hence the era of Tanjore Nayaks which lasted till mid-17th century, until attacked by the Madurai Nayaks. Later slipped into the hands of Marathas.

Tanjore was conquered by the Marathas in 1674 under Venkaji, the half-brother of Shivaji the Great; his successors ruled as rajas of Tanjore. The British first came into contact with Tanjore by their expedition in 1749 with a view to the restoration of a deposed raja of Tanjore Nayak lineage. In this they failed, and a subsequent expedition was bought off. The Maratha rajas held Tanjore until 1799. A Protestant mission at Tanjore was founded in 1778 by the Reverend Christian Friedrich Schwarz. His church dates from 1779.

In October of that year the district was ceded to the British East India Company in absolute sovereignty by Raja Serfoji II, a pupil of the missionary Schwartz. The raja retained only the capital and a small tract of country round. He died in 1833 and was succeeded by his son Sivaji, on whose death in 1855 without an heir the house became extinct.

[edit] Demographics

The city is the 8th largest in the state of Tamil Nadu with a census population of around 225,000 (est. 2005). It has an area of 36 km². Ethnically most of the people are Tamils. There is also a large Telugu population along with Saurashtrians and Marathi-speaking people. As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Thanjavur had a population of 215,725. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Thanjavur has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 76%. In Thanjavur, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] Employment

Most of the people in Thanjavur District are farmers. In the city of Thanjavur there are a large number of doctors due to the presence of a 50-year old medical college. The first M.B.B.S. doctor of this city was the late Dr. N. Ramanathan, who served as a general practitioner of medicine from 1938 to 1988. Even today, there is a bus stop on his name, near his hospital. Also there are a large number of professors working in the various professional and arts colleges around the city.

[edit] Geography

The city is primarily divided into two parts separated by a flyover. The Downtown [known as Old Town or simply Town] is the business district. The other side of the flyover is the residential area which is a relatively new neighborhood. The various neighborhoods are Palliagraharam, Karanthai, Old Town, Vilar, Nanjikottai Road, Manabuchavadi, Pookkara Street, New Town, Medical College, Old Housing Unit, New Housing Unit and Srinivasapuram.

The extension areas include Mariamman Koil, Gnanam Nagar, Kattuthottam, Nanjikottai, Madhakottai, Pillaiyarpatti and Nilagirivattam. The total population of the composite city touches 500,000 (unofficial figure). For all purposes the city extends from Vallam to Mariamman Koil (west - east) and Vayalur to Nanjikottai (north-south) for an area of 100 km².

[edit] Education

Thanjavur is renowned for its culture of education. It is home to the famous Saraswati Mahal library which dates back to the end of the 16th century and contains over 30,000 rare manuscripts. It has now been fully computerized. St. Peter's, founded in the 18th century by Schwartz, is a renowned school. Currently, Thanjavur has two universities, viz., the Tamil University and the SASTRA Deemed University, and several colleges including the renowned Thanjavur Medical College. This city also has many research centres like the Paddy Processing Research Centre, Soil and Water Research Centre, etc.

List of Universities:

  1. Tamil University.
  2. SASTRA Deemed University (Formerly Shanmugha Engineering College. SASTRA has a very well developed sprawling campus on a 200 acre site and is an accredited Research and Development Centre under the President's Technolohy Mission - TIFFAC CORE. SASTRA has collaborations and exchange Programs with many reputed Universities abroad.

List of Autonomous colleges:

  1. A.V.V.M SRI Pushapam College(Autonomous) poondi, Thanjavur Dt.(A.Veeraiya Vandaiyar Memorial Sri Pushpam College was established in 1956 in a village Poondi, 12 km from Thanjavur on the way to Nagapattinam in Tamilnadu state in India on the National High Way 74. The College is having a vast campus of 85 acres, NAAC accreditation with status of four stars.

List of Colleges:

Medical and Paramedical

  1. Thanjavur Medical College.
  2. Mannai Narayanasamy College.
  3. Arasu Paramedical College.
  4. Konagarnadu College of Nursing.

Engineering

  1. Periyar Maniyammai College of Technology for Women.
  2. Anjalaiammal Mahalingam Engineering College.
  3. P R Engineering College.
  4. King's College of Engineering.

Arts, Science and Management

  1. Rajah Serfoji Government Arts College, Thanjavur.
  2. Kundhavai Nachiar Government Arts College.
  3. Tamilvel Umamaheshwaranar Karanthai Arts College.
  4. Na. Mu. Venkatasamy Nattar College.
  5. Nalli Kuppusamy College
  6. Bharath College of Science and Management.
  7. Marudhupandiar College.
  8. Madha Sami Arul College.
  9. Adaikala Matha College.
  10. Bon Secours College.
  11. Ponnaiah Ramajayam College.
  12. Abi & Abi College of Arts and Science
  13. Adikalamatha Institute of Management.
  14. P. R. Institute of Managemnet.

Polytechnics

  1. Periyar Centenary Polytechnic.
  2. Vandayar Polytechnic.
  3. CCMR Polytechnic.
  4. P R Polytechnic.

Mr. Rasayya was an tamil poet who lived at nadu theru, Ilangadu, Thirukkattupalli and his son Thirumaran was working as a tamil teacher in tamil nadu.


[edit] Top Government Officials

  1. Deputy Inspector General of Police.. Mr Abhash Kumar IPS
  2. District Collector.. Mr C Vijayraj Kumar IAS

[edit] References

  1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Thanjavur
  2. ^ Brahadeshvara Temple. Retrieved on 2006-09-14.

[edit] External links


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