It was my birthday and by no means did I wish to spend the day journeying, so we stayed back at Nagapattinam instead.
A traveler's birthday 🎂 🎉 🚗
Nagapattinam is a busy town that connects Tamilnadu's East Coast road to the inland exotic temple towns of Kumbakonam, Madurai, Trichy and Thanjavur. But that can all wait until tomorrow...
It was almost noon; after a quick check-in, we stepped out for lunch and were rewarded with a delicious meal of fish curry, rice and a variety of other assorted .gravies and veggies at a no show-off local food joint. Later we got a birthday cake; snacks and a wine bottle from KARAIKAL to set the party rolling.
The rustling of palm leaves and a full moon night sent shivers down my spine, so I turned a movie on instead as a means of distraction. HUMAN FLOW is a 2017 documentary type film that delves into the refugee crisis impacting the world at large. It was an emotional movie which In a way gave me a sense of relief that a traveler in that respect is far better than a refugee.
Day 2 -
NAGAPATTINAM -> THIRUVARUR -> MANNARGUDI -> THANJAVUR 100 km / 2.½ hrs
This road passes through various villages and towns of the Cauvery delta and the drive isn't that smooth. But the good news is that you get to visit two important temples enroute.
Arulmigu Thyagaraja swamy temple, Thiruvarur
This temple dedicated to Shiva and represented by the lingam. The term 'Thiru' itself indicates that this temple finds reference in the early 7th century saivaite worship literature. The temple complex is big with numerous shrines to other gods. There is a chariot festival here during the Tamil months of April-May that attracts huge crowds.
Tip- Do start the day early as the temples closes at noon and opens only in the evening.
Mannargudi temple is open daily from 8.30 am to 12.15 pm & 4.30 to 9.00 pm. Whereas Thiruvarur is daily from 6 am to 1 pm and 4 to 8 pm
Sri Rajagopalachari temple, Mannargudi
The first thing that caught my eye was the sight of the temple's tall intricately carved rajagopuram.
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| Intricately sculpted rajagopuram of Sri Rajagopalachari temple at MANNARGUDI, Tamil Nadu |
This is a Vaisnavite temple dedicated to Rajagopalaswamy ie sri Krishna. He is seen seated with Satyabhama and Rukmini on either side. Like other temples in Tamilnadu, this too received patronage from the Cholas and Thanjavur Nayaks.
THANJAVUR : a legacy of the Chola dynasty
This was our first time here, It was late afternoon and all we could think of was a decent meal.
Where to stay and eat in Thanjavur
Thanjavur is not a backpackers haven, but it is certainly tourist-friendly with many reasonably-priced and mid-range hotels in case you are a budget traveler.
Food options are also pretty good. We dined at an in-house restaurant of a ⭐ hotel opp. the canal (don't remember the name). Their ambience had a touch of the good 'ol Tanjore days during the British raj.
Besides, their menu was definitely worth looking at- in which case, we settled for a glass each of regular port wine (chilled), soups, fish chettinad, fried rice and lemon juice. All that; surprisingly within our budget.
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| thick, creamy and delicious - cream of tomato soup |
Things to do in Thanjavur
Thanjavur is an ancient town that bears witness to the glory of the mighty Chola kings~ Rajaraja Chola I and Rajendra Chola I who ruled this region from 985 CE to until 1014 CE. For a history afficado this place is worth spending a week or two.
As a tourist here are 3 good reasons that make Thanjavur an interesting destination.
1- The granary of Tamil Nadu
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| sifting grain at Thanjavur |
Acres of verdant paddy fields and banana plantations are a common sight as you drive through the Cauvery delta making your journey a pleasure.
2- Temples and spirituality
Temples were considered the focal point for all social and religious gatherings, besides serving as an identity for the kingdom. Thanjavur has several such temples of antiquity and significance. The crowning glory among these is the ~
Brihadeeshwara or Big temple.
I had no idea what this place had in store before I arrived; and here I was standing in awe gazing at this magnificent entrance gate.
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the magnificent entrance to the Brihadeeshwara temple at Thanjavur
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| Thanjavur Brihadeeshwara temple |
Brihadeeshwara was built during the early period of their reign around 300 CE. Thanjavur was then their capital city, before moving slightly up north to GANGAKONDA CHOLAPURAM in Arlyalur district.
The Chola kings were devout worshippers of Shiva, and although there are many shrines within the temple complex for several other gods and goddesses, Brihadeeshwara was dedicated mainly to Shiva.
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| A temple conceived like a giant and finished like a piece of jewelry - The Brihadeeshwara temple, THANJAVUR |
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paintings with natural color pigments adorn the walls and ceilings, Thanjavur Brihadeeshwara temple
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| resting awhile at the spacious lawn of Brihadeeshwara temple THANJAVUR |
If you can spare an extra day, do explore some other temples in this area.
3- Arts, Music and literature
The reign of the Chola dynasty was a golden period for arts, music and Tamil literature. The Brihadeeshwara temple and numerous other Hindu temples of Thanjavur and KUMBAKONAM bears witness to style, design and architecture during that time.
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| dramatic pillars and a sandstone finish, Brihadeeshwara temple THANJAVUR |
Thanjavur is also famous for its Chola bronze statues of Shiva in perfect symmetry. These are displayed at the Royal Palace Museum nearby Brihadeeshwara temple.
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| Chola bronze, Shiva in perfect symmetry - displayed at the Royal Palace Museum THANJAVUR |
The Maratha palace museum is another great place to get a glimpse of Tamil literature, coins and antiques on display from that period. Do stop by at the gift shops here or arts and crafts stores to buy a piece of Tanjore dancing dolls. Thanjavur paintings are another great find here.
Festival and Events at Thanjavur
Spirituality was core and the kings promoted studying the holy scriptures and Vedas. Even today Thanjavur wears a festive look during Dec-Jan when several local artists and musicians showcase their talent here at the temple ground.
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| Traditional local performers during the festive season at Thanjavur |
Tip- Festival dates are not fixed . Kindly check on Tamil Nadu tourism's official website for the dates.
Hope you enjoyed reading this blog it proves useful. Do share with those who you may enjoy reading it too. Bye for now!
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