Tanjore Maratha Marvels, as the name suggests, are marvels in themselves. This amazing set of monuments in Tamil Nadu draws tourists from all over India and world.

Tamil Nadu is full of monuments and temples. It is regarded as the ‘cradle of Dravidian culture’. Tourists can find cultural icons in this state almost everywhere, mostly in the form of magnificent temples featuring grand gopurams (towers) that are unique in the whole of India.

Tamil Nadu, in the 9th century, boasted of 108 Vaishnavaite temples and 275 Shiva temples. Out of these, 230 temples were in Chola Desa. The Chola Dynasty was the biggest one. They built the maximum number of temples in India.

Thanjavur or Tanjore is situated 342 km from Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Tanjore is the ‘rice bowl’ of Tamil Nadu. This place was the former capital of the Chola Dynasty, and later of Marathas and Nayaks.

Attractions

Tourists visiting Tanjore Maratha Marvels must visit the Maratha royal graveyard, which lies at the edge of the town. Visitors will find memorials built in honor of various kings and queens. The structures are elaborate and resemble a classic Hindu temple.

Orattand, which is about 24 km from Tanjore, features Maratha Chattram. It is named after one of the queens of Sarfoji II, Muktambal. The Chattram is chariot-shaped and exhibits a slew of religious sculptures in wood and stucco.

As tourists proceed from here, they can find a few hamlets like Sethubavachattram and Rajamadam. Each of the hamlet features a classic Maratha Chattram. Most of these structures have pillared dormitory halls that are surrounded by flower gardens or open courtyards.

As tourists trek along the never-ending coastline, they come across a captivating grove of coconut trees. The atmosphere around these trees is wonderfully cool and breezy. Right on the sparkling beach, peeping from the trees, is the most historic and the tallest monument constructed by Tanjore Marathas – the Manora Fort.

Manora is a hexagonal, 8-storeyed fortress, bordered by a moat. It is maintained by the State Archaeology Department. This brilliant structure was built in 1815 by Sarfoji II to honor the triumph of the British over Napoleon Bonaparte in Waterloo. This fort is, indeed, one of the Maratha marvels.

Best Time to Visit

Months from October to March are ideal to visit Tanjore Maratha Marvels.

How to Reach

The nearest airport from Tanjore is Tiruchirapalli. Tourists can board direct flights from Chennai. Tanjore is also accessible a good railway network. Tourists must alight Thanjavur Junction.

Several private and state buses ply everyday from important cities of Tamil Nadu. Road trip from Bangalore and Chennai takes around 9 hours. Some buses coming from Madurai or Trichy arrive at the new bus stand of Tanjore. This is 3 km from the center. From there, tourists can board another bus for the center and alight at the old bus stand.

Taxi services to Tanjore are also available.