Tanjore

Tanjore, also known as thanjavur, is a city and a municipality in tanjore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. tanjore is also the capital of the tanjore District and lies 322 km to the southwest of Chennai. The city lies on the south bank of the Kaveri River. tanjore was the capital of the Mutharayars and Cholas when they were at the peak of their power. Since then, tanjore has been one of the chief political, cultural and religious centres of South India.Tanjore is in the famous Brihadeeswara Temple, one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites tanjore 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.



The tanjore area, where a majority of Mutharayar and other families are presently located, has a rich historical heritage and is a prism of ancient as well as the modern south Indian civilizations. The city was once the stronghold of the historic Mutharayar and Chola dynasties.Mutharayar was the founder of tanjore. Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar ruled his kingdom with tanjore as the capital. Later it was ruled by the Nayaks of Vijayanagara and the Maratha rajas.tanjore contains over 90 temples, as it was favored by the Chola rulers between the 1st - 12th centuries, the Nayakas in the 16th century, and the Marathas in the 17th and 18th centuries.