GRAND HERITAGE
Seat of the imperial Cholas
A. SRIVATHSANA. SRIVATHSAN
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The existing city of Thanjavur has a unique circular shape with the palace and not the temple at the centre.
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PHOTO: R. BALAJI
AT THANJAVUR: The Big Temple.
There is no classical carnatic music concert without a violin accompanying it. The violin has become so ubiquitous that many have come to think it to be a South Indian musical instrument. But, the violin became an indispensable part of carnatic music only from the beginning of the 19th century and the credit, many agree, goes to the musician and Bharathanatyam dance guru Vadivelu. (However, some think it was Baluswami Dikshitar who introduced violin to carnatic music). Vadivelu is also credited to have created Mohiniattam. Not surprisingly even to a casual viewer, Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam appear to be related. Vadivelu is one of the famous four brothers known as the Thanjavur quartet patronised by the Maratha king of Thanjavur, Serfoji II. Thanjavur was a fountainhead of music, arts and crafts. Its name and fame dates back to the medieval times.
Innovation
Thanjavur was the seat of the imperial Cholas and became the strategic point to control the Cauvery delta and the fertile lands. The Brihadisvara temple built in the 11th century was an architectural innovation. The scale and double walled vimana structure of the temple makes it unique. This great Chola city is now lost and the archaeologists are busy discovering it. The existing city has a unique circular shape with the palace and not a temple at the centre. This extant city dates to the 16th century Nayak period. The Maratha kings subsequently ruled it. The famous among the Maratha kings was Serfoji II who was tutored by protestant missionaries. Serfoji was a patron of arts and an avid book collector. The British annexed Thanjavur by the end of 19th century when Shivaji II the successor of Serfoji II died without an heir. In 1918, the royal collection of books and the Nayak period manuscripts were made into a public library.
Thanjavur is known for special craft works. The Thanjavur metal plate is a unique combination of silver, brass, and copper. Three different metals are encrusted together to produce a beautiful relief sculpture and artwork. The pith models and figures are unique to Thanjavur and are made from reeds grown in the marshy wetlands. Thanjavur is also an important centre for veena making. But, sadly, the heritage of the city has not been well conserved or developed. The old town suffers adhoc development and conservation efforts are limited to the monuments.
Chola Murals
The Brihadisvara temple has an exclusive royal passage leading to the sanctum. The 11th century Chola murals depicting the saiva legends adorn the walls of this narrow and dark passage. For long these paintings were not known because they were covered by a layer of paintings done during the Nayak period. In the 1980's, Archeological Survey of India used a special technique and carefully transferred the Nayak paintings on to a cloth without damaging the Chola paintings beneath. The chola paintings are now exposed but can be viewed only on special permission.
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