Thanjavur

History at a glance

1. Legend
   The city is said to be named after a demon, Thanjan, killed by Vishnu here.
2. Disputed
   Some hold that an earlier temple stood on this site, mentioned in the Thevaram. S R Balasubrahmanyam (1975) says this cannot be conceived as true.
3. AD 985-1012
   The reign of Rajaraja I.
4. 1003-1010 CE
   The Brihadisvara temple is built in granite, blocks brought from some 50 km away.
5. AD 1009-10
   Rajaraja inaugurates the temple in his 19th regnal year and names it RAJESVARA PERUVUDAIYAR — after himself.
6. 1010 CE
   Consecration. Rajaraja presents a GOLD FINIAL for the top of the vimana. The inscriptions are engraved ON HIS ORDERS WHILE HE SAT IN THE ROYAL BATHING HALL on the east side of his palace.
7. 1035
   Rajendra I completes the temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, with a 53-m vimana of recessed corners and a curving upward movement.
8. 12th century
   Rajaraja II builds the Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram, with a 24-m vimana.
9. Nayak period
   The Nayaks rule from 1535. A royal library, SARASWATI BHANDAR, is started under Raghunatha Nayak. Nayak painters overlay the Chola frescoes in the temple's hollow sanctum walls.
10. 1675
    The Marathas take Thanjavur and continue developing the royal library until 1855.
11. 1680
    Venkoji, the first Maratha king of Thanjavur, builds the Punnainallur Mariamman temple about 7 km from Brihadisvara.
12. 1779
    A church is built beside the Siva Ganga tank by Rajah Serfoji for his tutor, Rev. C. V. Schwartz, a Danish missionary.
13. 1798-1832
    The reign of Serfoji II, who learned English, French, Italian and Latin under Rev. Schwartz and employed pandits to collect and copy manuscripts from across northern India.
14. 1799
    The British annex most of the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The Marathas continue to hold the palace and fort.
15. 1824
    The painter Madhava swami's work appears in Marathi translations of the Mahabharata and Bhagavatham held in the library.
16. 1918
    The library is made public and becomes a possession of the state of Tamil Nadu.
17. 1987
    The Brihadisvara temple is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 11th Session, criteria (ii) and (iii).
18. 2004
    The site is extended to include Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram, becoming the GREAT LIVING CHOLA TEMPLES.

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