Thanjavur or Tanjore located 279 km away from chennai, is the centre of Historical, religious, art and architectural importance in South India. If you want to take your children closer to souh Indian historical era, this is the place to take them. In and around Thanjavur many Chola dynasty temples are located which are now UNESCO WORLD Heritage Monuments. The Brihadeeswara Temple situated in the central part of the city is a live example of Chola period art and carvings. It is believed that Karnatic Music and Bharatnatyam were originated from Thanjavur.


The Vijayanagar Empire was a Hindu empire based in the Deccan plateau region of South India. Established in 1336 by Harihara I (who ruled from 1336–1356 CE), it ENJOYED its greatest political and CULTURAL prominence under Emperor Krishna Deva Raya (who ruled from 1509–1529 CE) and lasted until 1646, when it was conquered by the Muslim Sultans of Bijapur and Golkonda.

The empire’s patronage enabled its fine arts and literature to rise to new heights, and its legacy of sculpture, painting, and architecture influenced the development of the arts in South India long after the empire came to an end. There were great innovations in Hindu temple construction during this period, and many diverse temple BUILDING traditions and styles in South India came together in the Vijayanagar style of architecture, the finest examples of which are to be found in the capital Hampi.