Tanjore

Tanjore or Thanjavur as it was earlier called, was the capital of the chola empire fromthe 10th century to the 14th century A.D. later is become part of the vijaynagar kingdom, then passed into the hands of the Marathas and later still went to the British. For ages it has been the chief political. Literary and religious centre of the South. The celebrated temple Brihadeshra built by the Chola King during the 11th century is its major attraction. The saraswati Mahal library, dating back from the time of the Marathas, containing a rare collectins of books and manuscripts on paper and plam leaves.