Thanjavur history and evolution
Etymology
The city's name is believed to be derived from a portmanteau of "thanjam puguntha oor"
(Tamil: தஞ்சம் புகுந்த ஊர்) which means "the town where refugees entered", referring
to the town's history of providing hospitality to newcomers.
The city's name "Thanjavur" might also be derived from the name of a Mutharayar king, "Thananjay"
or "Dhananjaya". Thananjaya added to Oor gives the name Thanjavur. The Kalamalla stone
inscription (the first stone inscription) was made by the king, Erikal Muthuraju Dhanunjaya Varma of
575 CE.
Study justification:
A traditional city such as Thanjavur needs an assessment of the present infrastructure and
additional infrastructure as it is facing problems consequent upon rapid urbanization which
are devastating their historical physical form in a urban scale. Typically the historic core areas
are congested, overcrowded lacking in basic amenities and steadily deteriorating. Aspects
includes solving the problem of integrating the modern urban fabric with the historic core.
The historic core of Thanjavur is constantly getting transformed to accommodate and adjust
to the new land use, materials and transport systems. The historic core of Thanjavur is
constantly getting transformed to accommodate and adjust to the new land use, materials
and transport systems.
Mythology
This place was previously called Śiyāli. Indra once fled to this place in fear of the asura
called Śūrapadma and did tapas here.
History
Sangam Period: 3rd to 4th century
There are no references to Thanjavur in any of the Sangam period (third century BC to fourth
century AD) Tamil records, though some scholars believe that the city has existed since that
time. Kovil Venni, situated 15 miles (24 km) to the east of the city, was the site of the Battle
of Venni between the Chola king Karikala and a confederacy of the Cheras and the Pandyas.
Muthurayars 6th century :
The Cholas seemed to have faced an invasion of the Kalabhras in the third century AD after
which the kingdom faded into obscurity. The region around present day Thanjavur was
conquered by the Mutharayars during sixth century, who ruled it up to 849.
Medieval chola 850 AD :
The Cholas came to prominence once more through the rise of the Medieval Chola monarch
Vijayalaya (841–878) in about 850. Vijayalaya conquered Thanjavur from the Mutharayar
king Elango Mutharayar. His son Aditya I (871–901) consolidated the hold over the city.
Gradually, Thanjavur became the most important city in the Chola Empire and remained its
capital till the emergence of Gangaikonda Cholapuram in about 1025.
11th century :
During the first decade of the eleventh century, the Chola king Raja Raja Chola
I (985–1014) constructed the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur. The temple is
considered to be one of the best specimens of Tamil architecture.
Pandya’s rule 13th century :
When the Chola Empire began to decline in the 13th century, the Pandyas
from the south invaded and captured Thanjavur twice, first during 1218–
19 and then during 1230. The Pandyas ruled Thanjavur from 1279 to
1311. The Pandiyan regime was short lived. When the Pandiyan Kingdom
was in the thrones of civil war, the Muslim ruler Ala-Ud-Din Khilji, the
Sultan of Delhi,
