TANJORE UNLEASHED

This is not gonna be a story covering the well known facts about Tanjore like the architectural marvel at the Brahaedeshwara temple and the view tower at Tanjore PALACE(?!?!?). (Don't ever wonder why those confusions are for. U can very well understand why the confusion arose when u personally visit the tanjore palace.)
All am gonna try do here is tell you some quick facts that have never been as popular as the Temple and the palace yet really fascinating or rather i should say i was DUMB STRUCK at some of them. I can group them as "FOUR FACTS U NEVER KNEW ABOUT TANJORE" better.;)

CHOLA REIGN ENDING WITH A MARATHA WARRIOR

"Raja Raja Chola"

This name is inevitable when there is a reference to Tanjore. But i was awe struck to hear that the last dominant ruler of Tanjore (1798-1832) hailed from Maharashtra. When the history books (as far as Mr. Joseph had taught me) did not refer about any ruler conquering Tanjore at that period, i dug a little deep into da library to know that King Serfoji (popularly King Saraboji) was adopted by the then tamil ruler and hence started the marati reign. Even more astonishing fact was that the king had a flair for collecting various art forms and literatures that i was taken aback looking at his collection at the museum.

Some of those that became a part of ma poor memory include

Self descriptively painted rig veda

Ramayan in pictures ( Wonder how they managed to sneak in each of the Kanda (parts) into an approximately 4" X 10 " sheets. However the Sundara Kanda was missing :-o)

And the largest collection of print material any king could have owned.(Also he owned a printing press of his own it seems.)

All of us can really be proud of the fact that King Serfoji was indomitably intelligent!!And am really sorry that am not able to show you photographic evidences since i wasn't allowed to take one :(.

DIVIDE AND TILE :-o

One of the reasons am writing this over here is to just bring out how the indomitable spirit of trying something new without proper knowledge turns out to be utter foolishness (pardon ma language culdn't help it).
I just could not stop wondering looking at the dividers.(Of course the ones on the ROAD from Brahadeeshwara temple to the bus stand). Why would one ever waste so much money in tiling the dividers when the platform for walking is all worn out??

SERFOJI'S SUBWAY

Did you ever know that the tanjore hosts one of the world ancient and architectuarlly rich subways???
Neither did I! :-o. Imagine the platforms that were originally used to connect the various parts of the palace now being swarmed with auto rickshaws and taxis??? (If u think i have a bad sense of humor then am sorry i never meant to be humorous over here!!)

SOUTH INDIAN CULTURAL ZONE

If u think this is yet another piece of paragraph to nick tanjore, Nay u r wrong!!! Indeed there is a South Indian cultural zone developed at the outskirts of the city where they teach kids, the ancient art forms and dance forms of south India FOR FREE!!! There is a workshop for sculpture making as well. The art gallery over here hosts hundreds of samples of various forms of arts from typical Tanjore Paintings to Modern arts, from structured idols to freestyle sculptures apart from others. The most precious of these is the Tanjore painting that is embedded with Original Diamonds and semi precious stones. (And no wonder they dont let us see that ;) )

These facts may
or may not be

interesting
for u to see

Wat i saw can as well
be seen by thee

Do make a note
is my plea!

Comments awaited ;).