India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (186 page)

GETTING AROUND
This is definitely one area where it is worthwhile to hire a car and driver. If you’ve arrived in Trichy by train or plane, do this through your hotel or the tourist information center. You can manage to see Srirangam and Brihadeshvara Temple in a single, exhausting day, leaving for Madurai or Chettinad region the following day.

WHAT TO SEE & DO

Tiruchirappalli

While there is nothing much to see beyond generally ugliness in Trichy, you will spend anywhere from a half- to a full day in the atmospheric temple town of
Srirangam,
most of it embraced by the
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple,
which lies
a tedious 40-minute drive through congested traffic north of the city. In the evening, time allowing, you may wish to climb the steps to the summit of
Rock Fort
to witness the sun setting over the city (entrance at China Bazaar; small admission fee and camera fees; daily 6am–8pm). This is also the time you’re likely to encounter the greatest number of devotees coming to worship at the Shiva temple (off-limits to non-Hindus) and paying tribute to the elephant-headed god, Ganesh, at his summit shrine; again the sanctum us off-limits to non-Hindus but the views are sublime. Little of the old fortification has survived (though some inscriptions date from the 3rd c.
B.C.),
but you may be interested to know that at 3,800 million years old, the rock itself is said to be one of the oldest on earth, predating the Himalayan range by around a million years. Alongside Rock Fort is the huge
Teppakulam Tank,
and across from this,
Our Lady of Lourdes Church,
built in 1840. If you can face another temple visit, Sri Jambukeshwara Temple lies further north of

Srirangam and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
Just 7km (4 1⁄3 miles) beyond Trichy, the vibrant, ancient holy town of Srirangam—one of India’s biggest temple complexes—is the site of sprawling
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple,
whose seven concentric boundary walls
(prakarams)
enclose 240 hectares (600 acres). Within the temple walls, a web of lanes lined with houses, shops, and businesses is also enclosed, making for fascinating exploration of what feels like a heaving medieval village. Dedicated to Vishnu (worshipped here as Ranganatha), the town sees almost nonstop feverish and colorful activity, with communal gatherings and festivals held throughout the year. The original 10th-century temple was destroyed by a Delhi sultan, but reconstruction began in the late 14th century. Ongoing expansion by Trichy’s successive rulers culminated in the late 20th century, with the elaborately carved and brightly painted
Rajagopuram,
not only the largest of the 21
goparums
(tower gateways) that surround the immense complex, but said to be the largest in Asia, soaring to a height of 72m (236 ft.). The most important shrines are within the inner four boundary walls, entered via a high gateway where smaller shrines mark the point beyond which lower-caste Hindus could not venture. Within this enclosure, you’ll find a temple to the goddess Ranganayaki, as well as the
thousand-pillared hall,
which dates back to the Chola period; non-Hindus may not enter the inner sanctum. Arguably the most impressive of all is nearby
Seshagirirayar Mandapa,
where the pillars are decorated with stone carvings of rearing horses mounted by warriors. For a memorable view of the entire complex, make sure to purchase a ticket (Rs 10) to climb to the rooftop.

7km (4 1⁄3 miles) north of Trichy on an island on the River Cauvery. Free admission. Rs 50 still camera, Rs 150 video camera. Daily 6am–noon and 2 or 4pm–8 or 10pm. No photography allowed inside the sanctum.

Thanjavur

Brihadeshvara Temple
This granite temple, a World Heritage Site built by the Chola kings 1,000 years ago, stands in a vast courtyard, surrounded by a number of subsidiary shrines. The central temple was built—at great expense—by the Chola Rajaraja I for the worship of Shiva, and non-Hindus may not enter. Pyramidal in shape, the monumental tower or
vimana
over the inner sanctum rises almost 70m (230 ft.) and is visible for miles around. It’s capped by an octagonal cupola carved from a single block of granite that was hauled into place along a ramp that is said to have been 6km (3 3⁄4 miles) long. Within the sanctum is a 4m (13-ft.) lingam; facing the sanctum, a colossal 25-ton Nandi monolith (Nandi being the vehicle for Shiva), carved from solid granite, dominates the courtyard. Numerous extant inscriptions on the molded plinth describe the enormous wealth of the temple (much of it booty from Rajaraja’s successful campaigns), as well as the copious acts of ritual and celebration that took place here. In its heyday, an enormous staff was maintained to attend to the temple’s varied activities; these included everything from administration to procuring dancing girls.

West of Thanjavur bus stand. Visitors may be able to make prior arrangements for entry to the sanctum and the upper floors of the temple by contacting the local tourist office. Daily 6am–noon and 3:30–8:30pm.

Thanjavur Palace Complex & Art Gallery
Built as the home of the Nayak rulers, the 16th-century
Royal Palace
has fallen into a state of minor ruin and could be struck from your itinerary but for the impressive
Thanjavur Art Gallery
(daily 10am–1pm and 2–5pm; admission Rs 20). The gallery, housed in the Nayak hall of the palace, has an eclectic collection of stone and bronze idols, mostly from the Chola period (8th–9th c.), and the sensuous casts of particularly Parvati are certainly worth admiring. Within the palace, you should also climb the narrow and tricky steps of the
arsenal
tower
for views of the complex and the entire city, including Brihadeshvara Temple. Inside 17th-century
Durbar Hall,
built by the Marathas, who ruled after the Nayaks, is a throne canopy decorated in the distinctive mirror-glass Thanjavur style. Next to the art gallery is
Saraswati Mahal Library,
which houses a collection of rare books—including Sanskrit works and 18,623 palm-leaf manuscripts—assembled by the Maratha ruler Serfoji II, who ruled until 1832 and was a great patron of the arts. A small museum inside the library has a few exhibits worth looking at, including a macabre explicitly illustrated 1804 manuscript entitled “Punishments of China.”

Tip:
Opposite the entrance to the Palace Complex, on East Main Street, are a couple of worthwhile shopping destinations:
Kandiva Heritage
(No. 97;
04362/231293
) deals in Thanjavore paintings, wooden carvings, and antique and reproduction bronze items, and is well worth a stroll through, but we challenge you to leave empty-handed from
Tanjore Collections
(No. 105;
04362/234117;
www.cottageartsemporium.com
), a two-story emporium stuffed with goods from all over India. Bargain hard.

East Main Rd. (2km/1 1⁄4 miles NE of the temple). For information about Thanjavur Art Gallery, contact the Art Gallery Society (
04362/239-823
). Palace Rs 50. Camera and video more. Art Gallery Rs 20. Daily 9am–1pm and 3–6pm.