Staying in a very trad thanjavur homestay. The room is furnished with antiques
Conversation
Managed a few artsy sunset shots of the brihadeswara temple yesterday. Good thing we went at dusk. It was sweltering before. Thanjavur is way hotter than Coimbatore.
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The Maratha overlay on Tamil history in thanjavur always struck me as slightly weird but it really hits you with full force here considering how Deep South this is. The 11th century chola stuff is mostly bronze, and stone sculpture. The Maratha era is frescoes and manuscripts
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The best museum (no photos) was the collection of artifacts of Serfoji II, the last real ruler before thanjavur became a British client state. Vast array of early modern Indian manuscripts plus a big collection of early European books, drawings and maps.
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If you’re into history of text don’t miss this if you visit. Very rare glimpse of the state of Asian textual culture just before print and European influences hit. The temple is more in your face impressive but this was the highlight for me.
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I think I was a complaining 12-year-old the last time I was dragged by parents in their 40s on a major temple visit ~1986. Now I’m in my 40s helping parents in 80s navigate the brutal stone steps.
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These temple complexes are brutal on < 15 (boring for kids) and > 60 people (brutal on knees etc). Takes hours and it’s all barefoot walking. Often on hot stone.
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The steps are all 18” or higher for some reason. And the original stone railings just about a foot high. And they wisely don’t put modern railings, it would ruin the effect. But this means elderly need major help getting around everywhere and disabled basically need to be carried
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Replying to
the Pancha Ratha temples at Mahabalipuram have been subject to an accessibility-isation/"beautification", with a concrete structure and lawn(?) encircling the temples and tarmac road almost till the footsteps of the temples.
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it was a rather disappointing visit, the place doesn't seem like much tbh. it's been obscenely commercialised, and the beach was terrible too. it most definitely ruins the aesthetic, but i guess it's better for tourism?
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