CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THANJAVUR - A STUDY

Eu opean Summi on In e disciplina y Resea ch and De elopmen - An In e na ional Resea ch Con e ence
Published By C ys al Pen Publica ion, Pe ambalu , Tamil Nadu, India - www.c ys alpen.in
ESIRD - 2025 P oceedings, Da e: No embe 30, 2025, ISBN Numbe : 978-93-49435-80-3
83
CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THANJAVUR - A STUDY
S. P abaka an
Assis an P o esso & Head, PG & Resea ch Depa men o His o y, A.V.V.M. S i
Pushpam College (Au onomous), Poondi, Thanja u , Tamil Nadu, India
Ci e This A icle: S. P abaka an. (No embe 2025). Cul u al Aspec s o Thanja u - A
S udy. In P oceedings o he Eu opean Summi on In e disciplina y Resea ch and
De elopmen (pp. 83-86). Pe ambalu , Tamil Nadu, India: C ys al Pen Publica ion.
ISBN: 978-93-49435-80-3
Publishe Websi e: www.c ys alpen.in
Copy Righ : © 2025 C ys al Pen Publica ion (CPP). All igh s ese ed. This is an open access a icle
dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion License (CC BY), which pe mi s un es ic ed
use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in any medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed.
DOI:
Abs ac :
Cul u e is he sys ems o knowledge. Cul u e is he sum o al o ways o li ing by a g oup o human
beings ha is ansmi ed om one gene a ion o ano he . Tamil cul u e is he cul u e o he Tamil people.
Thanja u , one o he 38dis ic s in Tamilnadu in Sou h India, commonly known as he ice bowl o he sou h.
The dis ic is si ua ed in he sou h eas coas o Tamilnadu s a e. This pape de ails how Thanja u is se ing as
an epi ome o Tamil cul u e.
Key Wo ds: Rice Bowl, Cul u e, Bha a hana yam, Veenai, Tha il, Folk Music
In oduc ion:
Cul u e is he sys ems o knowledge. Cul u e is he sum o al o ways o li ing by a g oup o human
beings ha is ansmi ed om one gene a ion o ano he . Tamil cul u e is he cul u e o he Tamil people. Tamil
cul u e is oo ed in he a s and c a s o he li e o Tamils in India, S i Lanka, Malaysia and Singapo e and
ac oss he globe. Tamil cul u e is exp essed in language, li e a u e, cul u al ac i i ies and also in he e y way o
li e. This pape de ails how Thanja u is se ing as an epi ome o Tamil cul u e.
House o Thanja u :
The own o Thanja u seldom possess emains o de ensi e walls. In he del a he we ields end o
p e en he expansion o illages, bu on he whole, hey a e open and commodious. The houses a e gene ally
buil o b ick o mud, as s one is unob ainable in mos pa s. The a e s a e gene ally made o bamboos. S aw
o palm lea es is Pe haps he mos common ha ch. In on o he house he e is almos always a aised mud
pail wi h a pillow o clay unning along he wall.
The doo is on one side o he s ee on ha leads in o an en ance hall ( eli) beyond which and
agains he side wall o he house, is a small cou ya d (Mu am) ha is an a ium a ound i . Facing he
cou ya d, and eaching ac oss o he o he side wall is a oo ed open hall (Kudam), he loo o which is a he
highes han ha o he e andah.
Food: Tamil cuisine is basically Sou h Indian cuisine, whe e ice and ice-de i ed dishes a e majo po ion o
a die . I is one o he oldes ege a ian culina y he i ages. The cuisine ypically se ed on a banana lea which is
called “Thanja u Thalai - Vazhalai Ilai” wi h abou wo o six accompanying i ems include samba , d y cu y,
asam, koo u, and hayi (Cu d) o mo u (whey o bu e milk). B eak as i ems include he ideal “malligaipoo
Idli” dosaipongal, adai, appam, paniya am, pu u, uppuma, Idiyappam. Thanja u is well known o wo ld
amous Thi u aiya u Anda a Asoka Halwa. Coconu oil is mos commonly used oil o cooking. Mos o he
people in Thanja u a e ege a ian, some o hem a e also non- ege a ian,” Kumbakonam Deg ee Co ee” o
Thanja u is well enowned o i s as e.
D ess:
The people o Thanja u wea he co on ounda ion wi h a la ge o smalle admix u e o silk.
Muhammadian wea s a ans (Kailis). Rich people wea silk d ess, no mal people wea co on d esses.
Kumbakonam, Ayyampe ai, Ku alam, Ko anadu, Manna gudi a e he impo an ex ile indus ial places in
Thanja u .
Classical Music:
The Ca na ic music lou ished in Thanja u du ing he eign o Cholas. Thi u aiya u is he cen e o
Ca na ic music. Legend Sain Thiyaga aja o Ca na ic Music has his oo s he e. The annual „Thiyaga aja
A adhanai„- A musical ibu e o Sh i Thiyaga aja by housands o Ca na ic music exponen s du ing he mon hs
o Decembe -Janua y is a ea o wa ch. I p o ides a g ea oppo uni y o Tou ism oo.
Musical Ins umen s:
The musical ins umen s o Thanja u own bea a wide and high epu a ion. The e a e only ew
pe sons employed in he manu ac u e o musical ins umen s. They a e expo ed o many places o he wo ld.
People come om long dis ances o buy hem. The ins umen s made include he Tambu a, M i angam and he
Sa anaa, and he ma e ial used o making is jack wood.
Eu opean Summi on In e disciplina y Resea ch and De elopmen - An In e na ional Resea ch Con e ence
Published By C ys al Pen Publica ion, Pe ambalu , Tamil Nadu, India - www.c ys alpen.in
ESIRD - 2025 P oceedings, Da e: No embe 30, 2025, ISBN Numbe : 978-93-49435-80-3
84
Ta il:
I is he main pe cussion ins umen o he Nadaswa am. I is he double headed ba el shaped d um
om Sou h India which is hollowed ou o a solid block o wood. I is used in emple, olk and Ca na ic music.
The Tha il and Nadaswa am a e essen ial componen s o es i als and ce emonies in Sou h India. I is amous a
Thanja u so i is called a Thanja u Tha il, he e a e 50 women who a e engaged in Tha il making a
Thi u aiya u, Eas Cha am Complex, Swami Sannadhi S ee , Thiyaga aja Colony and Thi umanjana S ee .
Thi u aiya u is also known o Ca na ic music. Musician all o e om India come o buy he Tha il and also
epai ing hei Tha il.
Veenai:
Veenai a s inged ins umen on a wooden base is played wi h g ea pe ec ion by he highly alen ed
a is s o Thanja u .
Bha a hana iyam - Classical Dance:
Bha a hana iyam is a classical dance o Tamilnadu. I is p ac iced in he Si a emples o Tamilnadu. Fo
many cen u ies many amilies in he dis ic o Thanja u pe o med Bha a hana yam. I is pa onized by he
kings o Thanja u .
Folk Music:
The e a e h ee modes o en e ainmen classi ied as Iyal (li e a u e), Isai (Music) and Nadagam
(D ama). They o igina e om he u al olk hea e like The ukoo hu. Ancien kings we e app ecia ing hese
h ee modes o en e ainmen and i was one o he impo an aspec s o hei social li e. The popula o m o
u al olk music includes he Villupa u, a o m o music pe o med wi h bow, and he Naa up apaa u, ballads
ha con ey olklo e and olk his o y.
 Villupa u
 Naa upu apaa u
 Ballads
Villupa u:
In his p og amme, he main singe accompanied by a cho us, musical ins umen s like illow (o )
Bow, ixed wi h bells ela es a ale, in e spe sed wi h songs.
Naa upu apa u & Ballads:
These a e songs sung by he illage women du ing he ime o ploughing, ha es ing ime. These a e
songs sung by he illage women du ing he ime o ploughing, ha es ing ime.
Folk Songs:
Simplici y and swee ness a e he cha ac e is ics o olk songs. The age o he olk songs is unknown,
many songs a e bo n a he ime o ha d wo k in he ields and when engaged in di e en ades. Some songs a e
bo n a domes ic i uals, emple es i als, p aising he illage dei ies o special a ou s, many ballads a e also
bo n ou o he s o ies abou g ea he oes. Folksong is he clea mi o chosen by Na u e o see he own ace.
Some o he impo an olk songs sung by he illage people a e:
 Lullaby Songs
 Fune al Songs
 T ade Songs
Folk Dance:
Thanja u is deeply oo ed in a g ea adi ion o olk a s and c a s. The olk dances and music o
Tamil people ep esen he e hos, aes he ic alues and melody o he egion. T adi ional olk dances and music
a e conduc ed and du ing es i als and communi y unc ions. The mos no able olk Dances in Thanja u a e:
 Ka aka am
 Ka adi A am
 Poikkal Kudi ai Aa am (Dummy Ho se Dance)
 Bommalal am (Puppe show)
 Kummi
 The ukoo hu
 Kola am
 Silamba am
 Thappa am
 U ummi A am
 Kali A am
 Baga a ha Nadanam
Ka aka am:
I is a olk dance wi h musical accompanimen which in ol es a po on he head. The po s a e deco a ed
wi h a lone o lowe a angemen s, opped by a pape pa o . This dance is e y popula all o e Tamilnadu
hough i s bi h place is Thanja u . The illage s in p aise o he ain goddess Ma i Amman and i e goddess,
Eu opean Summi on In e disciplina y Resea ch and De elopmen - An In e na ional Resea ch Con e ence
Published By C ys al Pen Publica ion, Pe ambalu , Tamil Nadu, India - www.c ys alpen.in
ESIRD - 2025 P oceedings, Da e: No embe 30, 2025, ISBN Numbe : 978-93-49435-80-3
85
Gangai Amman pe o med his dance wi h wa e po s balanced on hei heads. In Sangam li e a u e
Silappa hika am men ioned his dance as Kudakoo hu. Ka agam is o wo kinds:
 Shak hi Ka agam (Religious)
 Aa a Ka agam (P o essional)
In he Shak hi Ka agam he po is illed wi h sac ed wa e and deco a ed wi h ma gosa lea es, lowe s,
sandal pas e, lime e c. and is balanced on he dance ‟s head. This i ualis ic dance ge s pe o med in he wo ship
o he Ma iamman, Gangaiamman o Ka e iamman, he Goddess o wa e and ag icul u al p ospe i y. This is
pe o med only in emples.
Aa a Ka agam:
This is danced elegan ly on comme cial lines and pu ely o en e ainmen pu poses. I is pe o med
wi h hy hm o he musical accompanimen s such as Naiyyaandi Melam, Paampadi, U umi, Tha il,
Naadaswa am and Thamukku. The a is s om Thanja u , Pudukko ai, Ramana hapu am, Madu ai, Ti une eli,
Pa ukko ai and Salem pe o m his dance is an excellen manne .
Ka adi A am:
I is a olk dance pe o med by he de o ees o Lo d Mu uga. This dance ge s pe o med in he
Mu ugan emple du ing es i e occasions such as Skanda Sash i, Thaipoosam, Ka higai, Vaikaasi Vishaakham,
e c.,
Poikkal Kudhi ai A am (Dummy Ho se Dance):
In his dance, he dance pu s on he dummy igu e o a ho se‟s body on his he hips. This dummy
ho se made up o ligh - weigh ed ma e ials and he clo h a he sides swings o and wooden legs, so ha he legs
look like he hoo es o he ho se.
This olk - dance need much mo e aining and skill. This dace accompanied wi h Naiyyandi Melam o
Band music.4 Dummy ho se dance is connec ed o he wo ship o Ayyana , mainly a ound Thanja u illages.
The o he dances a e:
 Boomala am o puppe y
 Kummi
 The uKoo hu
 Kolaa am
 Silamba am
 Thappa am
 U ummiAa am
 Kaali Aa am
 Baga a ha Nadanam
A & C a s o Thanja u :
Silk Wea ing:
Wea e s o Thanja u know he a o c ea ing pa e ns in gold h ead le in o he we backg ound, he
b igh ness o he me allic h ead being oned down by wa ning and selec i e o e -dyeing o a shaded e ec .
Thanja u emains he main cen e o ich za i b ocades.
The exclusi e wedding sa is o he Ma a ha p incesses, a co on wea e deco a ed wi h a combina ion
o wo en pa e ns wax esis pain ing and gold za i in he illage o ka uppoo nea Kumbakonam. The wea ing
o pu e silk is only ca ied in Thanja u and Kumbakonbam, Thi ubhu anam nea Kumbakonam is impo an
silk wea ing place in his dis ic Thi ubu onam is he nex place o silk a e Kancheepu am. The ine example
o Thanja u silk wo k is o be seen in he mad as museum. The silk wea e s a e he Guaja a i cas e o
pa nulka ans (Silk- h ead men). Sa ees a e he chie p oduc and en iched wi h gli lace impo ed om F ance
Thanja u Pain ings:
The Ma a has o Thanja u in luenced o na e s yle o Thanja u pain ings is om Thanja u school,
cha ac e ized by s ylized, low- elie in a special plas e o a chi ec u al ea u es and o namen s in pain ings,
modelling o shapes h ough shaded con ou s, use o p ima y colou s, picking ou o elie ea u es in gold lea
ea u es and embellishmen wi h p ecious s ones. Colou s a e adi ionally p epa ed in acco dance wi h ancien
p esc ip ion om mine als, lea es and lowe s and dispe sed wi h ine squi el –hai b ushes.
The igu es in Thanja u pain ings a e s a ic. The igu es a e housed in he cen e s o he boa d, inside
beau i ully deco a ed a ches o cu ains, eyes a e b oad like almonds he ou e lines a e b own o ed and he
body is pain ed wi h whi e shading o K ishna.
This a o igina ed in Thanja u he capi al ci y o chola dynas y, o he dynas ies in India. Ma a ha,
Nayaks o Vijayanaga , Rajus communi ies o Thanja u and T ichy, Naidus o Madu ai all picked up and help
o sp ead he a om 16 h o 18 h cen u ies. The pain ings o iginally ca e ed o he opulen and p incely
li es yles o Indian kings and we e also a pa o emple in India. They a e co ec ly used o eligious and
deco a i e pu poses.
Eu opean Summi on In e disciplina y Resea ch and De elopmen - An In e na ional Resea ch Con e ence
Published By C ys al Pen Publica ion, Pe ambalu , Tamil Nadu, India - www.c ys alpen.in
ESIRD - 2025 P oceedings, Da e: No embe 30, 2025, ISBN Numbe : 978-93-49435-80-3
86
Chola F esco Pain ings:
The pain ings we e disco e ed in 1931 by M . S. K. Go indasamy in he co ido o he B ahadeeswa a
Temple. The passage o he co ido is da k and he en husias inds he walks on ei he side co e ed wi h wo
laye s o pain ings om loo o ceiling. The Nayaks we e pain ed o e he chola pain ings. The chola esco
pain ings exp essed on a den spi i o Sai ism.
Toys - Head - Nodding Dolls:
The amous oscilla ing dancing doll o Thanja u dese es special men ion in he cul u al he i age o
Tamilnadu. Pi h oys a e made in Kumbakonam. Head-nodding dolls a e manu ac u ed in Punnainallu illage
nea Thanja u . The e a e only 2 amilies ha a e adi ionally manu ac u ing hese dolls. Dolls a e sen o all
s a es o India and o eign coun ies. The Sangee ha Mahal A Galle y pu chases he dolls om illage a isans.
B onzes - Chola and O he s:
The echniques o me al cas ing eached i s zeni h unde he g ea chola kings. The bes cas ing is om
Swamimalai nea Kumbakonam in Thanja u Dis ic . Thanja u is known o i s b onze and o he me al
ca ings e en oday a emnan o he legacy ha was le behind by g ea dynas y o Sou h India.
„Tanjo e swami wo k‟ consis s o small igu es o sil e and coppe , usually ep esen ing he a ious
Hindu gods, appliqué on b ass o coppe pla es, bowls, cups, boxes, e c., Cholas pe iod b onzes we e c ea ed in
using he los wax echnique. The a is ic e m i is called as „Ci e Pe du e‟. The o ms o Cholas b omes a e
de oid o in ica e o namen s and designs. The mos impo an b onze icons a e ha o Na a aja. The symbolism
p esen s Si a as lo d o he cosmic dance o c ea ion and des uc ion.
Ma s o Ko ai:
The places bes known o g ass ma s a e Shyali and Ayyampe ai and he neighbo ing illage o
Sakka apalli. Muhammadians a e mos ly employed in la ge cen e s.
Vessels: Vessels o b ass, coppe , lead and bell-me al a e made o domes ic use and a e la gely expo ed.
Kumbakonam and Nachiya ko il a e he impo an cen e s o making bellme alkujas and lamp s ands.
P ahan Na yanjali Fes i al:
This es i al is o ganized by he P ahan Na yanjali ounda ion. This es i al held in he mon h o May
a B ahadeeswa a emple, one week. The s a e depa men o ou ism sponso ed some amoun o his es i al.
In e na ional ou is s a e a ending his es i al. Bha a hana yam and o he classical dances o India a e
pe o med in on o he Nandhi, Big emple complex.
Sa haya Fes i al:
I is he bi hday celeb a ion o he g ea Chola king Raja Raja. This es i al is o ganized by he dis ic
adminis a ion o Thanja u he Tou ism depa men open a wo-day empo a y ou ism in o ma ion cen e a
Big Temple.
Conclusion:
Thanja u , one o he 38 dis ic s in Tamilnadu in Sou h India, commonly known as he ice bowl o he
sou h. The dis ic is si ua ed in he sou h eas coas o Tamilnadu s a e. Tamil cul u e is he cul u e o he Tamil
people. Tamil cul u e is oo ed in he a s and c a s o he li e o Tamils in India, S i Lanka, Malaysia and
Singapo e and ac oss he globe. Tamil cul u e is exp essed in language, li e a u e, cul u al ac i i ies and also in
he e y way o li e.
Re e ences:
1. Amu han, Aayi am Aandu A hisayam, Than hi Pa hippagam, Chennai, 2015.
2. Ching, F aneis D K, A Global His o y o A chi ec u e, John Wiley and Sons, New Yo k, 2007.
3. D . Nandhi ha K ishna, Folk A s o Tamilnadu, C. P. Ramaswami Aiya , Founda ions, Mad as,
India,1996.
4. Mi chell, Geo ge, The Hindu Temple, Uni e si y o Chicago P ess, Chicago, 1998.
5. Na ana Kasina han, “Raja ases a am”, A cheological Dep , Go o Tamilnadu, Chennai, 2010.
6. Thapa , Binda, In oduc ion o Indian A chi ec u e, Pe iplus Edi ions, Singapo e, 2004.
7. Vasan hi C, "Thamilaga Koyi a ala ugal", A cheological Dep , Go o Tamilnadu, Chennai, 2014.