Nayak durbar hall, built 1600, finished with smoked glass windows!

Thanjavur - a terrific temple and a pathetic palace

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February 19th 2015
When kings set out to impress, they usually do it well. Rajaraja Chola I was no exception. Instead of having the highest cathedral with the best vaulting, he opted for a massive temple in his capital Thanjavur, to celebrate his conquests in south India and the consolidation of his reign. Completed in 1010 it vies with and probably beats most of the great churches in Europe, certainly at that early ... read more

Asia » India » Tamil Nadu » Thanjavur

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The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab in... ... read more