Arts And Crafts Of Tanjore along the River Kaveri

The river Kaveri is one of the seven sacred rivers of India. On its long journey from the Western Ghats to the Bay of Bengal on the east coast, the Kaveri nourishes and nurtures everyone and everything in its path. “Along the Kaveri” tells the story of the river and the many lives, arts, crafts, and traditions it has nourished over the centuries.

The river Kaveri played a key role in establishing Thanjavur as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu before Chennai (Madras) took over. Temple building, sculpture, music, dance, painting, folk art, handicrafts, and literature all flourished in Thanjavur. On this tour, we learn about three iconic craft forms of Thanjavur: Tanjore painting, the Saraswati veena, and the Tanjore doll. The local provenance and significance of each are attested to by their GI tags (Geographical Indications).

We meet hereditary artisans in their workshops and learn about the origins of the craft, the patronage received from royalty and nobility, the long hours that go into making each piece—best understood through a show-and-tell demonstration—and finally, gain insight into the challenges they face today.

A visit is also a good opportunity to buy an authentic handcrafted piece at a fair price, directly from the artisan. So, come along the Kaveri and meet its artisans, who create magic with their hands!

Tour Flow :

Timings : 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM

The Storyteller meets the guests at the entry gate of Serfoji Maharaj Palace, where they receive a brief overview of the tour.

Guests are taken to the residence-cum-workshop of artisans, where the Storyteller will provide a briefing on the origins of the craft, conduct a show-and-tell demonstration, and facilitate communication with the artisans.

This is a good opportunity to purchase directly from the artisans at a fair price.

The tour concludes.