My trip across Tamil Nadu this week started with a four hour train ride from Pondicherry to Thanjavur. Thanjavur is home to the large and impressive Brihadisvara Temple, often referred to as the big temple. Even the entrance gate shown here is very grand and detailed.

It was a quiet Monday, so I spent all morning in the temple complex watching people come and go, taking the atmosphere in, and reading my book.

I looked all around the outside of the temple first before going inside. You can see the high level of detail all around.

Brihadisvara Temple was really worth the visit, and I enjoyed my time spent here.

As lunchtime approached I walked across town to find a good restaurant, but I will talk about all the great South Indian food I have eaten, on a separate post soon.

After lunch I went to visit the old palace complex. It is a little neglected in part, but still offers quite a few things to see. There is the Saraswati Mahal Library with interesting exhibits, and before entering there a short video about places to visit around Thanjavur and Tamil Nadu is shown. After that I saw the palace itself, and then the marble statues.