Blogs on Tanjore

At the heart of South India’s sacred art traditions lies Tanjore painting—a divine craft born in the temple city of Thanjavur. Using 22-karat gold leaf, natural colors, and age-old techniques, our artists create luminous works that honor the divine and preserve a living legacy. Whether you are a spiritual seeker, art lover, or mindful home curator, a Tanjore painting brings blessings, beauty, and heritage into your life. Handcrafted in the authentic Thanjavur style. Made using natural materials like jackfruit wood and vegetable dyes. A perfect spiritual gift or heirloom for your home, altar, or sacred space. Browse our collections, meet the artisans, or discover the sacred process behind every masterpiece. Let the legacy of Thanjavur shine in your space.

Tanjore Painting: Art of the Gods - When we think of Indian art, many of us immediately imagine resplendent depictions of the Hindu gods. We think of bright colors, beatific poses, and gold leaf. Whether we know it or not, what we are thinking of are Tanjore (Thanjavur) paintings. Also known as “religious paintings with a royal heritage,” this form of south Indian visual art began in the town of Tanjore in the 16th century. These oil paintings have been made by indigenous artists for generations, and it is kept alive by practitioners who faithfully replicate the old ways and the beloved style.

Thanjavur can be considered the heart of the Tamil country, with a civilization that reached great prominence during the Chola dynasty. It played a vital role in attracting talent and in keeping alive, creative traditions through many centuries. Tanjore or Thanjavur is one of the two major artistic regions and political powers in the southern Indian subcontinent that later spread in western culture during the British Raj. In the 16th century, it had become a great centre of dance, music, architecture, and the arts—sculpture, woodcraft, metal casting, mural painting. Thanjavur is famous for its highly advanced handicraft industries. Describing the city, British officer Hemmingway, writing in 1906, states- “Tanjore was known as the home of the fine arts under the native rulers who by their patronage attracted to their capital, the producers of most articles of luxury". This reputation still survives, though to a much modified degree.