Royal Museum & Maratha Durbar, Thanjavur - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 2 km from Thanjavur Junction Railway Station & 0.5 km from Old Bus Station, Royal Museum located within Thanjavur Palace portraits items used by the royal family such as weapons, costumes and musical instruments. The entrance to the Royal Museum runs through the Saraswathi Mahal Library.

The museum is located in the first part of the palace near the entrance. Once you enter into the complex, the museum is situated on the left side in an old enclosure. The collection includes Wooden Camphor boxes, Locks, Elephant's Ankush, Utensils, Weapons, Chariot, etc.

Further into the complex past Sangeet Mahal, the Maratha Durbar Hall is a large hall with a courtyard used as for official court by the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur. The Darbar hall was built by Sahaji in the year 1684. The front mandapa of the hall is having wooden lean to the reef covered with tiles. The ceiling of the hall is painted with ten avataras of Lord Vishnu.

A beautiful thrown made of wood decorated with glass work is placed on a granite platform. It is the custom of Maratha kings to give public appearance each day. The Durbar hall is current used as sculpture museum with beautiful stone sculptures from Chola period. The sculptures are dated between 8th and 15th centuries.

Timings: 10 AM to 1 PM & 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM