INDIAN HISTORY THROUGH MAP- PART-T

(1) Tanjore / Thanjavur 

• Thanjavur, formerly Tanjore is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. 
• Most of the Great Living Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur. The foremost among these, the Brihadeeswara Temple, is located in the centre of the city. 
• Thanjavur is also home to Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region.
• The city first rose to prominence during the reign of Medieval Cholas when it served as the capital of the empire. After the fall of Cholas, the city was ruled by various dynasties like Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks,Thanjavur Nayaks, Thanjavur Marathas (belonging to the royal Bhonsle dynasty) and the British Empire.
• Brihadeeswarar Temple, whose construction is described as "a landmark in the evolution of building art in South India".Built in the 11th century by the Chola king Raja Raja Chola I (985–1014), the temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The walls of the sanctum are covered with wall paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods. It is replicated in the Gangaikonda Cholesvarar Temple constructed by Raja Raja's son Rajendra Chola I (1012–44).
The Saraswathi Mahal Library, established around 1700 and located in the premises of the palace, contains over 30,000 Indian and European manuscripts written on palm leaf and paper. Over eighty per cent of its manuscripts are in Sanskrit and many of them are on palm leaves. The Tamil works include treatise on medicine, and commentaries on Sangam literature.
• Thanjavur painting dates back to about 1600s, the period of Nayakas of Thanjavur, who encouraged art, classical dance, music literature, both in Telugu and Tamil. The art is usually a combination of raised and painted surfaces, with the Hindu god Krishna being the most popular image depicted.
• Sathaya Thiruvizha is the annual birthday festival of Raja Raja Chola held during October every year.
• Thanjavur is the base for the Tyagaraja Aradhana, a Carnatic music festival held annually during January – February at Thiruvaiyaru, located 13 km away from the city.

Brihadeeswarar Temple

• The Peruvudaiyar Kovil / Periya Kovil / Brihadeshwara Temple /RajaRajeswara Temple / Rajarajeswaram, is a temple dedicated to Shiva that is located in the city of Thanjavur. It is one of the largest temples in India. Built by emperor Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010 AD (within 5 years).
• This temple is the first building fully built by granite and sandstone. The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres, above which stone deities and representatives of Shiva dance.
• The huge kalasam or Vimanam(top portion of the shrine) weighing in at 81.284 tonnes and made of 8 pieces, was raised to its present height(66m) by dragging on an inclined plane by using elephant. The shadow of the gopuram (pyramidal tower usually over the gateway of a temple) never falls on the ground. The big Nandi (bull) is made of a single stone. The presiding deity of lingam is 3.7m tall. The prakaram (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240m by 125m. The outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 108 dance karanas – postures of Bharathanatyam, the classical dance of Tamil Nadu. 
• The shrine of Goddess was added by Pandyas during the 13th century, Subramanya Shrine by Vijayanagara rulers and the Vinayaka shrine was renovated by Maratha rulers.

2.One of the Gopuram 3.Shrine of Ganapathy 4.Main Gopuram 5.Mural painting 6.Shiva Lingam at the temple 7.Statue of Rajaraja Chola Chola I 8.Rajaraja mural 9.Painting on the roof of brihadeeswarar temple 10.One of the 108 dance postures

1. Brihadeeswara Temple Entrance Gopurams 2.Tamil writings and sculptures at right side of Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple Gopuram.

Temple complex

• The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was channelled to make a moat around the complex's outer walls, the walls being built like a fortress. The complex can be entered either on one axis through a five-story gopuram or with a second access directly to the huge main quadrangle through a smaller free-standing gopuram. The massive size of the main Vimanam (Shikhara) is 60.96 meters high, with 16 elaborately articulated stories.
• The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 m high, smaller than the vimana. It is unusual in the dravidian architecture where the gopurams are generally the main towers and taller than the vimanam.

Main temple:

• A first rectangular surrounding wall marks the outer boundary. 
• The main temple is in the center of the spacious quadrangle composed of a sanctuary, a Nandi, a pillared hall and an assembly hall (mandapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasising the principle cult icons.The karuvarai, a Tamil word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, is the inner most sanctum and focus of the temple where an image of the primary deity, Shiva, resides. Inside is a huge stone linga.
• In the Dravida style, the Karuvarai takes the form of a miniature vimana with other features exclusive to southern Indian temple architecture such as the inner wall together with the outer wall creating a pradakshina around the garbhagriha for circumambulation (pradakshina). The entrance is highly decorated. The inside chamber housing the image of the god is the sanctum sanctorum, the garbhagriha. The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth. In the center is placed the image of the deity.
• The circumambulation winds around the massive lingam in the garbhagriha and is repeated in an upper story.
• The inner mandapa leads out to a rectangular mandapa and then to a twenty-columned porch with three staircases leading down. Sharing the same stone plinth is a small open mandapa dedicated to Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull mount.
• The prime deity of the Brihadeeswarar Temple is Shiva. All deities, particularly those placed in the niches of the outer wall like Dakshinamurthy, Surya, Chandra are of huge size. The Brihadiswarar temple is one of the rare temples which has idols for "Ashta-dikpaalakas" (Guardians of the directions) – Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera, Īśāna – each of whom was originally represented by a life-sized statue, approximately 6 feet tall, enshrined in a separate temple located in the respective direction. (Only Agni, Varuṇa, Vāyu and Isana are preserved in situ.)

Adjoining structures:

• Surrounding the main temple are two walled enclosures. The outer wall is high. Here is the massive gopuram or gateway. Within this a portico, abarrel vaulted gorpuram with over 400 pillars, is enclosed by a high wall interspersed with huge gopurams axially lined up to the main temple.

Murals:

• The temple has Chola frescoes on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum potryaing Shiva in action, destroying demonic forts, dancing and sending a white elephant to transport a devotee to heaven, portray the mythological episodes of the journey of Saint Sundarar and the Chera King to heaven, the battle scene of Tripurantaka (Lord Siva) with Asuras(demons).
• The Chola artists have proved their mettle by portraying even the Asura women with a sense of beauty. The Tanjore Nayak kings replaced a few paintings of their own, about 400 years ago.

(2) Talakad / Talakadu

• Talakad town on the left bank of the Kaveri river 45 km from Mysore. It once had over 30 temples, most of which now lay buried in sand.
• At the beginning of the 11th century, the Gangas succumbed to the Cholas, who captured Talkad and gave it the name of Rajarajapura. But about a hundred years later it was taken by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, who drove the Chōlas out of Mysore. After this time we find that Talkād was composed of seven towns and five mathas or monastic establishments. Down to the middle of the 14th century, it remained a possession of the Hoysalas, and then passed into the hands of a feudatory of the Vijayanagar sovereigns.
• Among the temples of Talakad, the Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanatheshwara and Mallikarjuna temples, the five Lingams believed to represent the five faces of Shiva. In honour of these five Shivatemples, a fair is held once every 12 years called Panchalinga Darshana. 
• Ramanujacharya during his sojourn in Karnataka (also called Melnadu), established five Vishnu temples of Lord Narayana known as Pancha Narayana Kshetrams. Talakad is one of the Pancha Narayana Kshetrams where the Keerthi Narayana temple was established and the presiding Deity in this temple is Keerthi Narayana.

(3) Talikota

• The Battle of Talikota (26 January 1565), a watershed battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates, resulted in a rout of Vijayanagara, and ended the last great Hindu kingdom in South India. Talikota is situated in northern Karnataka, about 80 km to the southeast from the city of Bijapur.

(4) Tamralipti / Tamluk

• Tamralipta or Tamralipti was the name of an ancient city on the Bay of Bengal believed to be on the site of Tamluk in midnapore district.Tamralipti was the exit point of the Mauryan trade route for the south and south-east.
• Excavations at Moghalmari confirmed the presence of Buddhist vihars in the area which was mentioned by Chinese travelers Fa Hien and Xuanzang.It was linked by roads with the major towns of that time, i.e. Rajagriha, Shravasti, Pataliputra, Varanasi, Champa, Kaushambi and Taxila.

(5) Taradih (Location same as Bodhgaya in Part B,G)

• Taradih is the mound on which the Mahabodhi Temple stands.

(6) Tarain / Taraori

• The Battles of Tarain/Taraori, were fought in 1191 and 1192 near the town of Tarain (Taraori), near Thanesar in present-day Haryana, approximately 150 kilometres north of Delhi between a Ghurid force led by Mu'izz al-Din and a Chauhan Rajput army led by Prithviraj Chauhan.Ghurid win in second battle was decisive.

(7) Taxila

• Taxila is a site in Rawalpindi district in Pakistan, just off the famous Grand Trunk Road.
• Ancient Taxila was situated at the pivotal junction of South Asia, western Asia and Central Asia(3 major trade routes). Some of the earliest ruins in this area date to the time of the Achaemenid or Persian empire in 6th century BC.
• Owing to its strategic location, Taxila has changed hands many times over the centuries, with many empires vying for its control. When the great ancient trade routes connecting these regions ceased to be important, the city sank into insignificance and was finally destroyed by the nomadic Huns in the 5th century CE.
• Taxila was considered to be amongst the earliest universities in the world.Others do not consider it a university in the modern sense, in that the teachers living there may not have had official membership of particular colleges, and there did not seem to have existed purpose-built lecture halls and residential quarters in Takshashila, in contrast to the later Nalanda university in eastern India.
• The city may have grown significantly during the Persian empire of 6th century BC. In 516 BC, Darius embarked on a campaign to Central Asia, Aria and Bactria and then marched into Afghanistan to Taxila Satrapy.Taxila was an important city during Alexander's campaign in ancient India.
• Taxila is also described in Buddhist Jātaka tales, written in Sri Lanka around the 5th century.The Jataka literature mentions it as the capital of the kingdom of Gandhara and as a great centre of learning. The Chinese monk Faxian (in 405 CE) and Hieun Tsang(in 630 and in 643), another Chinese monk, visited Taxila The city appears to have already overrun by the Huns during Huen Tsang and been in ruins by his time. Taxila is called Taxiala in Ptolemy’s Geography.
• The northern road — the later Grand Trunk Road — the royal road which connected Gandhara in the west to the kingdom of Magadha and its capital Pāṭaliputra in eastern India. This trade route was described by the Greek writer Megasthenes as the “Royal Highway”.
• The north-western route through Bactria, Kapisa, and Puṣkalavati. This route connected Taxila with the western Asia.
• The Indus route from Kashmir and Central Asia, via Srinagara, Mansehra, and the Haripur valley across the Khunjerab Pass to the Silk Road in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south. The Khunjerab passes between Kashmir and Xinjiang—the current Karakoram highway—and was traversed in antiquity.
• Pottery shards were found in this area. Pottery dated c. 900 BCE shows ties between Taxila and Charsadda (ancient Pushkalavati), also in the kingdom of Gandhara.
• Taxila, as the capital of Gandhara satrapy, was evidently under Achaemenian rule(Under Darius) for more than a century.
• 326 BCE – Alexander the Great receives submission of ruler of Taxila, Ambhi.Greek historians accompanying Alexander described Taxila as “wealthy, prosperous, and well governed.”
• 321–317 BCE - Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan empire, makes himself master of northern and north-western India, including Panjab. Chandragupta Maurya's advisor Kautilya (also known as Chanakya) was a teacher at Taksasila. Under Chandragupta, Taxila became a provincial capital.
• During the reign of Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka, Taksasila became a great Buddhist centre of learning. Nonetheless. Ashoka encouraged trade by building roads, most notably a highway of more than 1,600 kilometers linking his capital Pataliputra with Taxila.
• 2nd century BCE - After three generations of Maurya rule, Taxila was annexed by the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria. Indo-Greeks build new capital, Sirkap, on the opposite bank of the river from Taksasila.During lulls in Greek rule, the city managed profitably on its own, to independently control several local trade guilds, who also minted most of the city's autonomous coinage.
• 90 BCE – The Indo-Scythian (Sakas) chief Maues overthrows the last Greek king of Taksasila.
• 20 BCE – Gondophares, founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom, conquers Taksasila and makes it his capital.46 AD – According to early Christian legend, Thomas the Apostle visits king Gondophares IV.
• 76 – The date of and inscription found at Taxila of Kushana. Taxila was taken from the Parthians by the Kushans under Kujula Kadphises. The great Kushan ruler Kanishka later founded "Sirsukh", the third city on the site.
• 460–470 CE – The Hephthalites (the Huns) sweep over Gandhara and Punjab; and cause wholesale destruction of the Buddhist monasteries and stupas at Taksasila, which never again recovers.

Ancient centre of learning:

• Takshashila became a noted centre of learning (including the religious teachings of Hinduism) ,and continued to attract students from around the old world until the destruction of the city in the 5th century. At its height, it has been suggested that Takshashila exerted a sort of "intellectual suzerainty" over other centres of learning in India.,and its primary concern was with higher education.Generally, a student entered Takshashila at the age of sixteen. The Vedas, the ancient and the most revered Hindu scriptures, and the Eighteen Silpas or Arts, which included skills such as archery, hunting, and elephant lore, were taught, in addition to its law school, medical school, and school of military science.
• Students came to Takshashila from far-off places such as Kashi, Kosala and Magadha.

Famous students and teachers:

• Takshashila had great influence on the Hindu culture and Sanskrit language. It is perhaps best known because of its association with Chanakya, who composed Arthasastra and guided Chandragupta Maurya and assisted in the founding of the Mauryan empire.
• The Ayurvedic healer Charaka also studied at Taxila.He also started teaching at Taxila in the later period.
• The ancient grammarian Panini, who codified the rules that would define Classical Sanskrit, has also been part of the community at Takshashila.
• The institution is very significant in Buddhist tradition since it is believed that the Mahāyāna branch of Buddhism took shape there. 
• Jivaka, the court physician of the Magadha emperor Bimbisara who once cured the Buddha, and the enlightened ruler of Kosala, Prasenajit, are some important personalities mentioned in Pali texts who studied at Takshashila.

Nature of education:

• No external authorities like kings or local leaders subjected the scholastic activities at Takshashila to their control. Each teacher formed his own institution, enjoying complete autonomy in work.Study terminated when the teacher was satisfied with the student's level of achievement. In general, specialisation in a subject took around eight years, though this could be lengthened or shortened in accordance with the intellectual abilities and dedication of the student in question. In most cases the "schools" were located within the teachers' private houses.
• Knowledge was considered too sacred to be bartered for money, and hence any stipulation that fees ought to be paid was vigorously condemned. Financial support came from the society at large, as well as from rich merchants and wealthy parents. Teachers did not deny education even if the student was poor; free boarding and lodging was provided, and students had to do manual work in the household. 
• Examinations were treated as superfluous, and not considered part of the requirements to complete one's studies. The process of teaching was critical and thorough- unless one unit was mastered completely, the student was not allowed to proceed to the next. No written "degrees" were awarded, since it was believed that knowledge was its own reward. Using knowledge for earning a living or for any selfish end was considered sacrilegious.
• Students arriving at Takshashila usually had completed their primary education at home (until the age of eight), and their secondary education in the Ashrams (between the ages of eight and twelve), and therefore came to Takshashila chiefly to reach the ends of knowledge in specific disciplines.[63]

Sarai Kala:

• This is an archaeological site 3 km southwest of Taxila that has the earliest occupation, and preserves Neolithic remains going back to 3360 BC. It also has Early Harappan remains of 2900-2600 BC. A later settlement in this area has parallels with Hathial in the Taxila area.

Other sites:

• The ruins of Taxila contain buildings and Buddhist stupas located over a large area. The main ruins of Taxila are divided into three major cities, each belonging to a distinct time period.
• The oldest of these is the Hathial area, which yielded surface shards similar to Red Burnished Ware (or soapy red ware) recovered from early phases at Charsadda—these may date from as early as the late 2nd millennium BCE to the 6th century BCE. Bhir Mound dates from the 6th century BCE and has Northern Black Polished Ware.
• The second city of Taxila is located at Sirkap and was built by Greco-Bactrian kings in the 2nd century BCE.

• 

Stupa base at Sirkap, decorated with Hindu, Buddhist and Greek temple fronts.

• The third and last city of Taxila is at Sirsukh and relates to the Kushan rulers.



Ancient Dharmarajika stupa, Taxila

• In addition to the ruins of the city, a number of buddhist monasteries and stupas also belong to the Taxila area. Some of the important ruins of this category include the ruins of the stupa at Dharmarajika, the monastery at Jaulian, the monastery at Mohra  in addition to a number of stupas.

(8) Tekkalakota / Tekkalakote

• Neolithic site in Bellary district, Karnataka.
• Tekkalakote is famous for the ancient square shaped fort and Tekkalakote hill is one of the pre-historic sites in India
• Circcular huts, small cemetary and evidence of early cattle and plant domestication, dated 1500 BC.

(9) Tenkasi

• The translation of 'Tenkasi' means 'Kasi of the south' referring to the Kasiviswanathar temple. 
• Tenkasi, in ancient time, was founded by Pandya kings who were the rulers of South Tamil Nadu at that time. In the 17th century their power declined and they got confined to smaller areas down south.
• Tenkasi is one of the last bastions of the great kingdom and it even served as the capital city under the reign of king Parakrama Pandya one of the later Pandya kings.Under his rule the Kashi Vishwanathar Temple is built.There are inscriptions in the temple speaking about the glorious days of the Pandya regime.

(10) Ter / Tagara

• Ter, ancient Tagara, today a neglected villaged in the Osmanbad district was an international marketing centre as early as the 1st century A.D. Of great value is the famous ivory figure of Shree Laxmi. It was important emporium of trade during Saka- Satvahana period and lay on the route which carrie commodities ffrom eastern Deccan to Broach via Paithan and Nasik. The urban charter of the place is indicated by the discovery of coin- moulds, coins of sakas and satvahanas, bangle of shells and glass etc. Ivory figurines of female is found. A large brick stupa and an apsidal brick structure with a stupa inside- both dated to the 2nd century AD.
• Tagara was both commercial and religious centre.

(11) Thajiwor (Near Burzahom)

• Burzahom is located 16 km northeast of Srinagar.The Megalithic menhirs here are situated on a karewa mound where some bone and stone tools was found. Subsequent exploration by the ASI has brought to light about a dozen similar sites such as Begagund, Brah, Gofkral, Hariparigom, Jayadevi-udar, Olichibag, Pampur, Panzogom, Sombur, Thajiwor and Waztal, all located on karewas especially in the south – east parts of the Kashmir valley.

(12) Thanesar / Thaneswar

• Thanesar is an historic town and an important Hindu pilgrimage centre on the banks of the Sarsawati Ghaggar river ,located in Kurukshetra District, 160 km northwest of Delhi. Prabhakaravardhana (606 CE), father of Harshavardhana, was the ruler of Thanesar and the first king of the Vardhana dynasty with his capital at Sthanishvara, present day Thanesar.
• Harsha Vardhan conquered much of North India and evenetually made Kannauj his capital, and ruled till 647 CE. His biography Harshcharita (“Deeds of Harsha”) written by Sanskrit poet Banabhatta, describes his association with Thanesar, besides mentioning the defence wall, a moat and the palace with a two-storied Dhavalagriha (white mansion).
• The town was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1011.
• The present town of Thanesar is located on an ancient mound, known as "Harsh ka Tila", west of Sheikh Chilli's Tomb complex in Thanesar. It has ruins of structures built during the reign of Harsha. Amongst the archaeological finds from the mound include Painted Grey Ware shreds in the pre-Kushana levels and Red Polished Ware from post Gupta period.



Harsha Ka Tila

(13) Thatta

• Thatta may be the site of ancient Patala , the main port on the Indus in the time of Alexander the Great. The geographer Strabo (64 BC–24 AD) recorded it.
• The city, formerly commanding the delta of the Indus, was the capital of Lower Sindh from the 14th century onwards. The city was destroyed by Mirza Jani Beg in the 16th century. 
• During the ruling period of the Samma dynasty, Thatta was the capital of Sindh for 95 years. Between 1592–1739, it was governed in the name of the Mughal emperors of Delhi. In 1739 however, following the Battle of Karnal, the province was ceded to Nadir Shah of Persia, after which Thatta fell into neglect as the Indus river started to silt up.

(15) Thikse Gompa

• Thiksay Gompa or Thiksay Monastery is a gompa (monastery) affiliated with the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located on top of a hill approximately 19 kilometres east of Leh in Ladakh. 
• It is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet and is the largest gompa in central Ladakh, notably containing a separate set of buildings for female renunciates.
• The monastery is a twelve-story complex and houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords.

(16) Thiruvananthapuram

• Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient region with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE.It is believed that the ships of King Solomon landed in a port called Ophir(now Poovar) in Thiruvananthapuram in 1036 BCE.The city was the trading post of spices, sandalwood and ivory.However, the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. In the 10th century, the city was taken over by the rulers of Venad.
• The rise of modern Thiruvananthapuram began with accession of Marthanda Varma in 1729 as the founding ruler of the princely state of Travancore (Thiruvithamkoor in the local vernacular). Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital of Travancore in 1745 after shifting the capital from Padmanabhapuram in Kanyakumari district. The city developed into a major intellectual and artistic centre during this period. The golden age in the city's history was during the mid 19th century under the reign of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal.

(17) Thiruvarur

• Thiruvarur was one of the five traditional capitals of the Chola empire and the history of town revolves around the Thygarajaswamy temple. 

• Thiruvarur is mentioned in the saiva canonical work, Tevaram by Thirugnana Sambanthar, Tirunavukkarasar and Sundarar, the foremost Saivite saints of 7th–8th century CE and classified as Padal petra stalam. (275 temples that are revered in the verses of Saiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE and are amongst the greatest Shiva temples of the continent).
• The granite structure of the temple was first constructed by Aditya Chola I (871–907 CE) in the 9th century CE and revamped during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I (985–1014 CE). The temple has inscriptions from both the emperors, later Cholas and Pandyas. The temple is believed to be an inspiration for Rajaraja Chola to build the Brihadeeswarar Temple.
• After the fall of Cholas during the reign of Rajendra Chola II in the 13th century CE, the town was caught under a power struggle between Pandyas and Hoysalas. The royal patronage continued and the town flourished as a cultural centre during the rule of the Nayaks, Vijayanagar kings and Marathas. 
• During the period of Marathas, the town became a temporary home to the Nataraja of Chidambaram temple.The town was briefly captured by French troops lead by Lally (1702–66 CE) in 1759 CE.

(18) Timargarha

• Timergara is the district headquarters of Lower Dir District in Pakistan. Timergara City is located on the east bank of the Panjkora River.
• The town is the site of excavated graves of Aryans, dating from 1500 to 600 BC. 
• On the west side of the Panjkora River is the excavated site of Balambat. The site has been occupied continuously since the time of the Aryans in 1500 BC. Discoveries included houses dating from 500 BC and fire altars, showing that the people were fire worshippers.

(19) Timmelwada

• In Chattisgarh, megalithic ruin has been found and top portion of ruin had been made of Menhir, bolder and a circle which made by stone. People made stone pillars in remembrance of dead person.

(20) Tirunelveli

• The city is located on the west bank of the Thamirabarani River; its twin city, Palayamkottai, is on the east bank.
• Tirunelveli has been ruled by the Early Pandyas, the Medieval and Later Cholas, the later Pandyas, the Ma'bar and Tirunelveli sultanates, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, the Carnatic kingdom and the British. 
• The Polygar War, involving Palaiyakkarars led by Veerapandiya Kattabomman and forces of the British East India Company, was waged on the city's outskirts from 1797 to 1801. 
• Tirunelveli has a number of historical monuments, the Nellaiappar Temple of Shiva being the most prominent.

(21) Tirupati 

• Tirupati is a major pilgrimage and cultural city in the Chittoor district of AP.Tirupati is famous for Tirumala Venkateswara Swamy temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, located about 20 kilometres north west of Tirupati in the Tirumala hills. 
• The temple of Lord Venkateshwara was maintained and upgraded by various kingdoms like Pallava around 9th Century AD, Chola around 10th century AD and the latest one being Vijayanagara Empire around 14th to 15th century AD. It was during the rule of Vijayanagara Empire that the temple received increased contributions.
  
• The site was an established center of Vaishnavism around 5th century A.D. during which it was praised by Alvars (Vaishnavasaints). The temple rites were formalized by the Vaishnavite saint Ramanujacharya himself, in the 11th century AD. Tirupati survived the Muslim and British invasions.

(22) Tilwara

• The village is famous for Mallinath Fair held in March/April every year. Also called Tilwara cattle fair it lasts for two weeks.
• Tilwara is also an archeological site from where evidence for the Mesolithic culture have been excavated.

(23) Tiruvannamalai / Trinomali / Trinomalee

• Tiruvannamalai is named after the central deity of the Annamalaiyar Temple, Annamalaiyar. The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated during the day of the full moon between November and December, and a huge beacon is lit atop the Annamalai hill. On the day preceding each full moon, pilgrims circumnavigate the temple base and the Annamalai hills in a worship called Girivalam.
• Located on the foothills of Annamalai hills, Tiruvannamalai has been ruled by the Pallavas, the Medieval Cholas, the Later Cholas,Hoysalas, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Carnatic kingdom, Tipu Sultan, and the British. It served as the capital city of the Hoysalas. 
• The town is built around the Annamalaiyar Temple like other Nayak capitals.



View of Tiruvannamalai with Annamalaiyar temple towers in the centre and hills in the background.
(View over Arunchaleshvara Temple from the Red Mountain - Tiruvannamalai )

(24) Tigawa

• Tigawa (or Tigowa) is a village in Madhya Pradesh with a complex of temple remains, near Bahuriband, Jabalpur. The well known Gupta period known as Kankali Devi temple is well preserved.
• The Kankali Devi Temple, also called Tigawa temple, has a sanctum and an open portico supported on four pillars. The portico was covered with walls containing panels during a later period. It is covered with a flat roof.It is very similar to the Gupta period temple at Sanchi.
• An image of Narasimha is placed inside the sanctum. The portico has an image of the Sheshashai Vishnu (Narayana) and another one of Chamunda (Kankali Devi). Attached to the temple is a large unusual Buddha-like or Tirthankar-like image with snakes above the head.
• An eighth-century CE inscription mentions the visit of a Umadeva of Kanyakubja.There are also two inscriptions in Sankha Lipi

(25) Tirhut

(26) Topra (See Yamunanagar in Part Y)

(27) Tosali / Dhauli (Near Bhubaneswar)

• Dhauli hills are located on the banks of the river Daya, 8 km south of Bhubaneswar in Odisha (India). It is a hill with vast open space adjoining it, and has major Edicts of Ashoka engraved on a mass of rock. The site has been identified with Tosali which is mentioned by Ptolemy as a metropolis. It was situated near the sacred pool of Kosala-Ganga and thus developed into a religious centre as well. The identification of Dhauli with Tosali is most convincing and is borne out by the text of the 1st Separate Edict which is addressed to the mahamattas of Tosali. It seems reasonable that the edicts would be as near the city as possible if not actually within it.

(28) Tranquebar / Tharangambadi

• Tharangambadi (formerly Tranquebar) is in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, 15 km north of Karaikal, near the mouth of a distributary of the Kaveri River.
• Masilamani nathar (Shiva) temple was built in 1306. As of now, this temple is the oldest monument. Until 1620, when Danish people came, the place was under Thanjavur Nayak kingdom. 
• It was a Danish colony from 1620 to 1845. Tranquebar came under the control of the British in February 1808, during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, but was restored to Denmark following the Treaty of Kiel in 1814. Along with the other Danish settlements in India (Serampore and the Nicobars), it was sold to the British in 1845.Tranquebar was then still a busy port, but it later lost its importance after a railway was opened to Nagapattinam.

(29) Trichinopoly / Tiruchirapalli /Trichy / Tiruchi

• Tiruchirappalli's recorded history begins in the 3rd century BC, when it was under the rule of the Cholas. The city has also been ruled by the Pandyas, Pallavas, Vijayanagar Empire, Nayak Dynasty, the Carnatic state and the British. 
• The most prominent historical monuments in Tiruchirappalli include the Rockfort, the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam and the Jambukeswarar temple at Thiruvanaikaval.
• The city played a critical role in the Carnatic Wars (1746–1763) between the British and the French East India companies.
• Uraiyur, capital of the Early Cholas, is now a suburb of Tiruchirappalli. 
• Jambukeshwar Temple or Thiruvanaikaval (also Thiruvanaikal, Jambekeswaram) is a famous Shiva temple in Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple was built by Kochenga Chola, one of the Early Cholas, around 1,800 years ago. It is located in the Srirangam island, which has the famous Ranganathaswamy temple.Thiruvanaikal is one of the five major Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu (Panchabhoota Sthalams) representing the Mahabhuta or five great elements; this temple represents the element of water, or neer in Tamil. The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground water stream and in spite of pumping water out, it is always filled with water. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where all the four most revered Nayanars (Saivite Saints) have sung glories of the deity in this temple. The temple has inscriptions from the Chola period.
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• The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple or Thiruvarangam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Hindu deity, Vishnu located in Srirangam. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, this temple is glorified in the Thiviya Pirabandham, the early medieval Tamil literature canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th to 9th centuries AD. 

(30) Tuticorin / Thoothukudi / Thiru mandira Nagar

• Tuticorin is "Sea Gateway of Tamil Nadu" and known for its pearl fishing and shipbuilding industries.
• It is one of the oldest seaports in the world and was the seaport of the Pandyan kingdom after Korkai, near Palaya kayal. It was later taken over by the Portuguese in 1548, captured by the Dutch in 1658, and ceded to the British in 1825. The lighthouse built in 1842 marked the beginning of the history of harbour development in the city. Being a port town, the town received attention from the rulers for improving their trade, and so it was brought to Municipal status in 1866.
• The minor port of the Thoothukudi anchorage port with lighter age facilities has had flourished traffic for over a century. The first wooden Jetty of this port was commissioned in 1864. This port was being used for export of salt, cotton yarn, senna leaves, palmyrah stalks, palmyrah fibres, dry, dry fish, Country drugs etc. to neighboring countries and for import of coal, cotton, copra, pulses and grains.