TANJORE, an extensive, populous, and well-cultivated district of the south of India, in the Carnatic, situated in the Bay of Bengal, between the 10th and 12th degrees of north latitude, and intersected by the river Cauvery. It is bounded on the north by the Cauvery river, on the south and east by the Indian Ocean, and on the west by Trichinopoly and the Polygars’ territory. It is ninety-five miles in length by fifty in breadth. The inhabitants of this district are remarkably industrious and expert in husbandry, and they have erected extensive works for the irrigation of the country. The most prodigious mounds have been raised at Costady, to prevent the waters of the Cauvery from rejoining those of the Coleroon, after they have been separated near Trichinopoly; and by numerous canals they are diverted, by means of embankments and reservoire, into every field, and fertilize a tract of country from Devicota[7:21:74] to Point Calymere, which without water would have remained a barren sand. The principal exports from this country to Madras are indigo, cocoa-nuts, rice, grain, paddy, lamp-oil, with some piece goods; also betel-nut, tin, pepper, tortoise-shell, benjamin, arrack, &c. The imports from Madras are small in quantity and value, and chiefly consist of articles for the European troops and residents. The seaports of chief resort are Tranquebar, Nagore, Negapatam, Carical, and Devicota. This territory never having been actually occupied by the Mahommedans, the Hindu religion in all its original forms and ancient splendour, the ancient places of worship, with their vast endowments, remain untouched. The Brahmins are the chief proprietors of the land, and perform almost every office of husbandry except holding the plough. They are all well affected to the British government, and grateful for the protection which they receive, and also for an allowance granted by government of 45,000 pagodas for the support of the poorer temples.

It was in the province of Tanjore that the British were first engaged in warfare with the native troops, and they did not succeed in their object, which was to restore the deposed rajah of Tanjore, who had applied for assistance to the governor of Fort St David. In 1799 the territory of Tanjore was subjected to the British authority, a large pension being reserved for the maintenance of the rajah, besides one fifth of the surplus revenues after payment of the civil and military expenses; and, as a particular favour, he retains the possession of the two forts of Tanjore, which he keeps in excellent repair, and which are garrisoned with 1500 troops. The province now forms one of the districts under the Madras presidency.

Tanjore, a celebrated town and fortress, and capital of the above-mentioned district. The city comprehends two fortresses, which are given up to the rajah; but on the exigency of a war, the British have a right by treaty to reoccupy them. The small fort is a mile in circumference, very strong and in good repair. It has lofty walls, and on the corners of the ramparts are cavaliers. There is also a ditch, broad and deep, cut out of the solid rock, with a well-formed glacis. The small is joined to the large fort, where the rajah resides, which is fortified in a similar manner, and, beside the palace, contains other public buildings. The smaller fort contains the celebrated pagoda, the chief building of which is one of the finest specimens of the pyramidical temple in Hindustan. Within is a bull carved from a block of black granite, an excellent specimen of Hindu sculpture. It also contains a college, formerly a celebrated place of Hindu learning. The fortress, which may be considered as the citadel, is extremely strong, and successfully resisted the arms of both the French and the British, but was taken by the latter in the year 1773. Long. 79. 11. E. Lat. 10. 42. N.