188 B. B. BranfiU — Physlographlcul Notes on Tanjore, Sfc. [No. 4, 



soons, and a strong current sets constantly the same way as the wind ; at 

 other times the current varies with the tide, and one would suppose that no 

 sand-banks could withstand the violence of the wash over them at every 

 change of tide. Still the islets and sand-banks do remain as a whole, albeit 

 probably in a state of frequent change individually. But the growth of 

 coral is active here, and new islets are said to be forming where there were 

 none, and old ones increasing. 



The blown sand too, seems to have some effective element of conglo- 

 meration in it, by which sand-stone is forming constantly. If, however, the 

 available waterway is curtailed by new islets and sand-banks, it would 

 appear likely, that the passage between them must probably become deeper 

 by the increased violence of the water that has to pass. It seems therefore 

 likely, that the land may gain superficially on the sea in Palk's Straits, but 

 equally so that some of the channels may remain as deep as hitherto, or 

 possibly become even deeper for an indefinite time to come. 



Tan j ore appears to have been occupied from very early times by 

 Tamil people, over whom the Cholan or Sdran dynasty held sway for 

 many centuries prior to the 16th century, and their country was known 

 as the " Chdramandalam" (whence Coromandel). 



The Cholan capital was at different times at Kanchipuram (Conjeve- 

 ram) ; at U'raiyur, near Trichinopoly ; at Tanjore ; at Kumbakdnam and 

 other places. 



The Telugu Nayaks succeeded the Cholan kingdom and ruled in Tan- 

 jore for more than a century up to 1675, when the Mahratta princes super- 

 seded them, and ruled till they were superseded by the British Government. 



The Chdlan rulers seem to have done most good for the country 

 by elaborating the extensive system of irrigation, to which the present 

 Government has added little but restorative, conservative and regulating 

 works of the greatest value no doubt, but no fresh channels have been 

 made. They also built many of the great Hindu Temples, of which there 

 are no less than 3,000 in Tanjore, and their endowments still remain, but 

 the management of many of these is in a deplorable state of neglect, and 

 the temples fast going to ruin. Witness Tirupalturai, Gangaikandapuram, 

 Mannargudi and others. 



The Nayakan rulers also have left their mark on the country in the 

 numerous Mandapams (open temple halls), Chattrams, (native alms, and 

 rest-houses) and many other buildings, showing their peculiar Indo-Moorish 

 style of architecture, having vaulted roofs and pointed arches, the best 

 specimen of which that I have seen is the palace of Tirumala Nayak at 

 Madura, built about 1650. 



A very noticeable fact in the Tanjore delta is the comparative 

 scarcity of forts and fortified towns. The inhabitants appear to me to be 



