Sangeetha Mahal or the Hall of Music in Thanjavur is one of the most visited places of the city, after Breedheshwra Temple. It is one of the must visit places for all tourists visiting Thanjavur. It was the center of cultural entertainment for the Nayak rulers. Sangeetha Mahal means The Hall of Music and it was literally used as per the name by Nayak kings.Sangeetha Mahal, situated within the Thanjavur Palace. Sevappa Nayak, the Nayak King is credited to built the Mahal in the 1600s. Initially, Sangeetha Mahal was known as ‘Navaratnamanamaina Nataka Sala’ (the Theatre adorned with gems) because it was decorated with very precious gems. This theatre was later renamed as ‘Sangeetha Mahal’ by Marathas when they started to rule the city.
Sangeetha Mahal is sheer brilliant example of royal architecture and marvelous acoustic properties. It is a rectangular shaped hall with exotic chandeliers decorating the roofs. The hall is sheer architectural brilliance because it is built in such a way that there is a balanced absorption and deflection of sound waves and the sound reaches clearly to even the last row of the hall. The hall is also devoid of excess amplification. The magic of properly deflected sound waves comes from the water-pool in front of the stage as well as the decorations and perforations that are present in the walls and roofs of the hall.
