After Big Temple and Thanjavur Paintings, Thanjavur is famous for its traditional toy called “TanjavurThalaiyattiBommai” in Tamil language, which means “Thanjavur Head-Shaking Doll”. The heads & the body of these dolls shake when disturbed and are detachable. The lower part of the body is bigger and heavier than the heads. As they nod their head & body with breeze, it is a delight to watch them move.

“ThanjavurGundusattiBommai” i.e. ThanjavurRoundpot Rocking Doll is another type of Thanjavur Doll. These are basically a pair of a king and a queen symbolic of the many dynasties that homed Thanjavur.

These traditional Indian bobble-headed or roly-poly toys are made of terracotta or paper & clay or even wood. These toys are handmade and painted over with bright colors. This art dwelled in Thanjavur in the early nineteenth century during King Saraboji’s reign. Since then these toys are found only in Thanjavur. Any visitor entering the city won’t leave without buying this toy. It is a souvenir to take home from the city. ThanjavurThalaiyattiBommai is generally a pair of king and queen, and in their doll-like semblance symbolize the many dynasties Thanjavur had been home to. These enigmatic, handcrafted dolls have a cordial and welcoming aura, which can be attributed to the dancing style in which they seem to greet everyone, mainly by shaking their heads, their most striking feature, and moving their body in a continuous, oscillating movement.