During the 16th century, Thanjavur was ruled by the Nayaks. However, the Thanjavur dolls were already being handcrafted by artisans even before their reign.
The famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton proposed his law of gravity only in 1665–1666. Therefore, it is believed that the Tamil people had understood the concept of gravity much earlier, as evidenced by the creation of the Thanjavur head-nodding dolls. This idea is mentioned by Sri Sanjay Gandhi in his book titled “Geographical Indication: The Thanjavur Doll.”
Thanjavur, renowned for its architecture, sculpture, painting, dance, and theatre, saw these dolls take a refined form in the 19th century. During the reign of King Serfoji Maharaja, the artisans who crafted these dolls were held in high esteem and honored for their artistic contributions.