Pudukkottai is called as city of cradle of archeology. Being the district headquarters, Pudukkottai has district administrative offices, besides government educational institutes, colleges, and schools. Pudukkottai is a part of the Pudukkottai constituency and elects its member to the legislative assembly every five years; and is a part of the Lok Sabha constituency comprising Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli and Karur. The city is administered by a selection-grade municipality established in 1912 as per the Municipal Corporation Act. Pudukkottai covers an area of 21.25km2 (8.20sqmi) and had a population of 117,745 in 2011. Roadways are the major mode of transport to the city, while it has also got rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, located at a distance of 45km (28 miles) from the city.
The princely state of Pudukottai was created by Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman. Raghunatha Thondaiman earlier had ruled Thirumayam. In appreciation of Ragunatha Thondaiman's services, Ragunatha Kilavan Setupati gave Pudukkottai as an honor for his services. In later centuries, the Thondaiman rulers, while nominally feudatories of the Ramnad state, often pursued an independent foreign policy, a trend common in all parts of India at that time. After the death of Ragunatha Kilavan Setupati Ragunatha Thondaiman become ruler of Pudukottai.[5]
After becoming the ruler of Pudukottai, Thonddaiman fought against the Nayaks of Thanjavur in support of the Nayaks of Madurai and conquered Thirukattupalli, a very important place. Then there was a direct clash between the Thondaimans of Pudukottai and the Nayaks, rulers of Tanjore.[6] Thondaiman conquered the west of Thirukkattupalli. The next ruler, Raja Vijaya Reghunatha Raya Thondaiman, helped the Arcot Nawab against Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore. He was also loyal to the British Government. After some time, when Hyder Ali's army tried to enter Pudukkottai, Thondaiman's army defeated them and drove Hyder's army away. Thondaiman captured Kilanilai and Aranthangi. He helped the British government against Tipu Sultan.
Pudukkotai finally came under formal British protection. This was arguably unavoidable since the Thondaimans were much menaced in that period by a resurgent Mysore, ruled by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. When Tipu Sultan sought to leverage the power of the French against his British adversaries, Pudukkotai, in common with its neighbors, such as Thanjavur and Travancore, found it expedient to ally with the British.[7]
Raja Rajagopala Thondaiman (1928–1948), the last and ninth in the line of Thondaiman rulers, was selected by the British Government and was crowned when he was six years old. After Indian independence in 1947, the Pudukkottai Princely State was amalgamated with the Indian Union on 3 April 1948 and became a division in Tiruchirappalli District. The long history of the Thondaimans' rule came to an end.
Thondaiman King in his Durbar, Pudukkottai, 1858.Revenue stamp issued by the princely state of Pudukkottai with a portrait of Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman
Pudukkottai became a princely state of British India under the political authority of Madras Presidency. The state had an area of 4663 Sq.miles and in 1901, a population of 380,000. The Rajas of Pudukkotai were entitled to a 17-gun salute. The last Thondaiman raja of Pudukkottai acceded to newly-independent India in 1948, and the state became a division of the Trichinopoly District of Madras State. The state was reorganized twice in the succeeding decade, taking its present form in 1956; it was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968. On 14 January 1974, the present Pudukkottai District was formed from parts of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts.[8]
Geography
Pudukkottai City is located at 10°23′N78°49′E / 10.38°N 78.82°E / 10.38; 78.82 in the valley of the Vellar River. The city has a semi-arid climate with high temperatures throughout the year and relatively low rainfall. Pudukkottai has a plain terrain with a few rocky hills in the outskirts. Urugumalai, Athimalai, Chennaimalai are the hills that surround the city. The rivers that flow in Pudukkottai are Amaravathy, Noyal, Bhavani, and Kaveri. There are no notable mineral resources available in and around the district. Red loam and red sand are the types of soil found in the town. Paddy, groundnuts, bananas and sugarcane are the major crops in the region. Pudukkottai experiences hot and dry weather throughout the year. The temperature ranges from a maximum of 39.7°C (103.5°F) to a minimum of 17.8°C (64.0°F). Like the rest of the state, April to June are the hottest months, and December to January are the coldest. Pudukkottai receives an average rainfall of 978.8mm (38.54in). The Southwest monsoon, starting in June and lasting up to August, brings scanty rainfall. A bulk of the rainfall is received during the North-East monsoon in the months of October, November and December.[9] The municipality covers an area of 21.25km2 (21,250,000m2).[10][11][12]
According to 2011 census, Pudukkottai had a population of 117745 with a sex-ratio of 1,003 females for every 1,000 males.[15] A total of 960 were under the age of six. The town enjoys a high literacy rate of 91.35% as of 2011 census.[15][14] As of 2001, 20 slums were identified in the town and approximately 37,740 people resided in the slums. The population of the town decreased during the 1991–2001 period is attributed to the migration to other cities in search of employment and lesser job opportunities in the town.[13] The city covers an area of 21.25 square kilometres (8.20sqmi).
As per the religious census of 2011, Hinduism is the majority religion in Pudukkottai city with 79.40% followers. Islam is the second most popular religion in the city of Pudukkottai with approximately 15.14% following it. In Pudukkottai city, Christianity is followed by 4.89%, Jainism by 0.00%, Sikhism by 0.02%, and Buddhism by 0.02%. Around 0.04% stated 'Other Religion', approximately 0.50% stated 'No Particular Religion'.
The Thondaiman king, Vijaya Raghunatha rebuilt the town based on the principles of town planning so that the main streets were laid intersecting at right angles with the palace at the center.[11] Out of the total area, 80.85% of the land is marked developed and 19.15% of the city remains undeveloped. Residential areas makeup 60.1% of the town's total area while commercial enterprises and industrial units make up 4.43% and 1.47% respectively.[16] The population density is not uniform throughout the town. It is high in the center and lowers in peripheral areas such as Sivagandapuram, Ganesh Nagar, and the Tamil Nadu Housing Area. The density ranges from 200 to 300 persons per hectare in the central part of the town and 16 - 55 persons per hectare (PPH) in the peripheral areas with low-density Hindus form the majority of the urban population, followed by Muslims and Christians. Tamil is the main language spoken in the city, but the use of English is relatively common; English is the medium of instruction in most educational institutions and offices in the service sector.[13]
Pudukottai Municipal Corporation is the headquarters of the Pudukkottai district. The city was constituted as a third-grade municipality in 1912, promoted to first-grade during 1963 and selection-grade from 1998. The Pudukkottai municipality has 42 wards and there is an elected councillor for each of those wards.[22] The functions of the municipality are devolved into six departments: general administration/personnel, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, city planning and Information Technology (IT). All these departments are under the control of a Municipal Commissioner who is the executive head.[23] The legislative powers are vested in a body of 42 members, one each from the 42 wards.[24] The legislative body is headed by an elected chairperson assisted by a deputy chairperson.[25]
Pudukkottai is a part of the Pudukottai and it elects a member to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once every five years.[26] From the 1977 elections, All India Anna Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won the assembly seat three times (in 2001 and 2006 elections), four times by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK, 1989, 1996, 2016 and 2021), four times by Indian National Congress (INC) (1977, 1984 and 1991 elections). The current MLA of Pudukottai constituency is Dr.Muthuraja from DMK party.[27][28][29]
Pudukottai is a part of the Pudukkottai (Lok Sabha constituency) till the 2004 elections before delimitation in 2009 – it had the following six assembly constituencies– Peravurani, Pudukkottai, Alangudi and Arantangi state assembly constituencies.[30] From the 2009 elections, the town is part of Tiruchirappalli constituency and the current Member of Parliament is Su. Thirunavukkarasar from the Indian National Congress. From 1951, the erstwhile Pudukottai parliament seat was held by the Indian National Congress for six times (during 1957, 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991 and 1999 elections), Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam three times (during the 1971, 1996 and 2004 elections) and once each by KMPP (during 1951 elections), CPI (during 1962 elections), CPM (during 1967 elections) and AIADMK (during 1998 elections).[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] The current Member of Parliament from the constituency is Su. Thirunavukkarasar from Indian National Congress.[44]
Law and order in the city are maintained by the Pudukottai subdivision of the Tamil Nadu Police headed by a Deputy Superintendent. There are four police stations in the town, with one of them being an all-women police station. There are special units like prohibition enforcement, district crime, social justice, and human rights, district crime records and the special branch that operate at the district level police division headed by a Superintendent of Police.[45]
The Pudukottai Municipal Corporation maintains 122.84km (76.33mi) of roads. The city has 4.16km (2.58mi) concrete roads, 9.78km (6.08mi) WBM roads, 6km (3.7mi) gravel roads, 2.5km (1.6mi) footpaths and 100.4km (62.4mi) bituminous road. A total of 19.908km (12.370mi) of state highways is maintained by the State Highways Department and national highways by the National Highways Department.[46]
Sittannavaasal (Ancient drawings and Stone beds). Government Museum (This is the second largest museum of Tamil Nadu). Thirumayam Fort. Pudukulam (this is a large man-made tank supporting the water needs of Pudukottai town) Pudukottai palace - A sand casket with a mantra written by saint Sadasiva Brahmendra of the 18th century is preserved. A grand palace in Pudukkottai.
Economy
A paddy field in Regunathapuram Village of Pudukkottai district
The SIPCOT Industrial Complex is located on Tiruchirappalli - Rameswaram National Highways (NH 210). This Industrial complex is well connected by Road, Rail, and Air. It was established in 1980. The allotment of land commenced in 1982 to accommodate Engineering and General Industries. The total extent of complex area is 421.10 acres (1.7041km2).
Pudukkottai district is predominantly an agricultural oriented district. Generally a dry and hot climate prevails in this district and this district's agricultural production depends mainly on the rainfall. The normal annual rainfall of the Pudukkottai district is 922.8 mm. Out of which 52.2 mm is received in winter, 124.6 mm is received in hot weather period, 351.9 mm is received during southwest Monsoon and 394.1 mm is received in North-East Monsoon. Recently Tamil Nadu Agricultural University started Diploma college in agriculture at Kudimiyanmalai with a approximate strength of 50 students including girls.
There are 5,451 irrigation tanks available in this district, of which 172 tanks were system tanks fed by Grand Anaikat Channel and the remaining are rain-fed tanks. There are about 47,583 wells in the district catering an area of 100,993 Ha.[51]Paddy is the major crop of this district. 90000 Ha. of the area is covered under paddy, out of which 135000 Ha. of the area is fed with Kaveri Mettur Project through the G.A. canal. The remaining area is well and tank fed. The present productivity level is 4.985 Mt. of Paddy /Ha. Other than Paddy, Groundnut is the major crop in this district which is mainly cultivated under rainfed conditions. Groundnut is being cultivated in 36000 Ha. as rain fed crop and 8000 Ha. under irrigated condition. Millet, pulse, cotton, sugarcane, gingelly are the other crops cultivated in this district.
Education and utility services
As of 2011, there were 33 schools in Pudukkottai: nine primary schools, seven middle schools, and 17 high and higher secondary schools. There were three arts and science colleges, namely, H.H.The Rajah's College for men, Govt. Arts College for Women and Govt. College of Education. There were five industrial training institutes ITI in the town, namely, DIET, Govt. Industrial Technical Institute, Advanced I.T.I., Central ITI, Little flower ITI and SriBrahathambal ITI.[52]
Electricity supply to Pudukkottai is regulated and distributed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). A Chief Distribution engineer is stationed at the regional headquarters.[53] Water supply is provided by the Pudukkottai Municipality from the Cauvery river through Jeyapuram head water works located 86km (53mi) away and Ammaiyappatti water works located 9.06km (5.63mi). In the period 2000–2001, a total of 7 million litres of water was supplied every day for households in the town.[54] As per the municipal data for 2011, about 30-35 metric tonnes of solid waste were collected from Pudukkottai every day by door-to-door collection and subsequently the source segregation and dumping was carried out by the sanitary department of the Pudukkottai municipality. The coverage of solid waste management in the town by the municipality had an efficiency of 100% as of 2001.[55] There is no underground drainage system in the town and the sewerage system for disposal of sullage is through septic tanks, open drains and public conveniences.[56]
The municipality maintained a total of 191km (119mi) of storm water drains in 2011: 55km (34mi) pucca drains and 136km (85mi) open drains.[57] As of 2011, there were a total of 31 hospitals, municipal dispensary, private dispensaries and private general clinics and five clinical labs that take care of the health care needs of the citizens.[58] As of 2011, the municipality maintained a total of 4,039 street lamps: 631 sodium lamps, 3,450 tube lights and one high mast beam lamp.[59] The municipality operates one weekly market, two daily vegetable markets and one daily fish market that cater to the needs of the town and the rural areas around it.[60]
There is a very famous sports club in Pudukottai called Kavinadu Sports Club. This club trains young talented athletes who are doing good in District, State, Country, and even World level sports. Two main long-distance runners that India has at the moment (2017) are Miss. Surya and Mr. Lakshmanan who have been trained in this club. Lakshmanan received gold medals for both 5,000 and 10,000 meters running in the Asian Athletic championship, 2017. He is the first person from India to win two gold medals in the Asian Athletic championship. He also took part in world championships in London, 2017, and finished the 5,000 meters heat with a personal best of 13:35.69 minutes.[citation needed]
Tiruchirappalli, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with being the best livable and the cleanest city of Tamil Nadu, as well as the fifth safest city for women in India. It is the fourth largest city as well as the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state. Located 322 kilometres (200 mi) south of Chennai and 374 kilometres (232 mi) north of Kanyakumari, Tiruchirappalli sits almost at the geographic centre of Tamil Nadu state. The Cauvery Delta begins 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the city where the Kaveri river splits into two, forming the island of Srirangam which is now incorporated into the Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation. The city occupies an area of 167.23 square kilometres (64.57 sq mi) and had a population of 916,857 in 2011.
Thanjavur, also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of southern Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Great Living Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur. The foremost among these, the Brihadeeswara Temple, built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, is located in the centre of the city. This temple has one of the largest bull statues in India carved out of a single granite rock. Thanjavur is also home to Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region. Thanjavur is the headquarters of the Thanjavur District. The city is an important agricultural centre located in the Kaveri Delta and is known as the Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is administered by a municipal corporation covering an area of 36.31 km2 (14.02 sq mi) and had a population of 222,943. Roadways are the major means of transportation, while the city also has rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli International Airport, located 59.6 km (37.0 mi) away from the city. The nearest seaport is Karaikal, which is 94 km (58 mi) away from Thanjavur. The city first rose to prominence during the reign of the Cholas when it served as the capital of the empire. After the fall of the Cholas, the city was ruled by various dynasties such as the Mutharaiyar dynasty, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Madurai Nayaks, the Thanjavur Nayaks, the Thanjavur Marathas and the British Empire. It has been a part of independent India since 1947.
Nagapattinam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam district. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval Cholas and served as their important port for commerce and east-bound naval expeditions. The Chudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam constructed by the Srivijayan king Sri Mara Vijayattungavarman of the Sailendra dynasty with the help of Rajaraja Chola I was an important Buddhist structure in those times. Nagapattinam was settled by the Portuguese and, later, the Dutch under whom it served as the capital of Dutch Coromandel from 1660 to 1781. In November 1781, the town was conquered by the British East India Company. It served as the capital of Tanjore district from 1799 to 1845 under Madras Presidency of the British. It continued to be a part of Thanjavur district in Independent India. In 1991, it was made the headquarters of the newly created Nagapattinam District. Nagapattinam is administered by a Special grade municipality covering an area of 17.92 km2 (6.92 sq mi) and had a population of 102,905 as of 2011.
Karur is a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Karur district and is administered by the Karur Municipal Corporation. It is located on the banks of the rivers Amaravathi, Kaveri and Noyyal. It is situated at about 395 km (245 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai.
Cuddalore, also spelt as Kadalur, is a heavy industries hub and a port city, and headquarters of the Cuddalore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated south of Chennai, Cuddalore was an important city and port during the British Raj.
Virudhunagar is a city and the administrative headquarter of the Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 506 km (314 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai and 53 km (33 mi) south of Madurai. Virudhunagar emerged as an important trade centre during the British rule. Located to the east of Kowsika River, Virudhunagar has an average elevation of 102 m (335 ft) above sea level and is largely flat with no major geological formations. The town has a humid climate and receives 780 mm (31 in) rainfall annually. It has been ruled at various times by Later Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, Carnatic kingdom and the British. It was formerly known as Virudhupatti.
Dindigul is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Dindigul district.Dindigul City is Located in the Southwest Region of Tamil Nadu. Dindigul is an ancient settlement region and has been ruled at different times by the Cheras, Early Pandyas, Cholas, Pallava dynasty, later Pandyas, Madurai Sultanate, Vijayanagara Empire, Madurai Nayak Dynasty, Chanda Sahib, and British. It is the 11th-largest urban agglomeration in the state. Dindigul has a number of historical monuments, the Dindigul Fort being the most prominent.Dindigul is located 420 km (260 mi) southwest from the state capital, Chennai, 100 km (62 mi) away from Tiruchirappalli,66 km (41 mi) away from Madurai and 72 km (45 mi) away from Karur. The city is known for its Famous Locks and its Authentic Thalappakatti Biryani.
Thiruvarur also spelt as Tiruvarur is a municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja temple, weighing 360 tonnes (790,000 lb) and measuring 96 feet (29 m) tall is the largest temple chariot in India. Thiruvarur is the birthplace of Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, popularly known as the Trinity of Carnatic music of the 18th century CE. Thiruvarur Thiyagarajaa Swaamy temple is older than Tanjore big temple.
Nagapattinam district is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. Nagapattinam district was carved out by bifurcating the erstwhile composite Thanjavur district on 19 October 1991. The town of Nagapattinam is the district headquarters.
Alangudi is a municipality in the Pudukkottai district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, that serves as the headquarters for Alangudi taluk, one of the 11 taluks in Pudukkottai district. The town has been ruled, at different times, by the Cholas, Mutharaiyars, Early Pandyas, Thondaimans, and the British. It is situated about 395 kilometres (245 mi) southwest of Chennai and about 75 kilometres (47 mi) southeast of Tiruchirappalli. Tamil Nadu's first women Asiad Santhi Soundarajan is from Alangudi municipality.
Pattukkottai is a major town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and also important town in Delta districts and Commercial town of Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Pudukkottai district Coastal areas. The town came to prominence throughout Southern India after the construction of the fort by Vanaji Pandithar, a feudatory of the Thanjavur Maratha ruler Shahuji I in 1686–87. The recorded history of Pattukkottai is known from the 17th century and has been ruled, at different times, by the Thanjavur Marathas and the British. It is the headquarters of the Pattukkottai taluk of Thanjavur district and is one of the two municipalities in the district.
Srivilliputhur, also known as Thiruvilliputhur is a municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 75,396. The most important landmark of Thiruvilliputhur is 11-tiered tower structure dedicated to the Vatapatrasayee (Vishnu), the presiding deity of the Srivilliputhur Divya Desam. The tower of this temple rises 192 feet high and is the official symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is said to have been built by Periyalvar, in the year 788 CE and believed to be the adopted father of the temple deity, with a purse of gold that he won in debates held in the palace of Pandya King Vallabhadeva. Thiruvilliputhur is well known for its ancient heritage and devotional contributions.
Thiruthuraipoondi is a municipality in Tiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thiruthuraipoondi is an agricultural town located south of Thiruvarur district. The town is located at a distance of 28 km (17 mi) from the district headquarters Thiruvarur.
Vedaranyam is a town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town is named after the presiding deity of the Vedaranyeswarar Temple. The recorded history of Vedaranyam is known from medieval Chola period of the 9th century and has been ruled, at different times, by the Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire and the British. During India's independence struggle, C. Rajagopalachari, who would later become independent India's first Governor-General, launched a salt march in Vedaranyam parallel to the Dandi March launched by Gandhi in 1930 to protest against the sales tax levied on salt extraction.
Ariyalur is a town and district headquarters of Ariyalur district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is rich in limestone, surrounded with seven cement factories and two sugar factories. The town is located at a distance of 310 km (190 mi) from the state capital Chennai.
The Thondaman or Thondaiman was a dynasty ruled the region in and around Pudukkottai from the 17th to 20th century. The Pudukkottai Thondaiman dynasty was founded by Raghunatha Thondaiman, the brother-in-law of the then Raja of Ramnad, RaghunathaKilavan Setupati. The Pudukottai Samasthanam was under Thondaiman dynasty for one year even after Indian Independence. The Thondaiman dynasty had a special Valari regiment.
The Tondaiman family were Tamil rulers of the ancient Tondai Nadu (Tondaimandalam) division of Tamilakkam in South India. Their capital was at Kanchipuram.
Raghunatha is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Periyanayagi Madha Shrine is a Roman Catholic church in the village of Avur, 28 kilometres (17 mi) from the town of Pudukkottai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was constructed by Rev. John Venatius Bachet in 1547. The church was rebuilt in 1747. The renowned Italian missionary and Tamil scholar Joseph Beschi served in this church.
Rani Sarubala Rajammani Ayi Sahib, popularly known as Mayor Sarubala Tondaiman, is an Indian politician and member of the royal house of Pudukkottai. She is the Organising Secretary of AMMK. She was elected mayor of Tiruchirappalli City Corporation two times and was the president of Trichy Unit Tamil Maanila Congress for a brief time. She quit the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on 15 September 2016. Later, she sided with RK Nagar MLA Dhinakaran to become a higher office holder in the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.
Edward Duyker & Coralie Younger, Molly and the Rajah: Race, Romance and the Raj, Australian Mauritian Press, Sylvania, 1991, pp. xii, 130, ISBN0-646-03679-3
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