Pudukkottai

This article is about the municipality in Tamil Nadu, India. For its namesake district, see Pudukkottai district. For other meanings, see Pudukkottai (disambiguation).

Pudukkottai புதுக்கோட்டை
—  town  —
A Road in Pudukkottai
Pudukkottai Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 10.38°N 78.82°E / 10.38; 78.82
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Pudukkottai
Elevation	87.78 m (287.99 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	117,215
• Density	342.83/km2 (887.9/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	622 xxx
Telephone code	04322
Vehicle registration	TN 55
Sex ratio	995 per 1000 males ♂/♀
Website	www.pudukkottai.co.in

Pudukkottai is a town and a municipality in Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Pudukkottai District was carved out of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts in January 1974. It is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai District.

The well known Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan was born in Pudukkotai.

History

Coin of the Roman emperor Augustus found at the Pudukottai hoard. British Museum.

The coat of arms of Pudukkottai state

Puddukotai Durbar painted by Raja Ravi Varma

Revenue stamp issued by the princely state of Pudukkottai with a portrait of Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman

Thondaiman dynasty

Thondaiman King in his Durbar, Pudukkottai, 1858.

The princely state of Pudukottai was created by Raghunatha Thondaiman.

Raghunatha Kilavan Setupati of Ramnad (1673–1708 A.D.) married Kathali Nachiar, the sister of Thondaiman. He appointed his brother-in-law, Raghunatha Thondaiman, as a chief of the district of Pudukottai. Raghunatha Thondaiman earlier had ruled Thirumayam. In appreciation of Raghunatha Thondaiman's services, Raghunatha Kilavan Setupati gave Pudukkottai as an honour 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 Raghunatha Kilavan Setupati Raghunatha Thondaiman become ruler of Pudukottai.

After becoming the ruler of Pudukottai, Thondaiman fought against the Nayaks of Tanjore in support of the Nayaks of Madurai and conquered Thirukkattupalli, a very important place. Then there was a direct clash between the Thondaimans of Pudukottai and the Nayaks, rulers of Tanjore. 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 neighbours, such as Thanjavur and Travancore, found it expedient to ally with the British.

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 April 3, 1948 and became a division in Tiruchirappalli district. The long history of the Thondaimans' rule came to an end.

List of Thondaiman Kings

Flag of Pudukkottai.

• Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman (1686–1730)
• Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman (1730–1769)
• Raya Raghunatha Tondaiman (1769 – Dec 1789)
• Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman (Dec 1789 – 1 February 1807)
• Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman (1 February 1807 – June 1825)
• Raghunatha Tondaiman (June 1825 – 13 July 1839)
• Ramachandra Tondaiman (13 July 1839 – 15 April 1886)
• Marthanda Bhairava Tondaiman (15 April 1886 – 28 May 1928)
• Rajagopala Tondaiman (28 October 1928 – 4 March 1948)

Princely state

Main article: Princely State of Pudukottai

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 an 17-gun salute.

Post-independence

Pudukkottai District Court

The last Thondaiman raja of Pudukkottai acceded to newly-independent India in 1948, and the state became a division of Tiruchirappalli District of Madras State. The state was reorganised 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.

Geography and climate

The state consists mainly of an undulating plain, nowhere of great fertility and in many parts barren; it is interspersed with rocky hills, especially in the southwest. Granite and laterite are quarried, red ochre is worked, and silk and cotton fabrics, bell-metal vessels and perfumes are among the principal manufactures. There is also some export trade in groundnuts and tanning bark.

	Summer	Winter
Max.	38 °C (100 °F)	34 °C (93 °F)
Min.	21 °C (70 °F)	18 °C (64 °F)

Tourist places

• Government Museum, Thirukkokarnam, Pudukkottai
• New Pool (Pudhu Kulam)
• Sithanavasal (Famous for cave paintings
• Kudimiyanmalai
• Thirumayam
• Narthamalai
• Sastharkovil (Preserving Deities)
• Anna Pannai
• Avudaiyarkoil (Temple of Athmanatha, utsavamurti of the temple is Manikkavasakar)
• Thirugokarnam (It is the tutelary deity of Thondaiman rulers of Pudukkottai.)
• Kodumbalur (ancient place mentioned in Silappadikaram)
• Avur (The old chapel here was constructed in 1547 A.D. by Father John Venantius Bouchet)
• St. Santhanamatha church amaradakki.
• St. Sabastiyar church kolendiram.
• Setti kulam Alangudi.

Infrastructure

Roadways

Pudukkottai Revenue District is spread over an area of 4649.93 km². The Highways Department is maintaining 3550.95 km of Government roads as abstracted below:

Pudukkottai Road Network

Class	Length (km)
National Highways/Expressways	148.40
State Highways	278.40
Corporation and Municipalities Road	125.75
Panchayat Union and Panchayat Road	2998.40
Town Panchayat and Townships Road	Nil
Others (Forest Roads)	Nil
Total (approx)	3550.95

List of highways passing pudukkottai

Highway No.	Name of the state highway	Length
NH-210	Trichy - Pudukkottai - Tirumayam - Karaikkudi - Devakottai - Devipattinam - Ramanathapuram	160 km
NH-226	Thanjavur - Gandharvakottai - Pudukkottai - Thirumayam - Kilasevalpatti - Tirupattur - Madagupatti - Sivaganga - Manamadurai	144 km
SH-26	Trichy - Pudukottai - Aranthangi - Mimisal Road	119.9 km
SH-27	Perambalur - Manamadurai Road (converted to NH-226)	228.1 km
SH-71	Musiri - Kulithalai - Manapparai - Pudukottai - Alangudi - Peravoorani - Sethubavachatram Road	156.4 km

Railways

This district has 84 Kilometers of Broad gauge railway lines with 12 Railway stations connecting Pudukkottai to Major centres in the state like Chennai, Trichy, Karaikudi, Rameswaram and Tirunelveli. Pudukkottai District is well served by the Trichy Railway Junction which has been connected by long distance express trains. Pudukkottai district also have part of karaikudi-mayiladuthurai line which is under gauge conversion.

There is a demand for direct train from Coimbatore to Rameswaram via Pudukottai.

Port and Airport

The nearest seaport for this district is Tuticorin, which is situated 350 km from this district. The nearest Airport is Tiruchirapalli Airport, which is about 50 km and Madurai Airport, which is about 95 km from Pudukkottai.

Transportation

Railway - Trains passing Pudukkottai station

Train no.	Train name	Arrival	Departure	Operates	Towards
16714	Rameswaram-Chennai Egmore (Sethu) Express	0:29	0:30	Daily	Trichy
14259	Rameswaram-Varanasi Weekly Express	2:56	2:57	Thursday	Trichy
16701	Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express	6:24	6:25	Daily	Karaikkudi
76830	Karaikkudi-Trichy DEMU	7:25	7:27	Daily	Trichy
56829	Tiruchchirappalli-Rameswaram Passenger	7:28	7:30	Daily	Karaikkudi
76805	Manargudi-Tiruchchirappalli-Manamadurai DEMU	11:00	11:01	Daily	Karaikkudi
18495	Rameswaram-Bhubaneshwar Weekly Express	12:19	12:20	Sunday	Trichy
76808	Manamadurai-Tiruchchirappalli-Manargudi DEMU	15:45	15:46	Daily	Trichy
18496	Bhubaneswar-Rameswaram Weekly Express	18:14	18:15	Saturday	Karaikkudi
56830	Rameswaram-Tiruchchirappalli Passenger	19:18	19:20	Daily	Trichy
14260	Varanasi-Rameswaram Express	19:23	19:25	Tuesday	Karaikkudi
76831	Tiruchchirapalli-Karaikkudi Passenger	19:28	19:30	Daily	Karaikkudi
16702	Rameswaram-Chennai Egmore (Boat Mail) Express	21:14	21:15	Daily	Trichy
16713	Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram (Sethu) Express	23:44	23:45	Daily	Karaikkudi

As on 2 April 2013 Source : indiarailinfo.com

Mofussil bus service

There are frequent bus services from Pudukkottai to:

• Tiruchchirapalli
• Thanjavur
• Madurai
• Manapparai
• Aranthangi
• Karaikkudi
• Devakkottai
• Pattukkottai
• Ponnamaravathy
• Rameswaram

And also services available to(Not frequent):

• Coimbatore
• Chennai
• Vellore
• Salem
• Pazhani
• Dindigul
• Karur
• Nagarcoil
• Chidambaram
• Velankanni
• Pollachi
• Kumbakonam
• Mayiladuthurai
• Erode
• Sathiyamangalam
• Anthiyur
• Tiruvannamalai
• Kamudhi
• Sivagangai
• Sayalkudi
• Tiruchendur

Economy

A Paddy field in Regunathapuram Village of Pudukkottai district

The SIPCOT Industrial Complex is located on Trichy - 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 (1.7041 km²).

Agriculture

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 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 South West 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 strength of approximately 50 students including girls.

Irrigation

There are 5,385 irrigation tanks available in this district, of which 172 tanks are system tanks fed by Grand Anaikat Channel and the remaining are rain fed tanks. There are about 55,137 wells in the district catering an area of 7791 Ha.

Major Crops

Paddy is the major crop of this district. 90000 Ha. of area is covered under paddy, out of which 135000 Ha. of area is fed with Cauvery Mettur Project through 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 rain fed condition. 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.

Important religious structures in Pudukkottai District

• Sri Muththumariyamman Temple, Manavanallur, Aranthangi, pudukkottai
• Sri Meyyar ayyanar Temble Erichy,(Narpavala vadavayal)
• Arulmigu kasivisvanathar Temple Erichy
• Sri Anadhavalli Soliswerer Temple SATHIYAMANGLAM,Pudukkottai
• Sri Sanglikarupper Temple SATHIYAMANGLAM,Pudukkottai
• Sri Ariyakarupper Temple NarathamalaiSATHIYAMANGLAM,Pudukkottai
• Sri Muthumariyamman Temple NarathamalaiSATHAIYAMANGLAM NADU,Pudukkottai
• Sri Theethapper Temple SATHIYAMANGLAM,Pudukkottai
• Sri Sonakarupper Temple SATHIYAMANGLAM,Pudukkottai
• Sri Velayee Amman Temple,pilaviduthi,karambakkudi,pudukkottaisri velayee amman temple
• Sri Aava Urani KALLI AMMAN Temple, Mela Vilakudi(Malaiyedu), Pudukkottai.
• Arulmigu sri Papathi Amman Alayam,Pachikkottai
• Sri Kathali Vaneshwarar Temple, Thirukkalambur.
• Sri Sellayi Amman Temple; Puliyur, Pudukkottai.
• Sri Aaladiyaan Temple; Visalur, Pudukkottai.
• Sri porpanai kottai muneeswarar kovil – porpanaikottai,pudukkottai.
• Arulmigu Nei Nandeeswarar Temple, Venthanpatti
• Dharma Sastha Kovil – Kannankarakudi, Pudukkottai.
• sri Putradi Mahasakthi Mariyamman kovil – Bharathiyar Nagar, Pudukkottai
• Sri Periyanagi Ambal Sametha Arangulanathar Temple – Thiruvarangulam, Pudukkottai.
• Sri Pitari Amman Temple – Thiruvarangulam, Pudukkottai.
• Sri Vetriyaandavar temple Venkitakulam
• Murugan Temple,Kumaranmalai(Pulvayal)
• Ulaganayaki Ambaal Temple,Kollampatti,Pulvayal
• Sri Chithi Vinayagar Temple,Namakkottai
• Arulmighu Malaiyandi Temple,Valayapatti
• Arulmigu Dharmasamvarthini Sri Namapureeswarar Temple, Alangudi
• Sri Perungaraiyadi Meenda Ayyanar Temple,Kulamangalam
• Sri Muthumariyamman Temple, Vadakadu
• Sri Muthumariyamman Temple,Kothamangalam

Vijayala choleswaram.

• Subramaniya swamy thirukovil, Viralimalai
• Admanathaswamy Temple, Avudayarkoil
• Kokarneswarar Temple, Thirukkokarnam
• Sri Bragadhambal Temple, Pudukkottai
• Sri Thiruvapur Muthumariyaman Temple,Pudukkottai
• Sri Viruthapureeswarar Temple, Thiruppunavasal
• Veeramakali amman Temple, Aranthangi and Perambur(Andakulam)
• Meiyyanathar Temple, Thirumayam
• Mariyamman Temple, Thiruvappur
• Mariyamman Temple, Naarthamalai and Senthakudi
• Bhuvaneshwariamman Temple, Pudukkottai
• T.E.L.C Church, Machuvadi, Pudukkottai
• Fire Prayer Vision Ministries, Ashok Nagar, Pudukkottai
• AG Church (Assemblies Of God), Karambakkudi.(Refer Junior vikatan -15 March 2009 page no .18)
• The Mountain Of Jesus Church, Ashok Nagar, Pudukkottai
• Sacred Heart Church, Marthandapuram, Pudukkottai
• Moovar and Ivar Temple, Kodumbalur
• Sri Naadiyaman Temple, Keelathur and Alangudi
• Sri Dharma Sastha Temple, Kannankarakudi (Sastharkovil)
• Sri SelvaVinayagar Koil, Maligaipunchai (Aranthangi)
• Sri MuthuMariyamman Koil, Silattur (Aranthangi)
• Jagadeeshwara temple Manamelkudi
• Arulmigu Shree Kudikathaamman koil,Maravanpatti & Silattur
• sri alagambal thirukkovil alagambalpuram.
• Sivan Kovil, Arimalam
• Perungkaraidi meenta Ayyanar temple,kulamangalam south
• Sri Muthumariyamman Kovil, Konnaiyur .
• Poi Solla Meyyar and Ponniah Temple, Moolangudi.
• sri sithi venayagar temple [sammattivituthy] pudukkottai[dist]
• arulmigu kamakshiamman temple [melappanaiyur]pudukkottai[district]
• muthumariyamman temple konnaiyur
• Periya Pallivasal, South 2nd Street, Pudukkottai.
• Noor Masjid, South 3rd Street, Pudukkottai.
• Mela Pallivasal, Mela raja veethi Pudukkottai.
• kalif nagar masjid,kalif nagar 3rd street, pudukkottai.
• Sri Varadharaja Perumal koil, pudukkottai
• Sri naaganadhaswamy kovil, Peraiyur Pudukkottai[District].
• Sri Kamatchiamman and peatchiamman Thirukkovil, Malukkanpatti, PudukkottaiDistrict.
• Sri Ilangudi Ayyanar Kovil, Ilangudipatti, Pudukkottai.
• SRI PALADI KARUPPANNA SWAMY and AYYANAR KOVIL, VARAPPUR, PUDUKKOTTAI.
• SRI SIVAN KOIL (SUYAMBU), VARAPPUR, PUDUKKOTTAI.
• SRI KUDIYALAMMAN,TEMPLE[THANTHANI]
• Sri Muthumariyamman Koil Thennalur, Viralimalai
• Sri Angala Parameswari Koil Lalapettai
• Sri Vendi Vantha Amman Koil Perungudi, Pudukkottai.
• Sri Verama kali Amman koil MunasanDai, Pudukkottai.

Education

Main article: List of educational institutions in Pudukkottai

Pudukkottai is home to many schools and colleges. The arts and science college HH The Rajah's College (Autonomous) was established in 1857 by Maharaja of Pudukkottai. It is an autonomous college run by government with a motto "Thamasoma Jyotirgmaya" (Irulil irunthu oliyai nokki), signifying "Darkness to light". This college is working hard to fulfill the needs of higher education at the regional level. malayakovil kulamangalam , pudukkottai

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Further reading

• Nicholas B. Dirks, The Hollow Crown: Ethnohistory of An Indian Kingdom, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1987, ISBN 0-521-32604-4.
• Edward Duyker & Coralie Younger,Molly and the Rajah: Race, Romance and the Raj, Australian Mauritian Press, Sylvania, 1991, pp. xii, 130, ISBN 0-646-03679-3

External links

• Pudukkottai District web site
• Genealogy of the Tondaiman dynasty
• Pudukkottai Virtual Heritage Tour
• Pudukkottai Discussion Forum
• Silattur Engineers Association PUDUKKOTTAI DIST

See also

• Pudukkottai (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Chola Nadu
• Thanjavur
• Tiruchirappalli
• புதுகை