Periyakulam

India / Tamil Nadu / Periyakulam /

Periyakulam is located at 10.12° N 77.55° E.[1] It has an average elevation of 282 metres (925 feet). It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bodering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of the most fertile places in the state of Tamilnadu. Theni district act's as the headquarters of this town. Agriculture stands as the primary occupation for the population here. It is also known as the "Mango City", as a major supply of mangoes from this city goes into Tamilnadu's mango output. It stands on the bank of the Varaha (Maha Vishnu's Boar incarnation) river. It is a fertile area that has an annual supply of surplus rainfall. The taluks that come inside are Vadugapatti and Melmangalam, villages that also stand on the banks of the Varaha River. This city also called as 'Kulanthai Managaram'.

Legend of the Periyakulam Rulers:
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Vadakarai ('north bank') in Dindigul Taluk(formerly) now forms part of that portion of Periyakulam municipality which lies north of the Varahanadi, but it was once the chief village of a palaiyam of the same name. According to one of the Mackenzie MSS, the original founder of this was Ramabhadra Nayaka, a Balija nayak by caste, who came from the Vijayanagar country with Kotikam Nagama Nayakkan of the same Balija caste.

Ramabhadra Nayaka seems to have been greatly trusted, as he was appointed to act for the latter while he was away on a pilgrimage to Benares; subsequently helped to arrange matters between him and his son; and was eventually made Military services and collector of the revenue of Madura. Later on he showed much personal bravery in an attack on the fort of Kambam, pressing forward notwithstanding a wound in the face and being the first to plant a flag on the ramparts. For this exploit he was granted the Vadakarai estate.

A successor of his was Machi Nayaka subsequently given charge of one of the 72 bastions of Madura. One of the best remembered of the poligars who followed is the Machi Nayaka who succeeded in 1549. He is said to have obtained an addition to his estate by his prowess in shooting an arrow across the Teppakulam in Madura in the presence of Tirumala Nayakkan and all his court, an achievement which none of the other poligars could equal. The event is still annually celebrated in Vadakarai by a general beat for small game (known as ' Machi Nayak's hunt') followed by a visit to his tomb in Kaikulankulam. A later Machi Nayaka is stated in the Mackenzie MS. to have helped Tirumala Nayakkan about 1638 against the rebellions Setupati of Ramnad; and his paternal uncle and successor Narayanappa Nayaka is said to have assisted Chokkanatha Nayakkan in his expedition against the Tanjore Nayakkan.

When the Mysoreans threatened Dindigul the then poligar of Vadakarai summoned a council of his commanders to devise measures of defence. It was not a success, as Gantamanayakkanur said that Vadakarai was taking too much upon him, and invaded his property and cut off his head (whence the two families still decline to dine together), but tradition has it that the Mysore people bore the matter in mind and confiscated the Vadakarai estate when they eventually captured the country.

In 1750 its owner assisted Bodinayakkanur in opposing the Collector's march through this part of the district. In 1859 it was resumed for arrears of peshkash and the poligar was granted an allowance which descends to the eldest son. He had considerable property independently of the palaiyam and when, in 1881, his son died, leaving an heir (the present holder, M.R.Ry. Dewan bahaddur V. Ramabhadra Nayudu Garu, Zamindar of Vadakarai and doddappanaikanur, Periyakulam, Madura District) who was a minor, the Court of Wards managed his estate until he attained his majority in December 1894. He has since distinguished himself as a patron of education, a protector of the Beautiful topes planted by his forebears in the neighbourhood, an experimenter in scientific agriculture, and the chairman of the Periyakulam municipal council.

Source:
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Madurai district gazetteers - madura - volume I - page 323, by Mr. W.Francis, Indian Civil Service, and printed by the superintendent, Government Press, Madras - 1906.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   10°7'33"N   77°32'21"E

Comments

  • PRYIAKULAM IS NICE PLACE"Mango City", 'Kulanthai Managaram'EAST-VAIGADAM,WEST-KODAIKANAL,SOUTH-SOITHUPARI DAM.IN CENTER OF PERIYAKULAM DOWN.THE OLD SCHOOL OF V.M.GOVT.HR.SEC.SCHOOL.SINCE IN 1850.
  • This is a Beautiful city,OP's home town
  • hiiiiii! Periyakulam is our beautiful home town, which is sourrended by rivers, hills, Dams, waterFalls and Fields.. This is a best place to enjoy nature's Beauty given by God.. nowadays it becomes a Shooting place for many films.. We proud to live in Bigpond..
  • hai periyakulam friends and class mates
  • kailasanadar siva temple is one of the most famous around theni dt, when i goes there construction work on process siddhar peetam
  • Hi all of you I like to inform you that Periyakulam its a very plesant place. This place those who come from other place for work or bussiness, they want to settle here itself. I am staying out of Periyakulam from my school days onwards. Right now I am working as a HSE Engineer at Dubai. My retirement iwant to come back and settle in my home place itself. Really I like my home town Periyakulam. BY Rasheed Dubai
  • Inshaallah Mr.Rasheed Ahmed.
  • Historical City - Lord Shiva and Vishnu Temple Green city
  • periyakulam is a beautiful places in the varaga river,my school v,m,govt,highschool in since from1850,myhouse and naiduhall myfriend,shouses andmy streetplaces and dams,kumbakari falls my family andmywife nithyabalaji and girlsschool,newground mycricket life and mamarajiv[or]mandi suriyason veerabahu mondi mycricketplaces arjun pandi,logesh mybrother,mysister,brother doctours MY BOrnin periyakulam and my birthday 07-03-1991 by balaji.R
  • Hai periyakulam...It is a place of nature...It have two parts vadagarai,thenkarai..I am in vadakarai..I have lots of friends,relatives in periyakulam..In my city i like perumal temple..I love periyakulam..
  • Really it's very nice place.
  • are u the same rasheed in arcot rubat mekka.
  • Its very cool city... calm place...it fully surrounded my dams & Hils.. such a good place to live, i never forget my Rangakrishnan Middle school & Govt girls school where i done my schollings... Periya kovil is very nice place
  • Hai psyco guys.
  • friends ..... very nice to hear the history of periyakulam
  • periyakulam is a sweet and nice place to live. basically agri based peoples are living here. cultural and calm and very natured place. thanking you.
  • periyakulam is a very beautyful and historical city in theni district.early it was called as kulanthai ma nagaram.it means big pot city.because this having a bis pot.and the balasubramaniyan temple river is having two maruthamaram from each side of t he river.
  • I love my hometown periyakulam,this is like paradise.
  • This Town is one of the town in INDIA.In this town is all facilities and then water source
  • its my home town and also feels this is an god's own country.but unexpectly our neigboring state has same status but now its became a battle feild of mullai periyar
  • proud to being one of member of great balija community greatest balija community discendants who ruled south india jai srikrishnadevaraya, achyutadevaraya jai chevvappa nayaka, raghunadha nayaka jai nagama nayaka, viswanadha naya, kathirumala nayaka, vijayaranga chokkanadha nayaka, jai nagamma, jai meenakshiamma jai samukham venkata krishnappa nayaka jai tupakula venkata krishnappa nayaka jai vadagarai ramabhadra nayaka jai rana jagadeva raya jai chennamma devi maharani of keladi jayaho... balija nayaka
  • policettiar ..r u in Periyakulam...Im from Erasakkanayakkanur
  • hi all of u ....periyakulam is the one of the tourists place ...very nice area there climate contion is very cool ...mostly hills arouded to the periyakulam...this town basted only to the agri...most o people like that...very beautiful temples in pkm..one river and most places there i like pkm...sweet place more school in pkm ...i like that
  • I STUDIED IN PERIYAKULAM TRIUMP SCHOOL SOUTH AGRAGARAM, NOW I DO RUN ENGINEEINRG CONSULTING DESIGN, HR , TRAINING COMAPNY, ITS VERY NICE PLACE TO BE , KUMBAKKARAI, THEERTHATHOTTI, BALASUBRAMANIYAM , KAILAYA NATHAR TEMPLE ARE PLACE TO ENJOY AND TO BE AT PEACE, MOST TRUSTED MINISTER BY chief minister JAYALALITHA IS O.PANNEERSELVAM IS FROM PERIYAKKULAM
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This article was last modified 13 years ago