Thirukattupalli (Ancient name: Melaithirukattupalli) is a
panchayat town
A nagar panchayat () or town panchayat or Notified Area Council (NAC) in India is a settlement in transition from rural to urban and therefore a form of an urban political unit comparable to a municipality. An urban centre with more than 12,00 ...
near
Thiruvaiyaru
Thiruvaiyaru (also spelled as Tiruvaiyaru or Tiruvayyaru) is a Municipality in Thanjavur District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Etymology
Thiruvaiyaru means ''Five Rivers around the city''. The Five Rivers are Vadavaar, Vennaar, Vetta ...
in
Thanjavur district
Thanjavur District is one of the Districts of Tamil Nadu, 38 districts of the States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur (Tanjore) . The district is located in the delta of the Cauv ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
. The economy of this town is majorly based on the agricultural lands of the surrounding villages. Its nearby major cities include
Thanjavur
Thanjavur (), also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 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 ...
(28 km Southeast) and
Trichy
Tiruchirappalli (), also known as Trichy, 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 T ...
(32 km Northwest). Modes of transportation to these cities include regular daily bus services (Theeyadiappar Bus Station) and
Budalur Railway Station (located 6 km South). Sir
P. S. Sivaswami Iyer Higher Secondary School located at the heart of this town serves as the alma-mater for nearly all locals.
This place has a big Shiva temple called the
Theeyaadiappar Temple, (also known as Agneeshwarar). This temple is referred to in ancient Tamil literature, and plays a part in the history of
Chola
The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
dynasty. This place is 14 km from
Grand Anicut
Kallanai (also known as the Grand Anicut) is an ancient dam built by Karikala of Chola dynasty in 150 CE. It was built (in running water) across the Kaveri river flowing from Tiruchirapalli District to Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. ...
- an ancient
dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
and the oldest water-diversion structure in the world still in use. This is a central market town for several surrounding villages.
Demographics
India
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
,
Thirukattupalli had a population of 12,567. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Thirukattupalli has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 71%. In Thirukattupalli, 11% of the population are under 6 years of age.
History

Thirukattupalli is considered to be the 9th in the series of Tevara Stalams in the
Chola Empire
The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
located south of the river
Kaveri
The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a Rivers of India, major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna.
The catchment area of the Kaveri basin i ...
. Inscriptions from the period of
Raja Raja Chola I
Rajaraja I ( Middle Tamil: ''Rājarāja Cōḻaṉ''; Classical Sanskrit: ''Rājarāja Śōḷa''; 3 November 947 – January/February 1014), also known as Rajaraja the Great, was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 to 1014. He was known for ...
& other Chola Emperors and the
Pandya
The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
and
Vijayanagar
The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belonging to the ...
periods are found in the Shiva Temple located in this town. Inscriptions also say that one of the Generals of Raja Raja Chola I named Krishnan-Raman alias Mummadi-Chola-Brahmamarayan hailed from the nearby Village called Palamaneri. Brahmins belonging to a particular sect of
Iyers
Iyers () (also spelt as Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer, or Aiyer) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Brahmins. Most Iyers are followers of the '' Advaita'' philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara and adhere to the Smarta tradition. This is ...
called
Brahatcharanam regard themselves as the descendants of Krishnan-Raman. A fort was constructed next the Shiva Temple during the
Thanjavur Nayaks
The Thanjavur Nayak dynasty (or Thanjavur Nayak kingdom) were the rulers of Thanjavur in the 15th and 17th centuries founded by Sevappa Nayaka. The Nayaks, who were Telugu Balijas,*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
were originally appointed as prov ...
period which was captured by the forces of the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
in 1771; it was recaptured by
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali (''Haidar'alī''; ; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's ...
in 1781. The Agneeswara temple is considered as the famous temple of this surroundings. There is some belief that the subway may connect Agneeswara temple to thanjai Pragadeeswara temple.
Rivers
This town is in the bank of the rivers
Kaveri
The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a Rivers of India, major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna.
The catchment area of the Kaveri basin i ...
and
Kudamurutti, both distributaries of the upstream Kaveri river. The Kudamurutti separates from Kaveri at
Thirukkattupalli
Thirukattupalli (Ancient name: Melaithirukattupalli) is a panchayat town near Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. The economy of this town is majorly based on the agricultural ...
.
Keelaithirukkattupalli
There is another place which is also called as Thirukkattupalli. This is located adjacent to Poompuhaar and Tiruvenkaadu is known as Keezhtirukkaattuppalli to distinguish it from Melaithirukkaattuppalli. Keezhaittirukkaattuppalli is considered to be the 12th in the series of Tevara Stalangal on the northern banks of the river Kaveri in the Chola region of Tamil Nadu.
Schools
There is an old
higher secondary school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
named Sir Sivaswamy Ayyar Higher Secondary School in the town which is celebrating its 100th year. There is another school that teaches English medium first in this locality named
Rev. Fr. Lourdu Xavier Matriculation Higher Secondary School (lxmhss)br>
(established in the year 1976), and also there is a Government high school.
Transport
The nearest railway station is in
Budalur, about 8 kilometers from the town. The nearest airport is in
Trichy
Tiruchirappalli (), also known as Trichy, 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 T ...
which is Tiruchirappalli International Airport.
Shiva Temple
This Shivastalam is located on the Southern bank of the river Kudamurutti; and is located 8 km North of Budalur, near Thanjavur. Tiruppoonturutti is 11 km east of here. Melaitthirukkaattuppalli is considered to be the 9th in the series of
Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located south of the river Kaveri.
Inscriptions from the period of Raja Raja I & other Chola Emperors and the Pandya and Vijayanagar periods are found here. This temple was part of an old fort captured by the British in 1771; it was recaptured by Hyder Ali in 1781.
This temple with 3 ''
prakarams
A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. ...
''(outer courtyard) occupies an area of about an acre. The sanctum is located lower than the ground level.
Four worship services are offered each day, and the annual Bhrammotsavam is celebrated in the month of Pankuni.
Shiva: Theeyadiappar/Agneeswarar
Ambal: Vaarkonda Mulaiyammai, Soundara Nayaki
Vriksham: Vanni
Theertham: Surya Theertham
This temple is currently under renovation.
Legend
Legend has it that one of the queens of a Chola monarch (of Uraiyur/Tiruchirappalli) was a devotee of Shiva, and when Uraiyur got submerged in a sandstorm, she managed to find solace in Thirukkattuppalli (here) where Shiva blessed and relieved her of the scorching heat which ravaged the region.
Reference in Ancient Tamil Literature
This place has been referred to in
thevaram
Thevaram is a town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thevaram is located in Tamil Nadu near the border of Kerala at the Eastern side foot-hill of the Western Ghats. It is connected with State Highway SH100.
Farming is main ...
written by Saint Poet (7th Century AD)
Thirugnana Sambanthar
Sambandar (Tamil: சம்பந்தர், romanized: ''Campantar''), also referred to as Thirugnana Sambandar (Tamil: திருஞானசம்பந்தர், romanized: ''Tiruñāṉacampantar''), was a Shaiva poet-saint of Tami ...
. Thirukkattupalli is attributed as "Paadal Pettra Sthalam".
niruthanaar Neelsadai madhiodi paambani
karuthanaar kadipozhil soozhnda kaattupalli
aruthanaar azhaghamar manghayor paagamaai
poruthanaar kazhazhinai potrudal porulude
porupunal pudayani puravanan nagarmannan
arumarai avvaivalla anikol sambandan sol
karumani midatrinan karudhu kaattupalli
paraviya thamizhsolla parayu mei paavame
In fiction
Ponniyin Selvan
''Ponniyin Selvan'' () is a Tamil language historical fiction novel by Indian author Kalki Krishnamurthy. It was first serialised in the weekly editions of ''Kalki'', a Tamil magazine, from 29 October 1950 to 16 May 1954 and later integrated ...
by
Kalki
Kalki (), also called Kalkin, is the prophesied tenth and final incarnation of the Hinduism, Hindu god Vishnu. According to Vaishnavism, Vaishnava cosmology, Kalki is destined to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga, the last of the four ages i ...
and
Udayar by
Balakumaran
Balakumaran (5 July 1946 – 15 May 2018) was an Indian Tamil language, Tamil writer and author of over 200 novels, 100 short stories, and dialogue/screenplay writer for 23 films. He also contributed to Tamil periodicals such as ''Kalki (magazi ...
describes that Thirukattupalli served as an important political and administrative center for Cholas.
References
{{Thanjavur district
Cities and towns in Thanjavur district