Mailam

Mailam is located fifteen kilometres from Tindivanam and thirty from Pondicherry. The temple, situated on a small hill, is connected with a village on the Coromandel coast, Bomayapalaiyam, very near Pondicherry, where a Vera Saiva mutt is found. According to the name, bomma or bomme, derived from brāhmana. This was a village donated to Brahmans, as is confirmed by the sthala purāna.in which Bomayapalaiyam is also named Brahmapuram.
The legend of this kshetra begins with the end of Surapadma’s atrocious rule and his tearful appeal to Lord to accept him as his mount. According to sthalapurana, Surapadma, though fought against Muruga with all his might combining the tactile of asuramayopaya, was routed in the end. When he was about be slain, he appealed to the Lord to accept him as his vechicle, and he would serve him with fidelity.

Moved by the tearful appeals, the Lord ordered him to do meditation with great steadfastness taking the shape of peacock on the bank of Varaha near Mailamalai. Nodding, he continued his appeal to the Lord to dwell for ever on the same hill. It was granted. Thus came into existence this Mailamalai and the place called Mailam, for short. The temple atop the hill was built by Pommayapuram, Mathadhipathi on a scale grand and maintenance commendable. The Mutt established at the foot of the hill is attending to the temple administration in an exemplary manner providing conveniences to the visiting public.

Karur

 
One of the ancient cities in Tamil Nadu, Karur was ruled by the Cheras, Cholas, the Naickers, and the British successively. There is proof that Karur may have been the centre for old jewellery-making and gem setting (with the gold imported mainly from Rome), as seen from various excavations. According to the Hindu mythology, Brahma began the work of creation here, which is referred to as the "place of the sacred cow."

Karur has a very long history and has been sung by various sangam poets. In history, it has been the battleground of various Tamil Kings like Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallavas because of strategic location. The district has a very rich and varied cultural heritage.
Karuvoor Thevar born in Karur is one among the nine devotees who sung the divine Music Thiruvichaippa, which is the ninth Thirumurai. He is the single largest composer among the nine authors of Thiruvichaippa. He lived during the reign of the great Raja Raja Chola-I. In addition to the famous Siva temple, there is a Vishnu temple at Thiruvithuvakkodu, a suburb of Karur, sung by famous Kulasekara Alwar [7-8th century AD] who was the ruler of Kongu nadu. The same temple is presumably mentioned in epic Silappadikaram as Adaha maadam Ranganathar whose blessings Cheran Senguttuvan sought before his north Indian expedition.

Karur is one of the oldest towns in Tamil Nadu and has played a very significant role in the history and culture of the Tamils. Its history dates back over 2000 years, and has been a flourishing trading centre even in the early Sangam days. Epigraphical, numismatic, archaeological and literary evidences have proved beyond doubt that Karur was the capital of early Chera kings of Sangam age. It was called Karuvoor or Vanji during Sangam days. There has been a plethora of rare findings during the archaeological excavations undertaken in Karur. These include mat-designed pottery, bricks, mud-toys, Roman coins, Chera Coins, Pallava Coins, Roman Amphorae, Rasset coated ware, rare rings etc. Karur was built on the banks of river Amaravathi which was called Aanporunai during the Sangam days. The names of the early Chera kings who ruled from Karur, have been found in the rock inscriptions in Aru Nattar Malai close to Karur. The Tamil epic Silapathikaram mentions that the famous Chera King Cheran Senguttuvan ruled from Karur. In 150 Greek scholars Ptolemy mentioned “Korevora” (Karur) as a very famous inland trading centre in Tamil Nadu. After the early Cheras, Karur was conquered and ruled by Pandyas followed by Pallavas and later Cholas. Karur was under the rule of Cholas for a long time. Later the Naickers followed by Tipu Sultan also ruled Karur. The British added Karur to their possessions after destroying the Karur Fort during their war against Tipu Sultan in 1783. There is a memorial at Rayanur near Karur for the warriors who lost their lives in the fight against the British in the Anglo-Mysore wars. Thereafter Karur became part of British India and was first part of Coimbatore District and later Tiruchirappalli District.

Karur is also a part of Kongunadu. The history of Kongunadu dates back to the 8th century. The name Kongunadu originated from the term "Kongu", meaning nectar or honey. Kongu came to be called as Kongunadu with the growth of civilization. The ancient Kongunadu country was made up of various districts and taluks which are currently known as Palani, Dharapuram, Karur, Nammakkal, Thiruchengodu, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, Satyamangalam, Nilgiris, Avinashi, Coimbatore, Pollachi and Udumalpet. Kongunadu was blessed with enormous wealth, a pleasant climate and distinct features. Kongunadu was ruled over by the Chera, Chola, Pandya, Hoysala, Muslim rulers and finally the British.

Palayamkottai

"If the boundary of the town is made with stone, it will not be of aesthetic beauty and   therefore boundary is fenced with paddy field" , says a Tamil Poet about Tiru-nel-veli.  The town has been surrounded on all sides by paddy fields.  As such the town was called as 'Nelveli' i.e., Paddy-Hedge.  Since the temple in the town is dedicated to Lord 'Siva', the town around the temple was called Tiru-nel-veli.  Around 1560, the town was rebuilt by Viswanatha, the founder of Nayak dynasty who also erected many temples in it.  Tirunelveli was the earliest Pandiya's Capital.  The Nayaks ruled Tirunelveli from Madurai during the 16th, 17th and early years of 18th Century.          Tirunelveli is situated on the west bank of Thamiraparani River and Palayamkottai on the east bank.  Palayamkottai, being the administrative head quarters with the establishment of educational  institutions and of various industries, public and semi public offices, exhibits a remarkable development.  Palayamkottai was fortified under the native rulers and its defenses were intact at the time when it was passed into the hands of the British. It subsequently followed the base of their operations during the poliger wars.  The fort was dismantled till the garrison of one or more native regiments which had been stationed here ever since the British occupation in this place was finally withdrawn.

  The little city also has a Government Museum with a huge and realistic fibreglass Tyrannosaurus rex which is very popular among the young people of Palayamkottai. The museum houses a small collection of ancient artifacts found in the areas surrounding the city. Some of its literary collections include ancient Tamil inscriptions in palm leaves. Although the museum is well known locally, it is rarely crowded and somewhat badly maintained.

Palayamkottai also has one of the most popular Science Centres in South India, a satellite unit of Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Bangalore. Since the Science Centre lies between Palayamkottai and Tirunelveli (the twin cities) and as it is difficult to mark a border between the two, it is often called as the Tirunelveli District Science Centre (by the district's name). It is a popular hangout area for young people, and is frequently visited by teams of school students to explore and learn the principles of science through the centre's interesting outdoor equipment and experiments.

In the outskirts of Palayamkottai near Krishnapuram on the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur State Highway, one of the premier research organizations of the country, the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), whose Headquarters is at Navi Mumbai, operates its regional centre, the Equatorial Geophysical Research Laboratory (EGRL). IIG is fully supported and funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and functions as an autonomous research institute. The equatorial observatory of IIG located near Tirunelveli pursues state-of-the-art research in the areas of geomagnetism and atmospheric and space sciences with well-equipped library and excellent infrastructure for research. With its state-of-the-art instruments, the centre finds a prominent place in the global networks of geomagnetic observatories and atmospheric radars.

Vandavasi

Vandavasi was the scene of a decisive battle in the eighteenth-century war between France and the United Kingdom for the control of South Asia. The Battle of Wandiwash was a watershed in Indian history as it cemented British supremacy in South Asia. On January 22, 1760, a British force led by Eyre Coote defeated a French force led by General Lally.
Vandavasi fort would have been a famous tourist spot but for its negligence by the authorities. It witnessed the decisive Battle of Wandiwash, it even said to have an underground passage to gingee fort. There are more number of temples in and around Vandavasi


 Sacred Heart Church is more than 100 years old and the christians of this place have a good concern for the other religions people. There are 3 schools around the campus educating many of the poor people.
 Kamatchi Amman Temple (with Asta Buga Kalabairavar, Nava Gragas with their wifes & etc)AdhiRanganatha Swamy temple Jalakandaeshwara temple

Those three temples are as old as 500 years. Among these Kamatchi Amman temple was rebuilt by a team of members along with public on 14 July 2008. Reconstruction works of Jalakandeshwarar & Adhi Ranganatha Swamy temples are going on.

Panduranga temple at Thennangur
Sreenivasa perumal temple at Navalpakkam
Narasimmar temple at Sogathoor
fort temple at Wandiwash
Kilsathamangalam Village British used Toppu (beerangi)
sri Nethaghi Kumaran Kundru(Balamurugan), Embalam . (12km From Vandavasi)

Jain temples as old 1400 years are found in the villages near by.

Kilsathamangalam Village Jain temple
Birudur Village Jain temple
Ponnurmalai Jain Temple, around 10km from Vandavasi

The famous Athiparasakthi Temple (Melmaruvathur) is located South-West of Vandavasi (28 K.M.)

Kilakarai

Kilakarai (“the shore down under”) is a remote and lazy little town in Ramanathapuram district, not far from the district headquarters of the same name. It was once a flourishing sea port and a gateway to South India for Arab traders in search of the famed pearls of Madurai and corals of the Gulf Mannar. They traded with Sri Lanka, dealing in pearls, gems and conches. Even today, the descendants of the Yemeni traders live in Ramanathapuram district and Sri Lanka, and do business between India and the island.

Kilakarai is surrounded by small islands or theevu – Appa theevu, Nallathanni theevu, Shuli theevu, Upputhanni theevu, Thalari theevu, Musal theevu, and of course, the famous Kachcha theevu – and lovely little bays that could be a swimmer’s paradise. It was visited by the Arab traveller Ibn Batuta in 1368-69 CE who called it “Lebbat Pattan” (“town of Muslims”: Labbai means Tamil Muslim and pattan is a corruption of patnam or pattinam meaning town.) He noted that “it is the place where most Arab settlers live” and he was surprised to see them living “as in Arab land”.
It was by chance that I remembered Kilakarai.I was on my way to Rameshwaram when I remembered my father telling me, aeons ago, about Tamil Arabs and a mosque which looked like a temple at Kilakarai. Tamil Arabs and a mosque- temple? I had to see this.
I reached Kilakarai on a hot sunny afternoon. Everyone knew the Palaiya Jumma Masjid or pallivaasal (mosque), so it was not difficult to find. There were lots of Tamil Muslims, who form nearly 80% of the local population, around: men wearing white veshtis, shirts and black topis and women in saris, with a white cloth thrown over their head. They were the Muslims of my youth, before the ugly black burkha made its appearance. A warm Abdul Khader Bhai, the caretaker, was very welcoming and a font of information. The Muslims of Kilakarai look like Tamils and speak Tamil, so communication was no problem.

he Old Jumma Masjid (also called Meen Kada Palli) was constructed by Yemeni merchants and traders of the pre-Islamic period who had settled in the kingdom of the Pandyas of Madurai. The story goes that Badhan ibn Sasan, Persian Governor of Yemen during the reign of Khoshrau II, was ordered by his ruler to send men to Madina in 625 CE to bring the future Prophet Mohammed
to Khosrau II. Badhan sent two men for this task who demanded that Mohammed should come with them. Muhammad refused, and prophesied that Khoshrau II had been overthrown and murdered by his son Kavadh II. The two men returned to Badhan with this information. When it proved to be true, Badhan converted to Islam and sent a message to Muhammad, informing him of his conversion, after which Mohammad allowed Badhan to continue ruling over Yemen. The two men, and Persians and Arabs living in Yemen and outside Yemen were ordered by Badhan to convert to Islam, which they did in 628. This included the Arab traders from Yemen who had settled in Kilakarai.
There were two foreigners with me and their first reaction on seeing the mosque was
an Oh! No! Not another Qutb Minar, where a temple was defaced and converted into a mosque. On closer view, we realized that the carvings were integral to the mosque, and there begins the story.
Chola mosques resemble Chola temples – a small chamber replaces the garba griha, with a pillared mandapa and beautifully carved pillars in front. Only images of gods, people and animals are missing, for these are taboo in Islam. The Kilakarai mosque has all these features, although, as a woman, I was not permitted to enter. I stood on my toes and peeped from outside, while my driver walked in and gave me a running commentary about what he could see. In the 11th century, the mosque was rebuilt, and again in the 17^th century by a workforce and materials provided by the erstwhile ruler of Ramnad and some by the Kilakarai merchants. However, the mosque still looks like a stone temple both outside and inside, without images carved on the pillars or walls. The lone carving on the wall, like all mosques, identifies the direction of prayer, which is the only indication that it is a mosque.
This exquisite pallivasal resembles a Dravida-style temple. The beams are beautifully carved, while a bend in the wall indicates
the direction of prayer. This beautiful building is one of the best examples of Islamic Dravidian architecture of ancient India. 
Which is the oldest mosque in India? The Palaiya Jumma Masjid beats the Cheraman Jumma Masjid in Kodungallur, Thrissur district, Kerala, by one year.
It was built in 628 CE, while the Kodungallur mosque was built in 629 CE by Malik lbn Dinar. Bazan Ibn Sasan, Tamim Ibn Zayd al Ansari, Ibn Batuta, Nagoor Abdul Kadir, Eravadi Ibrahim Sahib, the Sultan of Ottoman, Murad and other famous Islamic scholars have recorded their visits to the Kilakarai mosque. It is also the fourth oldest mosque in the world.

Vallal Seethakathi is buried at Kilakarai, in a modern colonial monument. He encouraged Umaru Pulavar, a Tamil Muslim, to write the Seerapuranam,
a history of Nabi (Prophet) Mohammed, in 5,027 poems in three kaandams (parts). Beside the mosque is the dargah of Sadakatullah Appa, a Muslim trader-benefactor.
I listened to a group of Muslims from Kerala singing bhajans of sorts about Sadakatullah. I asked Abdul Khader Bhai whether it was a Shia mosque and he quickly corrected to tell me that it was Sunni.
With the growth of Madras and Tuticorin harbours and the cultured pearl industry, this little port ceased to be and returned to its
pre-Arab slumber. The cultured pearl industry choked the once robust pearl trade or muthu salabam. The conch and coral industries declined too, as environmental concerns and excessive coral withdrawals restricted this activity. With the advent of surface transport, Kilakarai ceased to be a harbour and port.

Sivakasi

King Harikesari Parakkiramma Pandian, the king of Tenkasi between 1428 and 1460, wanted to construct a temple for Lord Siva at Tenkasi. He went to Benaras (Kasi) and worshipped the Lord and brought a Sivalingam from there. While returning from Benaras to Tenkasi with Sivalingam the King and his army were too tired and they decided to take rest under the "Vilva" trees (now the Sivan Kovil). They spent a night over there.

In the early morning the King got up and made preparations for his journey. But the Cow which carried the Sivalingam refused to move from that place. The Queen also attained her puberty. On the account of various incidents, the King placed the Sivalingam where he rested and built a small Temple at that place itself and performed Poojas.
Accordingly, the Sivalingam was enshrined in the month of Vaikasi at Rohini Star and worshipped the Sivalingam. Normally Temple will be dedicated for a town, but to a great dismay after the advent of the temple this town was formed around this temple and hence the town was named as Sivakasi.

In 1559, the King of Madurai Thirumalai Naicker send his younger brother Muthu Veerappa Naicker to Sivakasi as the Regirdhar (Governor). he came to Sivakasi and realised the worth of Lord Siva. He build the Sivan Kovil and all facilities and Sculptures. The forest around the temple was made into a living place.
By the above history the town got the name SIVAKASI
(i.e., SIVAlinga brought from KASI)

Till 1920 this town was in the status of Union Panchayat in G.O.No:779 dated 14-6-1920. Govt. have constituted the Sivakasi Town Panchayat as a Municipality with effect from 1-10-1920, then the Govt. appointed Revenue Divisional Officer Sri.T.S. Ramasamy, B.A.B.L., as an Ex. Officio Chairman of the Council consisting of 12 members nominated by Govt. This Nominated body was continued up to 1923-24.

From the year 1924-25 the council was represented by the elected body of the people and Thiru P.S. Ramasamy Nadar was the first elected Chairman of the Municipal Council of Sivakasi. At that time, this town was divided into 12 wards and 16 councillors. Later the Strength was increased to 24 and revising the town into 22 electoral wards with 2 reserved seats one for Schedule Caste and the other for women. The strength of the Council was further revised as 30 and the wards have been revised as 28. The Municipality attained the status of 2nd graded Municipality from 28-9-1971 and as 1st grade from 1-10-1978. The area of the Municipality at the time of constitution was 227 acres.

Now Sivakasi is a Municipal town which is situated in Virudhunagar district of Tamilnadu state is in South India. Sivakasi is at +106.07 meter above sea level. This town is located at 9.28 North latitude and 77.48 East longitude. This town is about 6.89 sq. kilometers.

With the grace and mercy of Lord Siva the city became popular for its renowned products like Matches, Fireworks and Printing

The specialty of Sivakasi is although it is having all these Industries none of the raw materials is available in Sivakasi.
Normally a Industrial city is planned only with the raw material available in that area. But in Sivakasi the veneers and splints for the Match Industry are brought from Kerala and Andaman. The paper for Printing Industry is brought from many places from India and abroad. Similarly the Chemicals and Board used for Fireworks Industry. The people in sivakasi are only having the will to work and the desire to succeed in whatever the task they have taken up. Apart from Industry an example is the huge Rajakoopuram constructed at the Patrakailamman Shrine in the recent past. In the People in India think about this for a while and act accordingly each and every place of India will become not a Mini Japan but a Maxi Japan

Gingee

Gingee under the rule of Vijayanagar Kings :- (1400 A.D)

From the survey of books that were present during Vijayanagar period, we come to know that Gingee was under the authority of Kopnnarayer during the 14th Century A.D.

Historians hold the opinion that Kopannarayr, one of the Generals of Vijayanagar empire helped Kampannarayan, with a large army. In return, Kampannarayan handed Gingee over to Kopannarayer.

Gingee under the Nayakka rulers : - (From the end of 14th century A.D. for 150 years)

During the peak of Krishna Deva Raya's power (1509 A.D. - 1529 A.D.) he ordered, Krisnappa Nayyaka to rule a region with Gingee as its capital. He and his successors ruled for about 150 years having capital at Gingee.

The Nayyaka rulers, build tall and strong fort walls with granite, tall towers with sculptural workmanship granite temples on the plains and brick shrines on the peak. This architecture is similar to that architecture in "Hampi"

Under the rule of Muhammaadans:-(1649 A.D. - 1677 A.D)

There was no unity among the Nayakas of Gingee, Tanjore and Madurai. There where frequent skirmishes among them.

Taking advantage of this situation, the Bijapur Sultans, who belong to the Muhammadans dynasty, invaded Gingee at the beginning of the 16th Century A.D. and captured it. After this the army general of "Golgonda" , "Mirjeeva" defeated Krishnappa Nayyaka and handed Gingee over the king of Bijapur.

Gingee under the Marathas:- (1677 A.D. - 1697 A.D)

After the fall of the Muhammadans rule at the end of the 17th century, Chattrapathi Shivaji, a scion in the annuls of History wrested Gingee from the Muhammadans. Then he asked his brother " Sambaji" to rule Gingee in 1690 A.D. afterwards it was handed over to Rajaram in 1697 A.D.

Gingee, under the rule of the Mughals:- (1700 A.D-1750 A.D)

The Mughal General Zulfigar Khan (1697 A.D. - 1698 A.D.) captured Gingee fort after a tough fight against the Marathas.

Zulfigar Khan, then handed over the rule to Swaroop singh who was the army head at Bundalakand in 1700 A.D. on conditions that he had to collect tax under the supervision of Sad-ad-ullah khan of Carnatic.

After the death of Swaroop, his son Desingh Raja came to the throne. He hated to be a slave to the Mugal rulers and refused to pay the tax to the Nawab. So a war took place between Sad-ad-ullah khan and Desingh Raja. At the end of the war, Desingh Raja by killing himself made a supreme sacrifice to avoid being a prisioner in the hands of Mogul rulers. Historians say that though Desingh Raja ruled for short period, he deeply engraved his marks in the history of Gingee. His wife also throwing herself into fire committed suicide to safeguard her chastity which is considered as highly holy.

After the death of Desingh Raja, Sad-ad-Ullah khan conquered Gingee in 1714 A.D. and ruled till 1750 A.D. for about 36 years.

Gingee under the rule of the Foreigners :- (1750 A.D)

French people who came to India, for the purpose of trade and commerce, attacked Gingee under the command of "Puli" and his troops, captured Gingee and kept Gingee under their control for about ten years. During this period French People annexed Vandavasi in 1760 A.D. and Pondicherry in 1761 A.D. Then the Britishers under the command of General "Coot" attacked the French Army on April, 1761 A.D. by winning the war, they brought Gingee under the control of the British Captain 'Stephen Smith'.

After this time. the General of Mysore, Hyder Ali became the king in 1761 A.D. A.D. As Hyder Ali did not like the British rule in India, he waged war against the British many times. So the Britishers made peace treaty with Hyder Ali. After few years, when Warren Hastings became the Governor General of India, Hyder Ali blamed Britishers for going against the treaty and waged war in 1780, by moving his troops via Polur and Vandavasi to caputure Gingee. But he was defeated by the Britsh army.

After 1780 A.D., the southern parts gradually fell into the hands of the British without any opposition. Due to the political changes in Carnatic area, the Britishers made Chennai fort for the transport facilities and the French made Pondicherry as their capital and started to rule Indian territory.

In the beginning, Gingee was the place of the Jains but later due to rule of Pallava, Chola kings, Pandya, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara kings. Muhammadans, Mughals and the indifferent attitude of foreigners, the Gingee fort, which was surrounded by the granite walls, the mandapas, the temples inside the fort, was gradually destroyed. The Britishers did not take any steps to renovate the fort. Today Gingee fort is placed as a memorial in the pages of history and also for the sake of its admirers.

Salem

Indian culture and heritage is something that is a pride to each and every citizen of India. Both North and South India have equal weight in posing their history and culture. There have been so many famous kings and their kingdoms that have ruled South India. They have built so many temples and historically important monuments. These monuments speak for itself the prosperity and the richness of the respective kingdoms.

Since it’s the focus is about the history of South India with a special focus on Salem, we have to remember that there have been many districts that were once together and have been divided and named differently in the present. When it is about the kings of south India there are three very famous kings whose name will always be mentioned, the Chera, the Cholas and the Pandiyas. 

The Chera ruled most part of Tamilnadu till 18th century. Salem, an important district in Tamilnadu, South India also was under the rule of the Chera.

These kings, of ancient Tamilnadu, were called as the Kurunila Mannargal. In the ancient inscriptions Salem was referred to by many names like cheralam (the Chera rule), sailam and shalya.

The city was surrounded by hills on all the sides, Nagarmalai to its north, Godumalai to its east, kanajanamalai to its west and Jeragamalai to its south. The kings who ruled Salem built many temples and great forts. The Salem district proudly calls itself the birthplace of poem and writing as it is the birth place of the very well known and renowned poetess Avvaiyar.

She was a very famous poetess and her songs are still fresh and very devotional. She was a staunch devotee of lord Shiva and lord Muruga and has written many songs on different deities. This is a very big credit to the history of Salem.

After the Chera the district came into the rule of Hyder Ali. Hyder Ali, who is a very famous king during the ancient India, took over the parts of Salem and the hills around after the Mysore Madurai war.

Later during the British rule Salem was headed by many governors and colonels till it came under the rule of Lord Clive. Since the district is situated in the middle of many other districts like Coimbatore and also an easy access to Bangalore and other cities this place was considered to be very important.

Lord Clive transformed Salem into a military regiment this was situated at a place in the district still known as Sankagiri Durg till the 19th century. This was opposed by so many freedom seekers.

Salem also has the credit of being the birthplace of a very famous freedom fighter Dheeran Chinnamalai to its history. He fought against the Britishers during Lord Clive’s rule. He was against making Salem a garrison for military forces and so joined the freedom fighting movement. He was said to have been tortured and hanged in the same military fort in Sankagiri Durg.

Tamilnadu region was known infamously as the Kongunadu. This also included the Salem district and there were supposed to be twenty eight kings who ruled the kongu region since its advent. After the British rule there were many churches that were built and apart from any south Indian districts Salem eagerly welcomed and practiced Christianity.

When you talk about the history of Salem, Tamil Nadu… you can’t forget about its churches. Even now there are many famous churches in Salem and still with the same welcome and respect to Christianity.

Lots of manuscripts have been found that speaks about the ruling pattern and the number of kings who had ruled the Salem district. Later after the early 19th century Salem came under Town Corporation and became a Municipal Corporation from 1994.

After this till date Salem holds rue and good its history and has been developing and growing since. With many schools and educational institutions to its credit, Salem has become one of the most important districts of Tamilnadu.

Kumbakonam

When it was time for the destruction of this world a huge Pralaya came up. In order to save the vedha’s Amirtham (Tamil language) and tools necessary to create lives on earth, Lord Brahma collected all these things and put them in a mud pot and kept the pot safety on the top of the Mount Meru (mythology).
Pralaya kalam (ie) the period of non stop heavy rain came and the pot of Brahma was washed away by the flood. In due course moving in the south direction it came to halt at a particular place. Then for the wish of all Devar’s (ie) heavenly people Lord Shiva broke the pot with an arrow. Immediately Amudham (ie) the liquid given eternity flowed from the pot and formed two tanks. One is known as Mahamaha kulam and the other is Potramarai kulam. The remains of the pot and Amudham joined together to form Lord Kumbeswarar otherwise called (Shiva) in the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple. In the name of the broken pot (ie) Kumbam (Tamil language) that place was called Kumbakonam. The city of Kumbakonam, is linked to several instances & puranas in the Hindu mythology. Mythological legend has it that there was a deluge after the Dwapara Yugam; a pot of nectar and the seeds of creation were placed in a pot (kudam) and set adrift in the deluge. The drifting pot settled at Kumbakonam giving its ancient name Kudamookku. Kumbakonam is also colloquially known as Kudanthai, Thirukudanthai and Baskarashetram from time immemorial.

History
The earliest history of Kumbakonam could be traced to the town of Pazhaiyaarai, 8 kilometres from Kumbakonam which was the capital of the Chola Empire in the 9th century AD. Records from around the same time mention the nearby township of Kudanthai which grew into the present-day Kumbakonam. Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan; a semi-historical novel bring out the 10th century A.D., gives a detailed description of Kudanthai and elevates it to the status of a regional headquarters of the Chola governors.
During the Chola Empire rule this place had a local sabha with political autonomy to decide the administrative matters of the town. Krishnadevaraya, the emperor ofVijayanagara visited the town to attend the famous Mahamaham festival.
During the Maratha’s rule Sankaracharya came as a refugee because of Hyder Ali and the person who gave asylum to him was Kabir. A ghat and a street in Kumbakonam were named after Kabir. The societal pattern formed in this town and the supremacy of the Brahmin community during the Maratha and the British rules were documented in the Encyclopædia Britannica.
Research on the name Tirukkudantai with other equivalents such as Kudavayil and Kumbam forms part of a chapter. It also mentions the negative connotations attributed to the place Kumbakonam as “a cheat” and “a crooked person” in the Winslow’s dictionary (1862) and the Tamil lexicon. Later this was corrected and the historical reason behind this was also explained in the book.

Business
The town which was originally a religious town become an industrial center during last quarter of the 19th Century and early period of 20th century. Predominance was gained for Silk Industries and Metal manufacturing.The Major Suppliers of Silk Sarees to the Indian Silk Saree Market is Kumbakonam Silk Industry. All the South Indian Brass Pooja articles and utensils are manufactured in Kumbakonam and these articles are manufactured nowhere in South India other than Kumbakonam.KuthuVilakku and Statues are the famous articles. Stainless Steel utensils are manufactured.Betelnuts, Suparis are manufactured in Kumbakonam.

Economy

Kumbakonam is primarily a market city for surrounding smaller towns and agricultural villages. The town is surrounded by small villages of great historical importance. The agricultural region around the town is famous for its betelnuts and betel leaves. It is a market town where people from all over the Kaveri delta region (Composite Thanjavur District) come for business purposes. The town is also home to many goldsmiths and ornament makers. And the city is world famous for sculpture because of the workshop in Swamimalai.

Temples

Kumbakonam is known as the City of temples as there are around thousand of temples in and around Kumbakonam.

Lord shiva temples

In Kumbakonam
1. Adi Kumbheswarar Temple.
2. Nageswara Swami Temple.
3. Someswarar Temple.

Temples to the East/North East of Kumbakonam
4. Thiruviyalur.
5. Thirunageswaram.
6. Thiruvidaimarudur.
7. Thirukkodika.
8. Tenkurangaduthurai.
9. Thiruneelakkudy.
10. Thirumangalakkudi.
11. Palaiyur.

Temples to the SouthEast of Kumbakonam
12. Kalayanallur(Sakkotai).
13. Thiru Chivapuram(Sivapuram).
14. Karukkudy(Marudhanallur).
15. Arisikaraiputhur(Azhagaputhur).
16. Penu Perundurai.
17. Thirunaraiyur.
18. Penu Perundurai.
19. Thirucherai.
20. Thirunallam.
21. Narayur Chitteswaram.
22. Nalur Mayanam.
23. Karuvili.
24. Kudavayil(Kudavasal).

Temples to the Southwest of Kumbakonam
25. Pattesvaram.
26. Thiruchathimutham.
27. Aavur.
28. Nallur.
29. Pazhayarai Vadathali.
30. Tiru palathurai.

Temples to the west of Kumbakonam
31. Kottaiyur.
32.Thiruvalanchuzhi.
Temples to NorthWest of Kumbakonam
33. Innambur.
34. Thiruppurambiam.
35. VijayaMangai.
36. Tiruvaikavoor.

Temples to the Northeast of Kumbakonam
37. Thirundudevankudy.
38. Thirucheynjalur.
39. Thiruvappadi.
40. Thiruppanandal.

Lord Vishnu Temples In Kumbakonam
1. Sarangapani Temple.
2. Chakrapani Temple.

Temples to the SouthEast of Kumbakonam
3. Tiruvinnagar(Uppiliyappan Koil).
4. Nachiyarkovil.
5. Thirucherai.

Temples to the West of Kumbakonam
6. Pullabhudangudi.
7. Kapisthalam.

Temples to the SouthWest of Kumbakonam
8. Nandipura Vinnagram

Temples to the NorthWest of Kumbakonam
9. Aadanur.

Temples to the NorthEast of Kumbakonam
10. Thiruvalliankudi.

Chidambaram

The early history of the temple lies hidden in the mists of time. It reached its present form under the patronage of the kings of the Chola dynasty in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. From the aerial view we can see the total surface area of the temple covers 13 hectares or 35 acres. Placing it among the largest temples in the whole of India. It is designed with five concentric Prakaras, or circumambulatory temple courtyards. These are associated with the Five Elements. The innermost Prakara is not visible. It lies within the sanctum with the golden roof, and can only be entered by the Deekshithars. The architecture and the rituals of this temple reflect its history and doctrine.


Where we now find this beautiful and ancient temple, was once an impenetrable forest of Tillai trees, which is a kind of mangrove. This forest gave Chidambaram its firs and most ancient name, Tillai. Within this sprawling forest was a lotus pond, and at the southern bank of this pond existed a Svayambhu Linga. A linga is a representation of Lord Shiva which unites both the concepts of Form as well as of Formless in itself. In modern terms this formless-form might be called an abstraction.

Svayambhu means ‘self existent’, signifying that the linga was not made by human beings, but came into existence by itself, from nature. To this lotus pond in the Tillai forest came two saints, named Vyagrapada and Patanjali. They came from very different backgrounds and from very different directions, but they came for the same reason: to witness Shiva’s Cosmic Dance. It had been foretold to them that if they would worship the linga on the bank of the lotus pond in the forest, Lord Shiva would come to perform His Dance.

Eventually this great event took place. Nataraja came to perform His Dance on a Thursday, when the moon was in the asterism Pushan, in the Tamil month of Tai, long before the Christian era. This dance is called the Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss. The saints achieved liberation, and on their special request Shiva promised to perform His Dance for all time at that place. For the full narration of the myth the reader is referred to chapter III.

The story of the origin of the worship of Shiva Nataraja in Chidambaram is told in the Chidambaram Mahatmyam. The Sacred History of Chidambaram, which is part of the Skanda Purana, one of the 18 great Puranas or collections of mythology. From one of the saints, Vyagrapada, which means Tiger Footed, Chidambaram received its second name, Puliyur, meaning ‘City of the Tiger’.

Its third name, Chidambaram, refers to the philosophy and doctrine of the temple. Cit means consciousness or wisdom. Ambaram signifies ether in Sanskrit, but in Tamil the ambalam means hall. The name unifies two aspects of the doctrine. Meaning both Hall of Wisdom, as well as the place of the Ether of Consciousness.

The edifice which now includes within its garbhagriha or sanctum this Svayambhu linga form of Shiva, situated on the southern bank of the sacred pound, is called Mulasthana. This Sanskrit term means ‘place of origin’ or ‘root place’. It can be found in the third courtyard, within the Nataraja temple proper. Facing east, it is a conventional temple with a garbha-griha or sanctum containing the linga, and an ardha-mandapa, a hall in front of the sanctum.

In this ardha-mandapam we find the images of the two saints, Vyagrapada and Patanjali. They stand with their hands folded, worshipping. A sanctum placed at an angle to the linga shrine, facing south, houses the consort of Shiva, the goddess Uma-Parvati. On the western wall of the shrine we find a relief sculptured of the Kalpa Vriksha or Wishing Tree of Paradise. This shrine achieved its present form probably under the middle and later Cholas in the 11th and 12th century.

The main edifices of the temple are the five Sabhas or Halls: the Cit Sabha, Kanaka Sabha, Deva Sabha, Nritta Sabha, and the Raja Sabha.

At the centre of the temple is situated the sanctum sanctorum or holy of holiest, called the Cit Sabha or Cit Ambalam. This means the ‘Hall of Wisdom’. It is the main shrine where Lord Shiva Nataraja accompanied by his consort Parvati performs His Cosmic Dance, the Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss.

The world is the embodiment of the Virat Purusha, the colossal human form. Chidambaram is the centre of this form, the place of the heart, where Shiva performs the Cosmic Dance.

The Chidambaram temple is laid out as a Purusha. For this reason the devotees may approach the central shrine from two sides. As blood flows to and from the heart. The nine stupas topping the golden roof represent the nine orifices of the human body, and also symbolize the nine Matrikas or goddesses. The roof is made of 21.600 tiles, representing inhalations and exhalations of breath. The links and side joints symbolize the connecting veins.

The five main steps at the entrance to the shrine stand between the devotees and the image of Shiva, covered in silver. They are the five seed words or syllables of the mantra.

By chanting these syllables, the devotee can cross the ocean of bondage and attain to the Lord. The granite plinth of the shrine is called Parvadam, because it does duty for Mount Kailasa in providing a support for Lord Shiva. On all special occasions puja or worship is performed to this plinth.

The name, Hall of Consciousness or Hall of Wisdom, refers to the quality of wisdom which pervades the atmosphere, bestowed upon the worshippers by the Dance of the Lord. His boon is the experience of the Cosmic Dance.

A unique feature is that the structure of the actual Sabha is made of wood, which has so far not been botanically classified. It is rectangular in form and here Shiva is worshipped in his three aspects:

As Form                             Nataraja the murti or image of Shiva

As Formless-Form          The crystal linga called Chandramaulishvara

As Formless                       The yantra which is the Akasha Linga

From the platform opposite the Sabha one can see the image of the Dancing Shiva, situated in the middle of the Sabha. Shiva is facing south, unlike most other Hindu deities. This signifies he is the Conqueror of Death, dispelling the fear of death for the humanity.

The Crystal Linga called Chandramaulishvara is Shiva as Formless-Form. This Crystal Linga was formed from the essence of the crescent moon in Shiva’s matted hair, for the purpose of daily worship. This murti is taken from its keeping place at the feet of the Nataraja six times a day, and abhishekam of holy ablution is performed to him in the hall called Kanaka Sabha in front of the Cit Sabha.

Immediately to the proper right of the Nataraja is the Chidambaram Rahasyam, the ‘mystery’ of Chidambaram. Here, behind a silk curtain which is black on the outside and red on the inside, is the Akasha Linga, in the form of a yantra. An abstract  geometrical design, on which the deity is invoked. Behind the curtain, before the yantra, hang a few strands of golden vilva leaves. This signifies the act of creation. One moment nothing exists, the next instant the All has been brought into existence. At regular timings the curtain is removed to allow the devotees to worship the Akasha. he Ether which is the vehicle of the Absolute and Consciousness.

The Cit Sabha houses one more unique form of Shiva. This is the Ratna Sabha Pati, the Ruby Lord of the Sabha: a replica of the Nataraja murti in ruby form. This murti appeared out of the fire of the sacrifice in response to the devotion of the Deekshithars.

Once a day, as part of the 10.00 o’clock morning puja ritual, after the abhishekam of the Crystal Linga, abhishekam is also performed to the Ruby Shiva. As conclusion of this ceremony the Ruby Nataraja is placed on the edge of the Parvadam of the Kanaka Sabha and Mangala Arati is offered. This is the burning of camphor on a special plate which is shown both in front and behind the Ruby Nataraja. This brings out the special quality of translucence of this murti, creating a mystical spectacle for the onlookers.

Nobody knows when the worship of Nataraja was established here, or when the Cit Sabha was build. The original wooden structure is doubtless the oldest structure in the temple complex, as the shrine of the Mulasthana Linga is a later construction under the Chola Kings. The Sabha has no features that could help to date it. It is unique and no other structure is known like it anywhere else in Indian architecture. Analysis by the C 14 method would be unreliable because it is known to have been regularly renovated during the centuries. But the origins of the temple of Shiva Nataraja in Chidambaram definitely lie back in prehistoric times.

According to the mythology the temple was first constructed by a king called Shveta Varman. This king was healed of leprosy by bathing in the sacred pond in the Tillai forest and witnessed the Cosmic Dance. The first gilding of the roof of the Cit Sabha and the instituting of the temple and the formal worship of the Nataraja are all attributed to this King.

The first historical references can be found in the Skanda Purana, especially in the Suta Samhita part. Here Shanmukha, the six-faced son of Shiva and Parvati, is described as worshipping his parents in Chidambaram, before going to do battle with a demon called Surapadma. This text can be dated to the second century BCE.

The Cit Sabha, Shiva’s dance and Chidambaram are also prominently mentioned in the Tirumantiram of Tirumular, an important religious and philosophical text in ancient Tamil, dating from the beginning of the Christian era. A few centuries later the temple and its Lord are often mentioned by poets of the Tevaram, especially Appar and Sambandar (7th century) and by Manikavasakar (8th century).

The first historical kings to claim having gilded the roof of the Cit Sabha are the Chola Aditya I (871-907) and his son Parantaka I (907-955). By this time the temple had already become important. The place where kings were crowned, and where they came
to worship and receive counsel. How the gilding of the roof was done is a knowledge that was sadly lost with time. But it is without doubt one of the great technical achievements of ancient times.

Immediately in front of the Cit Sabha is the Kanaka Sabha, or golden hall. Its roof is made of copper, although Kanaka means gold. This is the gold of spiritual treasure: to experience Shiva’s dance from so near.

In this Sabha are most of the daily rituals of worship for Nataraja performed. The Yagna of the morning rituals. The rituals with lamps and ritual objects. And the abhishekam of the Crystal Linga and Ruby Nataraja. The public can enter certain areas of the
Kanaka Sabha for worship of the Nataraja and the Akasha Linga at specified hours of the day.

It is a controversy whether this Sabha was originally constructed together with the Cit Sabha, or some time later.

The Nritta Sabha is the shrine in the form of a ratha or chariot, pulled by two stone horses. It is situated opposite the Cit Sabha, in the third courtyard. It is the place of the dance contest between Nataraja and the goddess Kali.

Shiva conquered the goddess, who would not calm down after she destroyed a powerful demon, by lifting his right leg straight up towards the sky. This dance is called the Urdhva Tandava. Then and there Kali suddenly remembered who she really was, the peaceful Parvati, consort of Shiva, and she was able to leave her furious mood and returned to her peaceful self. This scene is depicted in the sanctum inside the Sabha. We see Shiva performing his Urdhva Tandava, his leg lifted straight above his head, Kali calmed down in one corner, both accompanied by Vishnu playing the talam, the
instrument which is used to accompany dance.

The chariot form of the Sabha commemorates Shiva as Tripurasamhara murti, the Destroyer of the Three Demon Cities. Several divine powers joined together to create Shiva’s chariot. Thus the sun and moon became the wheels, the Vedas the horses etc.
After destroying the Three Cities he descended from his chariot, having landed opposite the Cit Sabha, and ascended into the Sabha to commence His Dance. From this the Nritta Sabha is also called Edir Amabalam or opposite hall.

This Sabha has several distinguishing features aside from its shape and its function. Its columns are unique to the chariot hall. They are square, and although carved from the hardest granite they are covered with exquisite miniature relief’s, depicting dancers,
musicians and all kinds of mythological figures.

One other feature sets this edifice apart from any other hall within the temple complex and from all other temple halls in India. This Sabha is mysteriously connected to the Sphinx. Just under the floor surface of the raised platform which is the body of the Sabha is a belt or pattika, surrounding the whole Sabha. Here we see lions and sphinxes alternating in pairs, girdling the Sabha.

Also the pillars of the two pavilions on the western side of the Sabha are supported by four sphinxes which function as caryatids.

The Nritta Sabha is considered by tradition the second oldest building in the complex, without any real indication of its age. It is reported in inscriptions as having been renovated by the Chola King Kulottunga I in the 11th century.

The Deva Sabha can be found in the third prakara or courtyard. The festival deities are kept during the year, and worship is performed for them daily. This is done inside the Sabha, and is not open to the public. The age and history of this Sabha is also hidden in the mists of time. There is some evidence the Deva Sabha was once used as an audience hall by visiting kings of the different governing dynasties of the Cholas, Pandyas and others during the several phases of history. No other information is
available.

The Raja Sabha is the Thousand Pillar Hall in the second courtyard. It is the architectural representation of the Sahasradara, or Crown Chakra. Which is the seventh spiritual energy point in the astral body. The Nataraja and the goddess Sivakamasundari, his consort, dance here on the 9th and 10th day of the Chariot Festival.

About this Sabha too, we have very little historical information. It is first mentioned as the place where the medieval poet Sekkilar premiered his great work on the lives of the 63 Nayanmars or Saiva saints, the Periya Purana, before the Chola king Kulottunga II or III, in the 12th century.

Its base is encircled by relief’s of dancers and musicians, as it were participating in a procession.

The most imposing feature of the temple, which can be seen soaring above the plain from miles away, are the four temple gateways or gopurams, located in the second wall of enclosure at the cardinal points. They are considered among the earliest examples of
such structures and are in their present form dated to the 12th and 13th century. Scholars disagree about the dates of individual gopurams, or about which one was build first. Some consider the west gopuram as oldest, some the east gopuram.

In between the sculptures decorating the inside of the west gopuram we find a musician playing a standing double drum. This could point to an early date for this gopuram.

On the outside of the granite bases of the gopurams are found sculptures of many important as well as less well known deities in niches in a particular order. The inside walls of passages through all the four gopurams are decorated with the 108 karanas, the dance movements of Shiva, from the Natya Shastra, the world’s most ancient treatise on dance, drama and theatre. Besides in Chidambaram these karanas are depicted in only four other temples, all in Tamil Nadu.

The four gopurams, together with the golden dome of the central shrine are the five towers which represent the five faces of Shiva, with the Cit Sabha symbolizing the masterful face.

In the innermost courtyard, at a right angle with the golden Sabha, we find the shrine of Vishnu, as Govinda Raja. Reclining on the Cosmic Snake, he is in the yogic state of consciousness, enjoying the vision of Shiva’s dance. The coexistence of the worship
of both Vishnu and Shiva within one temple is unique. The worship of Vishnu was established in the earliest times and was originally performed by the Deekshithars themselves. In the later medieval period, with a shifting political situation under pressure of Muslim invasions, there was possibly a discontinuation of the worship for a
long period, after which it re-instated by the king Achyuta Raya (1539) of the Vijayanangara empire. The worship of Vishnu Govinda Raja has since then been in the hands of Vaishnava priests, and was no longer performed by the Deekshithars.

Within the inner courtyard, to the east of the Sabha, we find a small shrine which houses the murtis of both the Creator god Brahma, of the Hindy Trinity, and Chandikeshvara, a deified saint. The presence of Brahma (a deity almost never worshipped) establishes the worship of all three deities of the Hindu Trinity with-in the
one complex.

The temple of goddess Shivakamasundari, consort of Shiva, is situated on the west side of the Shivaganga tank. A flight of steps leads down into its courtyard. The goddess
is worshipped here as the Jñana Shakti: the energy and power of wisdom. On the frontal portion of the pillared hall, on the ceiling of the right and left wings, the finest eye-capturing fresco paintings of approximately a thousand years old, illustrate the Leelas or Sacred Deeds of Shiva. The galleries surrounding the temple are decorated with a procession of dancers and musicians, sculptured in relief. This temple was possibly build in the 11th century under the Chola king Kulottunga I.

The Shiva Ganga is the sacred water place or tank. It is famous for healing the ancient king Sveta Varman of his skin disease. His skin became golden after which he was called Hiranya Varman.

In this tank we find a stone representation of the Linga of Tiruvanaikaval, which represents the Element Water. In the dry season it becomes visible as the water level in the tank is reduced.

The Pandya Nayaka temple is dedicated to Murugan, the second son of Shivan and Parvati. This shrine is also shaped as a chariot, pulled by horses and elephants. This temple was according to tradition build by a king of the Pandya dynasty from Madurai, which superceded the rule of the Cholas in the 13th century. His name was Sundarar Pandya, and the temple is named after him.

In the middle of the 18th century this temple was renovated with the support of Dutch merchants, who had a trading post in nearby Porto Nuovo. According to an inscription on copper plates they donated a share of their profit for this purpose

Vellore

Vellore Fort is a large 16th-century fort situated in Vellore city, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India built by Vijayanagara Kings. The Fort was at one point of time the headquarters of the Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire. The fort is known for its grand ramparts, wide moat and robust masonry. The Fort's ownership passed from Vijayanagara Kings, to the Bijapur Sultans, to Marathas, to the Carnatic Nawabs and finally to the British, who held the fort until India gained independence. The Indian government maintains the Fort with the Archaeological Department.

During British rule, the Tipu Sultan's family and the last king of Sri Lanka, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha were held in as prisoners in the fort. The fort houses a Christian church, a Muslim mosque and a Hindu temple, the latter of which is famous for its magnificent carvings. The first rebellion against British rule erupted at this fort in 1806, and it is also a witness to the massacre of the Vijayanagara royal family of Sriranga Raya.

History:
Vellore Fort was built by Chinna Bommi Nayak and Thimma Reddy Nayak, subordinate Chieftains under Sadasiva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire in the year of 1566 AD. Vellore Fort gained strategic prominence following the re-establishment of Vijayanagar rule with Chandragiri as their 4th capital after the Talikota battle. The Aravidu Dynasty that held the title of Rayas in 17th century resided in this fort, using it as a base in the battle of Toppur in the 1620s. This major battle took place for the claiming of the Raya title between two faction of the Raya family. Each faction was by their respective subordinates; the Nayaks of Tanjore, the Gingee and the Madurai taking sides to suit their interests.

The Rayas also had long-running battles with their longtime rivals, the Bijapur Sultans, and with the Nayaks of Madurai and the Gingee over non-remittance of annual tributes. In the 1640s, during the reign of Sriranga Raya III, the Fort was briefly captured by the Bijapur army, but was eventually recaptured with the help of the Nayaks of Tanjore.

Construction:
The fort was constructed in granite from the nearby quarries in Arcot and Chittor districts. It spreads over an area of 133 acres (0.54 sq km) and is located at an altitude of 220m within a broken mountain range. The fort is surrounded by a moat which was once used as an additional line of defence in the case of an invasion. It includes an escape tunnel leading to Virinjipuram about 12 km away, which could be used by the king and other royals in the event of an attack. The fort is considered to be among the best of military architecture in Southern India and is known for its grand ramparts, wide moat and robust masonry. This 13th-century fort was opened up to tourists and is now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, and is well maintained compared to other monuments.

Buildings Within The Fort:
    Sri Jalagandeeswarar Temple: The temple, dedicated to Jalagandeeswar, is noted for its sculptures, and speaks volumes of the exquisite craftsmanship of the highly skilled artisans of that period. The sculpture in the porch on the left of the entrance is a masterpiece appreciated by the connoisseurs of art and architecture. The temple was long used as an arsenal, and remained without a deity, although several years ago it was sanctified with an idol of Lord Shiva.During mughal period the idol was removed and kept away from the town, forgotten by the generation. In the year 1983 a Christian missionary spoke out side the fort ground, inside the fort an empty temple. This evoked a quick response from the Vellore elites and all gathered together and promptly placed the idol and started their prayers. The temple is maintained by a Trust.
    The Mosque: This building was constructed during the last Arcod Navab's period.
    The Church: This building was constructed during the early British period (Robert Clive, East Indian Company).
    Muthu Mandapam: This is a memorial built around the tombstone of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the last ruler of Sri Lanka. Situated on the bank of the Palar River, it is just one kilometer north of Vellore fort.
    Government Museum: This is a multi purpose museum maintained by the Department of Museum Government of Tamil Nadu. Its treasures include ancient- and present-day curiosities relating to subjects such as anthropology, botany, geology, numismatics, pre-history, and zoology. Historical monuments of the erstwhile composite North Arcot district are gracefully depicted in the gallery.

Royal Prisoners:
    Family of Tipu Sultan: After the fall of Srirangapatnam in 1799 and the death of Tipu Sultan, his family, including his sons, daughters, wife and mother (who was the wife of Hyder Ali), was detained in the fort. After the 1806 Sepoy Mutiny, the British transferred Tipu's sons and daughters to Calcutta. The Tombs of Bakshi Begum, widow of Hyder Ali and Padshah Begum, Tipu's wife & sons, who died in 1834 are located with a kilometre to the eastern side of the Fort.
    Last King of Kandy: Vellore Fort also became the final destination for the last ruling monarch of Sri Lanka, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798-1815). The kind and his family were kept as prisoners of war at this fort for 17 years with his family. His grave can be found in the fort along with last raya kings of Vijayanagara Empire.

Tiruvannamalai

The history of Tiruvannamalai dates from the early Chola period, the period of Aditya I and Parantaka I (871-955 AD) when the Chola empire had expanded northwards to include practically the whole of Tondaimandalam. After Parantaka I till the reign of Rajendra I, the rule of the Chola Empire is not confirmed by inscriptions inside the Arunachaleswarar Temple. Possibly on account of the Rashtrakuta invasions and occupation of this area by Krishna III. This is perhaps indicated by a single inscription of Kannaradeva (Krishna III) found in the Temple. The recovery of the region by the Cholas was a slow process and reached its successful conclusion only towards the close of the reign of Rajaraja I approximately. AD 1014, but even Rajaraja is conspicuously absent in the inscriptions of Tiruvannamalai.

         While the rule of Rajendra I and Rajadhiraja I over this area is attested by their inscriptions, once again a fairly long gap of over a hundred years is indicated by the absence of any Chola inscriptions till the beginning of Kulottunga III's region (AD 1183)
         Large scales activities in the period of Kulottunga III and Rajaraja III are indicated by a number of records in the Temple. Further, the frequent references to a number of Chola feudatories of this period would also show a gradual ascendancy in their power and importance till the final establishment of independence by the Kadavaraya chieftains in the second quarter of the 13th century AD In this connection mention may be made of an interesting inscription at Tiruvannamalai, which records an agreement entered into by a number of feudatory chieftains to support one another and swearing allegiance to the ruling Chola king (Kulottunga III of AD 1210), pointing to a period of great political tension under the late Cholas. 
         The inscriptions of Kopperunjinga clearly show that by the second quarter of the 13th century, the Kadavarayas had established complete mastery over this region leading to the final decline of Chola power.
          A brief period of Pandya supremacy over this region is indicated by the inscriptions of the Pandyas of the second empire such as Jatavaraman Srivallabha and Tribhuvanachakravartin Kulasekhara in the 13th century AD.
         The Hoysalas under Vira Vallaladeva (Ballala III) of around AD 1340 also exercised sway over this area which indicates that the Hoysalas continued to influence Tamil politics even after the Muslim invasions of Malik kafur.
         After the Hoysalas, Tiruvannamalai passed into the hands of the Vijayanagar rulers, whose southern invasions under Kampana led to the establishment of Vijayanagar authority over practically the whole of Tamil Nadu.

         Vijayanagar inscriptions in Arunachaleswarar Temple are large in number and range from the period of Harihara II to the late Vijayanagar ruler Venkatapatideva Maharaya of the late 14th to the 17th Centuries AD. Following them, the Kayak feudatories of Tanner, established their independent sway over this region and under Sevvappa Nayaka, carried out large scale renovation and building activities in the Temple.
         After Nayak rule, the region gradually passed into British hands except for a brief period of subordination to the Mysore Odeyars in 1816 AD.