Thirumayam - Chettinad Tourist Attraction
Thirumayam is a heritage town on the way to Karaikudi, Rameshwaram-Trichy highway. It is located about 20 kilometres south of the town Pudukkottai in Southern Indian State of Tamilnadu. The main attraction of this place is Thirumayam Fort, Shiva and Vishnu temple.
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History
Sethupati Vijaya Raghunatha Tevan (1673-1708) of Ramanathapuram, popularly known as Kilavan Sethupati, built this fortification on and around the small hillock at Tirumayam in Pudukkottai district. The fort later came under the control of Tondaiman rulers of Pudukkottai.
In 1733, Thirumayam was the only place of refuge left to the Tondaiman when the Thanjavur general Ananda Rao overran the whole of the Pudukkottai country. Here Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman lay besieged for about a year until Ananda Rao raised the siege and retired. In 1755, The Raja of Thanjavur submitted to the East India Company a claim for Thirumayam, but did not seriously maintain the claim. There is an unauthenticated tradition that, at the time of the ‘Poligar War’ of 1799, the famous Katta-bomman of Panchalankurichchi and his dumb brother had taken refuge in the jungles of Tondaiman territory near Thirukkalambur . They were captured by the Tondaiman and imprisoned for a time in the Thirumayam fort. He then handed over them to the English. During the second ‘Poligar War’, Thirumayam was a depot for Lieutenant Colonel Agnew’s army.
 
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Above Photographs of the Hill Fort at Tirumayam from the 'Photographic Views of Poodoocottah' (1858) collection, taken by Linnaeus Tripe in 1858. (Courtesy : British Library)Â
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Main Attractions
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Thirumayam is a place of historical importance and contains three celebrated monuments. They are the Thirumayam Fort and the famous rock-cut shrines of Siva and Vishnu, hewn out of the same rock. The old fort-entrance is also a noteworthy structure. The Vishnu temple is closer to the diversion road and the Siva temple is to west of this. The Siva temple is in the eastern side of the Vishnu shrine.
Protection
Thirumayam Fort, Siva and Vishnu temples are protected and controlled by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and are declared as National Monuments.
Visiting Thirumayam
Thirumayam lies 20 km south of Pudukkottai, on the road from that town to Karaikudi. This is actually National Highway NH-210, which connects Tiruchirapalli and Rameshwaram.Thirumayam is well connected by road and rail. The nearest rail head is at Pudukkottai. Bus facility is available from major cities and many other places.
Accommodations:
Pudukkottai and Karaikudi
Bus terminal: Thirumayam
Nearest Railway Station : Pudukkottai
Nearest Airport: Trichy (65 Km)
Article help: Thirumayam.com |
