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Till 19th century Virudhanagar was a tiny Village. Due to the development of
agriculture and business it has developed into a big town. During 1800 AD for
the sake of military movement to attack KattaBommu Virudhanagar was enrooted to
Kasi-Kanyakumari Highway by British to have a straight route.
As far as political importance is concerned Virudhi was never directly under
any ruler. It was a peripheral unit of local Zamindars who represented the rulers
of then Sivaganga, Madurai Pandyas and Thirumalai Naiker from time to time. Around
1650 AD Siva temple at west car street in Virudhanagar received Aid from then
Pandya ruler of Madhurai. During the British Regime Virudhanagar was in the revenue
district of Ramnad and in due course it was Trifurcated and a separate district
of Virudhanagar was formed with Virudhanagar as its capital.
Virudhanagar is in hot climate and low rain belt range. It's temperature
varies from 36* to 42* c. During Northeast monsoon, that is from Sep. to Nov.
It receives sparing drizzling here and there. Geologically it has soft lime rock
Structure and black soil ground. Under ground is water is sour hard water mainly
non potable.
In olden days the people for drinking and agricultural purpose used river Koushika
in south of the town. But now it has become a small rivulet, slushy and dirty
due to the pollution by local drainages. As far as cultivation is concerned. crops
such as cotton, groundnut. Gingerly, Black gram, Toor gram, Green gram are cultivated
and these crops are the best ones for the black soil and dry climate. These crops
have been established themselves as commercial products and make Virudhanagar
as a commercial town. And some minimum industrial activities are also established
such as cotton ginning mill, oil crushing mill, dall mill. Veiluganthamman is
the Goddesses of virudhanagar. GodSangilee karuppaswammy in the south car street
is another protecting god of Virudhanagar.
The first settlers of the place were the Mud pot makers who are mentioned as
salupars. Then came the plastic and glass had ring chettiars who are called as
Vallayakara Chettiars and setteled near Sangalee Karuppa Swamy temple. Then Nadar,
Pandarathu Pilli, Pallars, Ashari Moopar, Kasukadi Chettiars, Thevars settled
one by one. Every communal people addressed according to his or her profession
and lived amicably supporting everyone in a vicious circle and formed a synthesized
social structure. And this became their living culture.
Nadar people came to this village in the later part of 17th century from a nearer
village Pavali. They came for their Bullock-cart load business. In the beginning
of 18th century Nadars from Tinnaveli came to Virudhanagar for livelihood. In
the middle of 18th century Nadars from Tuticorin to escape the forceful conversion
pressure by the Portuguese, Dutch and English came here where there was nil foreign
pollution. In 1870's Nadars from the South Eastern Coast came here for business
and settled in due course. In 1899 Nadars from Shivakasi came to then Virudhapatty
due to communal clash. By this way Nadars came and settled in Virudhapatty in
different periods of time under different grounds and for different purpose. They
are individually addressed by the prior settlers and by other locals by nicknames
instead of their real names considering their physical appearance, behavior, their
origin place etc. That nickname has become their family name and their heirs to
identify them from time immemorial have used that name.
Cont...
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