imported>N.K.BALA: /* Thirumayam fort */

2021-07-11T05:09:35Z

Thirumayam fort

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Thirumayam
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village Panchayat
| image_skyline = Thirumayam Fort seen from the North lake 03.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = View of [[Thirumayam Fort]]
| pushpin_map = India Tamil Nadu
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu, India
| coordinates = {{coord|10.2471|N|78.750481|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Pudukkottai district|Pudukkottai]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
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| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
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}}
'''Thirumayam''' is a place of historical importance located about 20 km south of the town of [[Pudukkottai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. The noted Indian independence activist [[Sathyamurthy]] was born in Thirumayam in 1887.

==Etymology==
Thirumayam is from the word Thiru-meyyam which means Place of truth in Tamil. The Lord Thirumal is also called by the name of Meyyar. Since he stayed in that village it is called by the name Thirumeyyam. Tiru means 'holy' or 'sacred' and is traditionally used in front of names in many parts of Tamil Nadu.

==Approach==
Thirumayam, a town panchayat and also the Taluk headquarters of the eponymous ''Vattam'' (sub-district), 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 the first main junction on this road; the [[Madurai]] road takes its diversion from Thirumayam.

Thirumayam is well connected by road and rail. The nearest railhead is at Pudukkottai. Bus facility is available from Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, [[Thanjavur]], Madurai and many other places. The nearest airport connected is at Trichy,59 km away. Accommodation is also available at nearby Pudukkottai.

Famous freedom fighters [[Veerapandiya Kattabomman]] and his brother Umathaiturai hid in a fort at Tirumayam, after their fight against the British during 17th Century.

==Attractions==
Thirumayam is a much-frequented picnic spot and affords much to the discerning tourist who ventures a little beyond the beaten track. The main attractions of the place are the fort, and the [[Shiva]] and [[Thirumal]] temples.

===Thirumayam fort===
{{Main|Thirumayam Fort}}
Miles before reaching the town, one can see a fort atop a large hill. In past centuries, the fort was much larger than what now obtains; this is affirmed by the fact that the main entrance to the old fort lies about one kilometre south of the present-day fort. This entrance to the old fort still stands, it has a courtyard with pillared corridors and shrines of various deities. The sculptures on the pillars are truly beautiful.

As one enters the town through the road which connects it with the highway, one finds a small temple dedicated to [[Bhairava]] (the ''[[Bhairava]]r-koil'' - பைரவர் கோயில்). This temple, which faces the main road, is a favourite with vehicle-owners who traditionally halt and pray there for a safe journey. This temple was actually built on the outermost wall of the old fort.

The Thirumayam fort, set in {{convert|40|acre|m2}}, is of great historical importance. It was built by Kizhavan Sethupathi [[Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi]] , ruler of [[Ramanathapuram]] in AD 1687. [[Sethupathi]] is the name of the ruling dynasty of Ramanathapuram ([[Ramnad]]). Another fact of historic interest is that the founder of the [[princely state]] of [[Pudukkottai]] had served as governor of Thirumayam fort before founding his own kingdom.

===Temples===
There are two famous rock-cut shrines Sathyagirisvarar and Sathyamoorthi, one for [[Shiva|Siva]] and the other for [[Thirumal]], adjacent to each other. The Siva temple, which stands to the west of the Vishnu temple, is the older of the two. These are located at the foot of a hillock on the south side of the town.

The rock cut [[Shiva]] temple is situated on a hill amid the relics of another ancient and ruined fort. Near this temple stands one of the largest rock inscriptions in [[Tamil Nadu]]. The inscriptions are of particular interest since they deal with [[Carnatic Music|music]], a rare subject for inscriptions.

The [[Sathyamurthi Perumal Temple]], a [[Vishnu]] temple is located on the foot of the hill; it is much a much-venerated temple and is considered second in importance only to the temple at [[Srirangam]] (ஸ்ரீரங்கம்). It contains one of the largest ''Anantasayi'' group icons in [[India]]. ''Anantasayi'' groups have [[Thirumal]] reclining on ''Anantha (Seshanaaga)'' as the central figure. The [[Thirumal]] temple contains an octagonal sacred tank called ''‘Satya-pushkarani’'' (சத்திய புஷ்கரணி).

==Politics==
Thirumayam assembly constituency is part of [[Sivaganga (Lok Sabha constituency)]].<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf
|title = List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies
|accessdate = 2008-10-12
|work = Tamil Nadu
|publisher = Election Commission of India
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090304010951/http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf
|archivedate = 2009-03-04
}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Thirumayam}}
*[http://www.pariharam.com About Tamilnadu other places]
*[http://thirumayam.com/ Thirumayam Photo Gallery]

[[Category:Cities and towns in Pudukkottai district]]

Thirumayam - Revision history

imported>N.K.BALA: /* Thirumayam fort */