Ariyalur district is one of the districts of the Tamil Nadu state in India. This district came into existence by the bifurcation of Perambalur. It is bounded on the northern side by Cuddalore, on the South by Thanjavur, on the East by Cuddalore and Thanjavur and on the West by Perambalur and the Tiruchirapalli districts. This is a new district of the state of Tamil Nadu which started functioning from the 23rd of November 2007.
History of Ariyalur District
In the year 1741, the Marathas invaded Tiruchirappalli and took Chanda Saheb as captive. However, Chanda Saheb was able to get free and in the year 1748 he got involved in the famous war for the Nawabs place in the Carnatic against Anwardeen, the Nawab of Arcot and his son Mohammed Ali. Mohammed Ali annexed the two palayams of Ariyalur and Udayarpalayam situated with troops were in the Ariyalur district on the grounds of default in payment of tributes and failure to assist him in quelling the rebellion of Yusuf Khan.
In the month of November 1764, Mohammed Ali represented the issue to Madras Council and obtained military assistance on the 3rd of January 1765. The forces led by Umdat-Ul-Umara and Donald Campbell entered Ariyalur and captured it. The young Poligar together with his followers fled to Udayarpalayam. On the 19th of January, the army marched upon Udayarpalayam. The troops of Poligar were defeated and the palayams were occupied. The two poligars fled their town and took refuge in Tharangampadi, then a Danish settlement. The annexation of the palayam gave the Navab un-interrupted possession of all his territories extending from Arcot to Tiruchirapalli.
The history of this place describes the power struggle between Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan with the British. After the death of Tipu Sultan the English took the civil and military administration of the Carnatic in the year 1801. Thus Tiruchirappalli came in to the hands of the English and the district was formed in the year 1801. In the year 1995 Tiruchirappalli was trifurcated and the Perambalur and Karur district was formed. Perambalur district was divided into Perambalur and Ariyalur district in the year 2001 and merged with Perambalur in the year 2002. Now the district is bifurcated from Perambalur and it is functioning separately as the district of Ariyalur from 23rd November 2007.
Geography of Ariyalur District
Ariyalur district is centrally located in the state of Tamil Nadu and is about two hundred and sixty five kilometers away in southern direction from Chennai. This district has an area of one thousand nine hundred and forty nine square kilometers. It is an inland district without any coastal line. The Ariyalur district has the Vellar River in the North and Kollidam River in the South and it has no well-marked natural divisions. Sugarcane is the main cash crop grown in the district of Ariyalur. There is one private sugar factory near Keelapalur which is functioning in the district with a capacity of crushing three thousand tones of Sugarcane per day. Another major crop grown in this district is cashew. The pre-dominate soil of this district is red sanding with scattered packers of black soil. The soil is very much suitable for raising dry crops. The district experiences a high means of temperature and low degree of humidity.
Tourism in Ariyalur District
The district of Ariyalur is known for the presence of some of the prominent temples of the state. The Vaithiyanatha Swamy temple at Thirumazhapadi, Kaliyuga Varadaraja Perumal Kovil at Kallankurichi and Siva Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram are the important holy places for the Hindus. Elakurichi, which is thirty two kilometers away from Ariyalur, is well-known for the Church constructed by the famous Catholic Missionary Constantino Joseph Besky popularly known as Veerama Munivar. The Gandaikonda Cholapuram Siva Temple erected by Rajendra Chola, the son of Raja Raja Chola is almost a miniature of Thanjavur Pragadeeswar Temple.
The famous monument at Gangai Konda Cholapuram, the second Pragadeeswar Temple speaks of the imperial dignity of the capital that Rajendra, the son of Raja Raja established after his victorious march to North East India up to the Ganga River. The Vettakudi Karaivetti tank located at a distance of twenty two kilometers, East of Ariyalur in Thirumanur block is a water refuge for a number of migratory birds and some migratory species visit this tank every year from December to March in large congregation. Visiting this district of Tamil Nadu is very convenient with the Ariyalur Railway station which connects this district to Madurai, Tuticorin, Chennai and Thirunelveli.
