Tamilnadu - Places in Tamilnadu - Nagapattinam - Nagapattinam Information

General Information Nagapattinam

Nagur was called so because it was inhabited by the Nagurs. The Nagapattinam Kayaroganam Shiva temple existed even in the 6th century. Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar were associated with this temple. The Kaya Roganam Shiva temple is based on the Laguleesa Pasupatha cult. The Soundaraja Perumal Vaishanava temple glorified by Thirumangai Mannan of 9th century A.D. is one of the notable features of Nagapattinam.

This favourite town of Chola Kings was also celebrated later by Vijayanagara Kings. The Portuguese had a commercial contact with this town during the rule of the Thanjavur Nayak Sevvappa Nayakkar and Acchuthappa Nayakkar. A Portuguese commercial centre was established in 1554 and since then Christianity began to take root through this influence. The Portuguese traders took control of ten villages. With the advent of Portuguese, the Velankanni Church came in to existence.

In 1658 the Dutch tried to evict the Portuguese from Nagapattinam to establish their commercial centre there under an agreement they had reached between King Vijaya Nayakkar of Thanjavur and the Dutch in 1662. The ten villages of Nagappattinam Port, Puthur, Muttam, Poruvalancheri, Anthonipettai, Karureppankadu, Azhinji Mangalam, Sangamangalam, Thiruthina mangalam, Manjakollai, Nariyankudi were transferred from the Portuguese to the Dutch.

Ten churches and a hospital were built by the Dutch. They also struck coins with the name Nagapattinam engraved in Tamil letters. According to the agreement between the first Mahratta king 'Egoji' of Thanjavur and the Dutch, Nagapattinam and the surrounding villages were handed over to the Dutch on 1676. In 1781 this town fell into the hands of the British after the prolonged battles. 277 villages with Nagur as the headquarters were handed over to the East India Company in 1779. Gold coins bearing the names Nagapattinam varagan and Nagapattinam chornam were in circulation during the period of the Thanjavur Maratha Kings.

Area 14.90 Sq.Km
Population 92,525 (as per 2001 – census)
Altitude 5.97 m (19.45')
Climate
  Max. Min.
Summer : 36.0ºC 28.0ºC
Winter : 29.0ºC 21.0ºC
Rainfall 83.5 cms average
Clothing Tropical
Languages spoken Tamil and English
STD 04365

 

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