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History Of Dharmapuri

The earliest known chieftain who ruled Tagadur (present Dharmapuri) during the Sangam era, is Adhiyaman Naduman Anji, wh patronage suned the famous poetess Avvaiyar. The next we hear in the 8th century when the northern parts of Salem District were probably under the Pallavas regie. Subsequently, we hear of the Ganga Pallavas having sway ovehe western parts of the Salem District. The Western Gangas are also mentioned as having ruled Baramahal during the end of the 8th century.

In the beginning of the 9th Cenury, the Rashtrakutas gained er and influenced the history of the district for the next two centuries. During the period, the Ch94 A.D. During 949-950 A.D., the Cholffered a from the Ras whose deline started later after the death of their king Kna-III. Subsequently, the entire a in Salem District came under the rule of the Cholas. The Gangavadi was then annexed to the Chd over ran the western parts of Kongunadu. The Baamahal and Talaget areas apparently still remained with the Cholas. But the Adigaman seems ave practically become free and owed only nominal allegiance to the Cholas. Soundrapandia-I assisted the Yadavas in driving out the Hoysala king, Vira Someswara from the Chola territory.

The history of the 13th Centr when they were attacked from the North by the Yadavas, the Hoysalas retreated towards the South in Kongunadu. It is known that Jatavarman Soundrapandian-I assisted the Yad is ow that Vira Someswara's son Vira Ramanatha later ruled the whole of Salem Di the ascendancy of the Madurai Nayakas reached its zenith during the time pal passes to thended as far as Talaivasal to the east, Dharapuram in Coimbatore District in the south. The forts of greatest strategic importance held by the Gathi Mudaliars were Omalur and Attur.

Several places in Coimbatore were taken by Kantirava Narasa Raja of Srirangapatinam from Gathi Mudaliars iole district of Salem came undeCuddapah extended his possession towards South and by 1714 A.D., he made himself master of the Baramahal.

By about 1750 A.D., Hyder Ali was in power in Mysore Baramahal came under his sway in 1760 A.D. By 1767 A.D., the British Government at Madras planned an attack on Hyder Ali and seized Kaveripattis recaptured. Some months later the British made another invaand Namakkal were hort-lived cause Hyder Ali soon recaptured Dharmapuri, Denkanikota, Omalur, Salem and Namakkal. During the period of second Mysore war, Salem District was in the hands of Hyder Ali.

Tippu Sultan succeeded Hyder Ali and proved to be a formidable power. The British made an alliance with the Marattas and the Nizam and started the third Mysore war in 1790 A.D., in orer to curb the power of Tippu Sultan. A wing of the British forces stationed itself fully reinforceKaveripattinam. Eough Tippu Sultan rushed to this spot with his full force, he could not dislodge the British. A number of alternations took place between the n 17lest his life the Balaghat area was also added to Salem District. The present Dharmapuri District was then the part of t2 A.D. During the British rule in the country and even till 1947 there was no separate district except Dharmapuri as one of the taluks of Salem District. This was formed as a separate district in 1965 with it headquarters at Dharmapuri.

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