Periyakulam – the mango city

Two years back I visited this picturesque municipal town in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India and at an elevation of 282 meter; the place offers a wonderful weather overall the year. Located at the foothills of Kodaikanal, the Western Ghats offer a splendid wall to the city and at night its a delightful sight to check the lights on Kodaikanal hills.

An unknown peak of Western Ghats captured from the room.

Periyakulam is also known as ‘Mango City’ and it’s a major supply of mangoes throughout the state and its greater support was the perennial river ‘Varaganathi’, which runs in east-west direction dividing the town into equal half namely Vadakarai and Thenkarai – north and south bank. The river start at the foot of the Kodaikanal hills and joints with the Vaigai River is known for its sweet water which flow from the Berijam Lake in Kodaikanal.

The Mango groves near Periyakulam

The name Periyakulam is referred to two Tamil words equivalent to Big Tank of this town. The former Chief Minister and present Finance Minster of Tamil Nadu, Mr. O. Paneerselvam hails from this town... which has 100 years of municipal history and its one of the oldest town in Tamil Nadu.

One of a Horse cart on the Periyakulam main road

It’s been sometime I want to write a post on Periyakulam and I spent two days visiting around its places and I share here few picture captured then and it is a town where still horse carts exists for transportation. There are few interesting and popular places around this town... and let see more on it further down in posts.