Madurantakam Taluk, 1908
Madurantakam Taluk
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Southern taluk of Chingleput District, Madras, lying between 12° 15' and 12° 46" N. and 79° 38' and 80° 9' E., on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, with an area of 696 square miles. The population in 1901 was 278,561, compared with 263,137 in 1 89 1. It contains three towns, Madurantakam (popu- lation, 6,266), the head-quarters, Uttaramerur (10,432), and Cheyur (5,210); and 524 villages. The demand on account of land revenue and cesses in 1903-4 amounted to Rs. 5,39,000. The Palar and Kiliyar rivers flow through the taluk. The soil is generally a red ferruginous loam, but becomes sandy as the sea is approached. The taluk is, however, more fertile than its neighbours. Its surface is generally undulating, and its northern portion is studded here and there with a few low hills, while towards the south run two long ridges, rising in places into small peaks, which stand one behind the other at distances, respectively, of 7 and 14 miles from the sea. A strip of land separated from the mainland by backwaters runs down the coast. It is called the Idaikalinadu, or 'land between backwaters,' and tradition says that it was parted from the rest of the taluk by an irruption of the sea. A pious shepherd, says the story, was v/arned of the approaching deluge, took precautions accordingly, and was saved with his whole flock. The tract in question is covered with coco-nut palms, which yield the best nuts in this neighbourhood, largely exported to Madras.
