Latest revision as of 12:43, 6 March 2015

[edit] Pollachi Town, 1908

Head-quarters of the taluk of the same name in the south-west corner of Coimbatore District, Madras, situated in 10degree 39' N. and 77degree 1' E. Population (1901), 8,958. Standing on the highway from the east to the west coast, it must always have been an important market town. Evidence of its early importance was dis- covered in 1800, in a hoard of silver coins of the emperors Augustus and Tiberius. It has, however, no industry except agriculture. The divisional Officer is stationed here. The hospital at Pollachi has accommodation for 36 in-patients and a maternity ward.

It was founded in 1858, the building being erected by private subscrip- tion, and has an endowment of Rs. 17,700. In the vicinity of the village are a number of interesting dolmens and rude stone circles, which are termed by the people ' graves of the dead; Several of them have been opened, and have been found to be arranged in circles of diameters ranging from 10 to 45 feet, and to contain fragments of human skulls and bones, and occasionally broken pieces of earthen- ware and a few implements and ornaments. These objects were usually met with at a depth of from 5 to 7 feet below the surface. Three bronze images of male and female figures were found ; and that these are of non-Aryan origin is to be inferred from the position of the woman, who is seated at the right side of her husband, instead of the left side as in all Brahmanical rites.

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.