Karunguli

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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.

Karunguli

Village in the Madurantakam taluk of Chingleput Dis- trict, Madras, situated in 12 degree 32' N. and 79 degree 54' E., on the South Indian Railway and on the southern trunk road, 48 miles from Madras city. Population (1901), 4,065. It was the head-quarters of the District from 1795 to 1825, and subsequently continued for some years to be the head- quarters of a taluk. Karunguli fort was occupied as a strategic point during the wars between the English and the French, being regarded as an outpost of Chingleput, from which it is 15 miles distant to the south-west. These two places, with Wandiwash and Uttaramerur, formed a sort of quadrilateral on the line of attack between the seats of the two Governments of Madras and Pondicherry. As early as 1755 it was a point of dispute.

In 1757 it was evacuated by the English in the face of advancing French troops. The following year the English attempted to recover it by surprise, but were repulsed with loss, a failure which was repeated in 1759. But some months later Colonel Coote, after a few days' bombardment, captured the fort. This was the first de- cisive action in the successful campaign of 1759-60, which led to the victory at Wandiwash. The circumference of the fort is 1,500 yards, enclosing the remains of what were apparently huge granaries for the storage of grain, the tribute to the Muhammadan government out of the produce of the neighbourhood. The Karunguli tank, which is fed from the overflow of the Madurantakam tank, usually receives a plenti- ful supply of water. A travellers' bungalow stands in the village, a handsome old building in a grove of fine mango-trees.