Karaikal District
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Karaikal District காரைக்கால் மாவட்டம் |
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|---|---|
| District of the U.T. of Puducherry | |
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| Coordinates: 11°01′00″N 79°52′00″E / 11.01667°N 79.86667°ECoordinates: 11°01′00″N 79°52′00″E / 11.01667°N 79.86667°E | |
| Country |
 India
|
| State | Puducherry |
| District | Karaikal |
| Area | |
| • Total | 161 km2 (62 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 200,222 |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 609 602 |
| Telephone code | 91 (0)4368 |
| Vehicle registration | PY-02 |
Karaikal district (Tamil: காரைக்கால் மாவட்டம்) (also Karikal or Karaikkal) is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Puducherry in India.
Karaikal city (about 16 km north of Nagappattinam and 12 km south of Tarangambadi) is the regional headquarters. Karaikal region is made up of the Communes of Karaikal, Kottucherry, Nedungadu, Tirunallar, Neravy and Tirumalarajanpattinam.
Several explanations are offered for the word Karaikal. The Imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien Vinson the town is said to have known as Karaigiri in Sanskrit. However, the name Karaikal is no doubt a combination of two words 'Karai' and 'Kal'. Both the words ‘Karai and 'Kal' have several meanings, of which the more acceptable ones are 'lime mix' and 'canal' respectively. Hence it has been suggested that the name may mean a canal built of lime mix.
This Karaikal area formed an integral part of the Pallava kingdom in the eighth century(C 731-796). Poet Sekkizhar (992-1042) describes the town as "vanga malik kadar karaikal", the 'Karaikal of many vessels on the coast' in his Peria puranam. In that the poet relates the life story of one Punithavathiar who abandoned the pleasures of material life and devoted herself entirely to a life of prayer and penance to signify her devotion to Lord Siva. He called her 'Karaikal Ammayar', conveniently after the town which must have been famous already.
In 1738, Dumas, a shrewd calculative prudent man and a lover of peace and above all one who was anxious to extend the French territory in India by smooth means, negotiated with Sahuji of Thanjavur for possession of Karaikal, the fortress of Karakalcheri and 5 village for 40000 chakras. On 14.2.1739 the French took possession of Karaikal town, the fort of Karakalcheri and 8 dependent villages. The King of Thanjavur raised the price for the town of Karaikal and the fort of Karakalcheri to 50000 chakras.
He also demanded a loan of 150000 chakras without interest repayable in 3 years against the hypothecation of Mayavaram lands and an annual rent of 4000 pagodas for 5 villages. The French agreed to all the terms except for the payment of 150000 chakras which was reduced to 10000 chakras while the annual rental was reduce to two or three thousand chakras. The villages so received were Kilaiyur, Melaiyur, Puduthurai, Kovilpathu and Tirumalairayanpattinam. Subsequently 2 villages were ceded to the French. Pratap Singh who succeeded the throne renewed demand for a loan of 100000 chakra and on receipt of the first instalment of 4000 chakras he assigned 8 more villages to the French viz., Codague (Kondagai), Vanjiyur, Arimullimangalam, Niravi, Dharmapuram, Uzhiapathu, Mattakudi (probably Mathalangudi) and Polagam. Then on 12-2-1740 he sold for 60000 chakras these villages which he had assigned only the previous year for 40000 chakras.
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Wikipedia