Alagapuri

Alagpuri is traditionally recognized as one of the 72 palaiyams of Madura, already in existence in the days of Nagama Nayaka and his son Visvanatha Nayaka. It currently falls under the Virudhunagar District of Tamil Nadu 10 km south of T.Kallupatti.Earlier locationThis palaiyam was located in the Sankarankovil taluk, in the former Tirunelveli province of the Nayak kingdom of Madurai. The one other palaiyam nearby was Kalakapuri Zamin (which included Kuppumpatti, Irulampatti, Pattampudur, Kalakabari, Saragam) spinning over 13,000 acres. The last Zaminder of Kalakapuri Zamin was Mariappa Thevar of Pattampudur.PalayamAlagapuri Polygar belonged to Mukkulathor by cast One Varaguna Rama helped a Pandya king in his hour of need and was rewarded with lands at Tiruppuvanam (the last Zaminder of Tiruppuvanam was AyyaKutty Thevar and he ruled from Keela Rangiyam fort) and the kaval of Piranmalai, as well as the title Jayatunga Varagunarama Pandya Vanniyanar. One of his descendants, Kandaswami Rattukudai Vanniyanar, was appointed warden of the 25th bastion of Madura fort. Nine polygars ruled in succession until the last one, Kattari Ratttakkudaiyar, came under the rule of the Company. At the end of the First Polegar War in 1799, the polygar of Alagapuri surrendered one fort and 26 armed men to Major J. Bannerman. The palayam survived into the 19th century as a zamindari ("the smallest of the ancient zamindaris"); it consisted of 5.20 sq. m., comprising four patches of land, and a population (1911) of 1,954, living in two villages.GeographyPost Independence Alagapuri comes under Virudhunagar District and lies on the National Highway 208 between T.Kallupatti and Rajapalayam.