Pudukkottai

Pudukkottai - as of now 2024 it is a rusty looking place with small shanties and a fort in the outskirts. In the past, i.e. 75 years back it was a princely state ruled by a king who held the title of 'Tondaiman' and claimed to be a descendant of the Pallava dynasty of ancient times - (this claim is false, the first king of Pudukkottai Avudaiyappa , took on the title of Tondaiman in 1639 C.E, Avudaiyappa was an ordinary soldier in the Vijayanagara empire's army. This princely state established by Avudaiyappa was a rather small one sandwiched between the British districts of Tanjore and Madura respectively. The rulers of this kingdom supported the British East India Company in the 18th century. They helped the British in capturing Veerapandiya Kattabomman - "The Lion of Panchalankurichi" in 1799 C.E. This princely state suffered a lot of famines in the late 19th century, with the rulers themselves not caring about it while many of the inhabitants had to suffer a lot, while its rulers lived in the Pudukkottai palace in luxury. As usual the case with all princely states of India. This state joined the Indian Union in 1948 after many years of enjoying luxurious lives in the palace.