Why This 150-year-old Milestone In Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar Is Worshipped

Virudhunagar of Tamil Nadu, formerly called Virudhupatti, is of great importance to the local community. Excavations conducted by the Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Corporation in Virudhunagar once uncovered an ancient landmark. This achievement serves as a guiding beacon for travelers heading to Virudhanagar, and provides valuable insights into the historical roots of the city. This landmark dates back to the British era, and is believed to be around 150 years old. It holds great significance and is revered as a Muthu Muniyasamy, a divine figure in the local community. During the colonial period, landmarks displayed city names in both English and Tamil, along with distance indicated in Roman, Tamil and Arabic numerals.

The ancient landmark at Virudhunagar is marked by the name ‘VIRUDUPATTI’, Sivanandham, a resident of the district, told The New Indian Express. The distance from this site to Virudhunagar railway station is named as 1 mile in Arabic numerals and ‘Ka’ in Tamil numerals on the landmark.

Virudhunagar was incorporated as a municipality in 1915, near Srivilliputhur in Ramanathapuram district. Initially known as Virudhupatti, the city gained importance with the establishment of a railway station in 1876, connecting Madurai with Thuthukudi. This development transformed Virudhupatti into a thriving trading hub, facilitating the export of local produce through the port of Thoothukudi. Notably, the railway station still maintains its abbreviation code as ‘VPT’, which stands for ‘Virudhupatti’.

T. Dharmaraj, Chair of the Department of Folklore, University of Madurai Kamaraj, shares local mythology that connects folk deities Karuppu, Madan and Muni to the locations where people met tragic deaths. These deities, believed to be the spirits of those who died unnaturally, were highly respected by the community. To ward off negativity and calm spirits, people made offerings to these stones.

Virudhunagar is located about 506 km southwest of Chennai, Tamil Nadu and 53 km south of Madurai. During the British rule, Virudhunagar gained prominence as an important trading centre. Located to the east of the Kowsika River, the city has mostly flat terrain with no major geological formations.