PUDUKKOTTAI

town, administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu state, southern India, located 237 mi (381 km) south of Madras city, the state capital. It was founded by Raghunath, raja of Tondaimandalam (the region around the ancient port of Tondi on India's southeastern coast). Industries include peanut (groundnut) oil and sesame oil extraction. Pudukkottai is connected by railway to Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, and Thanjavur towns. Pudukkottai district is located in the southeastern part of the state and has an area of 1,815 sq mi (4,700 sq km). It is bounded by Tiruchchirappalli district on the northwest, Thanjavur district on the northeast, and Ramnathapuram district on the south. It has a short coastline fronting the Bay of Bengal on the east. Part of the Coromandel Coast, the district is located in the delta of the Vell ar River. Agriculture is the basis of the economy; rice, pulse (legumes), sugarcane, cotton, peanuts (groundnuts), and sesame seeds are grown. Industries produce textiles and fertilizer; rice milling and sawmilling are also important. Pop. (1981) town, 87,952; district, 1,156,813.