Thanjavur may lose its historical significance

THANJAVUR: The Axe may fall again on Thanjavur district if the government-promised Kumbakonam district is carved out of the Thanjavur district.

Composite Thanjavur district was occupying full of Cauvery delta area from Grand Anicut to Kollidam near Sirkali, from Sirkali to Vedaranyam along Bay of Bengal and from Vedaranyam to Sethubavachathiram along the Palk straits with Thanjavur, once an Imperial capital of the Cholas, as its headquarters before 1991.  It fitted well with the sobriquet “granary of Tamil Nadu”.

Nagapattinam district was bifurcated from Thanjavur district on October 19, 1991 by the then AIADMK government led by J. Jayalalithaa, taking most part of the district like Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Vedaranyam, Sirkali etc cutting the long coast line for the district and leaving only 47-km of coastline along Palk straits.

Gone were the pilgrim towns Thirukadaiyur for Hindus, Nagore for Muslims and Velankanni for Christians from the district and became parts of Nagapattinam district.

Again axe fell on both Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts when Tiruvarur district was formed on Januaruy 1, 1997. That time, the DMK government led by late M. Karunanidhi, former Chief Minister, carved out the district by taking Valangaiman taluk from Thanjavur district and Tiruvarur, Nannilam, Kodavasal, Needamangalam, Mannargudi and Thiruthuraipoondi taluks from Nagapattinam district.

Tiruvarur district is having two revenue divisions, eight taluks, 573 villages, ten blocks, four municipalities and seven town panchayats.

Geographically Nagapattinam district became a coastal district stretching from Sirkali to Vedaranyam including Poompuhar, Tharangampadi. However, Thanjavur district then became compact with three revenue divisions-Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Pattukottai.

Now if Kumbakonam is bifurcated from Thanajvur, it will loose one of its important revenue divisions. Besides revenue loss, Kumbakonam, a temple town known for religious tourism, business and trade, art and sculpture, will go from Thanjavur district. Thanjavur, once a composite district that fitted well with its name will become smaller with only two revenue divisions-Thanjavur and Pattukottai.

Interestingly and incidentally, even as people of Kumbakonam area have been demanding a district with Kumbakonam as headquarters, already people of Mayiladuthurai, which is to be annexed to Kumbakonam district (when formed) taking it from Nagapattinam district,  have started demanding a separate district with Mayiladuthurai as headquarters.