"If the boundary of the town is made with stone, it will not be
of aesthetic beauty and therefore boundary is fenced with paddy field",
says a Tamil Poet about Tiru-nel-veli. The town has been surrounded
on all sides by paddy fields. As such the town was called as
'Nelveli' i.e.,
Paddy-Hedge. Since the temple in the town is dedicated to Lord
'Siva', the town around the temple was called Tiru-nel-veli.
Around 1560,
the town was rebuilt by Viswanatha, the founder of Nayak dynasty
who also
erected
many temples in it. Tirunelveli was the earliest Pandiya's
Capital. The Nayaks ruled Tirunelveli from Madurai during the
16th, 17th
and early
years of 18th Century.
Tirunelveli is situated on the west bank of Thamiraparani River and Palayamkottai
on the east bank. Palayamkottai, being the administrative head quarters with
the establishment of educational institutions and of various industries, public
and semi public offices, exhibits a remarkable development. Palayamkottai was
fortified under the native rulers and its defences were intact at the time when
it was passed into the hands of the British. It subsequently followed the base
of their operations during the poliger wars. The fort was dismantled till the
garrison of one or more native regiments which had been stationed here ever since
the British occupation in this place was finally withdrawn.