VIRUDHUNAGAR  

In 1985, the erstwhile Ramanathapuram District was trifurcated to create the districts of Ramanathapuram, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Tirumagan (later renamed Sivaganga) and Kamarajar District (later renamed Virudhunagar District).

The District headquarters is Virudhunagar town. It covers an area of 4232 sq. km. and is divided into 8 taluks, namely Aruppukkottai, Kariapatti, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur, Tiruchuli and Virudhunagar.                

On 3rd March 1996, Sivakasi taluk was created separating the firkas of Sivakasi, Edirkottai and Salwarpatti from Sattur taluk and Mangalam firka from Virudhunagar taluk.       

On 31st August 1998, Kariapatti taluk was formed by separating Kariapatti, Mudukkankulam and Kalkurichi firkas from Aruppukattai taluk. Mallanginar firka, the 4th firka of the taluk was carved out of Kalkurichi firka.         

The District is divided into two Revenue Divisions comprising four taluks each. The Aruppukkottai Revenue Division comprises Kariapatti, Tiruchuli, Aruppukkottai and Virudhunagar taluks, and Sivakasi Revenue Division of Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur and Rajapalayam taluks.        

There are 6 Assembly Constituencies in the District. 209. Rajapalayam Assembly Constituency is reserved for the scheduled castes. 204. Aruppukkottai, 205. Sattur, 206. Virudhunagar, 207. Sivakasi and 208. Srivilliputur are the other Assembly Constituencies.   

There are 2 Parliamentary Constituencies in the District. Aruppukkottai Assembly Constituency falls within 34. Ramanathapuram Parliamentary Constituency and 35. Sivakasi Parliamentary Constituency extends over all the other five Assembly Constituencies and also includes 212. Kovilpatti Assembly Constituency in Tuticorin District.        

There are 6 Municipalities – Aruppukkotai, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur and Rajapalayam, 11 Panchayat Unions, 10 Town Panchayats, 450 Village Panchayats and 598 villages of which 506 are inhabited and 92 are uninhabited.

Physical Features        

Virudhunagar District is landlocked on all sides with no direct access to the sea. It is bound on the north by Madurai, on the north-east by Sivaganga, on the east by Ramanathapuram and on the south by Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.        

Physiographically it consists of two distinct regions. The eastern slopes of the Western Ghats in Srivilliputtur and Rajapalayam taluks and the black soil plains of Sivakasi, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Aruppukkottai, Tiruchili and Kariapatti. The average height of the hills of the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats is 1500m, though a few peaks rise to 1700m. The highest peaks are Peyimalai Mottai and Kottamalai. The foothills have rich loamy soil with good vegetation cover. The plains with black cotton soil (locally known as karisal) have underlying cal carious formations.        

Virudhunagar does not have any perennial rivers. The Vaippar, Arjuna nadi, and Gundar constitute the river network of the District. Numerous streams and rivulets, activated by the monsoon, feed these rivers. The Mandiri odai and Girudhamal nadi flow into the Gundar, which irrigates the northeastern region of the District. The Sengundrapuram odai, Kausika manadi, Uppodai and Mannarkottaiyar are feeder streams of the Arjuna nadi, which flows through the central portion of the District. The Kayalkudiyar and Nichepa nadi join the Vaippar, which runs through the southern part of the District. The Arjuna and the Vaippar meet at Irukkangudi. 

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