Singampatty Zamin Palace, Zamin Singampatty, Manjolai
Hills
Singampatty
Zamin Palace is located at Zamin Singampatty Village near Manimuthar in
Manjolai Hills in Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. Zamin Singampatty is
surrounded by Vikramasingapuram Taluk towards west, Pappakudi Taluk towards
East, Cheranmahadevi Taluk towards East, and Kadayam Taluk towards North.
Singampatty Zamin Palace is actually the residence of the present Zamindar,
Raja Theerthapathi. It houses a 200 year old museum. This village was once a
kingdom that remained under the reign of around 32 rulers, since 1100 A.D. It
covers an area of around 340 sq. km.
Singampatty is
traditionally recognized as one of the 72 Palayams of Tamilnadu. Its Polygar
belonged to the Siruthaali-Katti sub caste of the Maravar. According to tradition, the founder of the Singampatty
family was Apadhurhara Thevar, who on orders from the Pandyan ruler of the day,
routed an invading Kannada army and, as a reward, was given possession of Singampatty.
The fifth in descent was made polygar of Singampatty by Viswanatha Nayakar, the
first king of Madurai. This Palayam headed 24 Palayams of 72 Palayams of south
Tamilnadu (Undivided Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari).
Singampatty
was one of the Palayams that joined Pooli Thevan’s coalition in 1754 – 1761. In 1766, it joined the
insurrection led by the polygar of Kollamkondan after victories over the Anglo-Nawabi forces
helped the revolt spread to other Polygars. That same year, General Donald
Campbell began a systematic campaign, taking the forts of the major
confederates one by one, including Singampatty. Anxious over Hyder Ali’s
activities, however, Campbell settled the polygars revenue accounts and
restored them to their possessions in 1767.
At the
end of the First Polygar War in 1799, the polygar of Singampatty surrendered
one fort and 105 armed men to Major J. Bannerman. The Palayam, which had been
under the Company’s administration since 1798, was restored to its former
chief, Polygar Nellakotti Thevar (Nallakotti Thevar), in 1801, at the
conclusion of the Second Polygar War; it survived into the 19th Century
as a Zamindari. The zamindari originally had an area of more than 90 sq. m.,
and included four villages.
Singampatty
currently comes under Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli District. Zamin Singampatty
is located at about 5 Kms from Manimuthar, 23 Kms from Manjolai, 10 Kms from Ambasamudram,
6 Kms from Kallidaikurichi, 18 Kms from Papanasam, 13 kms from Veeravanallur,
48 Kms from Thirunelveli, 151 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram & 210 Kms from
Madurai. Nearest Railway Station is located at Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi
and Veeravanallur. Nearest Airport is located at Thiruvananthapuram &
Madurai.
