Rajapalayam

Rajapalayam is a town and a special grade municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 85 km southwest of Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur. The economy is based on the manufacture of textiles, and there are mills for spinning and weaving cotton, as well as a large cotton market. Rajapalayam is named after its Raju inhabitants, Telugu speakers who migrated during the Vijayanagar (1336-1565) conquest. One Chinna Raja, a lineage decedent of the King of Vijayanagar who belonged to Pasumpatti migrated to the south along with his followers and settled at Kilarajakularaman at the first instance and then moved their settlements to Palayapalayam in 1483 AD.

Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur. Ayyanar Koil forest area is located 10 km west of Rajapalayam on the eastern slope of Western Ghats. The forest area has many of streams, waterfalls, springs and a temple. Hiking in this forest area is one of the main recreations for Rajapalayam residents. Vallakattu Karuppasamy temple is situated en route to Ayyanar Kovil right in the middle of forest.