Mayiladuthurai

Mayiladuthurai (formerly known as Mayavaram or Mayuram) is a Special Grade Municipality and the district headquarters of Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located 256 km (159 mi) from the state capital, Chennai.

In medieval times, Mayiladuthurai was ruled by the Chola Dynasty. It was subsequently part of the Pallavas, Pandiyas, Vijayanagara Empire, Thanjavur Nayak kingdom, Thanjavur Maratha kingdom, and eventually the British Empire. Mayiladuthurai was a part of the erstwhile Tanjore district until India's independence in 1947, Thanjavur district until 1991, and subsequently a part of the newly formed Nagapattinam district until 2020. Mayiladuthurai was carved out of Nagapattinam district and inaugurated as the 38th district of Tamil Nadu on 28 December 2020.

Mayiladuthurai is administered by a town panchayat established in 1866. In 1949, it was upgraded to a selection-grade municipality, and in 2023 it was upgraded to special-grade municipality status. As of 2025, the municipality covered an area of 11.27 km² (4.35 mi²). Mayiladuthurai is within the Mayiladuthurai constituency of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and elects its member once every five years. It is part of the Mayiladuthurai constituency of the national assembly and elects its Member of Parliament (MP) also once every five years.

Mayiladuthurai serves as an important junction of the main line connecting Chennai with Trichy. Roadways and railways are the major mode of transportation to the town. The nearest airport, Pondicherry Airport, is located 116 km (72 mi) away. The town is known for agriculture and weaving. As Mayiladuthurai district is situated on the east coast, fishing plays a vital role in generating its revenue. In 2023, the district was declared a protected agricultural zone.