Theni district

Theni District (Tamil: தேனி மாவட்டம்) is a district of Tamil Nadu state in South India. The city of Theni is the district headquarters. The district is divided into two natural divisions: The hilly areas constituted by parts of the three taluks Periyakulam, Uthamapalayam and Andipatti with thick vegetation and perennial streams from the hills on the western side and Cumbum valley which lies in Uthamapalayam taluk.

History

Theni District was formed by the bifurcation from erstwhile Madurai District as per G.O. Ms. No. 679 Revenue Department Dated July 7, 1996. Consequent to the bifurcation, one new Revenue Division with headquarters at Uthamapalayam and two new Taluks at Theni and Bodinayakanur were also created with effect from January 1, 1997. Theni Municipal town was only a firka headquarters until December 31, 1996. Consequent to the formation of the new District, Theni Municipal Town was upgraded as the Taluk and District headquarters on January 1, 1997.

The region covered by present day Theni District was scarcely populated before 1900s. In 1886 Mullaperiyar dam project brings some part of water from Periyaar River downhill to Cumbum Valley and merge into Mullai river. This project helped more people to settle down in Cumbum Valley. Also to be noted that Theni is itself a small and less-known town by 1900s. After the Mulllai-Periyaar merger project lots of people from...
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