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Why visit Chinnamanūr
Townapedia lists 1 place to eat in and around town.
Weather in Chinnamanūr
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Chinnamanūr
Chinnamanur (historically known as Harikesarinallur), is a town and municipality in the Theni district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated along the banks of the Mullai river, it is the second-largest town in the district by geographic area and the fourth-largest by its population, with the 2011 Census recording a population of 42,305.
From the Wikipedia article Chinnamanur (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Restaurants and cafes1
Gas and EV charging1
Healthcare14
2 more on the map.
History
Chinnamanur holds a place of historical value in Tamil Nadu, particularly with the discovery of the Chinnamanur Copper Plates. These plates were mainly issued during the reigns of Pandyan monarchs, such as Rajasimha II, in the early Pandyan period. These royal charters are noted to have recorded land grants, genealogies, and military victories. The copper plates were recovered in the 1900s by the Madras Government, under British colonial rule. They are currently preserved at the British Museum, London.
The town's historical and cultural identity is shaped by the Thiru Poolanandeshwarar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Sivakai Amman (Parvati). According to local accounts of temple tradition, the shrine originated under the rule of Pandyan king Rajasimha (Rajasimeshwaran).
The legend recounts the story of a local milkman, who often tripped over an irregular, stone-like tree root in the forest, leading to his milk being spilled on the forest floor at the same exact spot each day. Frustrated with the anomaly, the milkman attempts to chop the root with an axe. This reportedly led to the root beginning to bleed and the emergence of an intense beam of divine light.
From the History section of Chinnamanur on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Chinnamanūr
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Madurai International Airport (IXM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 78 km away.
- Munnar 44 km northwest, about 44 min by car
- Srivilliputhur 46 km southeast, about 46 min by car
- Kodaikānāl 46 km north, about 46 min by car
- Marayur 54 km northwest, about 54 min by car
- Erāttupetta 68 km west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Valparai 72 km northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Tirupparangunram 76 km east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Madurai 81 km east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kotamangalam 86 km west, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Dindigul 88 km northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Cumbum (27737159822), Ashwin Kumar from Bangalore, India, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Weekly market - Chinnamanur, The original uploader was Surajcmr at Tamil Wikipedia ., Public domain
- Rare leaf or flower, Matchakalaimurugesan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grass theni, Aravinthkumar17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Paddy fields and mountain, Aravinthkumar17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Morning beauty, BHARATHI RAVI, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.