Kalugumalai

A tiny tranquil town in the district of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, Kalugumalai or Kazhugumalai is famous for its ancient rock-cut temples and monolithic Jain beds. The city got its name from the hills surrounding it with the same name, which translates to "Hill of Vultures". The hills that surrounding the town gives a unique physical beauty to the whole place. They were earlier known as known as Araimalai or Thirumalai.

The town is divided into two parts Kazhugumalai and South Kazhugumalai or Kottai Kalugumalai and also served as a trade route during the ancient times. According to epigraphies, once upon a time, there was also a palace of the Pandya king Ettimannan, here. It is also believed that Kalugumalai was once an important Jain settlement where Lord Mahavir used and preach and worship. At the foot of the hills, an urn-burial cemetery was also discovered. This place was also a witness to the Kalugumalai riots of 1895. Apart from the three major temples, it also has a huge church making it a religious place in a nutshell.