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
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 nearby dry
arid regions (Sivakasi, Kovilpatti,
Virudhunagar, Sattur and
several nearby towns) settled in Cumbum-Valley (present day Theni
District). So there was influx of people by 1890s to 1920s. Bodi and Periyakulam
are famous places at that age. Later Theni developed in rapid pace due
to lots of business activities.
