Mayiladuthurai (Tamil: , mayilurai), formerly known by its Sanskrit names Myavaram and Mayram (English translation: Peacock town) is a town in the Nagapattinam District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mayiladuthurai taluk of Nagapattinam district and is the second-largest town in the district. Mayiladuthurai is situated at distance of 281 kilometres south-west of Chennai, 70 kilometres north-east of Thanjavur and 50 kilometres north-west of Nagapattinam. Mayiladuthurai gets its name from the peahen form in which the Hindu goddess Parvathi worshipped the god Shiva at this place. The town is one of the 274 Saiva holy places in the world. Mayiladuthurai is of considerable antiquity and cultural and religious significance. The town must have originated in the Medieval Chola period though there are suburbs which predate the town itself. Mayiladuthurai was ruled by the Early Cholas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Pandyas, the Vijayanagar...
