Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam, city, southwestern Tamil Nadu state, southern India. It lies on a lowland plain at the eastern foot of the Western Ghats, about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Madurai.
The city is named for its Raju inhabitants, Telugu speakers who migrated there during the Vijayanagar (1336β1565) conquest. The city grew as a centre for cotton hand-looming and weaving. It has cotton mills and a cement factory. Pop. (2001) 122,307; (2011) 130,442.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Zeidan.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Rajapalayam
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
19 July 2023
Access Date:
November 14, 2026