Nelkattumsevval or Avudaiyapuram, situated in Sankarankoil taluk is to be written red letters in the history of the Freedom Movement of India for it was the headquarters of Pulithevar, the first chieftain in Tamil Nadu to resist the British. The author of the Tirunelveli District Gazetter, H.R.Pate, observes as follows:
"Nelkatumseval is chiefly memorable as having been in the eighteenth Century
stronghold of the redoubtable Pulithevar, who figured for many years as the leader
of the Marava Confederacy against the troops of the Nawab and the Company. He had a shrewd insight into the political situation of the time and was a veritable thorn in the side of the Nawab's agents"
Pulithevar remains one of the illustrious figures in the chequered history of palayakkars. The vivacity of his character gave him an ascendancy over the western palayakkars, while his determined resistance to the Nawab's overlordship made him a potential enemy of the Wallajahs. He was in fact the principal architect of the coalition of the palayakkars organised against the Nawab. The Nawab acknowledged his victory by presenting him with a gold plate and sword.
Pulithevar is regarded as the first south Indian ruler, who sowed seed by his gallant resistance to expel the foreigners from the soil. His services to the nation is honoured in many respects and the government of Tamilnadu has erected a memorial for him in Nelkattumsevval where there is the remnants of his palace.
