Known in the history of India’s independence, Vedaranyam in Nagipattinam district of Tamil Nadu was the place were Rajagopalachari Chakravarty accomplished the Salt Satyagaha on April 30, 1930. This was the same month and year in which Mahatma Gandhi as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement launched the Salt Satyagraha. He undertook the Dandi March in 1930. Chakravarty joined the Indian National Congress and participated in the agitations against the Rowlatt Act, Non-Cooperation Movement, the Vaikom Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience Movement. He risked imprisonment when he led the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha in response to the Dandi March. For the same, he selected the route from Tiruchirapalli to Vedaranyam on April 28, 1930. The plan was fruitful due to Sardar Vedarathinam Pillai’s cleverness in deputing Naganandha Desikar, Marimuthu Thevar, and Rajagopala Iyer to secretly bring Chakravarty before dawn to Agasthyampalli through gullies and lanes to avoid surveillance. Two days later Chakravarty was arrested for breaking the salt laws.
The reason behind breaking the Salt Satyagraha at Vedaranyam instead of Tuticorn, which was a larger salt making centre was the nationalistic turf which was laid in Vedaranyam by Sardar Vedarathinam Pillai. In the year 1929, he had invited Gandhi to preside over Madras Provincial Congress Committee meet at Vedaranyam. But due to unavoidable reasons Gandhi was unable to attend the meet and deputed Mahadev Desai and Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
Apart from this movement, Chakravarty in 1937 was elected premier of the Madras Presidency and served till 1940. He had resigned due to Britain’s declaration of war on Germany. He advocated cooperation over Britain’s war effort and opposed the Quit India Movement. He also favoured talks with Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League as well as was instrumental in setting up of a united anti-Congress front in Madras under CN Annadurai.
Nearby attractions in the area are:
- Vedaranyeswarar (Thirumaraikkadar) Temple for Shiva
- Ayurvedic Medicinal Forest
- Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
- Kodikkarai
- Historical light houses
- Ramar Paatham
- Arucottuthurai – a fishing village
- Agasthiyampalli – second largest salt production village in Tamil Nadu
- Thethagudi – Kulunthalaman temple
- Ayakkaranpulam – Arulmighu Kalitheertha Ayyanar Temple
- Vadakatalai – Sri Rudhra Somanadhar Temple
- Pushpavanam – Sivan Temple, fishing village
- Thopputhurai – Sri Kailasanathar Temple
- Sri Varadaraja Temple
- Viswaroopa Hanuman
How to reach there
By Air: Tiruchirapalli Airport is the nearest.
By Rail: Nearest connectivity is from Nagapattinam Railway station.
By Road: Regular bus services are available from Chennai Bus Station to Vedaranyam Bus Station. It is 346 km and it takes five hrs, 40 minutes to reach.
Where to stay
MGM Velankanni Residency and Hotel Chilambu, are some of the hotels in Nagapattinam.
