TINNEVELLI, or Tinavelly, a district of British India, in the Madras presidency, lying between 8° 9′ and 9° 56′ N. lat. and 77° 16′ and 78° 27′ E. long. It has an area of 5381 square miles, and a coast-line of nearly 100 miles. Madura district bounds it on the N. and N.E., on the S. and S.E. the Gulf of Mannar, and on the W. the southern Ghats. Tinnevelli is a large plain, with an aver age elevation of 200 feet, sloping to the east with slight undulations. Along the western boundary the mountains rise to 4000 feet; but they send out no spurs into the district, nor are there any isolated hills. The district is watered by numerous short streams, the principal being the Tambraparni (length 80 miles). In the north the scenery is unattractive and the soil poor; in the south red sandy soil prevails, in which little save the Palmyra palm will grow. But along the banks of the rivers are rice-fields and a variety of trees and crops. Many shoals occur near the shore, and in the north-east numerous rocks and reefs. The hills which divide Tinnevelli from Travancore are chiefly granite and gneiss; and along the coast stretches the broad belt of alluvium common to the whole east coast of India, and in it are many salt marshes, divided by sand-dunes from the sea. Several veins of calc spar cross the district from east to west, and the beds of all the rivers are more or less encrusted with a deposit of lime. The district contains many ancient and magnificent buildings; but the most interesting antiquities are the large sepulchral earthen urns of prehistoric races which have been found at several places, especially along the course of the Tambrapani, and which contain bones, pottery of all sorts, beads and bronze ornaments, iron weapons, implements, &c. As the seat of Dravidian civilization Tinnevelli possesses more antiquarian interest than any other part of Madras. The climate is very hot and dry except at the season of the monsoons; the average annual rainfall throughout the district is less than 25 inches. Tinnevelli possesses several roads, but no canals. The South Indian Railway enters the district five miles north of Virudupatti and runs to Tuticorin (77 miles); a branch line (18 miles) connects this last town with Tinnevelli.
In 1881 the population numbered 1,699,747 (males 825,887, females 873,860), of whom 1,468,977 were Hindus, 89,767 Mohammedans, and 140,946 Christians. Tinnevelli has twelve towns with over 10,000 inhabitants each, viz., TINNEVELLI (see below); Srivilliputur, 18,256; Palamcotta, 17,964; Tuticorin, 16,281; Kulase Kharapatnam, 14,972; Sivagiri, 13,632; Viravanallur, 12,318; Kajapalayam, 12,021; Tenkasi, 11,987; Kayalpatnam, 11,806; Kalladakiirchi, 10,936; and Sivakasi, 10,833. Out of the total area of 5381 square miles 1403 are uncultivable waste. In 1885-86 cereals, chiefly rice and spiked millet or kambu, the staple food of the district, occupied 842,741 acres, pulses 192,341, oil seeds 78,127, and cotton 206,717. The total area of forest is roughly estimated at 1500 square miles. Tuticorin is the only port of any importance. The chief exports are cotton, coffee, jaggery, chillies, &c.; sheep, horses, cattle, and poultry are also sent to Ceylon. There is a considerable inland trade with Travancore. The pearl fishery on the coast is now unimportant. Coastal navigation is dangerous. In 1885-86 the total revenue of the district was 365,744, of which the land-tax yielded 305,850.
The early history of Tinnevelli is mixed up with that of Madura and Travancore. Down to 1781 it is a confused tale of anarchy and bloodshed. In that year the nawab of Arcot assigned the revenues to the East India Company, whose officers then undertook the internal administration of affairs. Several risings subsequently took place, and in 1801 the whole Carnatic, including Tinnevelli, was ceded to the British. Tinnevelli is now the most Christian district of all India, both Roman Catholic and Protestant.
