Ramanathapuram (Tamil: இராமநாதபுரம்) About this sound pronunciation, also known as Ramnad, is a city and a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanthapuram District. Also known as Ramnad Zamin (Tamil: ராம்நாட் ஜமீன்) was a permanently settled zamindari estate in the Ramnad subdivision of the Madura district of the erstwhile Madras Presidency in British India. It comprises the southern and eastern parts of Madura district.
In early 1900s, Ramanathapuram district was formed from parts of Tirunelveli and Madurai districts.
The estate was ruled by a zamindar who bore the title "Raja". The seat of administration was the town of Ramanathapuram. The zamindari had its origins in the kingdom of Ramnad established by Raghunatha Kilavan in the late seventeenth century. In 1803, the kingdom was converted to a zamindari by the British. The kings and zamindars of Ramnad also bore the title of Sethupathi or "protector of the bridge", the bridge here referring to the legendary Adam's Bridge or Rama's Bridge.
Tourists visit Ramnad to see the Raja Palace, which is still occupied by the Sethupaty Raja and his family to this day. Although no longer in power, the family contribute a great deal to the community by setting up schools and hospitals. They also welcome westerners to live in their palace who teach in their school through the Teaching and Projects Abroad organisation. One of them, the German Philip Radlanski who visited the royal family in late 2004 to contribute to their school as an English teacher, made a critically acclaimed documentary movie about the palace.[1] Ramanathapuram is close to Rameshwaram, one of the main pilgrim centres in India. It is also close to Devipatinam which is another famous pilgrimage center in India.
