Saptur is one of the palayams of ancient Madurai. Now its a village in Madurai district

Madurai District

Madurai district is one of the 32 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. The city of Madurai serves as the district headquarters. It houses the world famous Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple and is situated on the banks of river Vaigai. Thiruparankundram is one of the major...

 in India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n state of Tamilnadu.

History

Saptur, traditionally recognized as one of the 72 palaiyams of Madura, was situated about 10 km from T.Kallupatti

T.Kallupatti

-Town with Initials , the concept of Mother Village:The town has an initial similar to a person and this is actually a common thing seen in Southern Tamilnadu. The Initial for the town is the Name of the Mother Village from which it derives its existence. Its as similar to the relation between...

. It was part of Tirunelveli

Tirunelveli

Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...

 and was transferred in 1859 to Madura District (present day Madurai district)

Name Origin

The name Saptur comes from the Telegu sapa (mat) and uta (spring), referring to the location where the Kambalatha settlers worshipped their deity by placing its idol on a mat near a spring.

Zamindari

In 1795 Polygar Ramaswami Kamayya (Cambia, Cawnia) Nayaka was ordered dispossessed of his palaiyam for withholding his tribute and other irregularities.He promptly took the hills and began exacting tribute from his former subjects.
In 1797, he joined the polygar of Nilakottai (q.v.) in an unsuccessful attempt to regain control of Nilakottai’s fort. With the assistance of the polygars of Peraiyur

Peraiyur

Peraiyur is a panchayat town in Madurai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Peraiyur is located at . It has an average elevation of 150 metres .-Demographics:...

, Elumalai

Elumalai

Elumalai is a panchayat town between Mallapuram to Usilampatti road in Madurai district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located in around the huge mountain.-Geography:...

, and Santhayur, he defeated Sankaralinga Thevar and took possession of a large tract of land that was then divided among the confederates.
In 1800 Collector Lushington

Lushington

Lushington may refer to* Augustus Nathaniel Lushington , first African American to earn Doctor of Veterinary Medicine* Edmund Law Lushington , English academic...

 captured and executed him. His eldest son was also executed, but the second, Warra Kamayya Nayak, enjoyed a pension from the Company.
In 1802 The permanent settlement turned him into a major zamindar, holding 47 villages, but deprived him of his kaval and other fees. The impartible zamindari of Saptur is the largest in the taluk and comprises an area of about 123 square miles, including a large portion of the eastern slopes of the Varushanadu hills.

Demographics

Saptur is a multi caste big village having 3540 households. The major
castes are Thevar, Chettiyar, Nayakkar, Nadar, Sakkliyar, Paraiyar, Aasari,
Kudumban and Pillai. The major land holders are Thevar followed by
Nayakkar and Chettiyars.