Naga pattinam

 

Etymology

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Nagapattinam is derived from Nagar referring to people from Sri Lanka who settled here and pattinam referring to town.^[3][4] It was also called CholakulaVallipattinam during the period of Kulottunga I, named after one of his queens, when it was one of the important ports.^[5] Ptolemy refers to Nagapattinam as Nikam and mentions it as one of the most important trade centres of the ancient Tamil country.^[3] This view is doubtful as there are no contemporary evidences to prove the existence of a metropolis in the name of "Nikama" or "Nikam".^[6] Nagapattinam was referred by early writers and the Portuguese as "the city of Coromandel".^[3] Apparand Tirugnanasambandar, the 7th-century saint poets refer to the city as Nagai in their verses in Tevaram. The town was originally called "Nagai" and the word Pattinam was attached during the Chola era when it emerged as an important port.^[7]