🏡 Basic Details
- Village & Panchayat: Dhalavanur is a village governed under its own or nearby gram panchayat (Thalavanur), situated in Koliyanur Block, Viluppuram District, Tamil Nadu .
- Geographical Area: Approximately 402.7 hectares (4.03 km²) .
- Location & Transport:
- About 25 km north of Viluppuram, and ~14 km from Gingee—its sub-district center .
- Accessible via NH 32 and NH 332, with public and private bus services available within the village. The nearest railway station lies around 5–18 km away.
- Post & PIN:
- Postal Code typically appears as 604205 or 605401—connected via Koliyanur or Periyathatchur delivery offices.
- Nearby Settlements: Includes Thalavanur (~2 km), Anilady (~2 km), Se. Kunnathur, Kalladikuppam, Ennayiram, among others.
👥 Population & Social Profile (2011 Census)
- Population: Between 1,174 and 1,742, depending on source. Let’s use the more detailed figure below:
- 1,742 residents (Men: 902; Women: 840), with a sex ratio of ~931 F/1,000 M in one official record ; the alternate source reports 1,174 residents (Men: 591; Women: 583) with a ratio of ~986 F/1,000 M.
- Households: Approximately 232–413 families, again varying with data source.
- Children (0–6 years): Dense young population—104 (source one) or 237 (source two), with child sex ratios ranging from ~931 to ~876.
- Literacy Rate: Ranges from ~63.8% (male ~70.9%, female ~56.6%) to ~66.1% (male ~72.1%, female ~59.8%)—consistent with rural literacy profiles .
🛕 Historic Landmark — Sathrumalleswaram Rock‐Cut Pallava Temple
- Dhalavanur is renowned for its 7th-century Pallava rock-cut temple—Shatrumalleshwaram, dedicated to Lord Shiva and carved during the reign of Mahendravarman .
- The temple features a richly detailed Magara Thoranam (crocodile arch), elegant dvarapalas, inscriptions in Tamil and Grantha scripts, and an early Pallava architectural mandapa facade.
- Nearby Jain rock beds are found atop boulder-strewn ridges, reached via a short climb—offering both spiritual and scenic experiences.
- This site is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and often cited for its advanced craftsmanship compared to nearby sites like Mandagapattu .
✅ Summary
Dhalavanur is a small rural village (~1,174–1,742 residents) nestled in Koliyanur Block, enriched by a historic Pallava-era cave temple carved into a rocky hill above paddy fields. The village’s key features include:
- A moderate-to-high literacy rate (~64–66%) with a gender gap
- Reliable road connectivity and bus access—rail travel requires a short trip
- A deep heritage identity, combining early Pallava artistry with Jain ascetic traces
