Arcot, Tamil Nadu

Arcot (natively spelt as Ārkāḍu) is a town and urban area of Ranipet district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Located on the southern banks of Palar River, the city straddles a trade route between Chennai and Bangalore or Salem, between the Mysore Ghat and the Javadi Hills (Javvadhu malai). , the city had a population 129,640. The sweet makkan peda is a local speciality while Arcot biryani, a rice-based traditional food, is also served here. Arcot is the anglicized form of the Tamil word ārkāḍ, which is commonly believed to have been derived from the Tamil words aaru (River) + kaadu (forest). However, arkaadu meant 'a forest of fig trees'. Jainism was flourishing in this part of Tamil Land who were otherwise known as Arugar most probably corrupted form of Arhants or the perfected souls. The word Arugar is found in many ancient literary works and places dominant with Arugars were related to them viz Arakonam, Arumbakkam, Aruvur, etc. Not far away from present day Arcot, there is a place called Arungundram. Hence Aarkaadu would have derived its name from Arugarkaadu. Nawab of the Carnatic The town's strategic location has led to it being repeatedly contested and prompted the construction of a formidable fortress. The Nawabdom of the Carnatic was established by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who in 1692 appointed Zulfiqar Ali Khan as the first Nawab of the Carnatic. In 1740, the Maratha forces came down upon Arcot. They attacked the Nawab, Dost Ali in the pass of Damalcherry. In the war that followed, Dost Ali, one of his sons Hasan Ali, and a number of prominent persons lost their lives. This initial success at once enhanced Maratha prestige in the south. From Damalcherry the Marathas proceeded to Arcot. It surrendered to them without much resistance. Chanda Saheb and his son were arrested and sent to Nagpur. In 1751, The English captured the town during the conflict between the United Kingdom and France for control of South India. The English successfully held it with only 500 men against the French and the Nawab, resisting for 56 days (23 September to 14 November 1751).

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Arcot, Tamil Nadu

Vellore

Vellore (English: ), is a sprawling city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Palar River in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu and is separated into four zones that are further subdivided into 60 wards, covering an area of 87.915 km2 and housing a population of 423,425 as reported by the 2001 census. It is located about west of Chennai, and about east of Bangalore. Vellore is located on the Mumbai–Chennai arm of the Golden Quadrilateral.

Maratha Empire

The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian empire and later a confederation that rose to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji of the Bhonsle dynasty as the Chhatrapati. Although Shivaji came from the Maratha caste, the Maratha empire also included warriors, administrators and other nobles from the Maratha and several other castes from what is known today as Maharashtra.