from the state capital Chennai and 56 kilometres from Tiruchirapalli. Some of the nearby towns are Kumbakonam (40 km), Pattukkottai (45 km), Mannargudi (37 km), Pudukkottai (55 km), Tiruvarur (58 km), peravurani (80) and Nagappattinam (84 km) [ citation needed ] The municipality has an area of about 36 km 2