Cuddalore , is a city which is the headquarters of the
Cuddalore District in the
south Indian state of
Tamil Nadu. Scholars believe the name
Cuddalore is derived from Koodalur, meaning confluence in
Tamil. While the early history of Cuddalore remains unclear, the town first rose to prominence during the reign of
Pallavas and
Medieval Cholas. After the fall of Cholas, the town was ruled by various dynasties like
Pandyas,
Vijayanagar Empire,
Madurai Nayaks,
Thanjavur Nayaks,
Thajavur Marathas,
Tipu Sultan, French and the
British Empire. Cuddalore was the scene of
Seven Years' War and the
Battle of Cuddalore in 1758 between the French and British. It has been a part of independent India since 1947. During the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Cuddalore was one of the affected towns, with 572 casualties.