vellore fort

Vellore was part and parcel of Arcot, which is considered to be a great city even during the Sangam age. The Sangam literature mentions about the richness of Arcot. In one of the literature, written by Paranar, the poet praises the city of Arcot which is about 1900 years old. He says that it was equal to the Chola capital Uraiyur near Trichy. The name Arcot is derived from the nature Aru-Kadu (Six forests) that existed on either side of the river palar. In these six forest, six famous sages said to have been doing penance.

Another version is that there were six varieties of trees existing in these forests and thus the name Arcot is derived from the Tamil work Aru-Kadu. Some others say that the river and the forest ((in Tamil Aarum Kadugalum) together is called as Arcot. Another version is that the forest was full or Arr or Atti (Glamoratta) trees and the name of the people is derived from these Arrtrees as (Arr-Kadu) Arcot.

Raa.Pi. Sethupillai, in his book “Oorum Perum” (Place and Name) mentions that in the olden days, there were Velan (Babool) trees in the heart of the present town and the city in the middle of this dense forest was known as Velapadi. Later when development took place it was called as Velur-Padi which is mentioned in the inscriptions and then changed to its present from as Vellore. Even today a place called as Velapadi is famous ancient part of Vellore Town.