How often do we look up while walking through a busy market? ThePathu Thoon(ten pillars) street, one of Madurai’s lesser-known heritage places, tucked away in the heart of the city, gets its name from the huge pillars that have been there for over 300 years. While the pillars define the street’s history, the neighbourhood is equally known today for its bustling textile shops, where trade and history coexist in a space that blends the past with the present.
Key insights
For many people, the huge pillars are just a familiar landmark. But for archaeologists, they are like the pieces of a story that is still being put together.
What this means
A row of huge pillars stands in a narrow lane on ‘Pathu thoon’ street.
| Photo Credit:
G. MOORTHY
“There are no surviving records from the Nayak period about this structure,” says an official from the Department of Archaeology. “What we know today comes largely from British-era records and the work of historians.”
Based on those records, historians believe the pillars were once part of an extended palace dating back to the Nayak period. “It is believed that this was a separate palace for Muthiyalu Nayak, the brother of Thirumalai Nayak,” the official says.
He explains that while the Nayaks originally ruled from Tiruchi, Thirumalai Nayak shifted the capital to Madurai. Years later, his grandson Chokkanatha Nayak moved it back to Tiruchi. “Historians believe that when construction of a fort began in Tiruchi, stones from portions of the palace in Madurai were used. The huge pillars were left behind, and that is why they still stand here,” he says.
The story does not end there. During the British period, Lord Napier oversaw the restoration of the palace. “The palace was repaired, but these pillars remained where they were. Over time, this street came to be called Pathu Thoon,” the official says.
A row of huge pillars stands in a narrow lane on ‘Pathu thoon’ street, with cloth stores on either side.
| Photo Credit:
G. MOORTHY
For JK Subramanian, who has been living there for more than 70 years, the street is more than just a busy textile market. “Many people know Pathu Thoon for its shops, but there are houses too. Families have been living here for generations,” he says. “Every time I walk down this street, I think about its history. These pillars remind me that they were once part of something very important.”
Looking up at the huge structures still leaves him in awe. “Even today, I wonder how people built something like this without the machines we have now. They have been standing here for centuries and have seen the city change around them,” he says.
A row of huge pillars stands in a narrow lane on ‘Pathu thoon’ street, with cloth stores and houses on either side.
| Photo Credit:
G. MOORTHY
For R Murugan, who has been running a textile shop on Pathu Thoon for the past 15 years, the street has changed in many ways, but not its customers.
“New showrooms and branded stores have come up across Madurai, but people still come here to shop,” he says. What makes them return, he says, is the sheer choice the shops offer. “If they don’t find what they are looking for in one shop, they simply walk into the next. They can compare prices, designs and quality before deciding.”
He adds that this street will be its busiest during festivals and the wedding season. “On some days, the street is so crowded that there is hardly any space to walk. We have seen families who shopped here years ago come back with their children. That’s what keeps this place alive.”
A row of huge pillars stands in a narrow lane on ‘Pathu thoon’ street, with cloth stores on either side.
| Photo Credit:
G. MOORTHY
M Vijayalakshmi, a customer, says, “I have been shopping here for many years. Even though there are malls now, I still prefer coming here because I can visit several shops at one stretch. I mostly come for saris and dress materials. I don’t have a favourite shop; I usually walk through the street first and then decide where to buy. I never paid much attention to the pillars until someone told me about their history. Now, whenever I come here, I make it a point to look at them.”
Years from now, Pathu Thoon will probably remain the same, just as it always has. The shop shutters will go up, and customers will bargain over cloth materials. The tall pillars will still be standing there, quietly waiting for someone to pause, look up, and think about the history they have been carrying for centuries.
Published – July 31, 2026 12:24 am IST
