Madurai is an ancient city on the Vaigai River in the south Indian states in Tamilnadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamilnadu. It is closely associated with the Tamil language and the third Tamil sangam, a major congregation of Tamil scholars said to have been held in the city. The recorded history goes back to the 3rd century BCE.
17th century Madurai Locust Attack
According to the historians note, locust plague in Madurai during the period of king Chokkanatha in 17th century, it is recorded in Kaval kottam novel by S Venkatesan. It said that the massive Locust attack came from the Northern region and destroyed all the agricultural products.
It was the north Indian locust the size of the locust was the size of the maize and covered the sky and it ate all the vegetation in that area, it sound was like whooshing sound of the rain and after the attack there were only branches of the trees and the plants. Then after two days the locust went towards to the south. The country got famine. the locust attack was during the period of mid-February to mid-March(Masi Tamil calendar month).
No rain for two years and famine. The people went to the forest in search of food. In Thathanur half the children died because of a type of diarrhoea disease. Many people died because of the disease and there were no place for burying the body, so they burned the bodies.
After 3 years the situation came to normal. one third of the population have died. The Madurai King Chokkanatha ruling period 1662-1682 AD.
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