Pudukkottai is a small town in central Tamil Nadu that was the capital of the Pudukkottai princely state, one of the few in British India that was never directly annexed. The Tondaiman Rajas maintained their independence until 1948.
The Government Museum is one of the better district museums in Tamil Nadu, with a good collection of Chola bronzes, stone sculpture, and exhibits on the region's history.
The area's standout sight is Sittanavasal, 18 km from town — a rock-cut Jain cave temple with frescoes dating from the 7th to 9th centuries. The paintings depict a lotus pond with fish, geese, and elephants in colours that have faded gracefully over thirteen centuries. It's one of the more underappreciated sights in Tamil Nadu and usually visited by very few people. Thirumayam Fort, 15 km west, combines a 17th-century fort with ancient Pallava-period rock-cut temples.