the city limits further and the new fortress walls were built outside the Masi Streets. The ancient Pandian city of Madurai had the early Meenakshi Amman Temple at its centre; surrounding it were twelve concentric ring roads, each named after a Tamil month. The innermost ring road was Chithrai and the outermost Panguni. As the temple underwent periodic expansions over the centuries, the street adjacent to the temple premises retained the name Chithrai Street. Now, only three of the ancient twelve streets can be identified; Chithrai, Avani and Masi. The fort in Palayamkottai, which he used during his wars with the Polygars, was dismantled in the mid-nineteenth century. Only parts of the western bastion, (now housing Medai Police Station), the eastern bastion (now housing the Tirunelveli Museum) and a few short segments of the eastern wall remain. Character Tradition has many stories to tell of Yusuf Khan, said to be a scion of the ancient Pandiyan dynasty, who started his life as an ordinary peasant and by his military genius rose to the pinnacle of royal power when he became the ruler of the land, only to fall by the treachery of his comrades. In Tirunelveli and Madurai his whole administration denoted vigour and effect. His justice was unquestioned, his word unalterable, his measures were happily combined and firmly executed, the guilty had no refuge from punishment. Wisdom, vigour and integrity were never more conspicuous in any person of whatever climate or complexion.author, Col. Fullertonsource, A view of the English interests in India (1785). In popular culture Indian actor Kamal Haasan in 1997 started shooting the movie Marudhanayagam portraying Maruthanayagam Pillai in English, French, and Tamil languages. Its filming was stopped soon after, due to financial constraints and political problems. References External links Movie Controversy The Hindu: The ballad of the Khan Sahib The Palayamkottai Mystery Vikatan Reference 1725 births 1764 deaths Converts to Islam Indian military leaders Indian Muslims Islam in Tamil Nadu People from Ramanathapuram district