then undertook to pacify the country. Varaguna put up a stiff resistance to Colonel William Follarton and was defeated (in 1783) only through the treason of the polygar of Chokkampatti (q.v.), who had an old score to settle with him. Sivagiri and Panchalamkurichi submitted to the British, paid tribute, and posted bonds for the restoration of their forts. At the end of the Third Mysore War, and following the withdrawal of the British forces from Tirunelveli, Polygar Chinna Thambi Varaguna again sought to reassert himself. He annexed neighboring palayams, including Nerkattumseval and Perayur. In 1792 he invaded Sethur, killed the polygar, and replaced him with a cousin, as if Sethur were his own dependency. The Company sent in an army and took him prisoner. He was forced to restore his conquests to their former ruler. He was allowed to retain his palayam only because the company did not wish to turn it over to the Nawab, who had asked for it. In 1797, the son of the ruling polygar rebelled against his father's government, probably with the support of Kattabomman of Panchalamkurichi. Prompt action by the Company quashed the revolt. During the First Polygar War, Sivagiri sided with the British and helped defeat and capture Kattabomman. At the end of the war (1799), the polygar of Sivagiri surrendered six forts and 1,000 armed men to Major J. Bannerman. Administrative area during the late 1800s Sivagiri palayam comprised 103 villages, survived into the 19th century as a leading zamindari name sangili veerapandiya chinna thambiyar ruling the 103 villages. In 1879 it had an area of 122.38 sq. m. and a population of 49,531. Geography Sivagiri is located at . It has an average elevation of 165 metres (541 feet). This was formerly a zamindari town. Demographics India census by Census Commissioner of India, Sivagiri had a population of 20,160. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Sivagiri has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 46%. In Sivagiri, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age. Majority thevar community and senaiyar. Sivagiri Taluk Sivagiri today has become a Taluk in the Tenkasi District. Most of the old palayams are under this Taluk. It lies on the National Highway 208 to Tenkasi and is 16 km from Rajapalayam and is 36 km from Sankarankovil.