parties of cavalry and infantry had reported an easy approach to Vaniyambadi along the course of the Palar river which flowed past the town and the route was covered with thick undergrowth and trees. Also there was no need of digging trenches for the artillery due to there being a ridge which could serve as a position for the cannons. The garrison there consisted of 30 Europeans with 1000 sepoys, mostly irregulars. The Mysorean army reached the outskirts of the fort at dusk on November 6 and set up a battery of 12 cannons on the ridge at night. The European commander of the artillery received a light wound in the process. Haidar ordered him to rest in his tent and took over the personal command of the battery. Throughout the night he sat under a tree nearby and directed the setting up of the artillery unmindful of the firing by the British who had now noticed his approach. Though this is not mentioned in other sources it is certainly characteristic of Haidar's courage and he would repeat it during the siege of Ambur. He left when the commander returned. The cannons commenced firing soon after dawn on November 7 and soon the British garrison in Vaniyambadi capitulated, probably due to its inadequate strength though no breach had been made. Geography Location Vaniyambadi is located at 12.6872° N, 78.6303° E. It has an average elevation of and lies in the Eastern Ghats region and on the banks of the Palar river. Yelagiri and Javadi Hills are located to the south of the town. By road Vaniyambadi is surrounded by Ambur and Tirupathur which are 15 km, 24 km away respectively. It is on the banks of the Palar River. Climate Vaniyambadi experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). The temperature ranges from 10 °C (50 °F) to 40 °C (104 °F). In the city, March to May are the hottest months and November to January are the coldest. Vaniyambadi receives 865.3 mm (34.07 in) of rainfall every year. The southwestern monsoon from June to September brings 360.5 mm of rainfall, with September being the rainiest month. The northeastern monsoon which lasts from October to December brings 294.7 mm of rainfall. The humidity ranges from 50% to 58% during summer and 61% to 80% during winter. Demographics According to 2011 census, Vaniyambadi had a population of 195,061 with a