Kayalpatnam is a municipality in the Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 40,588. Also known as Kayal, it is referred to in Marco Polo's travel diaries dating to 1298 AD. Korkai, Vaguthai or Kayal was an ancient port dating to the 1st centuries of the common era and was contemporaneous to the existe…Kayalpatnam is a municipality in the Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 40,588. Also known as Kayal, it is referred to in Marco Polo's travel diaries dating to 1298 AD. Korkai, Vaguthai or Kayal was an ancient port dating to the 1st centuries of the common era and was contemporaneous to the existence of Kollam, another Pandyan port. Kollam served the Pandyas on the west coast while Korkai/Kayal served them on the east coast connecting them to Ceylon and the pearl fisheries in the Gulf of Mannar facing the Tirunelveli Coast. Arab traders from Egypt and Yemen landed at the port of Korkai. Some traders migrated to Adirampattinam. Strong trading connections existed with Sri Lanka. There exist a strong cultural connection between Kayalpattinam, Adirampattinam and Kilakarai. Most of the Muslims here are matrilocal residents. The ancient port had trade connections with Egypt, Rome and Greece.
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