Jamunamarathur

Jamunamarathur is a hill town and the administrative headquarters of the Jawadhu Hills taluk in the Tiruvannamalai district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated atop the Jawadhu Hills massifs, a major range of the Eastern Ghats at an elevation of 857 metres (2,812 ft) above sea level, it is the second-highest altitude settlement in Tiruvannamalai district.^[1] Located at the geographical center of the Jawadhu plateau, the town serves as the principal economic, social, and transit hub for over 200 tribal hamlets scattered across the surrounding forest reserves.

Administratively, Jamunamarathur was constituted as a third-grade town panchayat in 1999 and upgraded to a second-grade town panchayat in 2008. The town hosts key regional infrastructure, including the Forest Government Higher Secondary School, one of the oldest state-run educational institutions dedicated to tribal youth welfare.^[2] Jamunamarathur links Tiruvannamalai district to Vellore and Tirupattur districts via the Polur and Amirthi mountain routes. In February 2026, the Government of Tamil Nadu launched a ₹103-crore State Highways project to widen the 39-kilometre single-lane forest road connecting Jamunamarathur to Amirthi Zoo into a two-lane highway, significantly improving emergency healthcare transport and trade connectivity for the hill population.^[3]

Jamunamarathur is located at coordinates 12°35′50′′N 78°53′16′′E in the northern interior of Tamil Nadu. The surrounding terrain consists predominantly of bluish-grey granitic massifs interspersed with deep valleys, tropical dry deciduous forest, and scrub vegetation.^{[citation needed ]}

The region experiences a highland-influenced tropical climate, with significantly lower temperatures than the adjoining plains of Tiruvannamalai and Vellore. Maximum summer temperatures reach ~38 °C in May, while winter minimums drop to ~12 °C in January. The town receives an average annual rainfall of approximately 880–900 mm, delivered primarily by the South-West and North-East monsoons.^[8]

The majority of the population in Jamunamarathur and its surrounding hamlets belongs to the Malayali tribal community (a Scheduled Tribe in Tamil Nadu).^{[citation needed ]}

Beemanmadavu Waterfalls: Situated approximately 3.1 miles from Jamunamarathur, this natural waterfall flows through dense forest terrain for nearly eight months of the year, serving as a primary regional tourist spot.^[9]

Komutteri Lake: Located near the town center, Komutteri Lake is the largest natural body of water on the Jawadhu plateau, featuring a landscaped perimeter and public boating activities.^[10]

Kavalur Vainu Bappu Observatory (VBO): Located nearby at Kavalur, this major astronomical facility operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics houses the 2.3-metre Vainu Bappu Telescope and opens to the opens to the public for scheduled stargazing.^[11]