[citation needed] Kodumanal is a village located near Chennimalai in the Erode district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The inhabitants of this destroyed ancient city of Chera dynasty were highly skilled craftsmen, who were specialized in making beads and high-quality iron.

The place is referred to in Sangam literature as an important industrial centre that had links with the Chola port city of Kaveripoompattinam, now called Poompuhar.

The city played a major role in Indo-Roman trade and relations, as the ancient city is located on the mid-way of a Roman trade route, linking Muziris port[1] on the Malabar Coast with the Kaveripoompattinam (Puhar) Port in the Coromandel Coast.

The ancient city has been destroyed in time and now the area is available with the remains of a megalithic settlement dating back to the 2nd century BC.

This place was once celebrated for its trade in precious stones like Garnet, Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire and Quartz.

Also they have collected Roman artefacts, iron-melting furnaces, beads, shell bangles and pottery with the Brahmi scripts from the habitation deposits and burials.

A bronze statue of a lion and an iron-melting furnace were important helpful in deciding the past history.

Noyyal river was the water source of this town, which is now polluted by the effluents released by the Dyeing and industrial wastes.

This temple is situated at about 400 meters/1749 feet above sea level, and this hill is noted for its natural flora and fauna.

The Lord of this mountain 'Kurinji Andavar', also called as "Chennimalai Murugan" is highly praised and sung with reference to this abode in Kundruthorâdal.

It takes a 15 minutes drive to reach the hill temple by road and it gives a thrilling experience while travelling through the lush green forest with the steep slopes on the side.

The Punnâkau Siddhar cave with the front yard filled with 'Vel' of different sizes and shapes is on top of the hill.

During the second day of Pongal 'Poo Parikkum Thiruvizha' is celebrated as a part of Pongal celebrations and can see people going to the hills for plucking holy flowers, having food in the hills sharing with friends and relatives and performing 'Kummi' songs and dance which is unique to Kongu tradition and culture.

Important landmarks of the town are Kumaran Sathukkam (Vandipettai), Thaer Nilayam, Sandhai and Kumarapuri.

Kanuvai is a narrow pass in the Chennimalai hill which is traversed by SH 96 and offers a scenic drive for the travellers.

There are frequent buses available to Chennimalai from Tiruppur, Erode, Vellode, Avalpoondurai, Arachalur, Perundurai, Bhavani, Vijayamangalam, Kangeyam, Dharapuram, Palani, Karur, Salem and various other towns of Tamil Nadu.

TNSTC is operating new services from Palani to Bangalore, Erode to Dharapuram and Gobi to Madurai via Chennimalai.