Ilaiyangudi (or "Ilayangudi") is a town in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu state, India.

The town lies in the southern part of Tamil Nadu state, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Palk Strait.

Its nearest city is Paramakudi around 10 Kilometers and Madurai, approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi) to the northwest.

The Vaigai river is located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southwest of the town, flowing in a south-easterly direction towards the Palk Straight.

The town is located near the junction of the state roads 29 and 34, linking Paramakudi to the south and Manamadurai, Sivagangai and Kalayarkovil to the north.

[citation needed] However, in the 15th century CE, a larger population of Muslims migrated to Ilaiyangudi from nearby areas.

[4] Approximately forty families left more southern regions due to drought and moved north and settled on the outskirts of Ilaiyangudi at Thuraiyan Pacheery where potable water was available.

Ilaiyangudi lies in the southern part of the Kaveri (Cauvery) river delta.

[5] A water reservoir (samuthram) northwest of the town is filled from the Valasaikattu Kanmai, a branch from the Vagai River.

The Ilaiyangudi Nesavu Pattadai (INP) was founded in the mid 16th century, representing textile weavers.

The land had been given to the INP Jamath by the Vijayanagara king, Sadasiva Raya in 1553 and had been associated with prayer giving from that time.

The Ilaiyangudi panchayat provides water and sewerage amenities to nearly 6,000 residences and builds roads within the town limits.

Ilaiyyangudi is a center of governance (tehsil) for the town itself, an area of 16.4 km2, and for many surrounding villages.

[citation needed] [10] Ilayangudi is very famous for Parotta, a Subcontinental layered flatbread made from Maida or Atta.

[citation needed] In 1892 CE, Mathura Kavi wrote a collection of poems in praise of Nagoor Meeran Shahib.

[citation needed] His other works include Arul Mani Malai, poems venerating Karaikal Kadir Mohideen.

Karaikal had published Mathur Kavi's Hazarat Shahu Ali Masthan Oli Shahib poems at the Mohamed Samadani Press.

His Thirukarana Vannangal poems, and the Deen Vilakka Vannam poems dedicated to Hazarat Syed Ibrahim Sahid of Ervadi, were published by the Karaikal Mohamed Samadani Press in 1895 CE and a second edition published by Quraniaya Press in Madurai, also in 1963.

In 1922, Kuthubu Mani Malai, dedicated by Mathura Kavi to Mohideen Abdul Kadir Jailani was published by Thubash T. K. Mohamed Ibrahim of Abiramam-Natham, a relative of Mathura Kavi and a representative of the Manonmani Vilasam Press in Madurai.