DINDIGUL, a town of British India, in the Madura district of Madras, 88o ft. above the sea, 4o m. from Madura by rail. Pop. Dindigul is a trade centre, and has a consid erable manufacture of tobacco, a large cotton ginning and press ing factory, and tanneries. The town has manufactures of cloth and safe-locks and an export trade in cotton, coffee, grain and cardamoms. Approximately one-ninth of the population is Chris tian. There is an industrial school. The ancient fort, well pre served, stands 3 5o ft. above the town ; this was formerly a position of great strategic importance, commanding passes into Madura from Coimbatore, and figured prominently in the military opera tions of the Mahrattas in the 17th and i8th centuries, and of Hyder Ali in 1755 and the years which followed. After being thrice captured by the British it was eventually ceded to the East India Company.