Theni district was bifurcated from Madurai City. It was declared an independent city in 1996 and again in July.
Theni district was declared a separate district in 1997. Until then, it was a part of the Madurai district and came under the Madurai municipality. Bodi and Ammapatti are the most important villages in Theni. Theni district sprawls across an area of 2,889 km sq. The official language is Tamil, and people of all religions live here in harmony. In the early 90s, the Theni district was sparsely populated, but after the construction of the Mulla Periyar dam, the Cumbum Valley received some water, and thus regions around it flourished. Theni district is divided into two natural divisions: one is the hilly region with thick vegetation, and the other is green fields with perennial streams. 40.3 percent of Theni is cultivated land, and more than fifty percent of the people living here are farmers. The paneer thrachai (purple grapes) that are cultivated here are considered to be the sweetest of all grapes.