The Javadhu Hills (also Javadi Hills, Jawadhu Hills, and Jawadhu Malai) are an extension of the Eastern Ghats spread across parts of Vellore, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai districts in the northern part of the state of Tamil Nadu in south-eastern India. The hills separate Vellore, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai districts: Tirupattur district, with its towns of Tirupattur, Vaniyambadi and Ambur, lie on the north-western side; Vellore district with the city of Vellore and Amirthi forest are located on the North-eastern side. and Tiruvannamalai district with the towns of Chengam and Polur are located on the south-eastern side. The town of Jamunamarathoor and the Kavalur Observatory are located within.
The hills consist of bluish-grey granites, with peaks averaging 3,800–4,000 feet (1,300–1,350 m). About 50 miles (80 km) wide and 20 miles (32 km) long, they are bisected into eastern and western sections by the Cheyyar and Agaram rivers, tributaries of the Palar.le Fanu, Henry "A Manual of the Salem district in the presidency of Madras". 2 vols. Volume 2. Madras: Government Press, 1883 During the British colonisation of India, the Javadhu Hills appeared occasionally in government gazetteers and manuals,Garstin, John H."Manual Of The South Arcot District". Madras: Lawrence Asylum Press, 1878 ethnographies,Thurston, Edgar Castes and Tribes of Southern India. 6 vols. Volume 4. Madras: Government Press, p.408, 1909 and travelers' accounts. Henry le Fanu, writing in 1883, admired the beauty of the Jawadhi hills.
Cultivation The hills are sparsely populated; the majority of the inhabitants are Malayali tribes people, though other castes are also present.Parthasarathy, Jakka Division of Labour and Women: A Case Study of the Malayali of Jawadhi Hills, Tamil Nadu. In "Social Science and Social Concern: Felicitation Volume in Honour of Professor B.K. Roy Burman". S.B. Chakrabarti, ed: Mittal Publications, 1988
Malayali tribes people grow a variety of trees on their patta land, including tamarind, jackfruit, gooseberry, guava, pomegranate, mango, lemon, coconut, plantain, Paddy, Saamai etc.Parthasarathy, Jakka Division of Labour and Women: A Case Study of the Malayali of Jawadhi Hills, Tamil Nadu. In "Social Science and Social Concern: Felicitation Volume in Honour of Professor B.K. Roy Burman". S.B. Chakrabarti, ed: Mittal Publications, 1988
The trees of the Javadhu Hills also produce a range of forest products. These include millettia pinnata, Smilax regelii, Castor oil plant
They are noted both for their fruit bearing trees, medicinal and for their sandalwood. Sandalwood trees remain in the forest and are coming back . One can witness the scent of sandalwood while driving towards jamunamarathu, yet their numbers are dwindling due to illegal logging. This theft was going on for many years.
Archaeological excavations
In March 2024, more than 100 megalithic burials were unearthed inside Pattarakadu Reserve Forest atop Jawadhu Hills. The burials were located in Keel Cheppili and Mel Cheppili villages near Jamunamarathur. This was hailed as a rare and significant find.
Earlier, in 2021, a large number of Neolithic tools had been found in the area also.
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