Karaikal (Tamil: காரைக்கால்,kāraikkāl also Karikal or Karaikkal) also called as (thazhai gnayiru), is a city and a municipality in Karaikal district in the Union Territory of Puducherry, India. Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said to have known as Karaigiri in Sanskrit.