What is "kottar"

Kottar is a locality and a thriving bazaar area of Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu state, India; though a part of Nagercoil today, it is the original town around which the city of Nagercoil, near the southernmost tip of Peninsular India, grew. It was an ancient trade center of both Pandyans and Cheras at various times. The name Kottar was derived from the Tamil word kottam+aaru (river). The trade centre was established at the banks of the Bakruli River. The primary occupation in the area is irrigation and farming, pottery is a sub-occupation.