rism in Tamil Nadu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tamil Nadu is a state in the south-eastern part of the Indian Peninsula. One of the four Dravidian states of India, it has had more than 4,000 years of continuous cultural history. Tamil Nadu has some of the most remarkable temple architecture in the country, and a living tradition of music, dance and fine arts. Tamil Nadu is well renowned for its temple towns and heritage sites, hill stations, waterfalls, national parks, local cuisine and the fabulous wildlife and scenic beauty. The state boasts the second largest tourism industry in India with an annual growth rate of 16%.[1] In 2012, Tamil Nadu occupied the second slot in the country in terms of domestic as well as foreign arrivals.[2]
Contents
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1 Economy and Tourism 2 Major Cities of Tamil Nadu

o o o o o o o

2.1 Chennai 2.2 Madurai 2.3 Coimbatore 2.4 Erode 2.5 Salem 2.6 Thoothukudi 2.7 Tirunelveli

3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

o o o

3.1 The Chola Temples 3.2 Group of Monuments in Mahabalipuram 3.3 The Nilgiri Mountain Railway

4 Temples and Temple Towns of Tamil Nadu

o o o o o o o o o o

4.1 Madurai 4.2 Chidambaram 4.3 Srirangam 4.4 Tiruchirapalli 4.5 Thiruvarur 4.6 Kancheepuram 4.7 Kanniyakumari 4.8 Kumbakonam 4.9 Rameshwaram 4.10 Tiruchendur

o o o o

4.11 Palani 4.12 Thiruvanamalai 4.13 Nagore and Velankanni 4.14 Melmaruvathur

5 Hill Stations

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5.1 Udagamandalam 5.2 Kodaikanal 5.3 Yercaud 5.4 Kolli Hills 5.5 Coonoor

6 Waterfalls

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6.1 Courtallam 6.2 Hogenakkal falls 6.3 Catherine falls 6.4 Kiliyur falls 6.5 Suruli falls 6.6 Tirparappu waterfalls

7 Beaches

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7.1 Marina Beach 7.2 Elliot Beach 7.3 Mahabalipuram 7.4 Poompuhar Beach 7.5 Kanniyakumari

8 Wildlife sanctuaries and National parks

o o

8.1 Mudumalai National Park 8.2 Guindy National Park

9 Festivals of Tamil Nadu

o o o

9.1 Bhogi 9.2 Pongal 9.3 Mattu Pongal

10 Gallery 11 References

Economy and Tourism[edit]

Logo of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation

Tamil Nadu with a GDP of $98 million is the fourth largest economy of the country and Tourism is one of the main sources of its revenue. Tourism in the state is promoted by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation headquartered in the capital city of Chennai. Tamil Nadu is a year round tourist destination and the industry is the largest in the country only second to the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh. Approximately 2,804,687 foreign and 111,637,104 domestic tourists visited the state in 2010. [3]

Major Cities of Tamil Nadu[edit]

Chennai[edit]
Chennai formerly known as Madras, is the capital city of the state, and India's fourth largest metropolis. The city is known for its beaches, Anglo-Indian architecture, cultural festivals and is India's largest shopping destination.[4] Chennai is seen as the gateway to Southern India and is well connected to all parts of India by road, rail and air. The city is currently India's 4th largest and one of the world's fifty most largest ones. This city houses Asia's largest hospitals which has recently spurred a new wave of medical tourism.[5]

Madurai[edit]
Madurai is the third largest city in Tamil Nadu and one of India's greatest temple towns and the oldest city in Tamil Nadu. It is also called Temple city, Athens of East,City of Junctions, City of Festival, Jasmine city, Sleepless city (Thoonga Nagaram). Madurai is the topmost tourism hub of Tamil Nadu. Madurai is the cultural headquarters of Tamil Nadu, Madurai is the major city to attract more Foreigners next only to chennai. Madurai also ancient city its living civilisation is more than 2000 years. While Pandiayn emperor it is the capital of Pandyan Kingdom. Madurai continues to be a cultural hot spot in the state and is a major tourist destination for overseas visitors. The city is 450 km from Chennai and has a major railway junction and an airport 12 km from the city. Madurai is well connected with major cities in India by domestic airport and main railway junction Madurai Junction.

Coimbatore[edit]

Coimbatore is the second largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is often referred to as the Manchester of South India due to its growing commercial importance, Coimbatore situated in Western end of Tamil Nadu and is well connected by road, rail and air with major towns and cities in India.

Erode[edit]
Erode ([iro]) is the administrative headquarters of Erode District in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the banks of River Kaveri, and has been ruled, at different times, by the Early Pandyas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Hyder Ali, Carnatic kingdom, and the British. It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about 400 kilometres (249 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of Coimbatore. Hand loom, power loom textile products and ready made garments industries contribute to the economy of the city. The people in the city are employed in various textile, oil and turmeric manufacturing industries. Being the district head quarters, Erode accommodates the district administration offices, government educational institutes, colleges and schools. Erode is a part of Erode constituency (Erode East and Erode West) and elects its member of legislative assembly every five years, and a part of the Erode constituency that elects its member of parliament. The city is administered by a municipal corporation established in 2009 as per the Municipal Corporation Act. The city covers an area of 8.99 km2 and had a population of 173,600 in 2001. The provisional population totals of the 2011 census indicate the population of the city is 521,776. Roadways is the major mode of transport to the city, while it has also got rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Coimbatore International Airport, located at a distance of 90 km from the city.

Salem[edit]
Salem is the important city in Tamil Nadu and salem is central of Tamil Nadu. It is also called Mango city & steel city, famous tourist places: yercaud, mettur dam, kailasanathar temple, kottai mariamman temple aadi festival is world famous, poolavari lake, rail and bus fesilities any time available, salem is fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu, salem railway division Salem Junction .

Thoothukudi[edit]
Thoothukudi is a commercial city on the sea shore which serves the inland cities of Southern India and is one of the sea gateways of Tamil Nadu. There are stretches of sunny and sandy beaches that are restful and calm. There are several towns that have historical and religious significance that are around Thoothukudi. It has a railway terminus and a domestic airport with regular flights to Chennai.

Tirunelveli[edit]
Tirunelveli is an ancient city and is home to many temples and shrines, including the largest Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu, the Nellaiappar Temple. It is located on the western side of the perennial Thamirabarani river, whereas its twin municipal city Palayamkottai, is located on the eastern side. It has a major railway junction and is situated 700 kilometres southwest of the state capital,Chennai

UNESCO World Heritage Sites[edit]

The state houses a no. of heritage sites mainly composed of the ancient temples and deities of the Pallava and Chola empire scattered along various parts of Northern and Central-Eastern parts of Tamil Nadu. The following are the list of the Heritage sites in the state.

The Chola Temples[edit]

The Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, an 11th-century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Tamil Nadu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tamil Nadu

State

Seal of Tamil Nadu

Motto: Truth alone Triumphs Anthem: Invocation to Tamil Mother

Location of Tamil Nadu in India

Map of Tamil Nadu

Coordinates: Country Established Capital Largest city Districts Government Governor Chief Minister

13.09N 80.27ECoordinates: India 26 January 1950 Chennai Chennai 32

13.09N 80.27E

Konijeti Rosaiah Jayalalitha (AIADMK)

 Legislature Chief Justice High Court Area Total Area rank Population (2011)[1] Total Rank Density Time zone ISO 3166 code HDI HDI rank Literacy Official language Website

Unicameral (234 seats) Rajesh Kumar Agarwal Madras High Court

130,058 km2 (50,216 sq mi) 11th

72,138,999 7th 550/km2 (1,400/sq mi) IST (UTC+05:30) IN-TN 0.666 (High)[2] 6th (2011)[3] 80.3 per cent (2011 census) Tamil tn.gov.in

^ Established in 1773; Madras State was formed in 1950 and renamed as Tamil Nadu on 14 January 1969[4]

Part of a series on

History of Tamil Nadu

Main[show]

Sangam period[show]

Medieval history[show]


Tamil Nadu (/tml ndu/ TAM-il-NAH-doo;

V T E

Tamil pronunciation (helpinfo); Tamil: ; literally

"Tamil Region") is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital is Chennai (formerly known as Madras), the largest city. Tamil Nadu is a land most known for its monumental ancient Hindu temples and classical form of dance Bharata Natyam.[5] Tamil Nadu[6] lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Puducherry and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. It is bounded by the Eastern Ghats on the north, by the Nilgiri, the Anamalai Hills, and Kerala on the west, by the Bay of Bengal in the east, by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait on the southeast, and by the Indian Ocean on the south. Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state in India by area and the seventh most populous state in India. It is the second largest state economy in India as of 2012.[7] The state ranked 6th among states in India according to the Human Development Index as of 2011.[3] [8] The state has the highest number (10.56 per cent) of business enterprises and stands second in total employment (9.97 per cent) in India, [9]compared to the population share of about 6 per cent. In the 2013 Raghuram Rajan panel report, Tamil Nadu was ranked as the third most developed state in India based on a "Multidimensional Development Index".[10] The region has been the home of the Tamil people since at least 1500 BCE.[11] Its official language isTamil, which holds a status of being a classical language. Tamil has been in use in inscriptions and literature for over 2500 years. Mythical traditions dictate that Lord Shiva himself taught sage Agastya this language.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] Sage Agastya is considered to be the father of Tamil literature and compiled the first Tamil grammar called Agathiyam, but the scripts of Agathiyam no longer exist.[20] It is believed that he lived in the 6th or 7th century B.C. and specialized in language, alchemy, medicine and spirituality (yogam and gnanam). There are 96 books in the name of Agathiyar.[21] Tamil Nadu is home to many natural resources, classical arts, classical music, classical literature, Hindu temples of Dravidian architecture, hill stations, beach resorts, multi-religious pilgrimage sites, and eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[22][23]
Contents
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1 History

o o o o

1.1 Prehistory 1.2 Indus valley script between 2000 B.C. and 1500 B.C 1.3 Early history (Sangam Period 300 BCE - 300 CE) 1.4 Medieval Period (6001300)

o o o o o

1.4.1 Chola Empire

[citation needed]

1.5 Summary of Regions in the Sangam and Medieval Periods 1.6 Vijayanagar and Nayak period (13361646) 1.7 Rule of Poligars (16921801) 1.8 Early struggle for Independent states 1.9 European rule (18011947)

1.10 India (1947 - present)

2 Geography 3 Flora and fauna 4 National and State Parks 5 Climate 6 Governance and administration 7 Districts 8 Politics

o o

8.1 Pre-Independence 8.2 Post-Independent India

9 Demographics

o o

9.1 Religion 9.2 Language

10 Education 11 Culture

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11.1 Literature 11.2 Festivals and traditions 11.3 Music 11.4 Arts and dance 11.5 Film industry 11.6 Cuisine

12 Economy

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12.1 Agriculture 12.2 Leather industry 12.3 Textiles and Engineering 12.4 Automobiles 12.5 Heavy industries 12.6 Electronics and software 12.7 Others

13 Infrastructure

13.1 Transport

13.1.1 Road 13.1.2 Rail 13.1.3 Airports 13.1.4 Seaport

13.2 Energy

14 Sports 15 Tourism 16 See also 17 Notes 18 References 19 External links

History[edit]
Main article: History of Tamil Nadu

Prehistory[edit]
Archaeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in Indian peninsula.[24] In Adichanallur, 24 km (15 mi) from Tirunelveli, archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed 169 clay urns containing human skulls, skeletons and bones, husks and grains of rice, charred rice and celts of the Neolithic period, 3,800 years ago.[25] The ASI archaeologists have proposed that the script used at that site is "very rudimentary" Tamil Brahmi.[26] Adichanallur has been announced as an archaeological site for further excavation and studies.[27] About 60 per cent of the total epigraphical inscriptions found by the ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu, and most of these are in the Tamil language.[28] Virumandi Andithevar, of the Piramalai Kallar community from the Tamil Nadu region of southern India, was identified by the Genographic Project as one of the direct descendants of the first modern human settlers in India. His Y-DNA belongs to Haplogroup C and he carries the M130 marker which defines the first migrants to South East Asia and Australia from the African coast 60,000 years ago; more than half of Australian Aborigines also carry the M130 gene.[29]

Indus valley script between 2000 B.C. and 1500 B.C[edit]

The Neolithic people of Tamil Nadu are believed to have shared the same language family of the Harappan group. Neolithic people of the Tamil country spoke a Dravidian language.The discovery of a Neolithic stone celt, a hand-held axe, with the Indus script on it at Sembian-Kandiyur in Tamil Nadu is, according to Iravatham Mahadevan, "Stone axe with Indus Valley script found near Mayiladuthurai,Tamil Nadu was a major discovery because for the first time a text in the Indus script has been found in the State on a datable artefact, which is a polished neolithic celt. He estimated the date of the artefact with the script to be around 1500 B.C.[30]

Early history (Sangam Period 300 BCE - 300 CE)[edit]

Main article: Sangam period

Roman pottery excavated in Arikamedu(1st century CE, Guimet Museum)

The early history of the people and rulers of Tamil Nadu is a topic in Tamil sources known as Sangam literature. Numismatic, archaeological and literary sources corroborate that the Sangam period lasted for about six centuries, from 300 BCE to 300 CE. Three dynasties, namely the Chera, Chola and Pandya, ruled the area of present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Chera ruled the whole of present day Kerala and parts of western Tamil Nadu comprising Coimbatore, Karur, Salem and Erode districts from the capital of Vanchi Muthur (thought to be modern day Karur). The Chola dynasty ruled the northern and central parts of Tamil Nadu from their capital, Uraiyur; and the Pandya dynasty ruled southern Tamil Nadu, from capitals at Korkai andMadurai. All three dynasties had extensive trade relationships with Rome, Greece, Egypt, Ceylon, Phoenicia,Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. Trade flourished in commodities such as spices, ivory, pearls, beads and gems. Chera traded extensively from Muziris on the west coast, Chola from Arikamedu and Puhar and Pandya through Korkai port. A Greco-Roman trade and travel document, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 60100 CE) gives a description of the Tamil country and its ports. Between the third and the seventh centuries CE, the three Tamil kingdoms were overwhelmed by the Kalabhras which is sometimes referred to as the "Dark Age" in Tamil history and little is known about it. The Kalabhras were expelled by the Pallavas, Badami Chalukyas and Pandyas in the sixth century.

Medieval Period (6001300)[edit]

Kallanai or Grand Anicut, is an ancient dam built on the Kaveri River inTiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India. It was built by the Chola king Karikala Cholaaround the 2nd Century AD[31][32] and is considered one of the oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structures in the world, which is still in use. It still stands as a symbol of Dravidian Engineering. [33][34]

During the Kalabhras' rule Buddhism flourished in the land of the Tamils. The didactic work Naaladiyar was composed during their reign. It consists of moral sayings in the venpa meter, 400 in number in 40 chapters, each by one Buddhist ascetic, according to tradition. Following the tradition of Tamil Buddhism, Naaladiyaremphasises virtues such as control of the senses, Dhamma (Lord Buddha's teaching), renunciation, and other desirable social qualities. Pali was the court language of the Kalabhras who were also called Kalapara or Kalaparaya according to the Koramangalam inscription.[citation needed]

Shore Temple built by the Pallavas atMamallapuram during the eighth century, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the fourth to eighth centuries C.E., Tamil Nadu saw the rise of the Pallavas under Mahendravarman I and his sonMamalla Narasimhavarman I.[35] The Pallavas ruled parts ofSouth India with Kanchipuram as their capital. Dravidian architecture reached its peak during Pallava rule.Narasimhavarman II built the Shore Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They came into conflict with the KannadaChalukyas of Badami. During this period, The great Badami Chalukya King Pulakesi II extended the Chalukya Empire up to the northern extents of the Pallava kingdom and defeated the Pallavas in several battles.[36] Pallava Narasimhavarman, however, reversed this victory in 642 by attacking and occupying Badami temporarily.[37] However, a later Chalukya King Vikramaditya II took revenge by repeated invasions of the territory of Tondaimandalam and his subsequent victories over Pallava Parameswarvarman I and the temporary occupation of Kanchipuram.[38]

The Meenakshi Amman Temple inMadurai is one of the grand Hindu temples in India.

The Pallava dynasty was overthrown in the 9th century by the imperial Rashtrakutas who ruled from Gulbarga. King Krishna III, the last great Rashtrakuta king consolidated the empire so that it stretched from the Narmada River to Kaveri River and included the northern Tamil country (Tondaimandalam) while levying tribute on the king of Ceylon.[39] Much later, the Pallavas were replaced by the Cholas as the dominant kingdom in the 10th century C.E. and they in turn were replaced by Pandyas in the 13th century C.E. The Pandyan capital Maduraiwas in the deep south away from the coast. They had extensive trade links with the south east Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and their successors, as well as contacts, even formal diplomatic contacts, reaching as far as the Roman Empire. During the 13th century C.E. Marco Polo mentioned the Pandyas as the richest empire in existence. Temples such as the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai and Nellaiappar Temple atTirunelveli are the best examples of Pandyan temple architecture.[40] The Pandyas excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the south coast of India, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls in the known ancient world.

Chola Empire[edit]
Main article: Chola dynasty The Cholas, who were very active during the Sangam age, were entirely absent during the first few centuries.[41] The period started with the rivalry between the Pandyas and the Pallavas, which in turn caused the revival of the Cholas.

A sculpture at Airavatesvara Temple,Darasuram, built by Tamil Chola Kings. The Great Living Chola Temples are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

During the ninth century, the Chola dynasty was once again revived by Vijayalaya Chola, who establishedThanjavur as Chola's new capital by conquering central Tamil Nadu from the local clans of Mutharayar and the Pandya king Varagunavarman II. Aditya I and his son Parantaka I expanded the kingdom to the northern parts of Tamil Nadu by defeating the last Pallava king, Aparajitavarman. Parantaka Chola II expanded the Chola empire into what is now interior Andhra Pradesh and coastal Karnataka, while under the great Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose to a notable power in south east Asia. Now the Chola Empire stretched as far as Bengal and Sir Lanka. At its peak, the empire spanned almost 3,600,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi). Rajaraja Chola conquered all of peninsular south India and parts of Sri Lanka. Rajendra Chola's navy went even further, occupying coasts from Burma (nowMyanmar) to Vietnam, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Sumatra, Java, Malaya,Philippines[42] in South East Asia and Pegu islands. He defeated Mahipala, the king of Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

The Chola Empire at its greatest extent, during the reign of Rajendra Chola I in 1030 CE

The Cholas were prolific temple builders right from the times of the first medieval king Vijayalaya Chola. These are the earliest specimen of Dravidian temples under the Cholas. His son Aditya I built several temples around the Kanchi and Kumbakonam regions. The Cholas went on to becoming a great power and built some of the most imposing religious structures in their lifetime and they also renovated temples and buildings of the Pallavas, acknowledging their common socio-religious and cultural heritage. The celebrated Nataraja temple at Chidambaram and the Sri Ranganathaswami Temple at Srirangam held special significance for the Cholas which have been mentioned in their inscriptions as their tutelary deities.

Natarajan, Siva as celestial dancer, an example of Chola art

Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola, who built temples such as the Brihadeshvara Temple of Thanjavur and Brihadeshvara Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the Airavatesvara Temple ofDarasuram and the Sarabeswara (Shiva) Temple, also called the Kampahareswarar Temple at Thirubhuvanam, the last two temples being located near Kumbakonam. The first three of the above four temples are titled Great Living Chola Temples among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Chola period is also remarkable for its sculptures and bronzes all over the world. Among the existing specimens in museums around the world and in the temples of southern India the fine figures of Siva in various forms, Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi, and the Siva saints are the examples of Chola bronze. Though conforming generally to the iconographic conventions established by long tradition, the sculptors worked with great freedom in the 11th and the 12th centuries to achieve a classic grace and grandeur. The best example of this can be seen in the form of Nataraja the Divine Dancer.

Brihadeeswara Temple built by Raja Raja Chola I in 1010 CE.

During the rule of the great Chalukya King Vikramaditya VI, in the late eleventh to early twelfth century, the Western Chalukyas convincingly defeated the Cholas on several occasions, weakening their empire.[43][44]With the decline of the Chola dynasty between 1116 and 1185 C.E., the Hoysalas of Kannada country rose to prominence, under King Vishnuvardhana and his grandson, the celebrated Veera Ballala II.[45][46][47] The Hoysalas extended their foothold in Tamil Nadu around 1225, making the city of Kannanur Kuppam nearSrirangam a provincial capital that give them control over South Indian politics that began a period of Hoysala hegemony in the southern Deccan.[48][49] Hoysala Vira Narasimha II's son Vira Someshwara earned the honorific "uncle" (Mamadi) from the Pandyas and Cholas. The Hoysala influence spread over Pandya kingdom from who they gained tribute.[50] This revival was short-lived as the Pandya

capital of Madurai itself was sacked by Alauddin Khilji's troops under General Malik Kafur in 1316. The Muslim invasion led to the establishment of the short-lived Madurai Sultanate.

Summary of Regions in the Sangam and Medieval Periods[citation needed][edit]

Chera Nadu or Kongu Nadu: The western region comprising roughly the modern districts of Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Tiruppur, Namakkal,Karur and Dindigul(other than Natham taluk And 95 % of nillakotai taluk), Dharmapuri,krishnagiri.

Chola Nadu: The eastern region comprising roughly the modern districts of Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Pudukottai with UT of Karaikal. Pandya Nadu: The southern districts of Madurai, Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Theni, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi. Tondai Nadu or Pallava Nadu: The modern districts of Chitoor, Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram,Kanchipuram, Chengulput, Thiruvallur, Cuddalore, Krishnagiri, part of Dharmapuri and Chennai with UT of Puducherry

Nadu Nadu: Parts of Villupuram, Cuddalore and Salem districts. Nanjil Nadu: Nagercoil (Kanyakumari district)

Sangam texts refer to more "Koduntamil" mandalams which are not exactly political or socio - cultural units but linguistic agglomerations.

Vijayanagar and Nayak period (13361646)[edit]

Main article: Vijayanagara Empire The Muslim invasions of southern India triggered the establishment of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire with Vijayanagara in modern Karnataka as its capital. The Vijayanagara empire eventually conquered the entire Tamil country by c. 1370 C.E. and ruled for almost two centuries until its defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by a confederacy of Deccan sultanates.

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal at Madurai

Subsequently, as the Vijayanagara Empire went into decline after the mid-16th century, many local rulers, called Nayaks, succeeded in gaining the trappings of independence. This eventually resulted in the further weakening of the empire; many Nayaks declared themselves independent, among whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Tanjore were the first to declare their independence, despite initially maintaining loose links with the Vijayanagara kingdom.[40] The Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were the most prominent of Nayaks in the 17th century. They reconstructed some of the well-known temples in Tamil Nadu such as theMeenakshi Temple.

Rule of Poligars (16921801)[edit]

In the early 18th century, the eastern parts of Tamil Nadu came under the dominions of the poligars. The Poligars were local chieftains under the Nayaks who declared their freedom due to the decline of nayaks.

Early struggle for Independent states[edit]

The fall of Nayaka period brought up many small Nayakars of southern Tamil Nadu, who ruled small parcels of land called Palayams. Some of thesePalaiyakkarar ('polygar' as called by British) were ruling under Nawabs of Carnatic. Nawabs granted taxation rights to the British which led to conflicts between British and the Palaiyakkarar, which resulted in series of wars to establish independent states by the aspiring Palaiyakkarar. Puli Thevar was one of the earliest opponents of the British rule in South India . He was involved in a vendetta with the Nawab of Arcot who was supported by the British. Thevar's prominent exploits were his confrontations with Marudhanayagam, who later rebelled against the British in the late 1750s and early 1760s. The author of the Thirunelveli District Gazetteer, H.R. Pate, observes as follows: Nelkatumseval is chiefly memorable as having been in the eighteenth Century stronghold of the redoubtable Puli Thevar, who figured for many years as the leader of the Marava Confederacy against the troops of the Nawab and the Company.Azhagu Muthu Kone (1728-1757) was an Indian revolutionary and independence activist. He is regarded for having raised one of the revolts against the British East India Company in India. Kone was born and brought up in Kattalankulam, a village in erstwhile Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Puli Thevar(1715-1767), Vennikkaladi Kudumbar, Thalapathi in Puli Thevar Force chieftain who fought the British East India Company in the 1750s and 1760s. Rani Velu Nachiyar, First Woman Freedom fighter of India and Queen of Sivagangai. She was drawn to war after her husband Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar (17501772), King of Sivaganga was murdered at Kalayar Kovil temple by British generals Joseph Smith and Benjour. Before her death, Queen Velu Nachi granted powers to Maruthu brothers to rule Sivaganga. Kattabomman (17601799), Palaiyakkara chief of Panchalakurichi who fought the British in the FirstPolygar War. He was captured by the British at the end of the war and hanged near Kayattar in 1799. Veeran Sundaralingam (1700-1800) was the General of Kattapomman Nayakan's palayam, who died in the process of blowing up a British ammunition dump 1799 which killed more than 150 British soldiers to save Kattapomman Palace. Oomaithurai, younger brother of Kattabomman, took asylum under the Maruthu brothers Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu and raised army. They formed a coalition with Dheeran Chinnamalai and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja which fought the British in Second Polygar Wars.Dheeran Chinnamalai (17561805), Polygar chieftain of Kongu and feudatory of Tipu Sultan who fought the British in the Second Polygar War. The Vellore Mutiny on 10 July 1806 was the first instance of a large-scale and violent mutiny by Indian sepoys against the British East India Company, predating the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by half a century. The revolt, which took place in the South Indian city of Vellore, was brief, lasting only one full day, but brutal as mutineers broke into the Vellore fort and killed or wounded 200 British troops, before they were subdued by reinforcements from nearby Arcot.

European rule (18011947)[edit]

Fort Dansborg at Tharangambadi built by the Danes.

Main article: Madras Presidency Around 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat, while the Danes had their establishment inTharangambadi also known as Tranquebar. In 1639, the British, under the East India Company, established a settlement further south of Pulicat, in present day Chennai. In the late 18th century, the British fought and reduced the French dominions in India to Puducherry. Nizams of Hyderabad and the Nawabs of the Carnatic bestowed tax revenue collection rights on the East India Company for defeating the Kingdom of Mysore. After winning the Polygar wars, the East India Company consolidated most of southern India into the Madras Presidency coterminous with the dominions of Nizam of Hyderabad. Pudukkottai remained as a princely state.

India (1947 - present)[edit]

Srivilliputhur Andal Temple Tower,official symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu

When India became independent in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras State, comprising present day Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh up to Ganjam district in Orissa, South Canara district Karnataka, and parts of Kerala. The state was subsequently split up along linguistic lines. In 1969, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning "Tamil country".[51]

Geography[edit]
Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 km2 (50,216 sq mi), and is the eleventh largest state in India. The bordering states are Kerala to the west, Karnataka to the north west and Andhra Pradesh to the north. To the east is the Bay of Bengal and the union territory of Puducherry. The southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula is located in Tamil Nadu. At this point is the town of Kanyakumari which is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. The south boundary of India is Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

Topographic map of Tamil Nadu

The western, southern and the north western parts are hilly and rich in vegetation. The Western Ghats and theEastern Ghats meet at the Nilgiri hills. The Western Ghats dominate the entire western border with Kerala, effectively blocking much of the rain bearing clouds of the south west monsoon from entering the state. The eastern parts are fertile coastal plains and the northern parts are a mix of hills and plains. The central and the south central regions are arid plains and receive less rainfall than the other regions. Tamil Nadu has a coastline of about 910 km (570 mi) which is the countrys third longest coastline. Tamil Nadu's coastline bore the brunt of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami when it hit India, which caused 7,793 direct deaths in the state. Tamil Nadu falls mostly in a region of low seismic hazard with the exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate hazard zone; as per the 2002 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) map, Tamil Nadu falls in Zones II & III. Historically, parts of this region have experienced seismic activity in the M5.0 range.[52]

Flora and fauna[edit]

Main articles: Wildlife of Tamil Nadu and List of birds of Tamil Nadu There are about 2000 species of wildlife that are native to Tamil Nadu. Protected areas provide safe habitat for large mammals including elephants, tigers,leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, gaurs, lion-tailed macaques, Nilgiri Langurs, Nilgiri Tahrs, Grizzled Giant Squirrels and Sambar deer, resident and migratory birds such as cormorants, darters, herons, egrets, Open-billed storks, Spoonbills and White Ibises, Little Grebes, Indian Moorhen, Black-winged Stilts, a few migratory Ducks and occasionally Grey pelicans, marine species such as the Dugongs, turtles, dolphins and Balanoglossus and a wide variety of fish and insects.

The endangered Lion-tailed Macaque is found in a few forests in southern India.

Indian Angiosperm diversity comprises 17,672 species with Tamil Nadu leading all states in the country, with 5640 species accounting for 1/3 of the total flora of India. This includes 1559 species of medicinal plants, 533 endemicspecies, 260 species of wild relatives of cultivated plants and 230 red-listed species. The Gymnosperm diversity of the country is 64 species of which Tamil Nadu has four indigenous species and about 60 introduced species. ThePteridophytes diversity of India includes 1022 species of which Tamil Nadu has about 184 species. Vast numbers ofbryophytes, lichen, fungi, algae and bacteria are among the wild plant diversity of Tamil Nadu. Common plant species include the state tree: Palmyra Palm, Eucalyptus, Rubber, Cinchona, Clumping Bamboos (Bambusa Arundinacea), Common teak, Anogeissus latifolia, Indian Laurel, Grewia, and

blooming trees like Indian labumusum, Ardisia, and Solanaceae. Rare and unique plant life includes Combretum ovalifolium, Ebony (Diospyros nilagrica), Habenaria rariflora (Orchid), Alsophila, Impatiens elegans, Ranunculus reniformis, and Royal fern.[53]

National and State Parks[edit]

Main article: Protected areas of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu has a wide range of Biomes extending east from the South Western Ghats montane rain forests in theWestern Ghats through the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests and Deccan thorn scrub forests to tropical dry broadleaf forests and then to the beaches, estuaries, salt marshes, mangroves, and coral reefs of the Bay of Bengal.

The state has a range of flora and fauna with many species and habitats. To protect this diversity of wildlife there are Protected areas of Tamil Nadu as well as biospheres which protect larger areas of natural habitat often include one or more National Parks. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve established in 1986 is a marine ecosystem with seaweed and sea grass communities, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangrove forests. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reservelocated in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills comprises part of adjoining states of Kerala and Karnataka. The Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve is in the south west of the state bordering Kerala in the Western Ghats. Tamil Nadu is home to five declared National parks located in Anamalai, Mudumalai,Mukurithi, Gulf of Mannar and Guindy located in the center of Chennai city. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Mukurthi National Park and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve are the tiger reserves in the state. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve has the largest elephant population in India. Besides these bio reserves, there are many state and central run wild life sanctuaries for tiger, elephant and birds.

Climate[edit]

A semi-arid wasteland near Tirunelveli. Monsoon clouds pour torrents of rain onwindward-facing Kerala, but are preventedfrom reaching Tirunelveli by theAgasthyamalai Range of the Western Ghats (background).

Tamil Nadu is mostly dependent on monsoon rains, and thereby is prone to droughts when the monsoons fail. The climate of the state ranges from dry sub-humid to semi-arid. The state has three distinct periods of rainfall:

advancing monsoon period, south west monsoon from June to September, with strong southwest winds; North east monsoon from October to December, with dominant north east winds; dry season from January to May.

The annual rainfall of the state is about 945 mm (37.2 in) of which 48 per cent is through the north east monsoon, and 32 per cent through the south west monsoon. Since the state is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its water resources, monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought. [54] Tamil Nadu is divided into seven agro-climatic zones: north east, north west, west, southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly, and Cauvery Delta (the most fertile agricultural zone). The table below shows the maximum and minimum temperatures that the state experiences in the plains and hills.

Governance and administration[edit]

Main articles: Government of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu Legislature

Symbols of India

Song Invocation to Goddess Tamil

Dance Bharathanattiyam

Animal Nilgiri Tahr

Bird Emerald Dove

Flower Gloriosa Lily

Tree Palm Tree

Sport Sadugudu

The Governor is the constitutional head of the state while the Chief Minister is the head of the government and the head of the council of ministers. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court is the head of the judiciary. The present Governor, Chief Minister and the Chief Justice are Konijeti Rosaiah, J. Jayalalitha

and Rajesh Kumar Agarwal[55] respectively. Administratively the state is divided into 32 districts. It has 10 city corporations, 125 municipalities, 529 town panchayats and 12,524 village panchayats.[56][57] Chennai(formerly known as Madras) is the state capital. It is the fourth largest city in India and is also one of the eight Metropolitan cities of India. The state comprises 39 Lok Sabha constituencies and 234 Legislative Assembly constituencies. Tamil Nadu had a bicameral legislature until 1986, when it was replaced with a unicameral legislature, like most other states in India. The term length of the government is five years, as is elsewhere in India. The present government run by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led alliance came to power in 2011 and consists of a council of 33 ministers, headed by the Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha. TheTamil Nadu legislative assembly is housed at the Fort St. George in Chennai. The state had come under thePresident's rule rule on four occasions first from 1976 to 1977, next for a short period in 1980, then from 1988 to 1989 and the latest in 1991.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam inTiruchirappalli district is often listed as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world.

The local administration is divided into revenue administration and developmental administration. Revenue administrative units are classified based on the district. Each of the 32 districts in Tamil Nadu is divided into divisions, which are further divided to Taluks.[58] Each of these Taluks have a list of revenue villages under them. Tahsildar is the head of these Taluks. Developmental administration, in contrast, is carried out by Panchayat Unions (called blocks) in rural areas. These panchayat unions have a set of panchayat villages under them. In urban areas, the governance is done by municipal corporations, municipalities or town panchayats based on the size of the town.[58] Tamil Nadu has 12 municipal corporations: Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Tirunelveli, Tirupur, Erode, Thoothukudiand Vellore Municipal Corporation Vellore, Dindigul and Thanjavur. Karur and Nagercoil are soon going to be upgraded as the next two Municipal corporations. Tamil Nadu has been a pioneering state of E-Governance initiatives in India. A large part of the government records like land ownership records are digitised and all major offices of the state government like Urban Local Bodies all the corporations and municipal office activities revenue collection, land registration offices, and transport offices have been computerised. Tamil Nadu is one of the states where law and order has been maintained largely successfully.[59]The Tamil Nadu Police Force is over 140 years old. It is the fifth largest state police force in India and has the largest strength of women police personnel

in the country.[60] As of 2003, the state had a total police population ratio of 1:668, higher than the national average of 1:717. The current Director General of Police (law and order) of Tamil Nadu is K. Ramanujan.[61]

Districts[edit]
Main article: Districts of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is subdivided into 32 districts, which are listed below. The numbers in the first column correspond to those on the map:

Districts of Tamil Nadu

District

Headquarters

Area

Population (2011)

Population density

Ariyalur

Ariyalur

1,944 km

752,481

387 /km

Chennai

Chennai

174 km

4,681,087

26,903 /km

Coimbatore

Coimbatore

4,642 km

3,172,578

648 /km

Cuddalore

Cuddalore

3,705 km

2,600,880

702 /km

District

Headquarters

Area

Population (2011)

Population density

Dharmapuri

Dharmapuri

4,527 km

1,502,900

332 /km

Dindigul

Dindigul

6,054 km

2,161,367

357 /km

Erode

Erode

5,692 km

2,259,608

397 /km

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram

4,305 km

2,690,897

666 /km

Kanyakumari

Nagercoil

1,685 km

1,863,174

1,106 /km

10 Karur

Karur

2,902 km

1,076,588

371 /km

11 Krishnagiri

Krishnagiri

5,091 km

1,883,731

370 /km

12 Madurai

Madurai

3,695 km

2,441,038

663 /km

13 Nagapattinam

Nagapattinam

2,416 km

1,614,069

668 /km

14 Namakkal

Namakkal

3,402 km

1,721,179

506 /km

15 Nilgiris

Udagamandalam 2,552 km

735,071

288 /km

16 Perambalur

Perambalur

1,748 km

564,511

323 /km

17 Pudukkottai

Pudukkottai

4,652 km

1,618,725

348 /km

18 Ramanathapuram Ramanathapuram 4,180 km

1,337,560

320 /km

District

Headquarters

Area

Population (2011)

Population density

19 Salem

Salem

5,249 km

3,480,008

663 /km

20 Sivaganga

Sivaganga

4,140 km

1,341,250

324 /km

21 Thanjavur

Thanjavur

3,477 km

2,302,781

661 /km

22 Theni

Theni

2,872 km

1,143,684

397 /km

23 Thoothukudi

Thoothukudi

4,599 km

1,738,376

378 /km

24 Tiruchirappalli

Tiruchirappalli

4,508 km

2,713,858

602 /km

25 Tirunelveli

Tirunelveli

6,709 km

3,072,880

458 /km

26 Tirupur

Tirupur

5,192 km

2,471,222

476 /km

27 Tiruvallur

Tiruvallur

3,552 km

3,725,697

1,049 /km

28 Tiruvannamalai

Tiruvannamalai

6,188 km

4,121,965

667 /km

29 Tiruvarur

Tiruvarur

2,379 km

1,268,094

533 /km

30 Vellore

Vellore

6,081 km

4,028,106

671 /km

31 Viluppuram

Viluppuram

7,185 km

3,463,284

482 /km

32 Virudhunagar

Virudhunagar

4,280 km

1,943,309

454 /km

Politics[edit]

Political Alliance AIADMK+ DMK+ Independent/Other

Assembly Lok Sabha (2011) 203 31 0 (2009) 12 27 0

[62][63]

Source: Election Commission of India.

Main articles: Elections in Tamil Nadu, Politics of Tamil Nadu, and Dravidian parties

Pre-Independence[edit]
Prior to Indian independence Tamil Nadu was under British colonial rule as part of the Madras Presidency. The main party in Tamil Nadu at that time was the Indian National Congress (INC). Regional parties have dominated state politics since 1916. One of the earliest regional parties, the South Indian Welfare Association, a forerunner toDravidian parties in Tamil Nadu, was started in 1916. The party was called after its English organ, Justice Party, by it opponents. Later, South Indian Liberal Federation was adopted as its official name. The reason for victory of the Justice Party in elections was the non-participation of the INC, demanding complete independence of India. The Justice Party which was under E.V.Ramaswamy was renamed Dravidar Kazhagam (DK for short) in 1944. DK was a non-political party which demanded the establishment of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. However, due to the differences between its two leaders EVR and C.N. Annadurai, the party was split. Annadurai left the party to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The DMK decided to enter politics in 1956. In the 19th century, western scholars discovered that the Dravidian languages dominating southern India formed a different linguistic group than the Indo-Aryan languages predominant in northern India. They also classified Indians into distinct Aryan and Dravidian races. It was proposed that the generally darker-skinned Dravidians constituted a distinct race. This concept has affected thinking in India about racial and regional differences and had an impact on aspects of Tamil nationalism, which has appropriated the claim that Dravidians are the earliest inhabitants of India, and the Aryan population were oppressive interlopers from whom Dravidians should liberate themselves.

Fort St. George hosts the Chief Secretariat of the government of Tamil Nadu.

Post-Independent India[edit]
Re-organisation of Indian states according to linguistic and ethnic basis has moderated Tamil nationalism, especially the demand for separation from the Indian Union. The Anti-Hindi agitations in mid-1960s made the DMK more popular and a more powerful political force in the state. The DMK routed the INC in the

1967 elections and took control of the state government, ending INC's stronghold in Tamil Nadu. C.N. Annadurai became the DMK's first Chief Minister. Muthuvel Karunanidhi took over as Chief Minister and party leader after Annadurai's death in 1969. Karunanidhi's leadership was soon challenged by M.G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. In 1972, he split from DMK and formed the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) and later renamed the party as All India Anna Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam. He was the Chief Minister of the state from 1977 until his death in 1987. After the death of MGR, AIADMK was defeated in 1989 assembly polls because of the split of the party into two factions headed by Janaki (wife of MGR) and Jayalalithaa. Later on J. Jayalalithaa took control of the party. She was elected as the General Secretary of the unified AIADMK. There have been several splits in both the DMK and the AIADMK, but since 1967 one of those two parties has held power in the state.

Demographics[edit]
Historical population
Year Pop. %

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

30,119,000 33,687,000 41,199,000 48,408,000 55,859,000 62,406,000 72,138,958

+11.8% +22.3% +17.5% +15.4% +11.7% +15.6%

Source:Census of India[64]

Main article: Demographics of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is the seventh most populous state in India. 44 per cent of the state's population live in urban areas, the highest among large states in India.[8] The state has registered the lowest fertility rate in India in year 200506 with 1.7 children born for each woman, lower than required for population sustainability.[65][66] As of 2001 India census, Tamil Nadu had a population of 62,405,679.[67] The sex ratio of the state is 987 with 31,400,909 males and 31,004,770 females. There are a total of 14,665,983 households. [67] The total children under the age of 6 is 7,235,160. A total of 11,857,504 people constituting 21.49 per cent of the total population belonged toScheduled Castes (SC) and 651,321 people constituting 1.18 per cent of the population belonged to Scheduled tribes(ST).[67] The state has 40,524,545 literates, making the literacy rate to 73.45 per cent. There are a total of 27,878,282 workers, comprising 4,738,819 cultivators, 6,062,786 agricultural labourers, 1,261,059 in house hold industries, 11,695,119 other workers, 4,120,499 marginal workers, 377,220 marginal cultivators,

2,574,844 marginal agricultural labourers, 238,702 marginal workers in household industries and 929,733 other marginal workers.[67] India has a human development index calculated as 0.619, while the corresponding figure for Tamil Nadu is 0.736, placing it among the top states in the country.[68][69] The life expectancy at birth for males is 65.2 years and for females it is 67.6 years.[70] However, it has a high level of poverty especially in the rural areas. As of 20042005, the poverty line was set at 351.86/month for rural areas and 547.42/month for urban areas. Poverty in the state dropped from 51.7 per cent in 1983 to 21.1 per cent in 2001[71] For the period 20042005, the Trend in Incidence of Poverty in the state was 22.5 per cent compared with the national figure of 27.5 per cent. The World Bank is currently assisting the state in reducing poverty, High drop-out and low completion of secondary schools continue to hinder the quality of training in the population. Other problems include class, gender, inter-district and urban-rural disparities. Based on URP Consumption for the period 20042005, percentage of the state's population Below Poverty Line was 27.5 per cent. The Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative ranks Tamil Nadu to have a Multidimensional Poverty Index of 0.141, which is in the level of Ghana among the developing countries.[72] Corruption is a major problem in the state with Transparency International ranking it the second most corrupt among the states of India.[73]

Religion[edit]
Religions in Tamil Nadu[74]
Religion Percent

Hinduism Christianity Islam Others

88.3% 6.1% 5.6% 0.3%

Erwadi dargah at Erwadi inRamanathapuram district an Islamic pilgrimage centre.

About 89 per cent of the population in Tamil Nadu are Hindus and the state is home to the core schools of medieval and modern Hinduism as well as several non-mainstream Hindu movements. These include Nayanmars Saivism, Saiva Siddhanta, Alvar Vaishnavism, Sri Vaishnavism and Ayya-Vazhi. Several important Hindu Tamil figures became important figures for Hinduism as a whole. In modern times, well known figures for Hinduism in the state include Ramana Maharishi and the KanchiSankaracharya. All Hindu deities in various forms and a large number of village deities are worshiped by Hindus in Tamil Nadu. Murugan is considered to be the Tamil God. Tamil Nadu dominates the list of largest Hindu Temples in the world which include the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple at Kanchipuram, Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswar Temple among others. The emblem of Government of Tamil Nadu depicts the Gopuram (gateway tower) of the Andal Temple atSrivilliputhur.

Thiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar temple

Christians and Muslims together form close to 12 per cent of the population. Christians are mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Kanyakumari (54 per cent of the population in 2001), Thoothukudi (17 per cent in 2001) and Tirunelveli (11 per cent in 2001). St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, the place where St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus, was believed to have been martyred, is an important pilgrimage site for Indian Christians. The Santhome Basilica, widely believed by Christians in India to have been built atop the tomb of St. Thomas, and the Vailankanni Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health are churches revered by Christians in India. The Church of South India and the Pentecostal Mission Church are headquartered in Chennai.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankanni is a Christian pilgrimage centre.

Muslims constitute close to 6% of the total population of Tamil Nadu and they are mainly concentrated in following Districts.Ramanathapuram,Nagappattinam, Vellore, Tuticorin, Madurai and Tirunelveli. Among Muslims, 97.5 per cent are Sunni and the rest are Shias. The Sunnisadhere to either Hanafi or Shafi schools of thought. Erwadi in Ramanathapuram district and Nagore in Nagapattinam district are important pilgrimage sites for Muslims. Kazimar Big Mosque in Kazimar Street, Madurai and Karpudaiyar masjid in Kayalpatnam are among the earlier mosques in Tamil Nadu. Samanars or Tamil Jains have a legacy dating back 250 BCE. They made significant contributions to Tamil literature. According to the 2001 census there were 83,359Jains in Tamil Nadu. Jains make up 0.13 per cent of the population. Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes comprise 19 per cent and 1 per cent of the population respectively. Though an overwhelming percentage of SC/ST population identify themselves as Hindu, the SC/STs are enumerated separately in the census and not as a subgroup of Hinduism.[75] An anticonversion law came into force in 2002. However, the law was repealed in June 2004 after the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party led coalition in the 2004 elections.[76]

Language[edit]
Main article: Tamil language

Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu. English is also in common usage as an official language of India. When India adopted national standards, Tamil was the very first language to be recognised as a classical language of India.[77] Minority languages include Telugu (5.65 per cent), Malayalam (0.89 per cent), Kannada (2.68 per cent), Urdu (1.51 per cent), Gujarati / Saurashtri (0.32 per cent), Hindi (0.30 per cent) and Marathi (0.10 per cent).[65] As of the 2001 Census, Tamil is spoken as the first language by 89.43 per cent of the population followed by Telugu by 5.65 per cent, Kannada by 2.68 per cent, Urduby 1.51 per cent and Malayalam by 0.89 per cent.[65]

Education[edit]
Main article: Education in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is one of the most literate states in India.[78] Tamil Nadu has performed reasonably well in terms of literacy growth during the decade 20012011. A survey conducted by the Industry body Assocham ranks Tamil Nadu top among Indian states with about 100 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in primary and upper primary education. One of the basic limitations for improvement in education in the state is the rate of absence of teachers in public schools, which at 21.4 per cent is significant. [79] The analysis of primary school education in the state by Pratham shows a low drop-off rate but poor quality of state education compared to other states.[80] Tamil Nadu has 37 universities, 455 engineering colleges,[citation needed] 449 Polytechnic Colleges[81] and 566 arts and science colleges, 34335 elementary schools, 5167 high schools, 5054 higher secondary schools and 5000 hospitals. Some of the notable educational institutes present in Tamil Nadu are Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Information Technology Design & Manufacturing Kancheepuram, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, International Institute of Market Research and Analytics (IIMRA), Madras Institute of Technology, College of Engineering, Guindy, PSG College of Technology - Coimbatore, Coimbatore Institute of Technology Coimbatore, Government College of Technology - Coimbatore, Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering and Technology, Thiagarajar College of Engineering - Madurai, Kongu Engineering College Perundurai Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, SRM University, University of Madras, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Kilpauk Medical College, Madras Medical College,Stanley Medical College, Christian Medical College, Thanjavur Medical College, Thanjavur,SASTRA, Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and Sathyabama University.

District level literacy (2011 data)

Tamil Nadu now has 69 per cent reservation in educational institutions for socially backward section of the society, the highest among all Indian states.[82] The Midday Meal Scheme program in Tamil Nadu, initiated by Kamaraj, was expanded considerably during the rule of the AIADMK by MGR in 1983, although the state is among the 12 states in India that have an alarming level of hunger, according to the 2008 Global Hunger Index.[83][84]

Culture[edit]
Main articles: Tamil people, Temples of Tamil Nadu, and Tamil literature

Kolam a Traditional art form of theTamil people

Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of venerable culture. Tamil Nadu is known for its rich tradition of literature, music and dance which continue to flourish today. Unique cultural features like Bharatanatyam (dance), Tanjore painting,[85] and Tamil architecture were developed and continue to be practised in Tamil Nadu. [86]

Literature[edit]
Most early Tamil literary works are in verse form, with prose not becoming more common until later periods. Throughout its history, Tamil literature has sought to inform and inspire, educate and entertain. Notable examples of Tamil poetry include the Tirukkural, written during the Tamil Sangams period. The poem encompasses a universal outlook, as the author, Tiruvalluvar, does not mention his religion, land, or the audience for his work. He is often portrayed as a holy saint of Tamil Nadu today. Ancient Tamil literature is predominantly secular and deals with everyday life in the Tamil Context.The only religious poems among the shorter poems occur in paripaatal. The rest of the corpus of Sangam literature deals with human relationship and emotions.[87]
( 400)

Learning is a wealth that none could destroy Nothing else gives genuine joy (Tirukkural: 400)

The first Tamil printing press was established at Tarangambadi by the Danish missionaries. During the Indian freedom struggle, many Tamil poets and writers sought to provoke national spirit, social equity and secularist thoughts among the common man, notably Subramanya Bharathy and Bharathidasan.

Festivals and traditions[edit]

Overflowing during cooking of Pongal indicates overflowing of joy and prosperity.

Pongal, also called as Tamizhar Thirunaal (festival of Tamils) or Makara Sankranti elsewhere in India, a four-day harvest festival is one of the most widely celebrated festivals throughout Tamil Nadu. [88] The Tamil language saying Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum literally meaning, the birth of the month of Thai will pave way for new opportunities is often quoted with reference to this festival. The first day, Bhogi Pongal, is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old clothes and materials by setting them on fire to mark the end of the old and emergence of the new. The second day, Surya Pongal, is the main day which falls on the first day of the tenth Tamil month Thai (14 January or 15 January in western calendar). The third day, Maattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cattle, as they provide milk and are used to plough the lands.Jallikattu, a bull taming contest, marks the main event of this day. Alanganallur is famous for its Jallikattu[89][90] contest usulaly held on 3rd day of Pongal. During this final day, Kaanum Pongal the word "kaanum", means 'to view' in Tamil. In 2011 the Madras High Court Bench ordered the cockfight at Santhapadi and Modakoor Melbegam villages permitted during the Pongal festival while disposing of a petition filed attempting to ban the cockfight.[91]

Erwadi dargah at Erwadi inRamanathapuram district. A place of Shaheed Badushah

The first month in the Tamil calendar is Chittirai and the first day of this month in mid-April is celebrated asTamil New Year. Thiruvalluvar Calendar is 31 years ahead of Gregorian Calendar, that is 2000 CE in Gregorian calendar is represented as 2031 in Thiruvalluvar Calendar. Aadi Perukku is celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi, which celebrates the rising of the water level in the river Cauvery.

Mahamagam Festival is a festival celebrated once in twelve years in Tamil Nadu. Mahamagam Festival, which is held at Kumbakonam. This festival is also called as Kumbamela of South.

Apart from the major festivals, in every village and town of Tamil Nadu, the inhabitants celebrate festivals for the local gods once a year and the time varies from place to place. Most of these festivals are related to the goddess Maariyamman, the mother goddess of rain. Other major Hindu festivals including Deepavali (Death of Narakasura), Ayudha Poojai, Saraswathi Poojai (Dasara), Krishna Jayanthi and Vinayaka Chathurthi are also celebrated. Eid ul-Fitr, Bakrid, Milad un Nabi, Muharram are celebrated by Muslims whereas Christmas, Good Friday, Easter are celebrated by Christians in the state. Mahamagam a bathing festival at Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu is clebrated once in 12 years. People from all the corners of the country come to Kumbakonam for the festival. This festival is also called as Kumbamela of South. [92][93]

Music[edit]
See also: Ancient Tamil music and Carnatic music The Kings of ancient Thamizhagam created sangams for Iyal Isai Nadagam (Literature, Music and Drama). Music played a major role in sangams. Music in Tamil Nadu had different forms. In villages where farming was the primary occupation, women who worked in the fields used to sing kulavai songs. Odhuvars, Sthanikars or Kattalaiyars offer short musical programmes in the temples by singing the devotional Thevaram songs. In sharp contrast with the restrained and intellectual nature of Carnatic music, Tamil folk music tends to be much more exuberant. Popular forms of Tamil folk music include theVilluppu, a form of music performed with a bow,the urumee mellam or Naiyandi mellam which incorporates the use of the urumee and theNuppurappu, ballads that convey folklore and folk history. Some of the leading Tamil folk artists in the early 21st century are Pushpuvanam Kuppuswamy, Dr. Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan, Chinnaponnu, Paravai muniammal etc.

Nadhaswaram and Thavil players

Carnatic music is the classical music form of southern India. This is one of the world's oldest & richest musical traditions. The Trinity of Carnatic music Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri were from Tamil Nadu. Thyagarajar Aaradhanai (worship) takes place every year in the month of Marghazhi in Thiruvaiyaru all carnatic musicians render their obesiance to Saint Thyagarajar by singing his compositions. The composers belonging to the Tamil Trinity, namely Muthu Thandavar (?1560 ?1640), Arunachala Kavi (17121779) andMarimutthu Pillai (17171787) composed hundreds of devotional songs in Tamil and helped in the evolution of Carnatic music. Chennai hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season during DecemberJanuary, which includes performances by hundreds of artists all over the city. In terms of modern cine-music, Ilaiyaraaja was a prominent composer of film music in Tamil cinema during the late 1970s and 1980s. His work highlighted Tamil folk lyricism and introduced broader western musical sensibilities to the south Indian musical mainstream. Tamil Nadu is also the home of the double Oscar Winner A.R. Rahman[94][95][96] who has composed film music in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi films, English and Chinese films, was once referred to by Time magazine as "The Mozart of Madras".

Arts and dance[edit]

Tamils have a large number of folk dances. These are performed for every possible occasion, to celebrate the arrival of seasons, birth of a child, weddings and festivals. Tamil dance is closely intertwined with the Tamil theatrical tradition.

A Bharatanatyam dancer.

The most celebrated of these dances is the karakattam. In its religious form, the dance is performed in front of an image of the goddess Mariamman. The dancer bears on his or her head a brass pot filled with uncooked rice, decorated with flowers and surrounded by a bamboo frame, and tumbles and leaps to the rhythm of a song without spilling a grain. Karakattam is usually performed to a special type of song known as temmanguppu a folk song in the mode of a lover speaking to his beloved, to the accompaniment of a nadaswaram and melam. Other Tamil folk dances include mayilam, where the dancers tie a string of peacock feathers around their waist;yilttam, danced in a circle while waving small pieces of cloth of various colours; poikkal kuthiraiyaaam, where the dancers use dummy horses; manattam, where the dancers imitate the graceful leaping of deer; paraiyam, a dance to the sound of rhythmical drumbeats, and thppandam, a dance involving playing with burning wooden torches. Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu. Prior to the colonial perriod, it used to be performed in Hindu temples by Devadasis. In this form, it as also been called sadir or chinna melam. Many of the ancient sculptures in Hindu temples are based on Bharata Natyam dance postures. Bharatanatyam is a traditional dance-form known for its grace, purity, tenderness, and sculpturesque poses. It continues to be a popular dance style at present times and is practised by male and female dancers all over India. Terukkuttu or Kattaikkuttu is a traditional form of Tamil street theatre folk dance/drama.

Film industry[edit]
Main article: Tamil cinema Tamil Nadu is also home to the Tamil film industry, often colloquially referred to as 'Kollywood'. It is known for being the second largest film industry in terms of revenue and worldwide distribution, in India after Bollywood.[97] It is based at Kodambakkam in Chennai city.

Cuisine[edit]
Main article: Tamil cuisine

Sappadu - Traditional Tamil lunch served in banana leaf.

Tamil cuisine is typical of south Indian cuisine, in that rice and rice-derived dishes form the major portion of a diet (seerice and curry). There are regional sub-varieties namely Chettinadu, Kongunadu, Madurai, Tirunelveli varieties etc. Traditionally, food is served on a banana leaf instead of a plate and eaten with the right hand. Rice is the staple food of Tamils and is typically eaten mixed with coconut chutney sambhar (with or without ghee), vegetarian or non-vegetarian kulambu, rasam, curd and buttermilk. This is accompanied with various vegetarian and/or non-vegetarian dishes like kootu, aviyal, poriyal, appalam, varuval, peratal, kothsu, varieties of pickles and chicken, mutton, or fish fry.

Idly and Vadai served with Sambar.

Breakfast and snack items include dosai, Adai, idly, vadai, pongal, appam(aappam), paniyaram, puttu, uppumavu (uppuma), santhakai (a sort of noodles), idiyappam and uthappam. These items are eaten along withsambar, varieties of chatni and podi. Traditionally prepared filter coffee is unique in taste and popular all over the state. The Chettinad region is famous for its spicy non-vegetarian cuisine, whileAmbur and Dindigul are known for their Biriyani. Sweet items that are native to Tamil Nadu are Athirasam, Chakkarai Pongal (prepared during Pongal) and Kuli Paniyaram. The city of Thirunelveli is renowned for its unique sweetmeat, Thirunelveli Halwa, while Palani is known for its Panchamirtham.

Economy[edit]
Main articles: Economy of Tamil Nadu, List of conglomerates in Tamil Nadu, and List of rivers of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is the second largest contributor to India's GDP. Tamil Nadu's gross state domestic product for the year 2011-2012 was 4.28 lakh crore or $145,868 Million. The state has shown a growth of 9.4 per cent in the year 2011-2012.[98] Tamil Nadu is the second most industrialised state in India.[99] It ranks third in foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals (cumulative 19912002) of capita income in 20072008 for the state was 225,826 million ($5,000 million), next only to Maharashtra and Delhi constituting 9.12 per cent of the total FDI in the country.[100] The per 72,993 ranking third among states with a population over 10 million and has steadily been above the national average.[101] Crores at Constant Prices[102]

Gross State Domestic Product in

Year

GSDP

Growth Rate

Share in India

200001

142,065

5.87%

7.62%

200102

139,842

-1.56%

7.09%

200203

142,295

1.75%

6.95%

200304

150,815

5.99%

6.79%

200405

219,003

11.45%

7.37%

200506

249,567

13.96%

7.67%

200607

287,530

15.21%

8.07%

200708

305,157

6.13%

7.83%

200809

320,085

4.89%

7.70%

200910

350,258

9.43%

7.77%

201011

391,372

11.74%

8.01%

201112

428,109

9.39%

8.20%

According to the 2011 Census, Tamil Nadu is the most urbanised state in India (49 per cent), accounting for 9.6 per cent of the urban population while only comprising 6 per cent of Indias total population and .[103] and is the most urbanised state in India.CITEREFThe_Hindu18_May_2008 Services contributes to 45 per cent of the economic activity in the state, followed by manufacturing at 34 per cent and agriculture at 21 per cent. Government is the major investor in the state with 51 per cent of total investments, followed by private Indian investors at 29.9 per cent and foreign private investors at 14.9 per cent. Tamil Nadu has a network of about 113 industrial parks and estates offering developed plots with supporting infrastructure. According to the publications of the Tamil Nadu government the Gross State Domestic Product at Constant Prices (Base year 20042005) for the year 20112012 is 428,109 crores, an increase of 9.39 per cent 72,993. over the previous year. The per capita income at current price is

Agriculture[edit]
Tamil Nadu has historically been an agricultural state and is a leading producer of agricultural products in India. In 2008, Tamil Nadu was India's fifth biggest producer of Rice. The total cultivated area in the State was 5.60 million hectares in 200910.[104] The Cauvery delta region is known as the Rice Bowl of South India.[105] In terms of production, Tamil Nadu accounts for 10 per cent in fruits and 6 per cent in vegetables, in India.[106] Annual food grains production in the year 200708 was 100.35 lakh mt.[104] Mango and banana are the leading fruit crops in Tamil Nadu accounting for over 87 per cent of the total fruit production. The main vegetables grown are tapioca, tomato, onion, brinjal (eggplant), and drumstick. Tamil Nadu is also a leading state in the production of flowers with the total production of horticultural cropsstanding at Lakhs during 200304. The main flowers grown in Tamil Nadu arejasmine, mullai, chrysanthemum, marigold and rose. The state is the largest producer of bananas, flowers,[106] tapioca,[106] the second largest producer of mango,[106] natural rubber,[107] coconut, groundnutand the third largest producer of coffee, sapota,[106] Tea[108] and Sugarcane. Tamil Nadu's sugarcane yield per hectare is the highest in India. The state has 17,000 hectares of land under oil palm cultivation, the second highest in India.[109] 99.47

Paddy fields at Nagercoil.

Tamil Nadu is the home to Dr M.S. Swaminathan, known as the "father of the Green Revolution" in India.[110]Tamil Nadu Agricultural University with its seven colleges and thirty two research stations spread over the entire state contributes to evolving new crop varieties and technologies and disseminating through various extension agencies. Among states in India, Tamil Nadu is one of the leaders in livestock, poultry and fisheriesproduction. Tamil Nadu had the second largest number of poultry amongst all the states and accounted for 17.7 per cent of the total poultry population in India.[111] In 20032004, Tamil Nadu had produced 37,836 lakhs of eggs, which was the second highest in India representing 9.37 per cent of the total egg production in the country.[112] With the third longest coastline in India, Tamil Nadu represented 27.54 per cent of the total value of fish and fishery products exported by India in 2006.

Leather industry[edit]

The state accounts for 70 per cent of leather tanning capacity in India and 38 per cent of leather footwear and components. The exports from Tamil Nadu are valued at about US $ 762 million, which accounts for 42 per cent of Indian leather exports. Hundreds of leather and tannery industries are located aroundVellore, Dindigul and Erode its nearby towns such as Ranipet, Ambur, Perundurai and Vaniyambadi. The Vellore district is the top exporter of finished leather goods in the country. That leather accounts for more than 37 per cent of the country's Export of Leather and Leather related products such as finished leathers, shoes, garments, gloves and so on. The tanning industry in India has a total installed capacity of 225 million pieces of hide and skins of which Tamil Nadu alone contributes to an inspiring 70 per cent. Leather industry occupies a pride of place in the industrial map of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu enjoys a leading position with 40 per cent share in India 's export. It currently employs about 2.5 million persons Leather exports by the end of the year 20002001 were 9000 crores. Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), a CSIR research laboratory is located in Chennai, the state capital. Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) -CHENNAIFDDI / Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Mission FDDI is the first training Institute to achieve the prestigious ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification. The Institute believes that dedication, sincerity and hard work leads to excellence and therefore, its motto is "Dedication to Excellence." Description FDDI, Chennai Campus is located at Irungattukottai near SIPCOT Footwear Park, 40 minutes drive from Chennai. The campus area spread over 15 acres is situated in a calm and serene surrounding with the state-of-the art Campus housing & buildings having a built-up area of more than 4 lacs sq. ft. Campus has an excellent infrastructure and modern facilities, which assists in conducting the various academic programmes. The Institute has a state-of-the-art library, computer lab, well furnished and centrally airconditioned building, class rooms and lecture halls, latest multi-media audio-video, educational support for teaching and a fully equipped auditorium. The Campus is equipped with International Testing Laboratory. Chennai is the biggest hub of the world leather industry. Every exporter had an office in Chennai & most of the leather & footwear industry is located in and around Chennai. Tamil Nadu accounts for 30 per cent of leather exports and about 70 per cent of leather production in the country. The large scale presence of the Tanning industry has resulted in Tamil Nadu becoming a dominant production centre in the country for leather and leather based products. In Tamil Nadu 0.5 Million people are employed in the industries dealing with leather and leather based products. With the expansion and huge investment coming up in this from the national and international reputed brands the employment opportunities in this sector is going to increase many fold. It is estimated that leather industry will require at least one million additional manpower in the next five years. The skill gaps at the level of designers, technologists and management professionals are more stark and demanding. It is where the prospective professionals can take advantage of the courses being offered by FDDI Chennai and opt for lucrative and promising career jobs.

Textiles and Engineering[edit]

Textile mills and engineering industries are present around the city of Coimbatore. It is home to textile, automotive spare parts and motor pump manufacturing units. Cities of Tirupur and Erode are the country's largest exporters of knitwear.[113] They are well known for textile manufacturing industries and exports to such extent that the districts of Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur, Erode, Namakkal and Salem. Coimbatore is known as the "Manchester of South India"[114][115] for its cotton production. The region around Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur and Erode is referred to[by whom?] as the "Textile Valley of India" with the export from the Tirupur 50,000 million ($1,000 million) and Karur generates around 35,500 million ($750 million) a year in foreign exchange. 56 per cent of India's total knitwear exports come from Tirupur and Karur make above 60 per cent of India's home textiles. Gobichettipalayam, Pollachi, Theni andVedasandur are known for its cotton spinning mills.Sankarankovil and Rajapalayam is famous for its cotton market. Gobichettipalayam is a prominent producer of white silk with the country's first automated silk reeling unit present

here. Kanchipuram and Arani are world famous for their pure zari silk sarees and handloom silk weaving industries. Aruppukottai, Salem, and Sathyamangalam are also famous for art-silk sarees.Sankarankovil, Andipatti,Tiruchengodu, Paramakudi, Kurinjipadi, Chennimalai are major handloom centres.Sankarankovil, Negamam, Cinnalapatti, Woraiyur, Pochampalli are famous for its soft cotton saree weavings. Madurai is well known[by whom?] for its Chungidi cotton saree. Bhavani is famous for carpet.

Automobiles[edit]
Tamil Nadu has seen major investments in the automobile industry over many decades manufacturing cars, railway coaches, battle-tanks, tractors, motorcycles, automobile spare parts and accessories, tyres and heavy vehicles. Major global automobile companies including BMW, Ford, Robert Bosch,RenaultNissan, Caterpillar, Hyundai, Mitsubishi Motors, and Michelin as well as Indian automobile majors like Mahindra & Mahindra, Ashok Leyland,Hindustan Motors, TVS Motors, Irizar-TVS, Royal Enfield, MRF, Apollo Tyres, TAFE Tractors, DaimlerChrysler AG Company also invested ( ) 4 billion for establishing new plant in Tamil Nadu[116] Karur is a hub for Bus body building industries. Namakkal is the major source of lorry body building. Recently India Yamaha, Yamaha Motor Corporation's Indian subsidiary, has decided to set up a new factory in Tamil Nadu.[117]

Heavy industries[edit]
Tamil Nadu is one of the highly industrialised states in India. Over 11% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Tamil Nadu. Many heavy engineering and manufacturing companies are located in and around the suburbs of Chennai. Salem is the largest industrialized city in the state as it is a production area for Mangoes,Iron&Steel,Cotton,Silk and Water(Mettur Dam)

Bharat Heavy Electricals atTiruchirapalli.

Bharat Heavy Electricals, one of India's largest electrical equipment manufacturing companies, has manufacturing plants at Tiruchirapalli and Ranipet. India's leading steel producer, the state-owned Steel Authority of India, has a steel plant in Salem. Sterlite Industries has a copper smelter at Tuticorin and an aluminium plant in Mettur. The Chennai Petroleum Corporation is a state-owned oil and gas corporation headquartered in Chennai, and owns refineries at Manali and Panangudi. The state government owns theTamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers,[118] and the world's biggest bagasse based paper mills in Karur. Jointly with the Tata Group, the state owns the world's sixth largest manufacturer of watches, under the brand name of "Titan", at Hosur. A number of large cement manufacturers, including the Chettinad Group, Ramco Cements, Tancem, the Dalmia Group, UltraTech Cements and ACC are present across the state. Ariyalur is known as "the land of the cement industry" in the state.

Electronics and software[edit]