Kanyakumari District
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Kanyakumari district is one of the 30 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. The capital of the district is Nagercoil. Kanyakumari district is a land of tourist attractions with many historic sites dated back to 9th century and natural beauty. For tourist places and information about the district please refer to Nagercoil. Other cities include Kanyakumari. It is bordered by Kerala state to the west and Thirunelveli District to the North and East. Kanniyakumari district is the southmost district in the South Asia. This is one of the Ayyavazhi populated districts of Tamil Nadu and the district as a whole is a sacred site for the nation-wide Ayyavazhi followers.
It is the third-most advanced district in Tamil Nadu. It had a population of 1,676,034 as of 2001. It is 65.27% urbanised as per Census 2001. [1]
The Kanyakumari district was one of the worst affected districts in the Tsunami that ravaged the coasts of various countries in South and South East Asia, on 26th Dec 2004.
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[edit] History
Kanyakumari has been named after the Goddess Kanyakumari Amman who is the popular deity of the area. Legend has it that the Goddess Parvati in one of her incarnations as Devi Kanniya did penance on one of the rocks of this land's end to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva.
Kanyakumari District consists of those parts known locally as Nanjil Nadu and Idai Nadu. The etymologists interpret the word Nanjilnadu as the country where there are several fields, the land that is tilled/ cultivated with the help of the plough and the land of the plough. It is learnt that Nanjilnadu, the present Agasteeswaram and Thovalai taluks was under the rule of Pandiyas till the early 10th century and then under Cheras. The Idai Nadu including Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks were under the rule of cheras. When the power of Chera declined due to the rise of Hoysalas and western Chalukyas, the Venad (Travancore) Chieftains (the descondants of central Chera's family) took advantage of the situation and gradually established their hold on considerable areas in Nanjilnadu. The annexation commenced by Veera Kerala Varma was to a large extent continued by his successors and completed by 1115 A.D.
For about four centuries, the Venad was ruled by powerful kings who were consistently making incursions into the pandian territories. As a result Vijayanagar kings proceeded against venad. In 1609 Kanyakumari fell in to the mighty hands of Viswanatha Nayak of Madurai. Consequent on this, there was no serious threat to Nanjilnadu, till 1634.
In 1729, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma took control of Venad after putting down the insurgence of Ettuveettil Pillais. He defeated the Dutch East India Company in 1741 at the Battle of Colachel. During this period, Chanda Saheb a rebel commandant related to the Arcot Nawab attacked Nagercoil and other areas. Travancore had to contend with such attacks and monetary demands from the Carnatic Nawabs or from their rebellious governors until the English fully supported Travancore. In spite of the troubles encountered in the southern border of Venad, Marthanda Varma expanded the kingdom towards north up to Aluva and established the state of Travancore. By this, the present day Kanyakumari District came to be known as Southern Travancore. The capital was shifted from Padmanbhapuram to Thiruvanantapuram.
After Marthanda varma, Venad had to face incursions of Mysore's Tipu Sultan. This led to treaties with the English East India Company. Subsequently, the kings of Travancore ruled the country accepting the hegemony of the English. In 1762, a treaty with the Carnatic Nawab brokered by the English gave control of Shengottai and Kanyakumari to Travancore. The royal rule finally ceased in 1947 when Travancore had to join the independent Indian Union. In 1949, Kanyakumari became part of the newly constituted Travancore-Cochin State. The majority of the people of the South Travancore Taluks were Tamils. A popular agitation for the amalgamation of the Tamil majority areas of South Travancore to the Madras State was started during this period. This agitation intensified under the able leadership of Thiru M.A. Nesamony. With the re-organization of linguistic states in 1956, Kanyakumari District was finally joined to Tamil Nadu (then known as Madras State) in response to the democratic demand of the people of the area.
[edit] Medical history
The district is endowed by nature with several hills and mountains with rich herbs of medicinal value and minerals. Marunthuvazh Malai, a hill in the district located near Kanyakumari, literally means medicinal hill, is referred to by Therapeutacs (Buddha Bikshus) who belonged to the period of Emperor Asoka, as having medical and spiritual heritage. According to the tradition that the hill was a piece of the mountain Gandha Madhana dropped here while the mountain was carried by Hanuman to Lanka during the epic war between Rama and Ravana. Rare medicinal herbs are available here in abundance.
Sage Agasthiya, the first grammarian of good old Tamil was also the foremost of the Siddhars. (The practitioners of herbal medicines). This sage is believed to have lived in this land’s end and there is also a village by name Agasteeswaram near Maruthuvamalai which owes its name to the dwarf sage. In this village, there is a temple dedicated to Agasteeswaramudaiyar which is believed to have been consecrated by Agasthiya himself. Besides medicine and grammar, Agasthiya was also adept in Varma Sastra. General palm leaf records like ‘Varmani’ and Varma Sastra were written by Agasthiya. Even today, this healing art of varmam treatment is taught in Kanyakumari in the Guru-Sishya tradition, and treatment is also done by elders who are quite conversant with this method of treatment by applying Tamil medicines in required proportion.
[edit] Religion
Tamil and Malayalam are the main languages of this district. Hindus and Christians form a sizeable percentage of the population of the district and there are a number of Muslims dominated belts in the district. However, the population of christians are comparatively higher than the national average in this district. The preaching of Christianity was initiated in the Kanyakumari area by St. Francis Xavier (April 7, 1506 – December 2, 1552) in 1542. The Christian Missionaries, as elsewhere in India, were the pioneers of English Education in the erstwhile Travancore State and more particularly in the then South – Travancore, the area that presently forms the Kanyakumari District. The caste system in the society has weakened to a great extent especially after independence because of growth of education and improvements in transport and communication.
This district is the birth place of Ayyavazhi religion. Apart from the role in religious universe, Ayyavazhi also plays a major role in the social history of Kanyakumari in the mid-ninteenth century. [1] The LMS Reports of the 19th century speaks about Ayya Vaikundar and Ayyavazhi in abundance.
[edit] Communal Violence
Although the people in this district are very much friendly with love and affection irrespective of religion, caste or language now, incidence of communal violence was seen in the past. During the Mandaikadu Bhagwati Amman temple 'Masi Kodai' festival in 1982 religious violence between Hindus and Christians due to rumors resulted in looting and arson in the coastal villages of Rajakkamangalam, Eethamozhi, Kallukatti, Pillaithope and Nagercoil town. Police resorted to shoot out to curb the violence which resulted in death of people apart from that due to violence.Unlike other part of the Tamil Nadu, communal division is based on religion. According to local fisherfolks, today's Vivekanandha rock is once a small Christian chapel with a cross. Since, it's the first place in south India to support the BJP, the friction among minorities are on the rise.
Bala Prajapathi Adikalar, the present Pattathu Ayya of Swamithope pathi, was awarded the Kottai Ameer award for the year 2003, by the state government for communal harmony, for his efforts in calming down the Mandaikadu violence.
[edit] Geography
The District, once called 'The Granary of Travancore' is fertile, with hundreds of water bodies and an excellent canal irrigation system. Rubber and spice plantations are found on the hilly terrain, while paddy fields, banana and coconut plantations could be found on the plains, near the coast.
The District is generally hilly, with plains found near the coast. The land from the sea-coast gradually rises from sea-level to the Western-Ghats hills on the other side of the town. The District has 62 km of coast on the Western side (Arabian Sea coast) and 6 km of coast on the Eastern side (Bay of Bengal coast).
Soil types
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- (1) Laterite soil - Thiruvattar, Killiyoor, Munchirai, Rajakamanagalam, Thuckalay blocks.
- (2) Red and Alluvial soil - Agastheeswaram and Tovalai blocks.
The soil pH is between 4.5 to 8.0. The minerals in soil - Nitrogen:low to medium, Phosphorous:Medium, Potassium:high
Land Use - 48.9 % under cultivation and 32.5 % under forests.
[edit] Rivers
The major river in the district is Tambaraparani River locally known as Kuzhithuraiar. This river has got two major distributaries namely Kodayar and Paralayar with the pechiparai and perunchani dams respectively. There are many distributaries for Kodayar river of which Chittar River I and Chittar II, with their dams, are the major ones. The origin of Tambaraparani River is Western Ghats and the river confluences with Arabian sea near Thengapattanam, at a distance of about 56 Km. west of Cape Commorin, the southern most tip of India.
Valliar, another small river and its tributary Thoovalar, originate from Velimalai Hills, collect the drainage from P.P. Channel and its branches, ayacuts (irrigated area under a tank) and confluence with Arabian sea near Manavalakurichi.
Pazhayar another small river starts at Shorlacode, a place about 18 Km north west of Nagercoil. This is mainly a drainage river mostly collecting the drainages of Thovalai, Ananthanar and N.P. Channels.
Pahrali river flows through the district. The Mathur Hanging Trough, the highest and longest acqueduct in Asia, was built over it near Mathur.
[edit] The major crops
- Rice - 400 km²
- Coconut - 210 km²
- Rubber - 194.78 km²
- Tapioca - 123.50 km²
- Banana - 50 km²
- Pulses - 30 km²
- Cashew - 20 km²
- Mango - 17.70 km²
- Palmyrah - 16.31 km²
- Tamarind - 13.33 km²
- Arecanut - 9.80 km²
- Jack Fruit - 7.65 km²
- Clove - 5.18 km²
[edit] Flora and Fauna
Common animals in the district (on the hills) include porcupines, hedgehogs, wild boars, monitor lizardss, storks (several varieties), water hens, cranes and varieties of reptiles, including pythons and other snakes.
In Mahendragiri hills (about 4000 ft above sea level), one can find bucks, leopards, deer and leopard-cubs often stray onto the nearby highway and are sometimes run over by motorists.
Keeriparai and Maramalai, are habitats for wild elephants, bisons and Bears.
In the Theroor wetlands, one can see several varieties of storks and migratory birds during specific seasons. Trouts are commonly found in the Pechiparai dam (lake).
The economy is influenced by the rubber production in the west of Kanyakumari district bordering Kerala. A variety of Plantains (known as Nenthiram palam, Chenthuluvan, Rasakathali, Palayamkotan, Thuluvam, Matti), Jack fruit (known as Varikila and Koolan), Mango (known as Alphonsa, Bangalora, Neelam and Ottu) and coconut add to the richness of the cultivated crops and plants of the district. In addition to the fruits, a variety of flowers like roses and jasmine are also produced.
More than 200 species of marine fishes have been recorded in the coastal region of Kanyakumari district, which includes skates, rays, sharks, sardine, mackerel, etc. Apart from fishes different species of prawns, lobsters, crabs, bivalves, gastropods, cephalopods and turtles are seen in the catch.
Plants include several of varieties of medicinal plants near Nagercoil in the hillock of Maruthuvazmalai(the medicinal hill). Gardening is a big passion among the locals and some of the best varieties of plants are seen on display outside their houses. Common garden varieties include Crotons, Lillies, Dahlia, etc.
In areas like Keeriparai, one can see varieties of ferns and other tropical plants. At Pechipaarai, one comes across trees like 'Flame of the Forest', with its reddish and orange leaves and flowers, sparkling in an area of green cover.
Rubber estates are found in the hilly areas surrounding Arumanai, Kaliyal etc.
[edit] Climate
Based on a 50 year study, it is found that during the North-East monsoon, between October and December, a precipitation of 549 mm is received in 24 rainy days and during the South-West monsoon 537 mm is received from June to September in 27 rainy days. In summer, 332mm of rainfall is received in 11 rainy days between March and May. The annual average rainfall in the district is 1465 mm with a maximum of around 247 mm in October and a minimum of 21 mm in February. Relative humidity ranges between 60 to 100 %.
[edit] Marine Life and Resources
The coastline is rocky in several places, while sandy in other areas. There are traces of coral reef on the eastern coast of the district (Bay of Bengal side), though now largely dead and extinct. Several varieties of coloured shells are found in this area.
The sea around is rich in common varieties of fish like tuna, sardines, baby sharks, pomfret, red snapper, etc. Prawns, lobsters, squid caught in the sea around, by big fishing trawlers cater mainly to the export market, being taken by agents for processing at Cochin in Kerala.
Beaches in specific areas of the district are rich in mineral content and the public sector Indian Rare Earths Ltd mines the sands for Zircon, ilmenite, monazite and other minerals (Thorium) used for India's nuclear programme and nuclear power reactors.
Kanyakumari District accounts for more than 95% of the production of natural rubber in the state of Tamilnadu.
Wind power is a major renewable energy source in this district. Wind mills are located near Aralvaimozhi. Muppandal is a small once-impoverished village that benefited from the building of the nearby Muppandal wind farm, supplying the villagers with electricity for work.[2] [3]
[edit] Handicrafts and Cottage Industries
This district is known for its traditional skills in handicrafts items. Monkey doll making from the un-husked coconut and handicrafts items from the coconut shell or the wood are two major activities in the cluster. Coconut shell handicrafts include making of spoons, ladles, forks, ice-cream cups, soup bowls, table-lamps, pen-stand, jewellery etc. Handicrafts made of seashells are available in kanyakumari.
The district contributes nearly 28.4 per cent of the total coir rope production in the State and is the first in the production of mats (98 per cent). The district accounts for 61.5 per cent of matting produced in the State and qualitatively, the fibre produced in the district is rated as among the best. Nagercoil, Agasteeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode are the potential areas of the industry.
[edit] List of Products
Food items, Honey and honey based products, Pickles, Sea foods, Wafers (appalam), Flour items, Bakery items, Masala Powders, Fried Chips like banana, tapioca etc, Murukku, Awal, Jams, squash etc, Palm candies, Oils like coconut etc, Coconut shell charcoal, Plant fibre brushes, Rose water, Temple articles, jewellery, Greeting cards from plant materials, Vermicompost, coir pith compost, Thatched palm leaf, Detergents, soaps, Phenyl, Ready mades, Embroidery products, Pin lace products, Cloth items, Granite and marble based products, Sculptures, Boat building, Handlooms, Metal crafts like jewellery, Wood based items, furniture, carvings, leather products, Pottery items, Flower and flower products like bouquets, Roof and flooring tiles, Herbal medicines, Clay and hollow bricks.
[edit] Education
Kanyakumari District tops the state in literacy (100 %) and also in high levels of education in Tamilnadu. Even in the absence of professional colleges about two decades back, families took a major interest in sending children (including many women) for studies in Professional colleges in bigger cities.
Number of Schools in Kanyakumari district
- Pre Primary Schools - 83
- Primary Schools - 413
- Middle Schools - 147
- High Schools - 121
- Higher Secondary Schools - 120
Total - 884
List of Colleges in Kanyakumari District
- Aided colleges - 12
- Self financing colleges -4
- Colleges for special education -8
- Colleges for professional education - 20
Source:Education Dept.
[edit] Administration
Number of public transport buses - 676, Length of Road - 4309 km
No of Taluks - 4, Blocks - 9, Municipalities - 4 (Kolachel, Kuzhithurai, Nagercoil, Padmanabhapuram) Most revenue earning municipalities except Kolachel, Village panchayats - 99, Spl village panchayats - 56.
Nagercoil is the capital of Kanyakumari district. More information about Kanyakumari district is also found in the Nagercoil section.
[edit] Places of Interest
- Kanyakumari
- Swamithope pathi
- Nagercoil
- Suchindrum
- Vattakottai
- Padmanabhapuram Palace
- Chitharal Jain Monuments
- Mathur Hanging Trough
- Thirunadhikkara Cave Temple
- Thiruvattar Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple
- Udayagiri Fort
- Olakaruvi Falls
- Pechiparai Reservoir
- Thiruparappu Falls
- Muttom beach
- Thengapattinam beach
- Sanguthurai beach
[edit] Famous Personalities
Famous personalities from this district include:
- Sundara Ramaswamy - Renowned Writer, Poet (with a pen name:Pasuvayya), Critique, and Socialist ; Founder of "Kalachuvadu"-the Tamil magazine(http;www.kalachuvadu.com) and the person who kept his promises of working for Tamil people and their culture till his last breath - He died on Oct-15,2005 at California, USA -His works are available at kalachuvadu Padhipakam, KP Road-Kottar, and Sudarshan Padihippakam, Tower Junction, Nagercoil.
- Kavimani Desika Vinayagam Pillai (renowned Tamil poet, writer and scholar)
- Bala Prajapathi Adikalar, present Pattathu Ayya of Swamithope pathi and one among the leaders of Ayyavazhi religion.
- Kalaivanar N. S. Krishnan - Tamil Film comedian and Drama Artist of yester-years
- Jeevanandam (Prominent socialist)
- Rama Subbaiyar (Founder of "Dina Malar" - No 1 Tamil Newspaper in circulation)
- Suchindrum Mankalam Swaminathan Balaji
- Prof. Ranjan Roy Daniel - Leading ISRO Physicist (Padma Bhushan Awardee)
- Nanjil Nadan, renowned literary writer
- P.T. Samy, Nanjil P. Thangasamy, writer of ghost stories
- Shenbagaraman Pillai, freedom fighter who travelled in Emden submarine and threw bombs in Chennai
- Jeyamohan, renowned literary writer
- Lakshmi Manivannan, literary writer, the publisher of literary magazine, Slate
- Satyan a.k.a Satyanesan, famous actor of Malayalam films
- Kumari Muthu, comedian in Tamil Cinema
- Hepsibha Jesudasan, an early Tamil novel writer
- Krithika, a Tamil novel writer with strong Nietszhean ideas.
- Raja Kesava Das (died 1799) - Able Chief Minister of Travancore under Karthika Thirunal Ramavarma during the invasion of Tipu Sultan. He was from Kunnathur, Vilavancode.
- Veluthampi Dalawa(died 1805) - The Chief Minister of Travancore under the Maharaja Balaramavarma. Led the rebellion against the hegemony of the English East India Company. He was a native of Thalakulam.
- Kumari Anandan - Leading orator and politician
- Vasanth -of Vasanth & Co.(Brother of Kumari Anandan)-(owner of leading chain-retail shops in Tamilnadu)
- Admiral Krishnan - Former Chief of Indian navy
- Admiral Sushil Kumar - 18th Chief of Naval Staff
- Marshal A. Nesamony - Also known as Nesamony Vakkeel
- Kamukara Purushothaman - Late Playback Singer in Malayalam movies
- Thirunainarkurichi Madhavan Nair - Poet and Lyricist. Famous Song: "Atmavidyalayame"
Famous people whose ancestors come from and around Nagercoil:
- David Davidar -English writer and Ex-CEO of Penguin India(Publishers). Now with Penguin Canada, Author of "The House of Blue Mangoes"
- Walter Davaram - Top cop of the MGR era in Tamilnadu
- Admiral O S Dawson - Ex-Naval Chief of Staff of India
- Venkataramanan - Ex-Governor of Reserve Bank of India
- V.G Paneerdas (VGP) - businessman (late) - pioneered Theme park near Chennai, Tamilnadu
- T.N. Gopakumar - TV and Media personality in Malayalam
[edit] Citations
- ^ Dr.R.Ponnu's, Sri Vaikunda Swamigal and Struggle for Social Equality in South India, Ram Publishers, 2000, Page 86.
- ^ Watts, Himangshu (February 2005). Tapping the Wind - India. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- ^ Clean Energy Brings Windfall to Indian Village. Reuters News Service (November 11 2003). Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
[edit] External links
- Kanyakumari District
- Kanyakumari District Information
- handicraft industry
- religious violence
- history
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State of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Topics | History | Politics | Tamil people |
|---|---|
| Capital | Chennai |
| Districts | Chennai • Coimbatore • Cuddalore • Dharmapuri • Dindigul • Erode • Kanchipuram • Kanyakumari • Karur • Krishnagiri • Madurai • Nagapattinam • Namakkal • Perambalur • Pudukkottai • Ramanathapuram • Salem • Sivaganga • Thanjavur • The Nilgiris • Theni • Thoothukudi • Tiruchirapalli • Tirunelveli • Tiruvallur • Tiruvannamalai • Tiruvarur • Vellore • Viluppuram • Virudhunagar |
| Major cities | Alandur • Avadi • Ambattur • Chennai • Coimbatore • Cuddalore • Dindigul • Erode • Kancheepuram • Karur • Kumbakonam • Madurai • Nagercoil • Neyveli • Pallavaram • Pudukkottai • Rajapalayam • Salem • Tiruchirapalli • Tirunelveli • Tambaram • Thoothukudi • Tiruppur • Tiruvannamalai • Thanjavur • Tiruvottiyur • Vellore |
