Karur
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2011) |
KARUR
கரூர் | |
|---|---|
Big Town | |
| Nickname(s): Home Textile city, Vanji ma nagar | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Karur |
| Government | |
| • Municipal Chairman | Tamilnadu M.selvaraj |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,985 km2 (1,153 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 122 m (400 ft) |
| Population (2001)[1] | |
| • Total | 210,830 |
| • Density | 372/km2 (960/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 639(xxx) |
| Telephone code | 91-(0)4324 |
| Vehicle registration | TN 47 |
| Website | municipality |
Karur (Textile Capital of Tamil Nadu)[4] is a City, and head of the Karur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu situated on the banks of Amaravati. Karur district was formed on 30 September 1995 by trifurcating Tiruchirappalli district. It is the administrative headquarters of Karur District. Karur has a very long history and has been sung by various sangam poets. It has been the battleground of various Tamil Kings like Chera, Chola and Pandya because of its strategic location in Kongu Nadu. The district has a very rich and varied cultural heritage. The town and the country side is made fertile by the perennial flows of the Kaveri River on the northern side (Thavittupalayam, Vangal, Muniyappanur, Kattalai (confluence of Kaveri River and Amaravati River) Mayanur, Kulithalai) and also the Amaravati, Nalkasi, Kudaganar and Noyyal rivers. The area is famous worldwide for its hand-loom textile products.
History
| Chera dynasty |
|---|
| Early Cheras |
|
| - |
|
| - |
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| Kongu Chera dynasty (Karur) |
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| Chera/Perumals of Makotai (Kerala) |
|
Karur is one of the oldest towns in Tamil Nadu and has played a very significant role in the history and culture of the Tamils. Its history dates back over 2000 years, and has been a flourishing trading center in the early Sangam days. It was ruled by the Cheras, Gangas, Cholas, the Vijayanagara Nayaks, Mysore and the British successively.
It is repeatedly mentioned in inscriptions and literature by two names, Karuvoor and Vanji.[citation needed] It had other names too: Adipuram, Tiruaanilai, Paupatheechuram, Karuvaippatinam, Vanjularanyam, Garbhapuram, Thiru vithuvakkottam, Bhaskarapuram, Mudivazhangu Viracholapuram, Karapuram, Aadaga maadam, Cherama nagar and Shanmangala Kshetram. Among them, the name Adipuram i.e. the first city seems to indicate that it was held as the foremost city by the mediaeval writers. It was also called Vanci moothur, the ancient city of Vanji. In the foreign notices of Ptolemy, it was called Karoura - an inland capital of the Cheras.
Karur was built on the banks of river Amaravathi which was called Aanporunai during the Sangam days. According to the Hindu mythology, Brahma began the work of creation here, which is referred to as the "place of the sacred cow." The names of the early Chera kings who ruled from Karur, have been found in the rock inscriptions in Aaru Nattar Malai close to Karur. The Tamil epic Silapathikaram mentions that the famous Chera King Senguttuvan ruled from Karur.
Epigraphical, numismatic, archaeological and literary evidence have proved beyond doubt that Karur was the capital of early Chera kings of Sangam age. It was called Karuvoor or Vanji during Sangam days. There has been a plethora of rare findings during the archaeological excavations undertaken in Karur. These include mat-designed pottery, bricks, mud-toys, Roman coins, Chera Coins, Pallava Coins, Roman Amphorae, Rasset coated ware, rare rings, etc.[5] Karur may have been the center for old jewellery-making and gem setting (with the gold imported mainly from Rome), as seen from various excavations. In 150 Greek scholar Ptolemy mentioned “Korevora” (Karur) as a very famous inland trading center in Tamil Nadu.[6]
Karuvurar born in medieval Karur, is one among the nine devotees who sung the divine Music Thiruvichaippa, which is the ninth Thirumurai. He is the single largest composer among the nine authors of Thiruvichaippa. He lived during the reign of the great Raja Raja Chola I. In addition to the famous Siva temple, there is a Vishnu temple at Thiruvithuvakkodu suburb of Karur, sung by famous Kulasekaraazhvaar (7th-8th century). The same temple is presumably mentioned in epic Silappadikaram as Adaha maadam Ranganathar whose blessings Cheran Senguttuvan sought before his north Indian expedition.[7][8]
Karur municipality was constituted in 1874. It was upgraded to I grade municipality from 24.10.69 and upgraded to selection grade municipality from 24.05.1988 and as special grade municipality from 07.04.1988.[9]
Politics
Karur assembly constituency is part of Karur (Lok Sabha constituency).[10]
Assembly Constituencies in Karur District.
- ARAVAKURUCHI,
- KARUR,
- KRISHNARAYAPURAM,
- KULITHALAI.
[11]
Parliamentary Constituency in Karur District
- KARUR
Geography & Climate
Karur is located at 10°57′N 78°05′E / 10.95°N 78.08°E.[13] It has an average elevation of 122 m (400 ft). It is about 371 km south west of Chennai (Madras), the capital of Tamil Nadu, 66 km to the South-East of Erode and 75 km to the West of Trichy, 100 km to the South of Salem, 124 km to the East of Coimbatore and 145 km to the North of Madurai.Geographically it lies exactly at the centre of the state of Tamil Nadu.
It is the Major junction point of three Roadways connecting,
- Bangalore & Salem to Madurai & Tirunelveli.
- Coimbatore & Tirupur to Trichy & Tanjore.
- Mangalore, Mysore & Erode to Trichy, Madurai & Tuticorin.
The highest temperature is obtained in early May to early June usually about 34 °C, though it rarely exceeds 38 °C for a few days. Average daily temperature in Karur during January is around 23 °C, though the temperature rarely falls below 17 °C.
The average annual rainfall is about 855 mm. The city gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from late September to mid November.
Demographics
As of the[update] 2011 census, Karur municipality had a population of 1076588. As of 2001 census the total city has the population above 4 lakhs.[1] The municipality had a sex ratio of 989 females per 1,000 males;[1] the surrounding district has a majority of females in the population,[1] which is unusual in India. Karur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 72%. In Karur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Arts, Society & Culture
The town formed a part of the traditional Chera and Chola empires and has a number of exquisitely sculpted temples. Verappur, a place of pilgrimage connected with the history of Ponner-Sankar and temples dedicated to them is situated in Karur district. The people are very happy and unity among themselves
Pongal, Tamil New Year, Aadi Perukku, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Annual festival at Veerapur, Annual festival for Karur Mariamman are some of the important festivals celebrated in Karur.
Temples in Karur
- Balamalai Murugan temple - Pavithram
- Kalyana Pasupatheeshwara swamy Temple, Karur - Chola built temple
- Thiru Karuvurar jeeva samathi
- Sri Mariyamman temple
- Abayaprathaana Renganatha perumal temple
- Sri Maha Kaliyamman temples - Manmangalam
- Sri Vangalamman temple - Vangal
- Sri Balasubramania swamy temple - Vennamalai
- kalyana venkataramana swamy temple - Thanthontri Malai
- Sri Madhukarai Chellandi amman Temple- Mayanoor
- Sadasiva Temple - Shiva temple at Nerur. Along with, Jeeva samadhi of Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra an Indian saint lived who lived during the 17th and 18th centuries, is located there. He is one of the 18 sidhars
Economy
Agriculture
Utilization of land area in Karur district is up to 44.59%. 4.76% of the land area remains as other uncultivated land. 2.74% is forest area in Karur district.
Black soil is the predominant soil type in this district accounting for 35.51% followed by lateritic soil for 23.85%. The remaining 20.31% is alluvium soil.
The main crops are Paddy, Banana, Sugarcane, Beetle leaf, Grams & Pulses, Tapioca, Kora grass, Groundnuts, Oil seeds, Tropic-Vegetables, Garland Flowers, Medicinal Herbals etc.
Home textiles
Karur is famous for its home textiles. Karur has a niche in five major product groups — bed linens, kitchen linens, toilet linens, table linens and wall hangings. Overall Karur generates around Rs.6000 crores ($300 million dollars a year) in foreign exchange through direct and indirect exports. Allied industries like ginning and spinning mills, dyeing factories, weaving etc. employs around 300,000 people in and around Karur.[14]
On the international textile map Karur has become synonymous with hand-loom “made-ups” like Tirupur is known for the hosiery product. Hand-loom Exports from Karur began on a modest scale with just 15 exporters in 1975 and today Karur has thousands of exporters and the products are supplied to world leading chain stores.
Karur textile Park Ltd(KTPL)
[15] Set up under the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks, the Rs. 130 crore sophisticated project christened Karur Textile Park Limited (KTPL) is rated the premier facility of its kind anywhere in the country for its technical and ancillary facilities in a united complex spread over 110 acres in Thalapatti and Puthambur villages, about 12 km from here off the Karur-Madurai highway NH7. An executive administration block, a full-fledged bank branch with ATM, a hospital, pharmacy, restaurant, department store, readymade shop is a part of the park.[16]
BPCL-Petronet CCK Pipeline
Bharat Petroleum Corporation in Joint Venture with Petronet CCK has Installed a Pipeline Facility From Cochin BPCL to Karur BPCL to Transport Petroleum Products for about 300 km. The Petroleum Products that is Received at the BPCL-Karur terminal is Supplied to More than 20 districts of Tamil Nadu through trucks.[17]
Paper
TNPL is promoted by the Government of Tamil Nadu with loan assistance from the World Bank. Today TNPL is the largest producer of bagasse (sugarcane waste from Sugar mills) based paper in the world and the 2nd largest paper producer in Asia. TNPL produces 230,000 tons of Printing & writing paper and consumes 1 million tones of bagasse every year.TNPL is the best example to follow ECO-FRIENDLY with nature. Also TNPL lanuched wind mills for power generation. TNPL-Karur is setting up a new cement plant, In this cement plant the cement is manufactured by the lime sludge and fly ash generated while the production of Paper as waste from TNPL. and TNPL located Pugalur Railway station Near.
Bus Coach building
Karur is a hub for bus body building industries. Most of the South Indian private bus bodies are built in Karur. Even several State Government Buses and Central Government Vehicles like India Post Vehicles are built here. The total business turnover from building bus Coaches is estimated to be around Rs.1000 crore per annum. There are more than 50 Companies that Build coaches in Karur.
HDPE Monofilaments
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) monofilament Yarn and Associated products are Manufactured here. More than 2000 units are manufacturing Mosquito Fabrics and Fishing Nets. More than 60% Mosquito nets in India are manufactured in Karur. Around 50,000 People are Employed in these Units.[18]
Cement
Karur is also home to Chettinad Cements. It has an installed production capacity of 600,000 tons per annum, with another 1.1 million tons expansion in the pipeline. TNPL Cements,Moolimanaglam,Karur.
Sugar
EID Parry has a sugar factory in Pugalur, Karur. It has a capacity of 4000 TCD per year. It also has a 22 MW co-generation Power plant, with TNPL.
Banking
Karur is the home city of India's Oldest Private Scheduled Commercial Banks, Karur Vysya Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank.
Apart from these two banks, Karur also has Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Union Bank, IndusInd Bank and above 40 other bank branches.
Gem Stones
The Karur belt also produces some very good Cats eyes, Feldspar, Moonstones, Aquamarines, Quartz, Elastial Quartz, Sapphires, Jasper and Beryls.
Transportation
Road
Karur is well connected with rest of India through all modern means of transportation. There are 2 National highways - NH-7 (Varanasi - Kanyakumari), now called NSC ( NORTH-SOUTH CORRIDER road ) Kashmir to Kanyakumari passes through Karur and NH-67 (Nagapattinam - Tanjavur - Trichy - Karur - Coimbatore - Ooty - Gudalur).
Railways
Karur (Station Code - KRR) is the main jn., under new Salem division is connected to the Indian Railways network. Trains from Mysore to Tuticorin, Mangalore to Chennai, Coimbatore to Mayiladuthurai Janshatabdi Express and Mysore to Mayiladuthurai, Nagercoil to CST Mumbai, Rameswaram to Okha and Tirunelveli to Jammu Tawi via New Delhi, Rohtak, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot (Chakki Bank) travel via Karur. Karur is also connected by rail to major towns like Trichy, madurai, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Tirupathy, Mumbai.
Airport
The nearest airports are in Tiruchirapalli International Airport (78 km), Salem (100 km), Coimbatore International Airport (122 km) and Madurai (135 km).
Sea Port
The nearest major sea port is at Cochin (280 km), Tuticorin (344 km) and Chennai (332 km).
Karur direction compass
Places adjacent to Karur | |
|---|---|
Karur city map
Education Institutions in Karur
Karur has famous and quality educational institutions for higher secondary education. Most of these institutions are owned by private.
Engineering colleges
- Arul Murugan Technical Campus
- M.Kumarasamy College of Engineering
- V.S.B. Engineering College
- Chettinad College of Engineering and Technology
- Karur College of Engineering
- NSN College of Engineering and technology
- Cheran College of Engineering
- VSK College of Engineering and technology
Polytechnic Colleges
- Government Polytechnic College
- Government Polytechnic College for Women
- Karur Polytechnic College
- Arul Murugan Polytechnic College
- CSI Industrial Training College
- Kongu Hitek Polytechnic College
Arts and Science College
- Government Arts College, Karur
- Saratha Arts and Science College for Women
- Kongu College of Arts and Science
- Valluvar College of Arts and Science
- Cambridge College of Arts and Science
- Jairam College of Arts and Science, Karur
- Annai College of Arts and Science for Women, Karur
- Meenakshi College of Arts and Science
- Arungaraiamman Arts and Science College
- Arasu Arts and Science College
Schools
- Government Higher Secondary School, Thanthonimalai
- Government Higher Secondary School,Velliyanai
- vivekanandha Matric Higher Secondary School , Pasupathipalayam
- Municipal Higher Secondary School , Karur
- Pasupathiswara Municipal Higher Secondary school , karur
- Indira Nursery and Primary School, Thanthonimalai
- Ashram Higher Secondary school ,Velliyanai
- C.S.I boys higher secondary school,karur
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Sub-District Details". Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- ^ http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/members_address_e.pdf
- ^ http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=3205
- ^ http://www.tnpsc.gov.in/anskeys/04_11_2012_GT_GE_NEW.pdf
- ^ Nagaswami, R. (1995). Roman Karur: A peep into Tamil's past. Brahad Prakashan, Madras.
- ^ http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/02/04/stories/2008020450090500.htm Chera/Roman Coins
- ^ Vanjimanagar by Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar[1918, 1932]UNIV OF MADRAS B.A, TEXT text 1932
- ^ Azhwargal Kaala Nilai on Vithuvakkodu Ranganathar temple by Pt M. Raghava Iyengar
- ^ "About Karur municipality". Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- ^ http://www.karur.tn.nic.in/assembly.asp
- ^ http://www.karur.tn.nic.in/par.asp
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Karur
- ^ http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/15/stories/2005111513500100.htm Textile Exports
- ^ http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=49951
- ^ http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/karur-textile-park-inaugurated/article1492784.ece
- ^ http://petronetcck.com/
- ^ http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-17/madurai/34524702_1_power-cuts-power-situation-granules
