Karaikudi

Karaikudi Karaikkudi
city
Population  (2001)
• Total	86,422
Website	www.karaikudi.com

Karaikudi is a city and a municipality in Sivaganga District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the largest city in Sivaganga district, and is known as the capital of Chettinad region , which comprises Karaikudi and 74 other villages. Chettinad is the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar) a prosperous banking and business community, many of whose members migrated to nearby Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Burma, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Karaikudi got its name because the area is famous for the type of houses built with limestone called 'karai veedu' and also may be due to a plant called "Karai" which is widely spread over this area.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Karaikudi had a population of 86,422. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Karaikudi has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Karaikudi, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. The estimated population of Karaikudi urban agglomeration in 2004 is 132,294. This is also termed as the best place to live among the other places in the same district.

Geography

Karaikudi is located in Sivagangai district between Trichy - Rameswaram High road. Earlier it was a small village in Ramanathapuram District. In 1928 it was changed from Panchayat to Municipality. The city is well facilitated with Railways and Roadways since 1930. The Thennar River flows through South Karaikudi. Karaikudi's Postal pincode is 630001 and Dialing code is 91-4565. It is 300 km from Coimbatore, 90 km from Trichy, 80 km from Madurai, and 400 km from Chennai. Karaikkudi is located at 10.07°N 78.78°E / 10.07; 78.78. It has an average elevation of 82 metres (269 feet). The surround villages include Kandadevi, Kanadukathan, Kottaiyur, Kanndanur, Pallathur, Kothamangalam, Rayavaram, Pilliyarpatti, Lakshmipuram and many more called to be the PTT district earlier days

Education

The educational institutions developed to its peak in 1947, by Alagappar who is the founder of today's Alagappa University. Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering and Technology (Accet),Alagappa Polytechnic located in Karaikudi, are the premier educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.

Dr. Alagappa Chettiar is also responsible for establishment of Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI). It is one of a kind in whole of India.

Secondary Education

State Board,Matriculation and Central Board are Available.

• Alagappa Matriculation Higher Secondary school
• Alagappa Model Higher Secondary school
• Alagappa Preparatory School
• Alagappa Primary and Nursery School
• Kamban karpagam Matriculation Higher Secondary school
• Kendriya Vidyalaya
• Little Flower RC School
• M.V. Higher Secondary School
• Maharishi Vidya Mandir
• Muthiah Alagappa Mt Higher Secondary School
• SMS Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School
• Sri Raghavendra Matriculation Higher Secondary School
• Subbiah Ambalam Matriculation School
• Leaders Matriculation School

Tertiary Education

• Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering and Technology
• Alagappa Government Arts college
• Alagappa Polytechnic
• Alagappa University
• Ramasamy Tamil College
• Subramanian Polytechnic College
• Umayal Ramanathan College for Women

Temples

• The city is known for Sri Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple, also known as Nagara Sivan Temple which was built during 1872.

• In North-west of Karaikudi is MutthuPattinam which is known for Muthu Mariamman Temple.

• At the Central is Kallukatti where the famous Koppudayamman Temple is located. Car Festival during the first Tuesday of Vaikasi month is very famous. The car starts on Tuesday and it goes to Kattamman Kovil and returns back the next day. The car travels approximately 8 km. On Vaigasi the first Thursday, they conduct Theppam at Kallukkatti Oorani.

• Tamil Thai Kovil and Kamban Manimandabam are notable in Karaikudi.

• Karpaka Vinayakar Temple, an ancient rock-cut cave temple in Pillayarpatti 10 km west of Karaikudi.

• Kundrakkudi, a village located 8 km west of Karaikudi is well known for a famous temple for lord Murugan. The temple is situated on top of a small rock of height around 200 ft.

• The famous Perumal (Vishnu) temple at Ariyakudi (also called Then Thiruppathi) is 3 km away from Karaikudi.

Transports

• It has two Bus-terminus, one is the "Old-BusStand" in south Karaikudi and the other "New-BusStand" is located in north Karaikudi.

All town-busses that connect the nearby villages and smaller towns (example Devakottai, puduvayal, kallal, etc.) with Karaikudi terminate at the old bus-stand.

All mofussil busses that connect the major cities and towns (example Trichy or Madurai) terminate at the new bus-stand.

The State Transport Corporation that runs long-distance busses to Coimbatore, Chennai ,Bangalore etc. operates from Old bus-stand.

• Railway Station - Karaikudi Junction is located where two railway lines viz. Trichy - Rameshwaram and Mayiladuthurai - Rameshwaram join. There are quite a few express train connections to Chennai and Rameshwaram from Karaikudi.

Theatres

Karaikudi is called as a MINI KODAMBAKKAM. Because many films did shooting here. such as

       Chidhambara Ragasiyam,
       Jeans,
       Madurey,
       Thiruppachi,
       sivakasi,
       Villu,
       Saamy,
       Arul,
       Sandakozhi,
       Thimiru,
       Sivapathikaram,
       Thamirabarani,
       Majaa,
       Aranmani Kili,
       Rendu,
       Tamil,
       Ji,
       Alwar,
       Kandukondane Kandukondane,
       Raasi,
       Em Magan,
       Karuppusamy Kuthagaikaarar,
       Pirivome Sandhippom etc.,

• Pandiyan (DTS)
• Sathiyan (DTS)
• Sivam (DTS)
• Rama Vilas (DTS)
• Nataraja (A/c dts)
• New Cinema

Historic Events

Subramanya_Bharathi has visited Karaikudi in 1906 (????unsure of the date) and has sung a poem praising the good work done by Chettiar youths of Karaikudi. It is reported that only two photographs of Bharathiar exists to-date. One of them was taken at Karaikudi when he visited the Hindu Madhabhimana Sangam. The Sangam still continues to function very well and their office is located close to the Nagara Sivan Kovil.

• Thanthai EV Ramasamy Periyar's last speach at Karikudi is still famous (year????).

• Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India opened CECRI (1948)

• Dr. Rajendra Prasad, then President of India laid the foundation stone for ACCET amin building (1953)

Personalities

• Kannadasan, the famous Tamil Poet and Lyricist belongs to Karaikudi, Karthick (Malai) the famous editor also belongs to karaikudi.

• Birth place of Mridagam Maestro Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani

Several fomous creators who contributed significantly to South Indian cinema are from Karaikudi. To name a few:

• Mr. SP. Muthuraman - Director. A string of box office hits in early 80s

• Mr. A. Pandiyarajan (O. Siruvayal)

• Mr. Panju Arunachalam - Lyricist, Screenplay writer and director.

• Mr. AV. Meyyappan - Producer / Director. The one who made Bharatiyar songs available to everyone.

• [Mr. Rama Narayanan] [1] - Director with an entry in Guinness Book of World Records for directing 12 movies in 1984

• Mr. Saw. Ganesan aka Kamban Adipodi - Founder of Kamban Kazhagam and a great lover of Tamil Poet Kamban.

• Above all Karaikudi is eternally indebted to one man - Dr. Alagappa Chettiar.

Dr. Alagappar is known as "Vallal" meaning a great philanthropist. Most established commercial institutions in Karaikudi reverently display the photo of this personality, without whom there would be nothing but a dry village.

Dr. Alagappa gave all his wealth to create an outstanding educational empire purely with a noble thought of providing affordable quality education to the rural mass residing around Karaikudi.

• Famous Orator,Writer Prof.Suba.Veerapandian S/o.Raama Subbaiah(Leader and associate of Thanthai Periyar's Dravidian Movement here and aroun area)

• NR.SAMY (Periyar Perunthondar)

Land mark institutions

• Central Electro Chemical Research Institute(CECRI) is one of the forty national laboratories under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) New Delhi.

CECRI was started at Karaikudi at the behest of Vallal Dr. Alagappar who generously donated INR 1.5Million and 300acres of land to the Government of India in 1948.

• Karaikudi is the birth place of AVM Studios, one of the famous and biggest movie studios in Tamil Nadu. It later shifted to Chennai.

• PERIYAR SILAI (Periyar Statue) is the Centre place of Karaikudi Town.

Politics

Karaikudi assembly constituency is part of Sivaganga (Lok Sabha constituency).

External links

• www.sivagangaionline.in
• www.nagarathar.info
• Alagappa University
• Central Electro Chemical Research Institute
• Subramanian Polytechnic College
• Karaikudi Yellow Pages
• Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering and Technology
• FallingRain Map - elevation = 81m (Red dots are railways)