Sulur

For the mountain in Iceland, see Súlur.

Sulur Sulur
city
Population  (2001)
• Total	24,359

Sulur is a town panchayat in Coimbatore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Geography

Sulur is located at 11.03°N 77.13°E / 11.03; 77.13. It has an average elevation of 340 metres (1115 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Sulur had a population of 24,359. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Sulur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 72%. In Sulur, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Town and the people

The history of Sulur dates back to 2300 years, The ancient coins dating back to third century BC has been found at Sulur. During ninth century AD, Adithya cholan introduced agriculture in Sulur. The Sulur Reservoir was constructed during Adithya chola.

The Sulur pond was reconstructed in thirteenth century AD during the rule of Sundra Pandian.

Sulur is well connected by buses from coimbatore and it has a small railway station namely 'Sulur Road'. The nearest domestic cum International airport (Peelamedu International Airport) is in coimbatore. Sulur is about 30 minutes drive from Coimbatore airport. Sulur has a Main bus stand and buses to Tirupur, Palladam, Ukkadam, Gandhipuram, Peelamedu and to all the nearby villages are available. Sulur has a police station, a BSNL telephone exchange and a Panchayat office.

Till ninth century Sulur was called as SURALUR From ninth century to fourteenth century it was called as ARIYAPIRATI NALLUR, during the regime of Adithya chola. From fourteenth century to eighteenth century it was called as SUNDRAPANDIYA NALLUR, during the regime of Sundra pandiyan. From eighteenth century it was called SURANUR, which in due course got transformed to Sulur.

Some people say that the SURAL, a type of cane which was abundant in this region lead to the name SURALUR, which during British era got transformed to now SULUR.

Some people say that the ruler of then Sulur was SURAN, due to which it got the name SURANOOR.

Some people say that earlier name of Sulur is "SURANOOR". As the "SURASAMSARAM" the fight depicting the demon SURAN and LORD [1]MURUGAN, was famous in this place in earlier days, later the name transformed to "SURALUR" then in due course it got changed to the current name "SULUR".

The local people is predominantly made of thevar and gounder community. Sulur has many cotton mills and provides employment to approximately 5000 to 10000 people from Sulur and from the nearby villages. Most of the people who cannot continue their studies after school join these mills and the knitwear companies of Tirupur. The local market (Sulur Sandhai) opens near the banks of Sulur river every Friday. People from Sulur and from the nearby villages gather here and sell their vegetables and fruits here.

The people of Sulur are known for their hospitality. The 'pongal vizha' conducted in Sulur is very popular. This pongal vizha is conducted in "Anna Kalaiarangam" which is the common stage in Sulur where all the get togethers happen.

The Sulur panchayat board started functioning on thirtieth August 1892.

The Sulur police station came in to existence since 1861 during the British rule. Till 1920 the police station was near the girls high school. After that it got shifted to Trichyroad, were the current police station is located.

The registrar office started functioning on 1 January 1884.

The electricity board started functioning in Sulur since 1 November 1933, The telephone exchange started on 31 July 1961.

The Sulur post office was started in June 1882. The Sulur telegram office started functioning since 1 February 1948 in the today's post office.

The cooperative movement in Sulur started in 1911.

Sulur has produced various personalities (non resident Indians) residing throughout the world including U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Germany.

Other interesting fact is that, most of the people from Sulur have the habit of adding the first letter 'S' from Sulur (town's name), along with their initials.

Temples

Sulur has numerous temples out of which Perumal kovil ,Vaitheeswaran kovil and Mahakaliamman kovil are very popular. Perumal kovil and Eswaran kovil are situated on the beautiful banks of Sulur Lake. It also has the famous Kumaran Kottam temple constructed by RVS group of Institutions. In Perumal kovil 'pepper' is given to devotees which is not done in any other Venkateshwara temple all over the world. This has a story behind it. The story goes like this. A merchant was travelling through the forests of sulur to go to nearby town to sell his items(eatables). Since it became night he decided to take rest in the temple. When he was about to sleep GOD appeared before him in the form of a poor farmer and asked him if he had anything to eat. The merchant told that he had nothing except pepper in all his bags which cannot be eaten. So GOD said ok and left the place. In the next day when he wokeup to his surprise he found all his bags to contain pepper. Then he realised the person who came the previous day was not an ordinary man but GOD Balaji. He immediately went before the statue and cried to forgive him. GOD appeared before him and told that he will be forgiven and asked him to renovate the temple and said pepper will be given to all his disciples from that day.

The sulur sivankovil (sivan temple) was constructed in 9th century during the rule of adithya cholan. The perumalkovil (perumal temple) was constructed during 15th century during the regim of vijayanagar kingdom. The Masjid at sulur is constructed in 18th century . The land and the funds for the masjid was gifted by Tipusulthan.

Sulur, Air Force Station (VOSX)

The Indian Air Force station is located in the east outside the town, in Kangayampalayam village. The Sulur airbase came into existence in 1940 was used in World War II by the Royal Navy's Fleet Arm: “Royal Navy Squadron”(RANS). It was used as repair base for southeast Asian planes. The ‘SULUR AIR BASE’, which was used by the British, was burned down on 26 August 1942 during the 1942 August revolution, which was then under way. In 1943, the Indian Royal Airforce came to Sulur, which later got shifted to Cochin in 1949.

After independence, the Indian Navy established INAS Hansa at Sulur to operate the Sea Hawks. After the liberation of Goa, INAS Hansa shifted to Dabolim there and Sulur was taken over by the Air Force

In 1955, the 5BRD (No 5, Base Repair Depot) of Indian airforce was planned and it started functioning since 1959.

For some time this airbase was also used for domestic flights. Since 14 January 1984 this base is a part of Indian Air Force.

The runway has been used for racing purpose of motorcycle and cars in 1960s

Educational institutions

The current Govt Boys higher secondary school: founded in 1889 as Thiruvengadanathar upper primary school and in 1925 April it became- Taluk board higher elementary school, then in 1926-June-Zilla board middle school, then in 1948-June- as (Union, Kalagam)Board secondary school, and in 1962-July, -as(Union, Kalagam)Board boys secondary school, and in 1966-January, as Govt boys (high)secondary school and then in 1978 July as Govt boys higher secondary school.

Girls high school started in July, 1962 with 224 students. The girls high school inauguration was attended by the then CM. Mr. Bhaktavasalam.

The following are the schools in Sulur

• Govt Boys Higher Secondary School
• Govt Girls Higher Secondary School
• Kalaivani Matriculation School
• Kendriya Vidyalaya AFS Sulur ( One of the best KV's in India )
• Kennedy Matriculation School
• RVS Matriculation Higher secondary School
• MICHAEL JOB MATRICULATION SCHOOL
• Kovai Maruthamali Matriculation School
• Kids Club

The colleges include 'RVS Arts and science college','RVS Pharmacy college','RVS B.Ed College'.All the colleges in Sulur are run by RVS Group.

Famous personalities

• S.R.S
• S.R.A
• S.R.Karuppannan, I.A.S - ( the First & only Person from Sulur to be an IAS, till date)
• S.S Selvaraj ( ShanmugaDevi Theatre built in 1930s, SLS Nanjammal Waedding Hall )
• S.V.Lakshmanan, Ex MLC
• S S Ponmudi, former M.L.A (D.M.K)
• S S Vanangamudi, Managing Director of Apex Laboratories Chennai. [www.apexlab.com]
• Police Kandasamy
• Kandanathan B.L
• Actor Sivakumar (Father of popular actor Surya)
• Actor and Director Manivannan
• Director Sulur Kalaipithan
• Dr K V KUPPUSAMI (EDUCATIONALIST AND INDUSTRIALIST)
• S.R.Thangavel
• T.Mannavan
• SULUR Ganesh (All India Radio)
• Chandrasekar (Saraswathi Group)
• K.V.Nagarajan, State Organizing Homoeo Cures Secretaary
• N.Gowthaman , "Sulur History " Book Author
• K.P.Ganesan, Software Engineer
• Raagu Ramaanujam (Sulur Taimbers )
• Karrupu Sami (Road Surveyor)
• Kaandha Sami
• File:S.P. Ramesh (Vel Murugan Bakery)
• Anbazhakan ( shanjay computers )
• R.K.Ramaswamy(Professor-economics)
• S.R.Satheesh kumar(lecturer in english- first man went to Libya)
• Hari Manoharan M.E(Software Designer, California, USA, Alumnus of Govt Boys HSS, Sulur)

–==References==

[[ta:சூளூர்]