Nagercoil
Nagercoil - is the southernmost city of mainland India, situated close to the tip of the Peninsula (Kanyakumari) in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The town is also the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District. It was a part of Kerala, the erstwhile Travancore state, till almost a decade after India's Independence from Britain in 1947. In 1956, it was merged with Tamil Nadu. The town and its surroundings were known in olden days as Nanjilnadu.
The District is one of India's most naturally and topographically diverse districts - with sea on three sides, and yet with thick jungles and virgin rainforests on the Western Ghats with a variety of flora and fauna - all in a radius of 35 km of the town.
History
Nagercoil derives its name from a famous old Jain Temple called Naga Raja Temple (Temple of the Serpent (snake) King) - that still exists in the central part of town. Originally a Jain temple, it is now an important Temple for the local Hindus and is also a tourist attraction.
'Nanjilnad' came under the rule of various kingdoms at various times, notably the Chera, Chola and Pandya Kingdoms. Historical records reveal that these various kingdoms fought over the control of the fertile area of Nanjilnad and Kottar at various points in history. Archaeological records also show Jain influences in ancient times.
The modern history of the town is interwoven with the history of Travancore. The modern town of Nagercoil grew around Kottar, now a part of Nagercoil and a place mentioned in old Tamil writings and maps of ancient India. The town took prominence during and after the reign of Maharaja Marthanda Varma, the great king of erstwhile Travancore, the capital of which was Padmanabhapuram, about 20 kilometres to the north of Nagercoil. The Capital was later shifted to Thiruvananthapuram(Trivandrum), the present capital of Kerala state, about 65 km to the north of Nagercoil.
Foreign colonial powers, most notably the Dutch, tried colonizing the areas around Nanjilnad and Colachel during the 18th century, but were subdued. The Dutch East India company, also known as Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC, with a keen eye on the spices of Travancore, tried to establish a trading post at the port town of Colachel, near Nagercoil. In the famous Battle of Colachel, a Dutch naval fleet under the General, Captain Eustachius De Lenoy (called 'Valia Kaaptain' locally) gained control of the lands from Colachel to Nagercoil, but was subsequently defeated by the Travancore forces. Several Dutch men were killed and several fled to their ships. Captain De Lenoy and 24 other Dutch men were taken as prisoners, but in a strange story of trust and understanding between the King (Marthanda Varma) and the European naval commander (De Lenoy), De Lenoy was released ; later he proved his trust and mettle to the king and was eventually made the Commander of the entire Travancore Forces. De Lenoy taught the use of gun powder and modern arms to his forces and modernised the Travancore Army on European lines ; raised the regiments, built forts and established defences at key places (some forts like Udayagiri and Vattakottai near Nagercoil were built under his guidance). Captain De Lenoy was a skilled military strategist and won many battles for Marthanda Varma. Travancore grew in size and strength. (Captain De Lenoy and his military contribution to the old Travancore state has been undermined in the Indian history text-books). Captain De Lenoy is buried in a small chapel inside Udayagiri Fort, near Nagercoil.
From the middle of the 18th century, after the reign of the great king Marthanda Varma, the successive Travancore kings and Queens gradually developed the whole infrastructure relating to irrigation systems, dams, roads, schools (along with European missionaries) and developed the judicial system, revenue system, literacy and awareness of the people. The British in India called Travancore a 'model native state'.
At the time of India's independence from Britain, the then Dewan (Prime-minister) of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer, preferred Travancore to be a separate country, but eventually gave up after a tough stand by the 'Iron Man of India', Sardar Vallabhai Patel. Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer is still kept in high esteem in Nagercoil, for the many projects and developments that took place during his tenure.
When the states in India were re-organized in the 1950's, under the States Reorganisation Act, the then Government of Kerala gave Kanyakumari District to Tamilnadu (because of a major Tamil-speaking population in the District) in exchange for Palghat District.
The town, which was the second most important town in the state of Travancore, after the capital Trivandrum, became less important in the years after India's independence and also after integrating with the state of Tamilnadu. It has not seen any major developmental project or infrastructure development from the Tamilnadu state Government, after integration.
Population
Though the official population count (for the municipal area) is close to 2.25 lakhs, a sizable population lives around the town, making the small district of Kanyakumari, with a population of about 1.7 million, one of the most densely populated districts in Tamilnadu and in South India.
Location
The town is situated 8.18° N and 77.43° E at the southern tip of peninsular India.
Being close to the cape (Kanyakumari -the tip of peninsular India) - the confluence of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal - Eastern And Western coasts of India, the town is the intersection of the eastern and western lines of the Indian Railways - one line leading to Kerala and to the Konkan route and the other through the western part of India (through Tirunelveli of Tamilnadu). Trivandrum, the Capital of Kerala, is 65 km away, connected by National Highway 47. The closest major town of Tamilnadu is Tirunelveli, which is about 80 km away on the eastern highway (National Highway 7).
Language, Culture & Religion
Most of the people are Tamil-speaking, but can also understand Malayalam. There are also several native speakers of Malayalam. English is widely understood in the town ; spoken at times by the well-educated. Almost all major schools give the choice of three languages of English, Tamil and Malayalam as their medium for teaching, for the students.
The culture is part Tamil and part Keralite. Being multi-ethnic, the celebrations in the town and the district include those of Tamils, Keralites, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and other minorities.
The town has a major population of Christians - both Roman Catholics and Protestants. There are also some Orthodox Christian denominations like Marthoma and Jacobite Christians. Almost all the major Protestant denominations are found in the town. The Place also has a large number of Hindus and significant numbers of Muslims living mainly in the Kottar area and its surroundings.
Local celebrations and holidays include, Ayya Vaikunda Avataram festival at Swamithope, Bhagavathy Amman Temple festival, St. Francis Xavier's feast (December 3 - a local holiday), the Muslim festival of the Peer Mohamed Durgah at Thuckalay, etc. (God's own country - Kerala - in miniature form !)
The town comes alive during the time of Christmas in the Christian neighbourhood with lights, decorations, Christmas trees, groups singing carols and festive shopping. The place to be - during the Christmas season.
Apart from major Tamil festivals, Onam (Keralite festival) also is celebrated here (a local holiday).
The Arrival of European missionaries
The arrival of English, German and other Western Christian missionaries in the 19th century and the development of social infrastructure by the Travancore kings and queens raised the social status, literacy and educational levels of the people. Today, one finds a number of streets, schools and colleges in the town named after these European missionaries. Many of these missionaries were also noted scholars.
The European missionaries who came in large numbers instilled in the people the value of education even as early as the 19th century, because of which the socio-economic factors developed. They also converted a section of the people to Protestant Christianity. Roman Catholic Christians had been converted earlier by Portuguese missionaries, mainly in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Of the European missionaries, the services of two missionaries are particularly laudable. One is Rev C. Mead, who after arriving in 1817 in Nagercoil, as a missionary of the London Missionary Society (LMS), made some very important contributions to the cause of education in the town and in Travancore. In 1818, he founded the Nagercoil Seminary, which became one of the first regular institutes to impart English education in Travancore state and also in Southern India. In 1855, in recognition of his services to Education, the Travancore Government appointed him Superintendent of Schools, and while in this office, he furthered the cause of education and also encouraged female education in Nagercoil and in the state of Travancore. He also started the Nagercoil Mission Press, the first printing press in the state of Travancore. Rev. Mead also did much to bring about the abolition of slavery.
The other great missionary was Rev. William Tobias Ringeltaube, a native of the then Prussia (present Germany), who from 1806 to 1816 established a number of schools and worked among the poor. He started one of the first regular schools in Travancore at Mylaudy, near Nagercoil. The school is still functioning at Mylaudy.
Like the London Mission Society (LMS), another organisation that rendered valuable services to the cause of education and upliftment of the socially downtrodden was the Christian Mission Society (CMS). Both these societies still have a presence in Nagercoil (after nearly two centuries).
Geography
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 town itself is hilly, with posh residential areas at a higher part of the land mass and several localities (including Kottar) and the bazaar in the lower part of town.
The Western Ghats is the lifeline of the town and district, with water sources for irrigation and drinking, climate, eco-system and biodiversity, and the local economy to a great extent (like rubber cultivation, etc), being influenced by this mountain range.
Sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats (the coast is just 8 km away), the town has some breathtaking sceneries of the surrounding hills (the Western Ghats), lush green paddy fields on the eastern side of the town, and a couple of kilometres away on the western side - sandy, palm-fringed beaches. Plantations of rubber, cloves, cardamom, etc and evergreen forests (around Keeriparai - famous for wild elephants) are found on the western Ghats, to the east of Nagercoil ; many of these plantations were developed by the British (rubber-plant itself was introduced by the English missionaries) in the pre-Indian independence days. Some of these plantation estates are still owned by the descendants of these British planters ; many estates are also owned by the influential Mapillai community (Syrian Christians) of Kerala.
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)
Socio-Economic Factors & Local Economy
Kanyakumari District tops the state in literacy 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.
Though Nagercoil has a high educated populace, migration to big cities in India, the Gulf and Western countries from families is quite common, given the fact that the town has no big industry, but many well-educated youngsters. The remittances from relatives earning outside the town and abroad (many in white-collar jobs), counts for a major difference in the socio-economic status of the town - as an indicator, land prices are comparable to a bigger city in Tamilnadu.
The rural areas around do not resemble the 'typical' Tamil villages in other parts of Tamilnadu - with large numbers of educated people, terraced houses, greenery, roads and access to the town, ground water, educational institutions, etc. found through the length and breadth of the populated areas of the district - much like that of Kerala.
Lack of cheap, industrial land and ignorance in infrastructure development by successive State Governments has left the town and the district dry of big business, though there is a high potential in the fields of Tourism (eco-tourism), Information-technology and knowledge based industries, rubber-based industries (the raw material rubber is available in plenty), agro and marine food-processing industries, shipping container trans-shipment terminals (at Colachel - a natural harbour), etc. The undeveloped port of Colachel near the town could be one of the closest ports in India to international shipping lanes, if developed.
Nagercoil is the headquarters of the State-owned Arasu (State) Rubber Corporation and the regional office of the Central Rubber Board. Kanyakumari District accounts for more than 95% of the production of natural rubber in the state of Tamilnadu. The rubber produced here is of superior grade. In recent years, the advent of synthetic (artificial) rubber and cheaper rubber imports from Malaysia to India has brought down demand for the rubber produced here to some extent.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has a major testing facility for Cryogenic and Liquid Propulsion rocket engines on the Mahendragiri hills (on the Western Ghats) off Nagercoil. A number of rocket scientists and engineers from all over India work at this facility, called the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). [1]
The town also serves as a centre for the Koodangulam Nuclear Power Plant reactors, being built with Russian assistance, which is situated in Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu, but is the closest major town to the facility.
The public sector Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IRE), also has a major facility at Manavaalakurichy, near the town.
Aralvaimozhy, near the town is a major centre for renewable-energy production, with thousands of wind-mill electricity generators on tall towers dotting the entire area. These are erected and technically-supported by multi-national majors in the field of renewable energy like Suzlon, Micon, etc. The steady flow of wind for these wind-mills is made possible because Aralvaimozhy is situated on a mountain gap (pass) in the Western Ghats, through which the wind gushes, almost throughout the year. The area is a delight to watch, with thousands of blades of the tall wind-mills rotating in unison, as far as the eyes can see. Some of these wind-mills are the largest in Asia (in height of the tower, length of blades and electricity produced)
Cottage and small scale industries include coir-making, handloom-weaving, rubber products, fish-net manufacturing (exported on a large scale), food-processing units, lace-making (export-oriented), etc.
Being the major Tamilnadu town closest to the Kerala capital, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) (65 km away and the closest airport to Nagercoil), trading and sending supplies to Kerala and Trivandrum is a major activity for the bustling markets at Vadasery and Kottar (availability and many items being cheaper in Tamilnadu than in Kerala adds to the thriving business).
Notable Facts
The district has one of the highest doctor-to-person ratio in the country, among districts. It seems like there is a medical practitioner in every corner of the street.
Nagercoil is also famous for medicinal herbs and traditional medicine. The medicinal and other rare flora which grow in the surrounding hills (Western Ghats) is a botanist's delight. There are a number of traditional 'asaans' (traditional medical therapists and practitioners) in the town. The preparations of the herbal medicines and the practice are generally passed on from generation to generation and is a closely guarded trade secret.
Swamithoppe, the place where Ayya Vaikundar performed Tavam and the epi-center of the religion Ayyavazhi, is the place of congregation for the people of Ayyavazhi. The District is considered as a holy place by them ; and at the time of Vaikunda Avataram, the district is crowded with Ayyavazhi followers from different parts of India.
"Villupaatu", the Tamil musical way of reciting stories by artistes was once very popular and developed around the town - especially in the Thovaalai area, near the town. Even today, during temple festivals, Villupaatu performers sing through the night with Ramayana and other stories. Thovaalai is also a major centre for cultivation, trading and auctioning of flowers (Jasmine and other varieties) - a major portion of it goes to Kerala.
The great Roman Catholic missionary, St. Francis Xavier visited the town (Kottar) in the 16th century ; the place where he celebrated Mass is now a church (Cathedral) that bears his name.
Generally, one hears of 'white sands' on the beach - but there are a few places in the District, where one can see 'black sands' (with mineral content).
Climate
Nagercoil has a pleasant climate for most part of the year, with even the maximum summer temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius and a cooler and pleasant temperature in winter (monsoon) season. Nagercoil is benefited by both the north-east monsoon and the south-west monsoon. It rains more often in this district than any other place in Tamil Nadu, with the exception of the Nilgris. The southern tip of Kanyakumari is generally 2 °C to 3 °C warmer than Nagercoil during daytime, though Kanyakumari is only 20 km away. Another peculiar feature is, it rains often in the interior regions (Nagercoil and near the hills) during the monsoon season, while the cape (Kanyakumari) gets scanty rainfall.
Flora and Fauna
The District is abundant in wildlife, plants and marine life. The variety of plants and animals vary according to the distance from the town and the height of the area.
Common animals near the town (on the hills) include porcupines, hedgehogs, wild boars, monitor lizards, storks (several varieties), water hens, cranes and varieties of reptiles, including Pythons and other snakes.
In the Mahendragiri hills (about 4000 ft above sea level), one can find bucks, leopards, etc. Deers and leopard-cubs often stray into the nearby National Highway - sometimes are run over by motorists.
Keeriparai and Maramalai, further away from the town, are habitats for wild elephants. Bisons (also Wild Buffaloes), Bears are found in the Kodayar hills.
In the Theroor wetlands near the town, one can see several varieties of Storks and migratory birds during specific seasons.
Trout fishes (fresh water type) are 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 Plantain (banana) known by local names as Nenthiram palam, Chenthuluvan, Rasakathali, Palayamkotan, Thuluvam, Matti, Jack fruit varieties Varikila and Koolan, Mango varieties alphonsa, bangalora, neelam, ottu etc. 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 for Kanyakumarians - so much so, that people take pride in having the best varieties of plants outside their houses. common garden varieties include crotons, lillies, Dahlia, etc. The sub-tropical climate favours this hobby.
In areas like Keeriparai, one can see giant cedar trees (like sequoia trees) and 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. Palmyra trees, coconut, cashew nut, mango, jack fruit are other common tree varieties.
Though the district is still rich in flora and fauna, the town itself is losing its greenery and natural ambiance due to rapid urbanization and pollution. A couple of decades back it was common to find varieties of butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets, varieties of chameleons etc. within the town. Now only in the surroundings and beyond !
Marine Life and Resources
The coastline is rocky in several places, while sandy (especially near the town). There are traces of coral reef on the eastern coast of the district (Bay of Bengal side), though now largely dead and extinct, with patches of coral reef in some places. Several varieties of coloured and other 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.
Places of Interest
Kanyakumari, the Land's end, and the confluence of the three water bodies, is 20 km to the south of Nagercoil, with tourist attractions of its own which include the Vivekanda Rock Memorial, 133 ft high statue of Tamil poet-saint Tiruvalluvar - both on the mid-sea on rocky islands; the place is also famous for its distinctly beautiful (reddish) sunrise.
Vattakottai, or Circular Fort, is a fort near Kanyakumari, right on the sea-shore. The portion running into the area is the most strongly built under the orders of De Lannoy during the reign of Mathandavarma (1729-58 AD). The view from the top of the fort, of the sea and the palm-fringed beach below, is fantastic.
Suchindrum (Thanumalayan) Temple, about 6 km from the heart of town and Nagaraja Temple (in the town), are some tourist attractions within the town.
St. Xavier Church, (Kottar, Nagercoil), built in the year 1600 AD, has historic importance due to the visit of St.Francis Xavier from Goa. The church was built in the land alloted to St. Xavier by the venad king.
Swamithoppe Ayya Vaikundar Pathi, about 11 km from Kanyakumari, which is the religious headquarters of Ayyavazhi, is well known for its non-idolatory system of worship.
Padmanabhapuram Palace (22 km from Nagercoil), once the seat of the Travancore kings, is India's only palace made completely of wood (16th century).
Chitharal Jain monuments (about 25 km), impressive rock shelters and idols dated 9-11th Century.
Thirunandikkara temple (about 20 km), rock-cut cave temple of Pallava art can be traced back to seventh and eighth century AD.
Thengapattinam Beach. This beach is located on the west coast near Painkulam village in Vilancode Taluk. It is a fine beach adorned with coconut groves. It is also a magnificent estuary where the river meets the sea. Riding in a catamaran (small boat) in the river can be a pleasant experience which can be arranged through a local fisherman. It is 35 kms from Nagercoil, 12 kms from Kuzhithurai and 54 kms from Kanniyakumari.
Udayagiri Fort (about 20 km), very close to Padmanabhapuram Palace, built by the Travancore kings around 1741 AD, is a fort previously used for training the Travancore forces and also served as Barracks. Capt. De Lenoy's (see History section) tomb is within the fort. The fort (about 90 acres and almost full of vegetation now, with several plants, reptiles, etc.) is presently declared as a bio-diversity park and maintained by the Kanyakumari forest department.
Mathur Hanging Trough, near Thiruvattar in the District carries irrigation water through a canal between two hills with an one kilometre gap in between (the hills). Built on very high pillars, it is said to be one of the biggest Aqueducts in South Asia. The view from the middle of the aqueduct of the surrounding hills and vegetation and the small river flowing down below is simply superb.
Olakaruvi waterfalls, about 20 km from Nagercoil is on the middle of a hill and requires an hour's trek by foot from the base of the hill (better to go in a group, as it is a forested area)
Keeriparai - for nature-lovers and adventurers, there are some good places (like Keeriparai) - still virgin - these places are not publicised by the Forest Department for various reasons - Keeriparai hills (30 km) and the nearby Kalikesam are good picnic spots - one can enjoy water rushing through small mountain streams, ferns and pebbles in the rainforests. There are small waterfalls in several areas here - the popular one being Vattaparai. Mountain squirrels, Jungle fowls, various snakes and other reptiles are among the fauna at Keeriparai. Wild elephants could be seen further up the hills.
Kodhayar (called Kodhayar Lower Camp) - about 60 km by mountain roads (motorable roads) with some thrilling 'hair-pin bends' and U-turns - bisons and bears are famous in this area. Access to some areas need prior permission from the Forest Department.
Pechiparai Reservoir, about 30 km from the town, in the hills, and also Perunchaani and Chittar dams are a must-see for the nature-lover (with clouds touching the top of the hills around the dams on a misty day !).
Thiruparrapu Falls, is another good waterfalls, but the 'natural ambiance' is now gone, with many artificial make-overs and over-crowding of tourists.
Muttom, a coastal village, is another place popular with tourists. The terrain in this village and its surroundings is hilly and from a height one can see an idyllic view of the place, with a Portuguese style church standing in the middle of the village. The beach-area is somewhat rocky. There is also a 100-year old lighthouse. The lighthouse, though near the sea, is situated on a land mass some 105 feet above sea level. The lighthouse originally came up here in olden days, because of the presence of a huge rock, near Muttom called 'Crocodile Rock'. Another attractive feature of this area, is a ravine-like area with reddish earth (soil) and casurina trees near the sea-side. This place with very popular with Tamil and Keralite film-makers.
Sanguthurai Beach, about 8 km from the town is a palm-fringed and sandy beach. Sothavilai Beach is another good beach, about 7 km from the heart of town. It is sandy, but hit by the recent Tsunami. There is a very good lagoon (estuary - place where the river meets the sea) at Manakudy - 10 km from the town.
Fresh water supply to the town is from the Mukkadal Reservoir, about 8 km from the town, in the interior - itself a very scenic place, with a small bushy island in the middle of the dam. The dam is surrounded by hills of the Western Ghats.
There are several more places, which though not fully developed as tourist places, are very scenic and very beautiful (call it picture-postcard sceneries !) - this includes the Boothapandi area, near the town - popular with locals (especially youngsters - the ones with motor-cycles !!!)
The best option to cover all the tourist places in Kanyakumari district is to hire a taxi and take a round trip starting from Suchindrum-Kanyakumari and travel towards the north east and to the coastal area finally ending up in Kanyakumari (or) from north east towards the south. You will be impressed by the hospitality of the local people in the villages where most of the tourist spots are located.
Education
Some schools and colleges are more than 150 years old, built by the foreign missionaries. This includes the Scott Christian College.
As explained above, European missionaries, in the 19th century and early 20th century stressed the importance of education to the people of the town and district.
Educational institutions include a number of private Engineering colleges, the Government-run Kanyakumari Medical College, Polytechnic colleges and Arts and Science Colleges. As in neighbouring Kerala, women's education and career-development are given importance almost on par with men, by all communities, especially among the Christians.
Several Colleges are run by Christian denominations and includes the St. Xavier's Catholic College of Engineering, CSI Institute of Technology, Scott Christian College (Arts and Sciences College, but with some specialised departments), Holy Cross College for women, Women's Christian College, etc.
The South Travancore Hindu College and Sivanthi Aditanar College in the town are major Hindu Arts and Sciences colleges, like the Scott Christian College.
The Noorul Islam College of Engineering at Kumaracoil, near the town, is a noted institution for its facilities and Management education programs.
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 - 8
Source:Education Dept.
Communications, Infrastructure and Administration
The town and district are served by an All India Radio (AIR) station (FM) and a Doordarshan relay station. The entire district is networked for Cable TV operations, with one major operator. Mobile phone coverage of most mobile operators cover the whole district, except the forested areas on the east. "Malaai Malar" is a locally published evening newspaper.
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.
The Indian Ocean Tsunami
Tragedy struck on the morning of 26th December, 2004 when huge killer waves swept away hundreds of men, women and children in different parts of the District, just as it struck other coastal areas of the Indian Ocean region (many probably never had heard about a Tsunami before). The official death count in the District was put at around 900, with many more missing. The Tsunami has permanently altered the coastline. In the aftermath of the Tsunami, the Government is still to work out a plan to keep the normal tidal waves from entering the land, because of the flattened coasts. The coastal communities are slowly getting back to business, thanks to help from Government agencies and the NGO's. Several NGOs are helping in the re-construction of houses, and also subsidising on new boats and nets for fishermen. The beaches near Nagercoil are once again slowly beginning to get the weekend crowds ; but the people haven't forgotten the awesome power of nature - how it can even strike several countries at the same time, with such ferocity.
http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/000233.html
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.
Refer these links to know more: [2][3][4]
- Kavimani Desika Vinayagam Pillai (renowned Tamil poet, writer and scholar)
- 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)
- Marshal Nesamani
- Suchindrum Mankalam Swaminathan Balaji
- Bala Prajapathi Adikalar, present leader of Aiyavazhi movement.
- Kumari Anandan - Leading orator and politician
- 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.
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
- Vasanth - of Vasanth & Co. (owner of leading chain-retail shops in Tamilnadu)
External links
- Official Website
- Weather Report - From Yahoo!
