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Vellore

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Vellore
Municipal Corporation
Nickname: 
Fort City
CountryIndia
StateTamil Nadu
RegionTondai Nadu
DistrictVellore
Government
 • BodyVellore Municipal Corporation
 • MayorMrs.P. Karthiyayini (AIADMK)
 • MayorMrs P. Karthiyayini Ph.D
 • MLAV. S. Vijay, Minister of Health in Jayalalithaa's cabinet
Area
 • Total87.915 km2 (33.944 sq mi)
Elevation
216 m (709 ft)
Population
 • Total501,966 (2,011)
 • Density701/km2 (1,820/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialTamil
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
632 XXX
Telephone code91- 416
Vehicle registrationTN 23, TN 73 website=vellorecorp.tn.gov.in/
Planning agencyVellore Municipal Corporation
Avg. summer temperature45 °C (113 °F)
Avg. winter temperature10 °C (50 °F)

Vellore pronounced [veːluːr] ⓘ) is a tier-II city and municipal corporation in the Vellore district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It became a municipal corporation in August 2008.[1]

Vellore is one of the oldest cities in South India, and lies on the banks of the Palar River on the site of Vellore Fort. The city is located between Chennai (145 km), Bangalore (215 km) and the temple towns of Thiruvannamalai and Tirupati. Vellore has many colleges, ancient temples, a renowned hospital (the Christian Medical College & Hospital) and a well-known technical institute (the Vellore Institute of Technology). Vellore is a transit hub for travellers and tourism.

History

Fort on either side of a narrow river
Vellore fort

Vellore has a blend of heritage and culture reflecting the ancient Dravidian civilization. It was the seat of the Pallavas, Cholas, Nayak, Marathas, Arcot Nawabs and Bijapur Sultan kingdoms. Vellore was the capital city of the Vijayanagar empire from 1606–1672. The Vellore Fort was described as the best and strongest fortress during the 18th-century Carnatic Wars, and the monuments found in the district give a vivid picture of the evolution of the city through the ages.

During the centuries before India's independence, there were many changes in the southern kingdoms and their capitals. The north and south regions of Arcot appeared on the political map in 1810, during the reign of the last Mughal Emperor. In 1908, the two districts (North and South Arcot) came into existence. Chittoor (now in Andhra Pradesh) was the first capital of the North Arcot district, and it was the principal military base of the British. In 1911 Vellore became the capital of North Arcot district, comprising Vellore and Thiruvannamalai.

Etymology

It is believed that the town and its surroundings was home to vela trees.[citation needed]

Sepoy revolt

The Vellore Revolt of 1806 (which broke out in the Vellore Fort against British authority) is considered a prelude to the Meerut Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, known as the first war for Indian independence. A monument commemorating the revolt has been installed in front of the fort near Hazrath Makkan junction, and a monument in memory of the fighters is to be built at another location in the city.

Geography

Vellore is located at 12°56′N 79°08′E / 12.93°N 79.13°E / 12.93; 79.13.[2] It has an average elevation of 216 metres (709 ft). Vellore is on a plain surrounded by low, rocky hills. The temperature ranges from 10 °C (50 °F) in the winter months from December–February to 43 °C (109 °F) in the summer months from April–June. It is a dry climate, rainy and humid only at the times of the two monsoons: June–August and October–December. Vellore's climate is similar to Delhi's; during summer, the city is very hot.

Demographics

Vellore is a cosmopolitan city; people from other parts of the state and the country come for Medical Tourism and Education. According to the 2011 census, the Vellore metropolitan area has a population over eight lakhs; the city population grew from 4,23,425 in 2001 to 5,02,000 in 2011. Vellore city consists of Sathuvachari, Vallalar, Rangapuram, Saidapet, Fort, Hazrath Makkan, Otteri, Dharapadavedu, Shenbakkam, Allapuram, Velapadi, Thorapadi, Bagayam, Kalinjur, Gandhi Nagar, Katpadi, Thottapalayam, Green circle Junction, Palavansathu, Virupakshipuram, Konavattam, Viruthampet, Kangeyanallur, Idaynsathu, Sripuram, Alumelumangapuram (A.M.Puram) and Chitheri. The city spans approximately 10 km. City is developed around the Fort, so The vellore fort is considered as center of the city and the total city area is 87.915 km².[3]

Vellore City is administrated by a mayor,a deputy mayor and a corporation commissioner. The Vellore Municipal Corporation consists of 60 wards and is divided into four zones: Katpadi, Sathuvachari, Vellore Fort and Shenbakkam. Each zones consists of 15 wards.[4][5]

Tamil is the official and most widely-spoken language. Other languages include Telugu, Urdu, Malayalam and Kannada. Most residents can converse in English and Hindi.[citation needed]

Most of the people in Vellore are Hindus. There is a significant Muslim population in the city—particularly in Kaspa, R. N. Palayam, Saidapet, Hazarath Makkan, Bakiyath Street and Sarbanamedu, which is considerably higher than the state average. Most speak Dakhni Urdu as their first language. Many of the churches located in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu belong to the Vellore Diocese. Both Catholic and CSI churches are under the jurisdiction of a bishop.[citation needed]

The crime rate in Vellore tends to be low, and the city is known for its religious and linguistic harmony.[6]

Climate

Climate data for Vellore (1951–1980)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35.3
(95.5) 		39.8
(103.6) 		42.8
(109.0) 		44.4
(111.9) 		45.0
(113.0) 		44.3
(111.7) 		40.9
(105.6) 		39.4
(102.9) 		39.6
(103.3) 		39.2
(102.6) 		35.8
(96.4) 		35.0
(95.0) 		45.0
(113.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29.2
(84.6) 		32.0
(89.6) 		35.0
(95.0) 		37.1
(98.8) 		38.5
(101.3) 		36.3
(97.3) 		34.6
(94.3) 		34.0
(93.2) 		34.0
(93.2) 		33.0
(91.4) 		29.5
(85.1) 		28.3
(82.9) 		33.5
(92.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 18.2
(64.8) 		19.2
(66.6) 		21.3
(70.3) 		24.8
(76.6) 		26.3
(79.3) 		26.0
(78.8) 		25.1
(77.2) 		24.6
(76.3) 		24.1
(75.4) 		22.9
(73.2) 		20.8
(69.4) 		19.2
(66.6) 		22.7
(72.9)
Record low °C (°F) 10.2
(50.4) 		12.0
(53.6) 		12.1
(53.8) 		13.8
(56.8) 		18.1
(64.6) 		19.6
(67.3) 		18.8
(65.8) 		18.7
(65.7) 		18.7
(65.7) 		15.6
(60.1) 		12.1
(53.8) 		11.0
(51.8) 		10.2
(50.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 9.0
(0.35) 		7.1
(0.28) 		5.9
(0.23) 		21.8
(0.86) 		83.9
(3.30) 		71.0
(2.80) 		117.0
(4.61) 		124.9
(4.92) 		149.6
(5.89) 		176.9
(6.96) 		155.2
(6.11) 		78.6
(3.09) 		1,000.9
(39.41)
Average precipitation days 0.8 0.5 0.4 1.3 4.7 5.3 6.6 7.8 7.6 9.4 7.7 3.9 56
Source: India Meteorological Department,[7]

Vellore has a tropical wet-and-dry climate, reaching high temperatures during summer..[8] The city experiences wet winters and dry summers; it has an elevation of about 224 meters, with the northeast monsoon the highest contributor to rainfall. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures during summer and winter vary between 38.5°C and 18.95°C. The highest temperature ever recorded is 45°C, and the lowest is 10°C.

The humidity ranges from 40%–63% during summer and 67%–86% during winter. The average annual rainfall is 996.7 millimetres (39.24 in). The maximum rainfall occurs during October and November, with the northeast monsoon. The area experiences rainfall during the southwest monsoon as well.[9]

Economy

The Vellore administrative center is predominantly a marketplace for its own district and neighboring districts, such as Chittoor District(Andhra Pradesh) and Thiruvannamalai District.[citation needed] The city and its nearby industrial towns have seen steady industrial growth following the development of South Asia's second railway line between Chennai, Royapuram and Walajapet.[10] The Golden Quadrilateral road has significantly increased the region's industrial activity.[citation needed] Vellore lies between IT centers (Chennai and Bangalore) and major pilgrimage centres (Tirupathi and Thiruvannamalai). Thousands of people commute to Chennai and nearby industrial towns to work.[citation needed]

Leather

Hundreds of leather and tannery facilities are located around Vellore and its nearby towns, such as Ranipet, Ambur and Vaniyambadi. The Vellore district is the top exporter of finished leather goods in the country. Vellore leather accounts for more than 37 percent[11] of the country's export of leather and leather-related products (such as finished leathers, shoes, garments and gloves). Leather and leather-product exports at the end of 1999 were estimated at Rs.2,000 crore from this district alone.

Manufacturing

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is one of the nine major federal-government-owned enterprises in the nation. The area is home to the Boiler Auxiliaries Plant of BHEL located in Ranipet (the industrial hub of Vellore), which employs about 10,000 people and is one of the fastest-growing BHEL units in India. Ranipet also has about 250 small-scale engineering plants catering mainly to BHEL, and is probably the second-largest fabrication cluster in India.

Chemical plants in the Ranipet-SIPCOT economic zone are a major source of income.[citation needed] EID Parry is a sanitary-ware manufacturing company with 38 percent of the world's market share in bathroom accessories.[12] Tirumalai Chemicals and Greaves are among the international brands located in the area. Automobile and mechanical companies of Global Brands, including SAME-DEUTZ, TVS–Brakes India, Mitsubishi, Greaves Cotton and MRF, are in the area.

Arakonam (near Vellore) is the home of companies such as Madras Rubber Factory, and TVS Brakes India[clarification needed] has a manufacturing facility in Sholingur, 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Vellore. Brakes India Sholingur's foundry division is located at Vellore-Sholingur and is a major employer in the area.[13]

Asia's biggest explosives manufacturing company, Tamil Nadu Explosives Limited (TEL), is located in Vellore at Katpadi. This is India's only government explosives company with more than a thousand employees.[clarification needed] The company is headed by a senior Indian Administrative Service officer. R. P. Sinha (who was recruited from a multinational explosives corporation for his knowledge of best practices) was the first general manager of the company retired since. During his tenure, TEL reached its maximum production.[14]

Kramski Stamping and Molding India Pvt Ltd. (a German precision metal and plastic integrated-component manufacturing company with automotive, telecommunications, electronics and medical applications) is located in Erayankadu, near Vellore.[15]

Retail

Major businesses in the city center are located on Officer's Line, Town Hall Road, Long Bazaar and Bangalore, Scudder, Arni, Gandhi and Katpadi Roads. Many boarding and lodging houses are located in and around Scudder and Gandhi Roads.

Medical centers

Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMCH), on Ida Scudder Road in the heart of the city, is Vellore's largest private employer and has a large floating population from other parts of India and abroad. Lodging, hospitals and allied businesses are among the major sources of income generated in the central part of the city. The Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital (VMCH) is located at Adukamparai in Vellore City. The Government VMCH has a large in- and outpatient population from throughout the country. With the advent of hospitals such as Apollo KH Hospitals in Melvisharam and Sri Narayani Medical Research Center in Sripuram, coupled with colleges such as CMC & VIT and other engineering and science colleges, the healthcare industry is growing rapidly.[16]

Agriculture

The mainstay for people in the rural areas, more than agriculture, is industries such as weaving, beedi and match-stick rolling. The Indian Army has a number of recruits from the Vellore district (especially from Kammavanpet, which is known as "the military village") and military spending is a major sources of income for the region.[17]

Future plans

The Tamil Nadu Government has announced its plan to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Vellore, a leather goods SEZ on 260 acres (1.1 km2) at Ranipet and another SEZ at Katpadi.[18] A new IT park was proposed in Vellore by state-owned Electronics Limited Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) in partnership with the private sector in FY 2008–2009,[19] but as of 2012 has not materialized. But as of May 2012, IT park land is being identified at Rangapuram opposite to TNSTC divisional office on NH 46. There is also a Bypass road to connect SH4 to Vellore Chennai NH. [20]

Chennai-Bangalore-Mumbai industrial corridor

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted in principle[when?] the suggestion made by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to declare the stretch along the Chennai-Bangalore Highway as an industrial corridor with plans for a bullet train, a six-lane road and an extension of the metro rail from Chennai to Bangalore. It was the opinion of the state government that making the Chennai-Vellore-Hosur-Bangalore Highway an industrial corridor would facilitate the development of world-class infrastructure along the highway and further the industrial development of Vellore, Ranipet, Hosur and Krishnagiri.[citation needed]

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) welcomed the proposed corridor, to be built on the lines of an industrial corridor planned between Delhi and Mumbai. Under its City Connect programme, the CII held discussions with senior officials of the Tamil Nadu government to develop the corridor.[21] "The Chennai-Bangalore industrial corridor would go a long way in tapping the potential of the two states to attract investment and help creation of a skilled workforce", Gopal Srinivasan (chairman of the CII's Tamil Nadu Council) said.[22]

Education

Thanthai Periyar Govt. Institute of technology

Main article: List of educational institutions in Vellore

Vellore is considered a good destination for medical and technological education in India.[23][24] It has a state-government university, a private technological university, one government and one private medical school and several engineering colleges. Students from 43 countries and 23 states in India are said to be studying at the Vellore Institute of Technology.

Research centres

The country's first stem-cell translational research centre was established in Vellore in December 2005.[25] The central government's biotechnology department selected the Christian Medical College (CMC) as the first in a series of centers, since it already had world-class clinical hematology and biochemistry departments.[26] The college has made a breakthrough which attracted the attention of the country's medical and scientific community: the Centre for Stem Cell Research at the Christian Medical College succeeded in reprogramming cells from adult mice to make them function like stem cells found in the human embryo.[27]

The agricultural research station at Virinjipuram is in the Northeastern Zone of Tamil Nadu. It is one of 32 research stations of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU).[citation needed] Another research station is located in the Virinjipuram village of Katpadi Taluk in Vellore District. It is about 15 km from the Vellore bus station on the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway and 21 km from the Katpadi railway station.[citation needed]

The Government of India-sponsored National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) scheme has been in operation since October 1997, with the main objective being trials of conservation measures conducted in water and soil of 18 watersheds in the Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts.[citation needed]

Universities

Thiruvalluvar University

The Thiruvalluvar University was split off from the University of Madras, previously located earlier in the Vellore Fort campus. The foundation stone for a multi-core university campus was laid at Serkaadu (near Katpadi in Vellore) by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi on 16 February 2008. It opened on 27 November 2010.[28] Nearly all the government-run arts and science colleges in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts are affiliated with Thiruvalluvar University.[28] [29]

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)

The Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is in Katpadi, Vellore. VIT has been ranked best private engineering university in India by the magazine India Today.[30][31] Both India Today and the Times of India ranked VIT eighth overall. VIT is the most recent Indian university to be accredited by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in London and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in the US. VIT received the highest possible grade (A) from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council for all programs offered by the university during its re-accreditation process in January 2009. Programmes at VIT have been accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). VIT has two schools of study and also houses the VIT Business School. The college has about 15,000 students from all over India and from over 25 countries.

Panorama of city with mixture of one- to two-story buildings
Aerial view of VIT Vellore campus
Medical Colleges
Three-story building with central column, framed with palm trees
Main building of the Christian Medical College Hospital

Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMCH) is one of the largest hospitals in India and also Asia,[citation needed] located in the heart of Vellore City. It is a major health-care provider for the surrounding districts.[32]

Business
Technology Tower building in VIT

The VIT Business School is a member of the Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The All India Management Association (AIMA) placed VITBS at the top of the A3 schools, in line with the top schools in south India.[33]

Arts and sciences

Auxilium Women's College (founded in 1954) is the first women's college in Vellore district;[34] other arts and sciences colleges in the area are the Dhanabakyam Krishnaswamy Mudhaliar Women's College (DKM) near Sainathapuram and the Muthurangam Government Arts College (MGAC) in Otteri, near Bagayam. Voorhees College (founded 1898) is the oldest college in the district and known as the institution where S. Radhakrishnan (former president of India) studied; a commemorative stamp for the centenary of the college was issued by the government of India. C. Abdul Hakeem College is located in Melvisharam. Arignar Anna Arts College for Women(AAA) is located in Walajapet. Sacred Heart College is in Tirupattur.[35]

Law

The Government Law College in Vellore was established in 2008. It offers a three-year Bachelor of Laws (BL) degree with an annual intake of 80 students. The college is located in Katpadi, Vellore.[36]

Agriculture

Adhiparasakthi Agriculture College in Kalavai, Vellore is affiliated with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Arabic

There are several Arabic colleges in Vellore such as the Madrasa Al-Baqiyathus Salihath (Arabic: مدرسة الباقيات الصالحات‎), popularly known as Baaqiyaath, founded by A'la Hadrat Maulana Shah Abdul Wahab, which is the second oldest Arabic college [37][38] in India after Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh.

Correctional institutions and training schools

Police recruit school

The police recruit school is located inside the Vellore Fort. A training school to recruit constables was opened in Vellore in April 1908. It is one of the two permanent police-recruit schools in Tamil Nadu (the other one is in Coimbatore). The Inspector General of Police, in his letter to the government dated 25 August 1897, caused the government to form a combined training school at Vellore for police inspectors and station-house officers who were to undergo a six-month course. In 1909, a police museum which had been in the Inspector General of Police office since 1901 was moved to the Police Training School at Vellore. The 1973–1974 class of directly-recruited sub-inspectors was the last class to receive training at Vellore. In 1976 the Police Training College (PTC) moved to Chennai Ashok Nagar, where it became the Police Recruit School (PRS). In 1990, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were arrested in Hyder Mahal at the police recruit school.

Warders Training Centre

There is a prison-warders training centre at Vellore, which conducts a six-month training course for grade-II warders. The centre also provides in-service training to grade-I and -II warders in handling modern weapons and prison management, with an emphasis on human rights. In-service training includes martial arts, commando skills, unarmed combat and bomb disposal. The Police Standing Order (PSO) temporary warders' training centres in Trichy and Coimbatore has begun training newly-recruited warders.

Academy of Prisons and Correctional Administration

The Academy of Prisons and Correctional Administration in Thorapadi, Vellore city, is the first of its kind in India and a model of regional co-operation; it is sponsored by the four southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The institute was inaugurated on 1 October 1979, and pioneered the preparation of personnel for prison and correctional administration. Its aim is to reintegrate offenders into mainstream society. The academy was formerly known as the Regional Institute of Correctional Administration (RICA).[39]

Vellore Central Jail

The Vellore Central Prison (established in 1830) is historically important for housing such eminent personalities and freedom fighters as Rajaji, C. N. Annadurai, Kamaraj, former presidents of India V. V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Sayyid Husain Shihabudheen Attakkoya Thangal Panakkad and other political leaders (such as Vaiko). The present prison was built in 1867; its total area is 153 acres (0.62 km2) and its authorised accommodation is 2,130. Its architectural design is radial blocks with a tower. Vellore Central Jail is the second-largest prison in Tamil Nadu (after Puzhal Central Prison).

Women's Prison

This prison opened on 15 April 1836, and was originally known as the Presidency Jail for Women Prisoners. The prison occupies 13.62 acres (55,100 m2) of land, with an authorised accommodation of 412. This prison is managed by women officers and staff. There is a nursery and crèche available in the prison to care for children accompanying the prisoners. It is the largest jail in the Vellore area.

Convicts from various districts of India and Burma who were sentenced to imprisonment were confined in the jail. Many prisoners sentenced to transportation by the courts of the Madras Presidency were kept there if they were considered physically unfit for deportation.

The chief industry in the jail is weaving a variety of cloths in various patterns, tablecloths, gunny cloth (burlap) and choir mats. The weaving technique was first taught to the convicts by a carpet weaver from Ellore, and the fabrics are sold in England. Carpentry, shoe-making, iron and brass work and tent-making are also done there. With work and good conduct, convicts may earn a remission not exceeding one-sixth of their total sentence.

Tourism

Vellore Fort

Main article: Vellore Fort
"Roads inside the fort"
Fort Front View

During British rule the Tippu Sultan's family and the last king of Sri Lanka, Vikrama Rajasinha, were held as royal prisoners in the fort. The fort houses a church, a mosque and a Hindu temple, the latter known for its carvings. The first rebellion against British rule erupted at this fort in 1806, and it also witnessed the massacre of the Vijayanagara royal family of Emperor Sriranga Raya.

The fortifications consist of a main rampart, broken at irregular intervals by round towers and rectangular projections. The main walls are built of massive granite stones, surrounded by a broad moat fed with water by subterranean pipes from the Suryagunta reservoir. Within the fort is the similarly-aged Jalakanteswara Temple. The fort is a noteworthy example of military architecture in South India. The Fort also houses the Tipu Mahal where Tipu Sultan is believed to have stayed with his family during the war with the British; the graves of Tipu's sons are found at Vellore. The fort is administered by the Archeological Survey of India. Vellore Fort has been declared a Monument of National Importance and is a noted tourist attraction.

State Government Museum

The State Government Museum is inside the fort, and was opened to the public in 1985. It consists of objects of art, archaeology, prehistory, weapons, sculptures, bronzes, wood carvings, handicrafts, numismatics, philately, botany, geology and zoology. Historical monuments of the erstwhile composite North Arcot District are contained in the gallery.

Special exhibits include a bronze double sword from Vellore Taluk dating to 400 BC, stone sculptures from the late Pallava to Vijayanagar periods, ivory chess boards and coins used by the last Kandian King of Sri Lanka, Vikrama Raja Singha. Educational activities at the museum include an art camp for school students and the study of inscriptions and iconography for college students.

Kavalur Observatory

Kavalur Observatory (Vainu Bappu Observatory) is located in Kavalur in the Javadu Hills (part of the Eastern Ghats) in Alangayam, Vellore district. The observatory is at an altitude of 725 m above mean sea level (longitude 78°49.6'E; latitude 12°34.6'N). Besides its distance from city lights and industrial areas, its location was chosen to be closer to the equator to cover the northern and southern hemispheres easily. Its location makes it is the only major astronomical facility between Australia and South Africa for observing southern objects. The largest telescope in Asia (with a diameter of 2.3 m) is located here.

Clock Tower

The Clock Tower is located in the heart of the city on K. V. Road (Long Bazaar). The tower was erected to commemorate the coronation of King George V. It is also dedicated to the 22 English soldiers who went to fight from this town during World War I (1914–1918), of whom 14 died in the war.[citation needed] The clock-tower building is now used as the central flower market in Vellore city.

Church of South India

The church is nearly 150 years old. The British soldiers who died during the Sepoy Mutiny are buried near the church, and the church is authorized to maintain the cemetery where they are buried by the British Government.

Amirthi Forest

The Amirthi zoological park is located in the Javadi Hills of Tellai across Amirthi River, 25 km from the Vellore Town Bus Terminus. It opened in October 1967 and has an area of 25 hectares. There is an office at Amirthi headed by a forest ranger. There is also a hill-tribe society at Nimmiyambattu (near Amirthi) whose aim is to provide employment opportunities to members of the hill tribes in the area.

Pool of water surrounded by trees, with mountain in background
Amirthi Forest

Villapakkam

The hilly area locally known as Pancha Pandava Malai in Villapakkam was a flourishing Jain center during the early medieval period; this is evident from the rock-cut cave temple on the eastern face of the hill, natural caverns with Jain figures and inscriptions.

Sripuram Golden Temple

Main article: Sripuram
Changing photos of the Golden temple in Vellore
Golden Temple

Sri Lakshmi Temple, popularly known as Golden Temple,[40] is a newly built temple ad spiritual park in Thirumalaikodi, Vellore.It is approximately 8 km from the Vellore Town Bus Terminus, near the fort. The temple is located on 100 acres, and has been constructed by Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peedam headed by Sakthi Amma. The temple has intricate carvings, hand-made by hundreds of gold artisans specializing in temple architecture. The exterior of the temple is laid with gold sheets and plates, with construction reported to have cost Rs.300 crores (US$65 million). About 1,500 kg of gold was used for the temple, the largest amount in the world. The lighting is arranged in such a way that the temple glitters even at night. It was completed on August 24, 2007. The outer pathway of the temple is star-shaped, 1.8 km in length, and its walls are inscribed with the teachings of Sakthi Amma.

French Bungalow

Locally called the "French Castle", the French Bungalow is 33 km from Vellore city and was built by Srinivasa Iyer (a minor prince of the erstwhile Mysore state). The prince belonged to the Arni Jagir clan; when he went abroad to study, he fell in love with a French woman. They married and returned to India, where they built a bungalow seven km from Poosaimallikuppam. The house is now in ruins, due to vandalism and neglect. It is a brass-frame structure, and much of the building material was imported. Most of the metal was imported from Glasgow and has failed to rust, despite harsh weather conditions over the years. The main building has four towers, one at each corner. The walls are made of limestone and stone, which is why the main structure still stands. The attic is now in ruins, since the wooden roof has been vandalised. The building had servants' quarters with kitchens, also in ruins. There is also a granary on the premises. The house features a well (now dry), which served as a Roman bath.

Places of worship

"Sri Jalagandeeswarar Temple Main Gopuram, Feb 2012
Jalagandeeswarar Temple
"Srilakshmi Golden Temple surrounded by Water

Jalakandeswarar Temple, Srilakshmi Golden Temple, Seethalakshmana Sametha Sri Kothanda Ramar Swamy Temple at Rangapuram, Thengal Ashram, Sholinghur Narasimha Swamy Temple, Mettukulam MahaMuthumariamman Temple, Virinchipuram Shivan Temple, Pallikonda Ranganathaswamy Temple, Wallajapet Dhanvantri Temple and Ponnai Navagraha Kottai Temple are among the temples in the area. The district is also known for Murugan temples, such as the Rathinagiri Balamurugan Temple. The city also has churches and mosques. Assumption Cathedral and the 150-year-old St. John's Church inside the fort are among the churches in Vellore. The Big Mosque, in the heart of the city, houses the largest Arabic college in India.

Jalakandeswarar Temple

Jalakandeswarar Temple ("Shiva in the water"), inside the Vellore Fort, has a Gopuram (tower); Shiva is worshiped in the form of Jalakandeswarar. The temple is located lower than the temple moat (hence its name), and the temple had been closed for a long time.

  • Jalakandeswarar Temple's main Gopuram
    Jalakandeswarar Temple's main Gopuram
  • Inside prakaram (closed precincts of a temple) entrance seen through the Raja Gopuram of Jalakandeswarar Temple
    Inside prakaram (closed precincts of a temple) entrance seen through the Raja Gopuram of Jalakandeswarar Temple
  • Jalakandeswarar Temple
    Jalakandeswarar Temple
  • Jalakandeswarar Temple
    Jalakandeswarar Temple

The temple (built in the late Vijayanagar style) consisted of a main shrine and a closed path around it and a number of shub-shrines. It has two courtyards.

Outdoor stone "pages", with inscribed temple history
History of Jalakandeswarar Temple, inscribed in stone

The structures in the courtyard include the Gopuram on the south side, which is the entrance to the temple. In the southwest corner of the outer courtyard is the Kalyanamantapa, an example of the late Vijayanagar style with its pillars, ceilings and plinth moldings. The temple entrance is topped with a gopuram with massive wooden gates, and studded with bosses of iron resembling lotus flowers. There are impressive sculptures in the temple. The shrine is within an inner line of walls, whose carvings are crude compared with the outer enclosure. In the northwest corner of the outer prakara there is a well with a stone doorway, which is usually below the water level; this is said to lead to the River Palar.

Ratnagiri Temple

Main article: Ratnagiri Murugan Temple

Rathnagiri Temple is devoted to Lord Balamurugan. Balamurugan Adimaigal developed the hilltop temple in 1968, also founding a hospital and school with community involvement.

Vallimalai

Front of multicolor, multi-story temple
Mahamuthumariamman Temple

This temple, dedicated to Lord Murugan, is located in the Eastern Ghats about 30 km from Vellore and is known for its scenic views. In temple legend Lord Maha Vishnu's two daughters were Valli and Devayanai, who prayed for even-tempered husbands and fell in love with Lord Murugan.[41] In the vicinity are Jain caves, whose entry is restricted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI); legends exist as to what are in them.[42]

Aanaikulathamman Koil

This temple is near to velapadi in Vellore.[43]

Cathedral

The main Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore is adjacent to the Bishop's House and became a religious center after it was rebuilt in 2001. The bell tower of the church (said to be the highest bell tower in India) is a tourist attraction.

Balamathi

Balamathi is a small village in the Eastern Ghats, known for its Balamurugan temple.[citation needed]

  • View from the Balamathi hills
  • View from the Balamathi hills
    View from the Balamathi hills
  • Panoramic view
    Panoramic view

Virinchipuram

This temple is located 15 km from the city, and has an underground route to the Vellore Jalagendeswarar temple.[citation needed]

Mettukulam

The Anjaneyar temple is located 12 km from the old bus stand, and 7 km from the Vellore city limits.[citation needed]

Transportation

Map routes

Road

NH 46 Green Circle Junction (Central Bus Terminus) flyover in Vellore City

Major National Highways passing through Vellore are:

Vellore is connected with major cities in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Bus service is available to Chennai, Bangalore, Tirupathi, Salem, Coimbatore, Mysore, Chittoor, Hosur, Nagercoil, Cuddalore, Kurnool, Trichy, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kanyakumari, Arani, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanchipuram, Kalpakkam, Gudiyatham, Dharmapuri, Erode, Tirupur, Palakkad, Krishnagiri, Gingee and other major towns and cities in South India.

Vellore is on NH46 (which connects Bangalore and Chennai), NH4 from Ranipet to Chennai and the Cuddalore-Chittoor highway, making it a transit hub. The Golden Quadrilateral (the largest express highway project in India) makes the city easy to reach from Bangalore and Chennai (on average, 2.1 hours from Chennai and 3 hours from Bangalore).

Bus

Vellore is served by the city bus service, which connects the city, suburbs and other places of interest. The bus service extends about 30 km from the city center. The city has two bus terminals: the Town Bus Terminus (opposite the fort and near CMC Hospital) and the Central Bus Terminus (Near Green Circle), Other bus terminals are located at Chittor Bus Stand (near VIT Road), Bagayam and Katpadi(Junction bus stop). All above bus stands are maintained by the Vellore Municipal Corporation.

Cars and taxis

Hired cars and taxis charge a flat rate and do not abide by government fixed fares; however, their rates are less expensive than their counterparts in Chennai, Coimbatore and Bangalore.[citation needed]

Rail

Main articles: Katpadi Junction and Vellore Cantonment

Vellore city has three main railway stations. The largest is Vellore-Katpadi Junction, 5 km north of CMC hospital. This is a major railway junction on the Chennai-Bangalore broad-gauge line running to Chennai, Bangalore, Tirupati and Trichy. There are direct rail links to Vijayawada Junction, Tirupati, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, Bangalore, Bhopal Junction, Mumbai, Mangalore, Tiruchchirapalli, Bilaspur, Korba, Patna, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, Kanniyakumari, Shirdi, Kanpur, Gaya, Dhanbad, Jammu Tawi, Madurai, Bhilai, Gwalior, Chennai Central, Howrah Station, New Delhi Railway Station, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Calicut, Jaipur and other major cities. More than 150 trains cross the Vellore-Katpadi Junction daily.[44]

The second-big station, Vellore Cantonment, is in Suriyakulam on the Villupuram-Tirupati broad gauge line, 8 km from Katpadi Junction. EMU and passenger trains to Tirupati, Chennai and Arakonnam depart from here.[45] The 150-km broad gauge line was extended to Villupuram in January 2010, and connects Vellore and South Tamil Nadu; however, as of October 2010 it was not serviced by passenger trains.[46][47] An EMU from Vellore Cantonment to Chennai Central was introduced on December 22, 2008.

The third-big and smallest station, Vellore Town Station, is in Konavattam on the line connecting Katpadi Junction with Villipuram Junction.

Air

The city has an airport near Abdullapuram; as of 2010 it was not open to the public, and was used for aeronautical training programmes. The nearest international airports are Chennai International Airport (130 km) and Bengaluru International Airport (200 km); the nearest domestic airport is Tirupati Airport (100 km).

The Tamil Nadu government proposed to renovate the Abdullapuram airport to allow the operation of 45-seat ATR aircraft, and announced it would speed up the construction of terminal buildings. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has embarked on an "idle airports activation programme" in the south (including Vellore).

The Vellore airstrip, located on 51.5 acres (208,000 m2), has been opened to trainee pilots of the Madras Flying Club. The proposed Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Aeronautical Science will be moved from Sriperumpudhur to Vellore.

Media and communications

Newspapers

Leading Tamil, English, Telugu, Kannada and other regional-language newspapers are available in Vellore; English-language dailies such as the Deccan Chronicle, The New Indian Express (Vellore city edition), The Hindu, The Times of India and the Deccan Herald also available here. The Tamil dailies Thinaththanthi, Dinamalar, Dinakaran, Dinamani, Tamil Oosai, Tamil Murasu, Maalai Murasu and Malai Malar are printed in Vellore.

TV and radio

Palar TV, Success TV, Arun TV, Vstar TV, Rainbow TV, Brave TV and Thulir TV are the principal local TV channels available in Vellore city. A station of All India Radio is located at Viruthampet, in Vellore city.

Telephone

Vellore Telecom Circle is run by Tamil Nadu Telecom. The administrative offices are on Infantry Road, near the Vellore Cantonment railway station.

Cuisine

Vellore cuisine is similar to the Tamil Nadu style; however, the city also features non-vegetarian biryanis (made with basmati rice) for the Muslim communities in Ambur, Vaniyambadi and Arcot.[citation needed]

Politics

Vellore is part of the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.[48]

Notable residents

References

  1. ^ "About Vellore City Municipal Corporation – History Of The Vellore City Municipal Corporation". Department Of Municipal Administration And Water Supply, Govt. of Tamil Nadu.
  2. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Vellore
  3. ^ Tamil Nadu government G.O.(Rt).No. 221 dated 28.09.2010
  4. ^ Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011 (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. p. 13. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  5. ^ "About Vellore City Municipal Corporation". Vellore City Municipal Corporation. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  6. ^ Religious Harmony among Muslims in Vellore: http://www.twocircles.net/2009sep26/urdu_speaking_tamil_muslims_vellore_tamil_nadu.html
  7. ^ "Climatological Information for Tirupattur,India". India Meteorological Department.
  8. ^ Hot climate report on The Hindu: http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/23/stories/2009082350350200.htm
  9. ^ Vellore climate on Vellore Corporation website: http://vellorecorp.tn.gov.in/abs_Corporation.htm
  10. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royapuram_Railway_Station
  11. ^ "ACTIVITIES AND SCHEMES OPERATED BY DISTRICT INDUSTRIES CENTRE, VELLORE DISTRICT". Vellore District Administration. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  12. ^ EID Parry Analysis Report: http://www.eidparry.com/analysisreport.asp
  13. ^ Brakes India Foundry Division Official Website: http://www.brakesindia.com/brakesfoundry/index.html
  14. ^ Welcome to TNIEL
  15. ^ KARMSKI Official Website for Vellore operations: http://gmbh.kramski.com/846.html
  16. ^ Maninder Kaur, "Vellore—the town with the "healing touch". The Tribune, April 28, 2002 Archived from the original 2012-05-05.
  17. ^ Rao, Smitha (12 May 2006). "Vellore". Times of India. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  18. ^ "Business Standard – Leather SEZ & IT Park in Vellore". Business Standard. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  19. ^ "TN plans four SEZs in backward areas". Chennai, India: Business Standard. 22 February 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  20. ^ "ELCOT Website — List of Tier II cities where IT parks are planned". ELCOT. Retrieved 4 September 2010. [dead link]
  21. ^ Nod for route to Bangalore as industrial corridor
  22. ^ Chennai-Bangalore industrial corridor mooted
  23. ^ Outlook ranking of colleges in Vellore (CMC): http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?265892
  24. ^ India Today Ranking of VIT: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Photo/1366/3/India/India%27s+Top+Engineering+Colleges.htm
  25. ^ "Stem cell research centre to come up at CMC, Vellore". Hindu Times. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  26. ^ CMC Hospitals Central Government's proposal
  27. ^ Menon, Jaya (9). "Vellore research centre makes stem cell breakthrough". Times of India. Retrieved 1 July 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  28. ^ a b "Karunanidhi renames Officers' Line in Vellore Anna Salai". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 28 November 2010.
  29. ^ Thiruvalluvar University Official Website: http://www.tvuni.in/
  30. ^ VIT Ranking in India Today: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Photo/3308/3/best-engineering-colleges-in-india,-2010.html
  31. ^ "Vellore Institute of Technology". The Times Of India.
  32. ^ "India's mushrooming medical cities: will it mean affordable treatment?". Rediff. 28 July 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  33. ^ Indian Management, September 2009.
  34. ^ "Auxilium College". FMA Chennai. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  35. ^ Sacred Heart College website
  36. ^ "BCI's approval for Vellore law college questioned". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  37. ^ Abdul Majeed Khatib, அண்ணல் அஃலா ஹள்ரத்(ரஹ்)அழகிய சரிதை - Beautiful History of A'la Hadrath, Pages 31-48, Vellore - 632004, Darul Khatib,1992
  38. ^ J.B.P. More, Political Evolution of Muslims in Tamilnadu and Madras 1930–1947, Page 54, Orient Blackswan, 1997, ISBN 978-81-250-1192-7
  39. ^ APCA Official Website: http://www.rica.tn.nic.in/Default.htm
  40. ^ Welcome to the official site of Sripuram
  41. ^ Famous Vallimalai Murugan Temple in Vellore District, Hill temples of Murugan in vellore
  42. ^ "Vallimalai temple home page". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  43. ^ aanaikulathamman Temple - Google Maps
  44. ^ Katpadi Station arrival and departure status: http://indiarailinfo.com/arrivals/36
  45. ^ New Broad gauge line Vellore Cantonment Station: http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111154950500.htm
  46. ^ Opening of BG track between Vellore Cantonment, Villupuram awaited in The Hindu. 2010-10-06. Accessed 2010-12-06.
  47. ^ The line was opened for goods trains in June 2010. Goods trains operated on newly laid track in The Hindu. 2010-06-26. Accessed 2010-12-06.
  48. ^ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2008-10-08.

Dr.V.Aravinth Reddy.,B.J.P MEDICAL CELL TAMILNADU STATE SECRETARY.,,,IMA VELLORE PRESIDENT.,

External links


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