Thiruvithamcode

Thiruvithamcode திருவிதாங்கோடு തിരുവിതാങ്കോട്
panchayat town
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Kanniyakumari
Population  (2001)
• Total	16,689
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	629174
Telephone code	Dialing code 04651
Vehicle registration	TN75

Thiruvithamcode (also spelled Thiruvithancode, Thiruvithankodu and Thiruvithangodu) is a small panchayat town located in the Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu was carved out of Travancore-Cohin State in the 1956 State re-organization comprising its four southern taluks of Thovala, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode.Nanjilnadu, which is the present Agasteeswaram and Thovalai taluks of the Kanyakumari district, was under the rule of Pandyas till the early 10th century and then under Cheras. Idainadu comprising the present Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks were under the rule of Cheras. When the power of Cheras declined due to the rise of Hoysalas and western Chalukyas, the Venad (Travancore) Chieftains (descendants of the Cheras) took advantage of the situation and gradually established their hold, on many areas of Nanjilnadu. The annexation commenced by Veera Kerala Varma was to a large extent continued by his successors and completed by 1115 A.D.

For about four centuries, Travancore was ruled by powerful kings who were consistently making incursions into the pandyan territories. As a result, the Vijayanagar kings proceeded against Travancore .In 1609 Kanyakumari fell into the mighty hands of Viswanatha Nayak of Madurai. Consequent to this, there was no serious threat to Nanjilnadu, until 1634. In 1729, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma took control of Travancore after putting down the insurgency of the Ettuveettil Pillamars. He defeated the forces of the Dutch East India Company under Eustachius De Lannoy in 1741 at the Battle of Colachel. In the later part of the 18th century, Chanda Sahib, a rebel commandant related to the Nawab of Arcot attacked Nagercoil and other areas. Travancore had to contend with such attacks and monetary demands from the Carnatic Nawabs or from their rebellious governors until the English fully supported the state of Travancore. In spite of the troubles encountered in the southern border of Travancore, Marthanda Varma expanded the kingdom towards north up to Aluva and established the state of Travancore. By this, the present day Kanyakumari District came to be known as Southern Travancore. Later, the capital was shifted from Padmanabhapuram (in present-day Kanyakumari District) to Thiruvananthapuram.

After Marthanda varma, Venad had to face incursions of Mysore's Tipu Sultan. This led to treaties with the English East India Company. Subsequently, the kings of Travancore ruled the country accepting the hegemony of the English. In 1762, a treaty with the Carnatic Nawab brokered by the English gave control of Shengottai and Kanyakumari to Travancore. The rule of the Travancore royals finally ceased in 1947 when Travancore had to join the independent Indian Union. In 1949, Kanyakumari district became part of the newly constituted Travancore-Cochin State. The people of Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode Taluks, which formed the southern divisions of the former Trivandrum District, were predominantly Tamil speaking and a popular agitation for merging the Tamil speaking majority areas of Southern Travancore to Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) was started during this period and was intensified under the leadership of M.A. Nesamony,a prominent leader from Nadar community who stoutly fought against the oppression of majority Nair community . They agitated for the merger of this area with Madras State. The States Reorganisation Commission also recommended merger. Accordingly, the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 was passed and the Kanyakumari District was formed on 1 November 1956, annexing the four Taluks of Southern Travancore namely Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam. Thereby Thiruvithamcode which formed part of Kalkulam Taluk in Southern Travancore became part of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu from 1 November 1956 onwards.

According to History of Travancore written by Shangunni Menon the word Thiruvithamcode means Thiru-prosperity,Vithan-abode,Code-Place.An abode of prosperity land.

Thiruvithamcode is thickly populated by Muslim community. Historical treatises depicts that while Padmanabhapuram was the capital of Travancore Muslim business men from North India came to Padmanabhapuram and settled at Thiruvithamcode and Thengapattanam and married to local women. Gradually attracted by the universal brotherhood of Islam many natives embraced Islam.

Even before the formation of Kerala State Muslim community from Thiruvithamcode settled in many parts of Travancore,Cochin and Malabar States including the present Thiruvananathapuram District in Kerala state. Muslim community from Thiruvithamcode settled in Thiruvananthapuram has an association called TMAT(Thiruvithamcode Muslim Association Thiruvananthapuram) which is a registered charitable Society having its registered office at Chalai.

Thiruvithamcode is about 20 km from Nagercoil, and 2 km from Thuckalay.

As of 2001 India census, Thiruvithankodu had a population of 16,689. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Thiruvithankodu has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 79%. In Thiruvithankodu, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The Muslim Arts College, Noorul Islam Polytechnic College, Government Higher Secondary School and IMS school are important local educational institutions.

Religion

Thiruvidhankodu Sri Parithipani Mahadevar temple is one of the oldest temple in Kanyakumari District.This Temple is famous for shivalaya Ottam. It is the 10th shivalaya temple.

One of the Sivalaya Hindu temples of Kanyakumari district is here. Thiruvithamcode is the second village of the Elur Chetty community. The Ganga Prameswari Amman Temple of Anchoorum Perumal Konarkal is situated here. Thiruvithamcode has two ancient churches:

• St Mary's Orthodox Church (Thiruvithamcode Arappally) which is believed by local Christian communities in Kerala to have been established by St Thomas in the first century AD, along with seven other churches (ezharappallikal) in Kerala;
• The Ascension Jesus Church which is believed to have been established by St Francis Xavier.

Thiruvithamcode is thickly populated by Muslim community. Historical treatises depicts that while Padmanabhapuram was the capital of Travancore Muslim business men from North India came to Padmanabhapuram and settled at Thiruvithamcode and Thengapattanam and married to local women. Gradually attracted by the universal brotherhood of Islam many natives embraced Islam.

There are six Muslim mosques in Thiruvithamcode and two Jamaath:

• Thiruvithamcode Muslim Jamaath (TMJ);
• Shiekh Noorudeen Oliyullah Muslim Muhallam – Anjuvannam (SNOMMT).
• One more new mosque is also situated in Thurappu Jn (Thouheeth Jamaat).

Muslim saints Malik Mohamed Sahib Appa and Sheikh Noordeen Valiyullah have tombs in this town.