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**Karaikkudi**
	Karaikkudi
	Karaikkudi Location of Karaikkudi; in Tamil Nadu and India
Coordinates	10°04′N 78°47′E / 10.07°N 78.78°E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District(s)	Sivaganga
Population	86,422 (2001)
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area; • Elevation	; • 82 m (269 ft)
• Pincode	• 630001
• Telephone	• +04565
• Vehicle	• 63
Website	www.karaikudi.com

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

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[1] Karaikudi had a population of 86,422. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Karaikudi has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Karaikudi, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. The estimated population of Karaikudi urban agglomeration in 2004 is 132,294. This is also termed as the best place to live among the other places in the same district.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Geography

Karaikudi is located in Sivagangai district between Trichy - Rameswaram High road. Earlier it was a small village in Ramanathapuram District. In 1928 it was changed from Panchayat to Municipality. The city is well facilitated with Railways and Roadways since 1930. The Thennar River flows through South Karaikudi. Karaikudi's Postal pincode is 630001 and Dialing code is 91-4565. It is 300 km from Coimbatore, 90 km from Trichy, 80 km from Madurai, and 400 km from Chennai. Karaikkudi is located at 10°04′N 78°47′E / 10.07°N 78.78°E / 10.07; 78.78.^[2] It has an average elevation of 82 metres (269 feet). The surround villages include Kanadukathan, Kottaiyur, Kanndanur, Pallathur, Kothamangalam, Rayavaram, Pilliyarpatti, Lakshmipuram and many more called to be the PTT district earlier days

[edit] Education

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

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

[edit] Secondary Education

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

[edit] Tertiary Education

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

[edit] Temples

The city is known for Sri Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple, also known as Nagara Sivan Temple which was built during 1872. There is a temple here where there are 108 statues of Ganapathy.

Sekkalai is located at north-east of Karaikudi, which was known as "Jayam Konda Puram" 50 years back.

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

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

Tamil Thai Kovil, Kamban Manimandabam, Vallal Alagappar Statue, Kavi Arasar Kannadasan Manimandabam and Statue carries honour to Karaikudi.

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

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

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

[edit] Transports

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

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

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

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

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

[edit] Theatres

Pandiyan (DTS)
Sathiyan (DTS)
Sivam (DTS)
Rama Vilas (DTS)
Nataraja (to be a/c dts)
New Cinema

[edit] Historic Events

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

[edit] Personalities

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

Birth place of Mridagam Maestro Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani

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

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

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

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

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

Mr RM Thirunavukkarasu - DBA, Awarded as Most Valuable Profession by Microsoft Corporation in the year 2009.

Mr. Sa. Ganesan aka Kamban Adipodi - a great lover of Tamil Poet Kamban.

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

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

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

[edit] Land mark institutions

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

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

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

[edit] Politics

Karaikudi assembly constituency is part of Sivaganga (Lok Sabha constituency).^[3]

[edit] References

^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Karaikkudi
^ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-12.

[edit] External links

[0] "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

[1] Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Karaikkudi

[2] "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-12.

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