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Population of
Tamilnadu : 55,638,318
Capital of Tamilnadu : Chennai
Cradle Of : South Indian Temple Architecture
Official State Language : Tamil
Best Time To Visit Tamil Nadu : December To February
Tamil Nadu is bounded by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the north and
Kerala in the west. The eastern and western tips of the Tamilnadu are
defined by the Point Calimere and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries while
the northern extreme is Pulicat lake and the southernmost tip is
Kanyakumari, the land's end. Tamil Nadu is principally washed by the
Cauvery, originating in Coorg in neighbouring Karnataka . Chennai, the
capital of Tamil Nadu is known for its beautiful beach resorts.
Tamil Nadu - A
Temple StateTamil Nadu, the cradle of south Indian temple
architecture, is a living museum of styles that originated in the 7th
century and matured in the huge temple complexes studded with towering
gateways-"Gopurams"-that soar above the markets of almost
every town. Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Kumbakonam,
Rameswaram, Palani, Srirangam, Tiruttani and Kanyakumari are some of the
famous pilgrim centres in Tamil Nadu. The famous Meenakshi temple of
Madurai is a must see.
The Nilgiri
Panorama
In the west of
the state, where the hill stations of Kodaikanal and Ooty are the
premier travel attractions, sylvan hills offer mountain views and a
network of trails winds through forests and tea and coffee plantations.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, a vast spread of deciduous forest in
Tamilnadu dominated by teak, offers a good chance of spotting elephants
and dholes, wild pack-hunting Dogs, Tigers and Leopards.
Annamalai
Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, closer to Kodaikanal in the Palani hills, is
better known for its Lion-tailed Macaques (black-maned Monkeys). The
wetlands of the coast provide perfect resting places for migratory
birds, whose numbers soar during the winter monsoon at Vedathangal, near
Chennai, and Point Calimere.
History of
Tamilnadu
Tamil Nadu was
ruled by three major dynasties-the Cholas in the east, the Pandyas in
the central area and Cheras in the west. This was during the Sangam
Age-the classical period of Tamil literature-that continued for some 300
years after the birth of Christ. The Pallava dynasty was influential
particularly in the 7th and 8th centuries, the testimonies to which are
the monuments at Mamallapuram.
In the 13th
century, with threats of Muslim invasions from the north, the southern
Hindu dynasties combined and the empire of Vijaynagar (also spelt as
Vijayanagar), which covered all of South India, became firmly
established. However, by the 17th century, due to the disintegration of
the Vijaynagar Empire, various small rulers like the Nayaks ruled
southern India.
By the middle of
the 18th century, there were frequent conflicts between the British,
French, Danes, and Dutch due to their interest in these areas. The
British were finally victorious, while small pocketed areas including
Pondicherry and Karaikal remained under French control. Under the
British rule, most of south India was integrated into the region called
the Madras Presidency. In 1956, the Madras Presidency was disbanded and
Tamil Nadu was established.
An Agro-Based
Land - Tamilnadu
Although Tamil
Nadu is one of the most urbanized states of India, it is still a rural
land; agriculture is the mainstay of life for about three-quarters of
the rural population. The principal food crops are rice, maize, Jowar,
Bajra, Ragi, and pulses. The cash crops include cotton, sugarcane,
oilseeds, coffee, tea rubber, and chillies.
The major industries of Tamil Nadu include cotton textiles, chemicals,
fertilizers, paper and paper products, printing and allied industries,
diesel engines, automobiles and parts, cement, sugar, iron and steel,
and railway wagon and coaches. The state of Tamilnadu is the largest
textiles producer in India and an important exporter of leather and
leather products, cotton piece goods, tea, coffee, spices, tobacco, etc.
There are a
number of hydel power stations in Tamil Nadu. The atomic power plant is
located at Kalpakkam, in the Chengalpattu MGR district.
Tamil Nadu is
rich in handicrafts; notable among them are hand loomed silk, metal
icons, leather work, Kalamkari (hand-painted fabric, using natural
dyes), brass, bronze, and copper wares, and carved wood, palm leaf, and
cane articles. For the best Chola bronzes and a glimpse of the
magnificent paintings that flourished under Maratha rajas in the 18th
century, travellers should head for Thanjavur.
Capital of
Tamilnadu
Chennai
(formerly, Madras), the largest city in South India and the fourth
largest city in the country, is located on the Coromandel Coast. The
city's British lineage is evident in the various cathedrals, buildings
in Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, wide tree lined avenues but
there is no denying its traditional Tamil Hindu culture either. This is
not surprising because this region had remained a centre of Pallavan
culture long before the British came here.
The varied
aspects of traditional South Indian culture existing alongside the
lifestyle of a modern city complete with its plush hotels, restaurants
offering a range of continental to typical South Indian cuisine, long
and uncrowded stretches of beaches, modern shopping malls, cinema halls,
etc.
The People
Tamil, the
official state language, is spoken by most of the people. The main
religions in Tamil Nadu are Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Jainism.
There is an established caste system, and the traditional
differentiations here are a lot more pronounced than in many other parts
of the country. The Brahmin community in Tamilnadu is very pious and
people normally have a white mark on the forehead to signify caste.
Performing
Arts in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is
synonymous with the Indian musical maestro of the 18th century,
Thyagaraja. The land of Carnatic music, Tamil Nadu, is the birthplace of
many other music legends as well. The main instruments used are the
Violin, Wooden flute, 'Veena', 'Gottuvadayam', 'Mridangam' (also spelt
as Mridanga), 'Nadaswaram' and 'Ghatam'.
Bharatanatyam,
one of India's major classical dance forms, and Carnatic music are both
widely practiced. Painting and sculpture, however, are less developed,
although there are schools that teach the art of sculpture in stone and
bronze. Tamil literature rapidly adapted to the Western literary forms
of the novel and the short story. Since the 1940s, cinema has become the
most popular form of mass entertainment. There are both touring and
permanent cinema theatres; and sentimental and spectacular films, often
featuring light music and dancing, are produced by the film studios
situated largely around Chennai.
Festivals of
Tamilnadu
The main festival
of Tamilnadu is Pongal, which is a harvest festival celebrated in the
month of January. Feasting, music and dance mark this festival. "Karthigai
Deepam" and "Varushapirapu" (Tamil New Year's Day) are
also celebrated on a grand scale.
Several temple
festivals are held throughout the Tamilnadu, of which The Mahamagam
festival celebrated once in 12 years at Kumbakonam, Meenakshi Kalyanam
festival at Madurai, Natyanjali Dance Festival at Chidambaram are the
famous ones.
Climate of
Tamilnadu
The climate of
Tamil Nadu is essentially tropical. The temperature in summer seldom
43º C and in winter seldom falls below 18º C. The lowest temperatures
are recorded during December and January, and the highest in April to
June. The average annual rainfall, falling mainly between October and
December, ranges between 25 and 75 inches. The most precipitation falls
in the Nilgiris and other hill areas.
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