pop (2001e) 62 110 800; area 130 069 km²/50 207 sq mi. State in S India, bounded E and S by the Bay of Bengal; Sri Lanka to the S; part of the Chola Empire, 10th13th-c; first British trading settlement, 1611; largely under British control by 1801; boundaries of Mysore state altered in 1956 and 1960; renamed Tamil Nadu, 1968; capital, Chennai (Madras); governed by a 63-member Legislative Council and a 234-member Legislative Assembly; most S point, Cape Comorin; several hill ranges and rivers; population mainly Hindu (c.90%); rice, maize, pulses, millets, sugar cane, cotton, oilseed, tobacco, coffee, tea, rubber, pepper; coal, chromite, bauxite, limestone, manganese; textiles, tanning, machinery, tyres, forestry; coastal region devastated by tsunami disaster, 2004.
| Tamil Nadu | |
|
Capital - Coordinates |
Chennai - 13.09° N 80.27° E |
| Largest city | Chennai |
|
Population (2001) - Density |
62,110,839 (6) - 478/km² |
|
Area - Districts |
130,058 km² (11) - 30 |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
|
Establishment - Governor - Chief Minister - Legislature (seats) |
1967-07-18† - Surjit Singh Barnala - M Karunanidhi - Unicameral (235) |
| Official language(s) | Tamil |
| Abbreviation (ISO) | IN-TN |
| Website: tn.gov.in | |
|
Seal of Tamil Nadu |
|
| † Established in 1773, renamed Tamil Nadu on July eighteenth 1967 | |
Tamil Nadu pronunciation (help·info) (Tamil: தமிழ் நாடு, English: Land of the Tamils, IPA: [t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ]) is a state at the southern tip of India. Tamil Nadu is bordered by Pondicherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Sri Lanka, which has a significant Tamil minority, lies off the southeast coast. Tamil Nadu has had long continuous human habitation since pre-historic times. The ancient Tamil kingdoms of Chola, Chera and Pandya are of very ancient origins. Colonised by the East India Company, Tamil Nadu was eventually incorporated into the Madras Presidency. After the independence of India, the state of Tamil Nadu was created in 1969 based on linguistic boundaries. The politics of Tamil Nadu has been dominated by DMK and AIADMK, who are the products of the Dravidian movement which agitated demanding concessions for the 'Dravidian' population of Tamil Nadu.
Lying on a low plain along the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula, Tamil Nadu is bounded by the Eastern Ghats in the north and Nilgiri ,Anai Malai hills and Palakkad (Palghat Gap) on the west, the state has large fertile areas along the Coromandel coast, the Palk strait, and the Gulf of Mannar. The fertile plains of Tamil Nadu are fed by rivers such as Kaveri, Palar and Vaigai and by the northeast monsoon. Traditionally an agricultural state, Tamil Nadu is a also a leading producer of agricultural products.
The sixth most populous state in the Indian Union, Tamil Nadu has the largest urban agglomeration nationwide. Increases in literacy has casued Tamil Nadu to report the the second lowest decadal growth in population in India. Globalisation brought increase export opportunities, making Tamil Nadu the fifth largest economy among the states of India. The growing demands for skilled labour has caused increased number of educational institutions in Tamil Nadu. Chennai, which was known until 1996 as Madras, is the fourth largest city of India and the state capital. Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, and Thirunelveli are other large cities (Corporations) of Tamil Nadu.
The art and culture of Tamils are among the oldest in the world. Great literature, music, dance and architecture have evolved from Tamil Nadu over the past two millennia. Tamil Nadu provided the cradle in which the rich musical tradition of Carnatic music evolved. Many of the great composers such as Tyagaraja lived and flourished in Tamil Nadu.
History
Tamil Nadu's history dates back pre-historic times and archeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in India. From early pre-history Tamil Nadu was the home of the four Tamil kingdoms of the Chera, the Chola and the Pandyaand Pallavan. They ruled a large portion of Tamil Nadu with Kanchipuram as their base.
The Cholas again rose to power by the 9th century.
The Cholas revelled in building magnificent temples. It eventually conquered the entire Tamil country (c.
Around 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat. In 1639, the British, under the British East India Company, established a settlement further south, in present day Chennai.
When India became independent in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras State, comprising of present day Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, northern Karnataka, and parts of Kerala. In 1968, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning Land of Tamil.
Geography
Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 km² (50,215 mi²),and is the eleventh largest state in India.
The southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula is located in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu has a wide variety of minerals with the most reserves in India lignite (almost 90% of India's reserves), magnesite (45%) and garnet (over 40%) among others.
Forest cover over 17% of the state's geographical area with several wild life and bird sanctuaries.
Governance and administration
Tamil Nadu had a bicameral legislature until 1986, when it was replaced with a unicameral legislature, like most other states in India.
The 'Governer' is the Constitutional head of the state while the 'Chief-minister' is the head of the government and the head of the council of ministers.
Tamil Nadu has been a pioneering state in E-Governance initiatives in India.
Politics
Regional parties have dominated state politics since 1967.One of the earliest regional parties was the South Indian Welfare Association, which was founded in 1916. DK was a non-political party which demanded the establishment of an independent state called Dravida Nadu.
In the 19th century, Western scholars proposed that Dravidian speakers were earlier inhabitants of India than the speakers of the Indo-Aryan languages in the north of the country. This concept has affected thinking in India about racial and regional differences and has informed aspects of Tamil nationalism, which has at times appropriated the claim that Dravidians are the earliest inhabitants of India in order to argue that other populations were oppressive interlopers from which Dravidians should liberate themselves.
Nehru's grant of a separate state essentially forced Tamil nationalism off stage. Instead Tamil regional parties now fight for access to the centre and between each other. The DMK routed the Congress Party in the 1967 elections and took control of the state government, ending Congress's stronghold in Tamil Nadu.
See also: List of Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2006 See also: Dravidian peopleDemographics
Tamil Nadu's population stood at 62,110,839 as of 00.00 hours of March 1, 2001. Approximately 47% of Tamil Nadu's population live in urban areas, one of the highest percentages in India.
During the decade 1991-2001, Tamil Nadu reported the second lowest decadal growth in population after Kerala, among the group of States with population exceeding 20 million in 2001. While Kerala's population grew by 9.42% between 1991 and 2001, Tamil Nadu's grew by 11.19%. In fact, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Orissa are the only three States in this group to have shown a decline in decadal percentage change in population in every decade since 1971.
Education and social development
Tamil Nadu has performed reasonably well in terms of literacy growth during the decade 1991-2001. Also Tamil nadu produces the highest number of engineering graduates in India (around 30,000)
every year which attracts many software companies to setup their shop in south India.
The Dravidian movement, which began in Tamil Nadu, claimed to uplift the socially repressed classes, but drew its main support from the middle classes.
The Mid-day meals program in Tamil Nadu program, initiated by Karmaveerar Kamarajar, was expanded considerably during the rule of the AIADMK in 1983. The other event is "Entry in Vaikkom Temple"
The mutual interaction of various philosophies, schools of thought, and religious ideologies in the state has made it one of the most tolerant and universalistic states. Women enjoy a high level of respect and protection compared to other Indian states []
Culture and Arts
See also: Tamil People See also: Temples of TamilnaduTamil civilization is one of the oldest in the world. Unique cultural features, like Tanjore paintings, Bharatanatyam and Tamil architecture, give Tamil Nadu a heritage to be proud of. The world's oldest dam was built across the Kaveri river in Tamil Nadu by King Karikala Chola. Today, the rapidly increasing IT boom in Tamil Nadu cities like Chennai,Coimbatore and Tirunelveli makes Tamil Nadu one of India's economic hotspots.
Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu and it achieved the classical language status in India (as well as one of the official languages of India). Tamil Nadu is known for its rich tradition of literature, music and dance which continue to flourish today.
Literature
Tamil is a vibrant language with a long and rich literary tradition. All through history, Tamil literature has sought to inform and inspire, educate and entertain. Tamil poetry has universal appeal as evinced by many examples. font-size: 90%;">
|
எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய்க் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள்
மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்ப தறிவு. |
|
'The mark of wisdom is to discern the truth
From whatever source it is heard.' |
Tirukural which was written nearly two millennia ago portrays a universal outlook. He is portrayed as holy saint of Tamil nadu today and even for the generations to come. There is an evidential history that the kings of olden days rolled out Tamil Sangam (Tamil organization) to develop literature works in tamil. The Sangam headquartered in Madurai generated lot a notable literary works.The Tamil Bible, 'Cardila', was printed in 1554 and made Tamil the first language into print for any Indian language. In 20th century during the freedom struggle, many tamil poets and writers provoked national spirit, social equity, secularistic thoughts among the common man. Even today, Tamil nadu host potential writers like Jayakanthan, Jayamohan, etc.
Music
See also: Ancient Tamil musicThe Kings of the olden days created sangams for Iyal Isai Nadagam (Dance, Music and Drama) to express the spiritual feels and to quench the entertainment. Music in tamil nadu had different forms across the people. Even today, southern Tamil nadu has this tradition. Sarangi was in use in the temples of Tamil Nadu till the end of the nineteenth century.
Carnatic music is the classical music of Southern India. The composers belonging to the Tamil Trinity of Muthu Thandavar (?1560 - ?1640 CE), Arunachala Kavi (1712-1779) and Marimutthu Pillai (1717-1787) composed hundreds of devotional songs in Tamil and helped in the evolution of Carnatic music.
The Nineteen Forties were a rather turbulent period for Carnatic Music in Tamil Nadu because of the Tamizh Isai controversy. More than a controversy, it was a move by some well meaning people to increase the number of Tamil songs being sung in concerts in Tamil Nadu. Today, Tamil nadu is proud to have hundreds of notable carnatic singers who spreads this music all over the world.
In sharp contrast with the restrained and intellectual nature of carnatic music, Tamil folk music tends to be much more exuberant. Popular forms of Tamil folk music include the Villuppāṭṭu, a form of music performed with a bow, and the Nāṭṭuppur̲appāṭṭu, ballads that convey folklore and folk history. Some of the leading Tamil folk artists in the early 21st century are Pushpuvanam Kuppuswamy and his wife Anitha, and Chandramukhi Chinnaponnu.
Dance
Tamils have a large number of folk dances. These are performed for every possible occasion, to celebrate the arrival of seasons, birth of a child, a wedding and festivals.Tamil dance is closely intertwined with the Tamil theatrical tradition. Other Tamil folk dances include mayilāṭṭam, where the dancers tie a string of peacock feathers around their waist;
Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu. Today, it is one of the most popular and widely performed dance styles and is practiced by male and female dancers all over India.
Film Industry
Tamil Nadu is also home to the large Tamil film industry, producing a huge number of Tamil films each year. There are several websites dedicated to tamil movies like Behindwoods.com. Next to Bollywood movies, Tamil movies are big budget movies.Chennai has often been referred to as Kollywood, a conflation of Hollywood and Kodambakkam,the section of Chennai that houses the cinema related facilities. Artists from Andhra, Kerala have contributed a lot to the growth of Tamil film Industry. Tamil movies are the one screened outside India and non-muslim world.
Tamil Festivals
Pongal,also called as Tamizhar thirunaal (festivel of Tamils) a four-day harvest festival, is the most celebrated festival of Tamil Nadu. The Tamil language saying Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum -- literally meaning, the birth of the month of Thai will pave way for new opportunities -- is often quoted with reference to the Pongal festival. The second day, Surya Pongal, is the main day which falls on the first day of the Tamil month Thai (January 14 or January 15 in western calendar).
It is then followed in importance by Thai Poosam Kavady, Tamil New Year which generally falls on the April 14 or 15 of the Gregorian calendar. The major festival that is celebarated in Tamil Nadu is Deepavali (Diwali). The first month in the tamil calendar is Chittirai.
Apart from these major festivels, in every village and town of Tamil nadu people celebrate festivels for the local gods once in a year and the time differs from place to place.
In addition the Velankanni Church and The Nagore mosque stand testimony to the multi-religious nature of the state.
Economy
Tamil Nadu's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $56 billion in current prices. Possessing the fifth largest economy (2004-2005) among states in India, Tamil Nadu is also the second most industrialised state next to Maharastra.
According to the 2001 Census, Tamil Nadu has the highest level of urbanization (43.86%) in India, accounting for 6% of India’s total population and 9.6% of the urban population. and is the second most industrialized state in India. Tamil Nadu has a network of about 110 industrial parks and estates offering developed plots with supporting infrastructure.
Annual Plan outlays have increased by a record 75% from Rs.52,000 million ($1,100 million) in 2001-2 to Rs.91,000 million ($2,000 million) in 2005-6.
Agriculture
Tamil Nadu has historically been an agricultural state, while its advances in other fields launched the state into competition with other areas. Even so, Tamil Nadu is a leading producer of agricultural products in India. Tamil Nadu agriculture is heavily dependent on the river water and Monsoon rains. Tamil Nadu is also the leading producer of kambu, corn, rye, ground nuts, oil, seeds and sugar cane in India.At present Tamil Nadu is India's second biggest producer of rice, next to Punjab where there is perennial source of irrigation. Tamil Nadu is the home to Dr. M.S.
At this time Tamil Nadu is the only state to have a formal Bio-Diesel Policy using jatropha plant crops and to distribute wasteland to the poor farmers for planting.
Industry
One of the global electrical equipment public sector company BHEL has manufacturing plants at Tiruchirapalli and Ranipet. The Tamil Nadu state government owns the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers (TNPL), the world's biggest bagasse based Paper mills in Karur as well as the world's sixth largest manufacturer of watches together with TATA, under the brandname of "Titan". 55% of all wind-generated electricity in India is created by windmills in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is leading producer of Cement in India, it is the home for leading cement brands in the country such as Chettinad Cements(Karur), Dalmia Cements Ariyalur, Ramco cements (Madras Cement Ltd), etc.,There is a ACC cement factory located in madukarai outskirts of Coimbatore.
Many heavy engineering and manufacturing-based companies are centered in and around the suburbs of Chennai (nicknamed, "The Detroit of Asia"). Everything from automobiles, railway coaches, battle-tanks, tractors, motorbikes and heavy vehicles are manufactured in Tamil Nadu. Over 11.2% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Tamil Nadu.
The Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant, Ennore Thermal Plant, Neyveli Lignite Power Plant,many hydroelectric plants including mettur and the Narimanam Natural Gas Plants are major sources of Tamil Nadu's electricity. Tamil Nadu sources a significant proportion of its power needs from renewable sources with Wind Power contributing over 2000 MW or over 20% of the needs. As of 2005, Tamil Nadu is one of the few Indian states with surplus power electricity, enabling the electrical authority to sell it to neighbouring states of Andra Pradesh & Karnataka.Tamil Nadu ranks first nationwide in diesel-based thermal electricity generation with national market share of over 34%.
The textile industry plays a significant role in the Indian economy by providing direct employment to an estimated 35 million people, and thereby contributing 4% of GDP and 35% of Gross Export
Earnings. The city of Tirupur (Coimbatore district), in Tamil Nadu is the largest garment exporter in India and sometimes referred to as Textile valley of India.
Electronics manufacturing is a growing industry in Tamil Nadu.
The town of Sivakasi is a leader in the areas of printing, fireworks, and safety matches. It contributes to 80% of India's production of safety matches as well as 90% of India's total fireworks production. Sivakasi provides over 60% of India's total offset printing solutions and ranks as one of the highest taxpaying towns in India.
Tamil nadu contributes has significant amount of mineral reserves such as Lignite (87%), Vermiculite (66%), Garnet (42%), Zircon (38%), Graphite (33%), Ilmenite (28%), Rutile (27%), Monazite (25%), Magnesite (17%).
Tamil nadu is a leading contributor in the IT and BPO sector. Chennai is the second leading software exporter in India, after Bangalore. India's largest IT park is housed at Chennai. Software exports from Tamil Nadu rose from Rs.76,000 million ($1,600 million) in 2003-04 to Rs.110,000 million ($2,400 million) in 2004-5. Infosys Technologies has set up India's largest software development centre to house 25,000 software professionals at an estimated investment of Rs.12,500 million ($270 million) in Chennai. India's largest IT park is housed at Chennai, jointly made by Ascendas India Ltd, a Singapore-based company engaged in providing business space solutions, and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).
Chennai is also the preferred destination for companies outsourcing their high-end knowledge intensive operations.
Tourism
Tamil Nadu is a land of varied beauty. Tamil Nadu also has the Navagraha temples that are a popular pilgrim circuit.
Near Chennai stands a small hillock called St. Thomas Mount, where the Apostle is said to have been killed in 78 AD (exact year not established).
Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of peninsular India, is famous for its distinct and beautiful sunrise, Vivekananda Rock Memorial on the mid-sea, Thiruvalluvar statue and has some very green hilly landscape and picture-postcard perfect sceneries around the district and Nagercoil. Hill stations like Kodaikanal and Nilgiris boast some of the stunning landscapes in India.
Though Tamil is the official first language, these days other neighbouring languages like Telugu, kannada and hindi, have been well accepted.
A touris spot is Mathur Hanging Trough s located in Mathur.
User Comments Add a comment…