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| Prehistory | 3>
Tamil Nadu's history dates back to pre-historic times. Archaeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in India.[10] In Adichanallur, 24 km (15 mi) from Tirunelveli, archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India unearthed 169 clay urns containing human skulls, skeletons and bones, plus husks and grains of rice, charred rice and Neolithic celts, giving evidence confirming them to be of the Neolithic period, 3800 years ago.[11] The ASI archaeologists have proposed that the script used at that site is "very rudimentary" Tamil Brahmi.[12] Adichanallur has been announced as an archaeological site for further excavation and studies.[13] About 60% of the total epigraphical inscriptions found by ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu and most of which are in Tamil language.[14] Geologists have discovered hundreds of fossilised dinosaur eggs, perhaps 65 million years old, underneath a stream in a tiny village in Ariyalur district.[15] Researchers from the Salem-based Periyar University believe that the clusters of eggs belonged to the aggressive Carnosaur and the leaf-eating Sauropoda.[16]
A sculpture at Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram, built by Tamil Chola Kings. The group of monuments are UNESCO World Heritage sites
[edit] | Tags:Invocation To Goddess Tamil,India,Chennai,Districts,Jayalalithaa,Chief Justice,Time Zone,Ist,Utc+05:30,Iso 3166 Code,In-tn,Literacy,Tamil,/,States,Indian Peninsula,Union Territory,Pondicherry,Kerala,Karnataka,Andhra Pradesh,Eastern Ghats,Nilgiri,Anamalai Hills,Palakkad,Bay Of Bengal,Gulf Of Mannar,Palk Strait,Tamil People,Dravidian Architecture,Unesco World Heritage Sites,Pre-historic,Tirunelveli,Archaeological Survey Of India,Neolithic,Celts,Tamil Brahmi,Tamil Language,Carnosaur,Sauropoda,Airavatesvara Temple,Darasuram,Monuments,Cholas,Pandyas,Cheras,Southern India,Sangam,Coimbatore,Karur,Salem,Vanchi Muthur,Muziris,Egypt,Ceylon,Phoenicia,Arabia,Mesopotamia,Persia,Kalabhras,Sangam Period,Pallavas,Jainism,Naaladiyar,Venpa,Jain,Jains,Shore Temple,Mamallapuram,Unesco World Heritage Site,Mahendravarman I,Narasimhavarman I,Bodhidharma,South India,Kanchipuram,Narasimhavarman Ii,Madurai,Srivijaya,Roman Empire,Marco Polo,Richest Empire,Meenakshi Amman Temple,Nellaiappar Temple,Chola Dynasty,Chola Empire,Rajendra Chola,Aditya I,Parantaka I,Parantaka Chola Ii,Rajaraja Chola,Sri Lanka,Myanmar,Vietnam,Andaman And Nicobar Islands,Lakshadweep,Sumatra,Java,Malaya,Mahipala,Gangaikonda Cholapuram,Melakadambur,Melakadambur Temple,Cuddalore,Brihadeeswara Temple,Raja Raja Chola I,Brihadeshwara Temple,Thanjavur,Unesco Heritage Site,Annamalaiyar Temple,Tiruvannamalai,Chidambaram Temple,Chidambaram,Raja Raja Chola,Maravarman Sundara Pandya,Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan,Thirumalai Nayak Mahal,Alauddin Khilji,Malik Kafur,Madurai Sultanate,Vijayanagara Empire,Vijayanagara,Nayak,Nayaks Of Madurai,Nayaks Of Thanjavur,Meenakshi Temple,Nawab Of The Carnatic,Kingdom Of Mysore,Nizam Of Hyderabad,Wallajah,Chanda Shahib,Hyder Ali,Tipu Sultan,Second Anglo-mysore War,Madras Presidency,Tharangambadi,Pulicat,British East India Company,French Dominions In India,Nizams Of Hyderabad,Nawabs Of The Carnatic,Polygar Wars,Pudukkottai,Princely State,Madras State,Kanyakumari,Arabian Sea,Western Ghats,Nilgiri Hills,Indian Ocean Tsunami,Windward,Prevented,Agasthyamalai Range,South West Monsoon,Cauvery,Bharathanattiyam,Animal,Nilgiri Tahr,Bird,Emerald Dove,Gloriosa Lily,Tree,Palm Tree,Kabaddi,Chief Minister, Medieval Period (600–1300) | 3>
Main article: History of Tamil Nadu
The Cholas who were very active during the Sangam age were entirely absent during the first few centuries.[17] The period started with the rivalry between the Pandyas and the Pallavas, which in turn caused the revival of the Cholas. The Cholas went on to becoming a great power. Their decline saw the brief resurgence of the Pandyas. This period was also that of the re-invigorated Hinduism during which temple building and religious literature were at their best.[18] The Cheras ruled in southern India from before the Sangam era (300 BCE – 250 CE) over the Coimbatore, Karur, Salem Districts in present day Tamil Nadu and present day Kerala from the capital of Vanchi Muthur in the west, (thought to be modern Karur). They traded extensively from nearby Muziris, in spices, ivory, timber, pearls and gems, with the ancient kingdoms of Egypt, Rome, Greece, Ceylon, Phoenicia, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. The Kalabhras, invaded and displaced the three Tamil kingdoms and ruled between the third and the seventh centuries CE of the Sangam period. This is referred to as the Dark Age in Tamil history. They were expelled by the Pallavas and the Pandyas in sixth century.
During Kalabhras' rule Jainism flourished in the land of the Tamils. The didactic work Naaladiyar was composed during their reign. It consists of moral sayings in the venpa meter, 400 in number in 40 chapters, each by one Jain ascetic, according to tradition. Following in the tradition of Jainism, Naaladiyar emphasises virtues such as control of the senses, asceticism, renunciation, and other desirable social qualities. Because the Kalabhras gave protection to Jains and perhaps Buddhists, too, some have concluded that they were anti-Hindu, although this latter view is not undisputed.
Shore Temple built by the Pallavas at Mamallapuram (c. eighth century C.E.) – UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During the forth to eighth centuries century CE, Tamil Nadu saw the rise of the Pallavas under Mahendravarman I and his son Mamalla Narasimhavarman I and his uncle Bodhidharma.[19] Pallavas ruled a large portion of South India with Kanchipuram as their capital. Dravidian architecture reached its peak during the Pallava rule. Narasimhavarman II built the Shore Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Pallavas were replaced by the Cholas as the dominant kingdom in the 10th century C.E. and they in turn were replaced by Pandyas in the 13th century C.E. The Pandyan capital Madurai was in the deep south away from the coast. They had extensive trade links with the Southeast Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and their successors, as well as contacts, even formal diplomatic contacts, reaching as far as the Roman Empire. During the 13th century C.E. Marco Polo mentioned the Pandyas as the richest empire in existence. Temples such as the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai and Nellaiappar Temple at Tirunelveli are the best examples of Pandyan temple architecture.[20][21] The Pandyas excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the South Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls in the known ancient world.
[edit] | Tags: Chola Empire | 4>
Main article: Chola dynasty
Chola Empire under Rajendra Chola c. 1030 C.E.
By the 9th century, during the times of the second Chola monarch Aditya I, his son Parantaka I, Parantaka Chola II itself the Chola empire had expanded into what is now interior Andhra Pradesh and coastal Karnataka, while under the great Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose as a notable power in south Asia. The Chola Empire stretched as far as Bengal. At its peak, the empire spanned almost 3,600,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi). Rajaraja Chola conquered all of peninsular South India and parts of the Sri Lanka. Rajendra Chola's navies went even further, occupying coasts from Burma (now Myanmar) to Vietnam,[22] the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Sumatra, Java, Malaya in South East Asia and Pegu islands. He defeated Mahipala, the king of the Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Nearby this chola capital an sculptural carving temple is located at Melakadambur, which is supposedly the only Karakkoil in Tamil Nadu.
Melakadambur temple located in Cuddalore.
Brihadeeswara Temple built by Raja Raja Chola I in 1010 A.D.
The Cholas excelled in building magnificent temples. Brihadeshwara Temple in Thanjavur is a classical example of the magnificent architecture of the Chola kingdom. Brihadshwara temple is an UNESCO Heritage Site under "Great Living Chola Temples."[23] Another example is Annamalaiyar Temple located at the city of Tiruvannamalai and the Chidambaram Temple in the heart of the temple town of Chidambaram.
Raja Raja Chola and Rajendra Chola period is said to be the golden period of Tamil Nadu, and under them the Chola empire rose to be the most powerful empire in all of South-India. With the decline of the Cholas between 1230 and 1280 CE, the Pandyas rose to prominence once again, under Maravarman Sundara Pandya and his younger brother, the celebrated Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan.
Thirumalai Nayak Mahal at Madurai.
This revival was short-lived as the Pandya capital of Madurai itself was sacked by Alauddin Khilji's troops under General Malik Kafur in 1316. The Muslim invasion led to the establishment of the short lived Madurai Sultanate.[24]
[edit] | Tags: Vijayanagar and Nayak period (1336–1646) | 3>
Main article: Vijayanagara Empire
These Muslim invasions triggered the establishment of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire in the Deccan. It eventually conquered the entire Tamil country (c. 1370 CE). This empire lasted for almost two centuries till the defeat of Vijayanagara in the Battle of Talikota in 1565. Subsequent to this defeat, many incompetent kings succeeded to the throne of Vijayanagara with the result that its grip loosened over its feudatories among whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Tanjore were among the first to declare their independence, despite initially maintaining loose links with the Vijayanagara kingdom."[20] As the Vijayanagara Empire went into decline after mid-16th century, the Nayak governors, who were appointed by the Vijayanagar kingdom to administer various territories of the empire, declared their independence. The Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were most prominent of them all in the 17th century. They reconstructed some of the oldest temples in the country such as the Meenakshi Temple.
[edit] | Tags: Rule of Nawabs and Nizams (1692–1801) | 3>
See also: Nawab of the Carnatic, Nizam of Hyderabad, and Kingdom of Mysore
In the early 18th century, the eastern parts of Tamil Nadu came under the dominions of the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of the Carnatic. While Wallajah was supported by the English, Chanda Shahib was supported by the French by the middle of the 18th century. In the late 18th century, the western parts of Tamil Nadu, came under the dominions of Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan, particularly with their victory in the Second Anglo-Mysore War.
[edit] | Tags: European rule (1801–1947) | 3>
Main article: Madras Presidency
Fort Dansborg at Tharangambadi built by the Danish
Around 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat, while the Danish had their establishment in Tranquebar (Tharangambadi). In 1639, the British, under the British East India Company, established a settlement further south of Pulicat, in present day Chennai. In the late 18th century, the British fought and reduced the French dominions in India to Pondicherry. Nizams of Hyderabad and the Nawabs of the Carnatic bestowed tax revenue collection rights on the East India Company for defeating the Kingdom of Mysore. After winning the Polygar wars, the East India Company consolidated most of southern India into the Madras Presidency coterminous with the dominions of Nizam of Hyderabad. Pudukkottai remained as a princely state.
[edit] | Tags: Tamil Nadu in independent India (1947 -) | 3>
When India became independent in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras State, comprising present day Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh up to Ganjam district in Orissa, South Canara district Karnataka, and parts of Kerala. The state was subsequently split up along linguistic lines. In 1969, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning Tamil country.
[edit] | Tags: Geography | 2>
Aerial view from space (Courtesy: NASA)
Topographic map of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 square kilometres (50,216 sq mi), and is the eleventh largest state in India. The bordering states are Kerala to the west, Karnataka to the northwest and Andhra Pradesh to the north. To the east is the Bay of Bengal and the union territory of Pondicherry. The southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula is located in Tamil Nadu. At this point is the town of Kanyakumari which is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.
The western, southern and the north-western parts are hilly and rich in vegetation. The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats and they both meet at the Nilgiri hills.[25] The Western Ghats dominate the entire western border with Kerala, effectively blocking much of the rain bearing clouds of the South West Monsoon from entering the state. The eastern parts are fertile coastal plains and the northern parts are a mix of hills and plains. The central and the south central regions are arid plains and receive less rainfall than the other regions.
Tamil Nadu has a coastline of about 910 kilometres (600 mi) which is the country’s third longest coastline. Tamil Nadu's coastline bore the brunt of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami when it hit India, which caused 7,793 direct deaths in the state.[26] Tamil Nadu falls mostly in a region of low seismic hazard with the exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate hazard zone; as per the 2002 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) map, Tamil Nadu falls in Zones II & III. Historically, parts of this region have experienced seismic activity in the M5.0 range.[27]
[edit] | Tags: Climate | 2>
A semi-arid wasteland near Tirunelveli. Monsoon clouds pour torrents of rain on windward-facing Kerala, but are prevented from reaching Tirunelveli by the Agasthyamalai Range of the Western Ghats (background).
Tamil Nadu is heavily dependent on monsoon rains, and thereby is prone to droughts when the monsoons fail. The climate of the state ranges from dry sub-humid to semi-arid. The state has three distinct periods of rainfall:
advancing monsoon period, South West monsoon from June to September, with strong southwest winds;
North East monsoon from October to December, with dominant northeast winds;
dry season from January to May.
The normal annual rainfall of the state is about 945 mm (37.2 in) of which 48% is through the North East monsoon, and 32% through the South West monsoon. Since the state is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its water resources, monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought.[28]
Tamil Nadu is classified into seven agro-climatic zones: north-east, north-west, west, southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly, and Cauvery Delta (the most fertile agricultural zone). The table below shows the maximum and minimum temperatures that the state experiences in the plains and hills.[29]
Plains
Hills
Max.
43 °C (109 °F)
32.3 °C (90.1 °F)
Min.
13.1 °C (55.6 °F)
0.0 °C (32.0 °F)
State symbols of Tamil Nadu[30]
Dance
Bharathanattiyam
Animal
Nilgiri Tahr
Bird
Emerald Dove
Flower
Gloriosa Lily
Tree
Palm Tree
Sport
Kabaddi
[edit] | Tags: Governance and administration | 2>
Main articles: Government of Tamil Nadu and Legislature of Tamil Nadu
The Governor 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. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court is the head of the judiciary. The present Governor, Chief Minister and the Chief Justice are Konijeti Rosaiah, J. Jayalalithaa and M. Y. Eqbal respectively.[31] Administratively the state is divided into 32 districts. It has 10 city corporations, 125 municipalities, 529 town panchayats and 12,524 village panchayats.[32][33] Chennai (formerly known as Madras) is the state capital. It is the fourth largest city in India and is also one of the eight Metropolitan cities of India. The state comprises 39 Lok Sabha constituencies and 234 Legislative Assembly constituencies.
Tamil Nadu had a bicameral legislature until 1986, when it was replaced with a unicameral legislature, like most other states in India. The term length of the government is 5 years, as is elsewhere in India. The present government run by the AIADMK led alliance came to power in 2011 and consists of a council of 33 ministers, headed by the Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha. The Tamil Nadu legislative assembly is housed at the Fort St. George in Chennai. The state had come under the President's rule rule on four occasions – first from 1976 to 1977, next for a short period in 1980, then from 1988 to 1989 and the latest in 1991.
The local administration is divided into revenue administration and developmental administration. Revenue Divisions of Tamil Nadu provides the Revenue divisions and Taluks of Tamil Nadu. These administrative units are classified based on the district. Each of the 32 districts in Tamil Nadu is divided into divisions, which are further divided to Taluks.[34] Each of these Taluks have a list of revenue villages under them. Tahsildar is the head of these Taluks. Developmental administration, in contrast, is carried out by Panchayat Unions (called blocks) in rural areas. These panchayat unions have a set of panchayat villages under them. In urban areas, the governance is done by municipal corporations, municipalities or town panchayats based on the size of the town.[34] Tamil Nadu has 10 municipal corporations: Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Vellore, Tirunelveli, Erode, Tirupur and Thoothukudi.
Tamil Nadu has been a pioneering state of E-Governance initiatives in India. A large part of the government records like land ownership records are digitised and all major offices of the state government like Urban Local Bodies — all the corporations and municipal office activities – revenue collection, land registration offices, and transport offices have been computerised. Tamil Nadu is one of the states where law and order has been maintained largely successfully.[35] The Tamil Nadu Police Force is over 140 years old. It is the fifth largest state police force in India and has the largest strength of women police personnel in the country.[36] As of 2003, the state had a total police population ratio of 1:668, higher than the national average of 1:717. The current Director General of Police (law and order) of Tamil Nadu is K. Ramanujan.[37]
[edit] | Tags: Districts | 2>
Districts of TN
Main article: Districts of Tamil Nadu
The 32 districts of Tamil Nadu are listed below with the numbers corresponding to those in the image at right.
Ariyalur district
Chennai district
Coimbatore district
Cuddalore district
Dharmapuri district
Dindigul district
Erode district
Kanchipuram district
Kanyakumari district
Karur district
Krishnagiri district
Madurai district
Nagapattinam district
Namakkal district
The Nilgiris district
Perambalur district
Pudukkottai district
Ramanathapuram district
Salem district
Sivaganga district
Thanjavur District
Theni district
Thoothukudi district
Tiruchirapalli district
Tirunelveli district
Thirupur district
Thiruvallur district
Thiruvannamalai district
Thiruvarur district
Vellore district
Viluppuram district
Virudhunagar district
[edit] | Tags: Politics | 2>
Main articles: Elections in Tamil Nadu, Politics of Tamil Nadu, and Dravidian parties
Political
Alliance
Assembly
(2011)
Lok Sabha
(2009)
AIADMK+
203
12
DMK+
31
27
Independent/Other
0
0
Source: Election Commission of India.[38][39]
Fort St. George, Chief Secretariat, Govt. of Tamil Nadu
Prior to Indian independence Tamil Nadu was under British colonial rule as part of the Madras Presidency. The main party in Tamil Nadu at that time was the Indian National Congress (INC). Regional parties have dominated state politics since 1916. One of the earliest regional parties, the South Indian Welfare Association, a forerunner to Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu, was started in 1916. The party was called after its English organ, Justice Party, by it opponents. Later, South Indian Liberal Federation was adopted as its official name. The reason for victory of the Justice Party in elections was the non-participation of the INC, demanding complete independence of India. Freedom movement saw great leaders like Muthuramalinga Thevar, K. Kamaraj, Subramanya Bharathi (a poet who inspired the freedom movement by his poetic skills), Subramania Siva, V. O. Chidambaram Pillai (Industrialist, who managed ships under the free India banner), Tiruppur Kumaran, Rajagopalachariar (Rajaji) and Sathyamurthi.
Periyar E. V. Ramasamy popularly known as Periyar, believed in agitational politics and took the Justice Party away from its original path. The Justice Party which had a moribund existence under E.V.Ramaswamy. He renamed the party Dravidar Kazhagam (DK for short) in 1944. DK was a non-political party which demanded the establishment of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. However, due to the differences between its two leaders EVR and C.N. Annadurai, the party was split. Annadurai left the party to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The DMK decided to enter politics in 1956.
Former chief ministers M.Karunanidhi (centre), C. N. Annadurai (left) and M. G. Ramachandran (right)
In the 19th century, western scholars discovered that the Dravidian languages dominating South India formed a different linguistic group than the Indo-Aryan languages predominant in North India. They also classified Indians into distinct Aryan and Dravidian races. It was proposed that the generally darker-skinned Dravidians constituted a distinct race. This concept has affected thinking in India about racial and regional differences and had an impact on aspects of Tamil nationalism, which has appropriated the claim that Dravidians are the earliest inhabitants of India, and the Aryan population were oppressive interlopers from whom Dravidians should liberate themselves.[40]
Re-organisation of Indian states according to linguistic and ethnic basis has moderated Tamil nationalism, especially the demand for separation from the Indian Union. The Anti-Hindi agitations in mid-1960s made the DMK more popular and a more powerful political force in the state. The DMK routed the INC in the 1967 elections and took control of the state government, ending INC's stronghold in Tamil Nadu. C.N. Annadurai became the DMK's first Chief Minister.
Muthuvel Karunanidhi took over as Chief Minister and party leader after Annadurai's death in 1969. Karunanidhi's leadership was soon challenged by M.G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. In 1972, he split from DMK and formed the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) and later renamed the party as All India Anna Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam. He was the Chief Minister of the state from 1977 until his death in 1987. After the death of MGR AIADMK was defeated in 1989 assembly polls because of the Split of the party into two factions headed by Janaki (Wife of MGR) and Jayalalithaa. Later on J. Jayalalithaa took control of the party. She was elected as the General Secretary of the unified AIADMK. There have been several splits in both the DMK and the AIADMK, but since 1967 one of those two parties has held power in the state.
[edit] | Tags: Demographics | 2>
Main article: Demographics of Tamil Nadu
Population Growth
Census
Pop.
%±
1951
30,119,000
—
1961
33,687,000
11.8%
1971
41,199,000
22.3%
1981
48,408,000
17.5%
1991
55,859,000
15.4%
2001
62,406,000
11.7%
2011
72,138,958
15.6%
Source:Census of India[41]
Religions in Tamil Nadu[42]
Religion
Percent
Hinduism
88.34%
Christianity
6.08%
Islam
5.57%
Others
0.26%
Tamil Nadu is the seventh most populous state in India with a population of 72,138,958 (5.96% of India's population; census 2011 fig.). It is the seventh most densely populated state in India with a population density of 555 persons per square kilometre as of 2011, having increased from 429 in 1991, significantly higher than the Indian average of 382 persons per square kilometre. 44% of the state's population live in urban areas, the highest among large states in India.[43]
Tamil Nadu's population grew by 15.6% between 2001 and 2011, the sixth lowest rate for that period amongst populous states (states whose population exceeded 20 million in 2011). Although its decadal rate of population growth has declined since 1971, the population growth during the last decade (2001–2011) has increased. The state has registered the lowest fertiliy rate along with Andhra Pradesh and Goa in India in year 2005–06 with 1.8 children born for each woman, lower than required for population sustainability.[44][45]
Hinduism is followed by the majority of the people. The distribution of population based on their faith, as of the 2001 census, is shown in the bar graph above. Hinduism is the dominant religion has a higher percentage of adherents in Tamil Nadu (88%) when compared to the national average (80.5%). Christianity, though a minority, has the highest population in absolute numbers when compared to other states. Jains make up 0.13% of the population. Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes comprise 19% and 1% of the population respectively.[46][47] Tamil is the official and the principal spoken language of the state. As of the 2001 Census, Tamil is spoken by 89.43% of the population followed by Telugu at 5.66%, Kannada at 1.68%, Urdu at 1.51% and Malayalam at 0.89%.[48]
[edit] | Tags: Education and social development | 2>
Main article: Education in Tamil Nadu
District level literacy (2011 data)
The main building of CEG in Chennai
Front entrance to NIT campus in Trichy
Tamil Nadu is one of the most literate states in India.[49] Tamil Nadu has performed reasonably well in terms of literacy growth during the decade 2001–2011. The state's literacy rate increased from 83.47% in 2001 to 90.3% in 2011 which is above the national average. A survey conducted by the Industry body Assocham ranks Tamil Nadu top among Indian states with about 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in primary and upper primary education.[50] One of the basic limitations for improvement in education in the state is the rate of absence of teachers in public schools, which at 21.4% is significant.[51] The analysis of primary school education in the state by Pratham shows a low drop-off rate but poor quality of state education compared to other states.[52][53]
The statue of C.N. Annadurai at the CEG campus of Anna University
Tamil Nadu has 37 universities,[54] 455 engineering colleges, 449 Polytechnic Colleges[55] and 566 arts and science colleges, 34335 elementary schools, 5167 high schools, 5054 higher secondary schools and 5000 hospitals. Some of the notable educational institutes present in Tamil Nadu are College of Engineering, Guindy, IIT Madras, NIT Tiruchi, University of Madras, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, Vellore Institute of Technology, SRM University, PSG College of Technology, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Ethiraj College for Women,Madras Christian College,Thanjavur Medical College, Madras Medical College, Loyola College, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madras Medical College, etc.
India has a human development index calculated as 0.619, while the corresponding figure for Tamil Nadu is 0.736, placing it among the top states in the country.[56][57] The life expectancy at birth for males is 65.2 years and for females it is 67.6 years.[58] However, it has a high level of poverty especially in the rural areas. As of 2004–2005, the poverty line was set at 351.86/month for rural areas and 547.42/month for urban areas. Poverty in the state dropped from 51.7% in 1983 to 21.1% in 2001[59] For the period 2004–2005, the Trend in Incidence of Poverty in the state was 22.5% compared with the national figure of 27.5%. The World Bank is currently assisting the state in reducing poverty, High drop-out and low completion of secondary schools continue to hinder the quality of training in the population. Other problems include class, gender, inter-district and urban-rural disparities. Based on URP – Consumption for the period 2004–2005, percentage of the state's population Below Poverty Line was 27.5%. The Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative ranks Tamil Nadu to have a Multidimensional Poverty Index of 0.141, which is in the level of Ghana among the developing countries.[60] Corruption is a major problem in the state with Transparency International ranking it the second most corrupt among the states of India.[61]
The Dravidian movement, which championed the causes of educating Tamils and eradicating superstitions, began in Tamil Nadu. The movement was committed to social justice, which led to the expansion of reservations for the deprived communities. Tamil Nadu now has 69% reservation in educational institutions, the highest among all Indian states.[62]
The Midday Meal Scheme program in Tamil Nadu, initiated by Kamaraj, was expanded considerably during the rule of the AIADMK in 1983, although the state is among the 12 states in India that have an alarming level of hunger, according to the 2008 Global Hunger Index.[63][64]
[edit] | Tags: Culture | 2>
Kolam – a Traditional art form of the Tamil people
Main articles: Tamil people, Temples of Tamil Nadu, and Tamil literature
Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of venerable culture. Tamil Nadu is known for its rich tradition of literature, music and dance which continue to flourish today. Unique cultural features like Bharatanatyam (dance), Tanjore painting, and Tamil architecture were developed and continue to be practised in Tamil Nadu.
[edit] | Tags: Language and literature | 3>
Tamil is the only official language of Tamil Nadu. English is also in common usage as an official language of India. When India adopted national standards Tamil was the very first language to be recognised as a classical language of India.[65] The Tamil people regard their language a very important part of their cultural identity.
Most early Tamil literary works are in verse form, with prose not becoming more common until later periods. Throughout its history, Tamil literature has sought to inform and inspire, educate and entertain.
கேடில் விழுச்செல்வம் கல்வி யொருவற்கு
மாடல்ல மற்றை யவை-(திருக்குறள் – 400)
'Learning is a wealth that none could destroy
Nothing else gives genuine joy'
– (Tirukkural – 400)
Notable examples of Tamil poetry include the Tirukkural, written during the Tamil Sangams period. The poem encompasses a universal outlook, as the author, Tiruvalluvar, does not mention his religion, land, or the audience for his work. He is often portrayed as a holy saint of Tamil Nadu today. Ancient Tamil literature is predominantly secular and deals with everyday life in the Tamil Context.[66]
The first Tamil printing press was established at Tarangambadi by the Danish missionaries. During the Indian freedom struggle, many Tamil poets and writers sought to provoke national spirit, social equity and secularist thoughts among the common man, notably Subramanya Bharathy and Bharathidasan. Even today, Tamil Nadu is home to creative writers like Vairamuthu.
Languages of Tamil Nadu in 2001
Tamil (89.43%)
Telugu (5.65%)
Kannada (1.68%)
Urdu (1.51%)
Tamil is spoken by 89.43% of the population. Minority languages include Telugu (5.65%), Kannada (1.68%), Urdu (1.51%), Malayalam (0.89%), Gujarati / Saurashtri (0.32%), Hindi (0.30%) and Marathi (0.10%).[67]
[edit] | Tags: Religions | 3>
Meenakshi Amman Temple complex in Madurai, one of the grandest Hindu temples in India
Population by religion, 2001[68]
Religious group
Population (million)
%
Hindu
55.0
88.1
Christian
3.79
6.1
Muslim
3.47
5.6
Total [69]
62.4
100
About 88% of the population identifies as Hindu and Tamil Nadu is the home of the core schools of medieval and modern Hinduism as well as several non-mainstream Hindu movements. These include Saiva Siddhanta, Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita, Alvars' Sri Vaishnavism, and Nayanmars Saivisim. Several important Hindu Tamil figures became important figures for Hinduism as a whole (e.g.Ramanuja.) In modern times, well known figures for Hinduism in the state include Ramana Maharishi and the Kanchi Paramacharya. Murugan, Thirumal (Vishnu), Sivan, Sakthi in various forms and a large number of village deities are also worshiped by Hindus in Tamil Nadu.
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankanni, a Christian pilgrimage centre
Erwadi dargah in Ramanathapuram District, a major pilgrimage center of Muslims in Tamil Nadu.
Christians and Muslims together form over 11% of the population. Christians are mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Kanyakumari (44% of the population, 2001), Thoothukudi (17%, 2001) and Tirunelveli (11%,2001). St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, the place where St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus, was believed to have been martyred, is an important pilgrimage site for Indian Christians. The Santhome Basilica, widely believed by Christians in India to have been built atop the tomb of St. Thomas, and the Vailankanni Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health are churches revered by Christians in India. The Church of South India and the Pentecostal Mission Church are headquartered in Chennai.
Muslims are mainly concentrated in areas such as Adirampattinam, Kayalpatnam, Kilakarai, Pernambut, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Madurai, Nagore, and Melapalayam, with the state capital Chennai also home to a number of Muslims. Among Muslims, 97.5% are Sunni and the rest are Shias. The Sunnis adhere to either Hanafi or Shafi schools of thought. Erwadi in Ramanathapuram district and Nagore in Nagapattinam district are important pilgrimage sites for Muslims. Kazimar Big Mosque in Kazimar Street, Madurai and Karpudaiyar masjid in Kayalpatnam are one of the earlier mosques in Tamil Nadu.
Samanars or Tamil Jains have a legacy dating back 250 BC. They made significant contributions to Tamil literature. According to the 2001 census there were 83,359 Jains in Tamil Nadu. There is a popular atheist movement in the 1940s as well.
[edit] | Tags: Festivals | 3>
A bull tamed by Tamil youths at Alanganallur, Madurai
Thungapuram Ayyanar car festival
Pongal, also called as Tamizhar Thirunaal (festival of Tamils) or Makara Sankranti elsewhere in India, a four-day harvest festival is one of the most widely celebrated festivals throughout 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 this festival. The first day, Bhogi Pongal, is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old clothes and materials by setting them on fire to mark the end of the old and emergence of the new. The second day, Surya Pongal, is the main day which falls on the first day of the tenth Tamil month Thai (14 January or 15 January in western calendar). The third day, Maattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cattle, as they provide milk and are used to plough the lands. Jallikattu, a bull taming contest, marks the main event of this day. During this final day, Kaanum Pongal – the word "kaanum", means 'to view' in Tamil.
The first month in the Tamil calendar is Chitterai and the first day of this month in mid-April is celebrated as Tamil New Year. Thiruvalluvar Calendar is 31 years ahead of Gregorian Calendar, that is 2000 AD in Gregorian calendar is represented as 2031 in Thiruvalluvar Calendar. Aadi Perukku is celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi, which celebrates the rising of the water level in the river Cauvery. Apart from these major festivals, in every village and town of Tamil Nadu, the inhabitants celebrate festivals for the local gods once a year and the time varies from place to place. Most of these festivals are related to the goddess Maariyamman, the mother goddess of rain.
Other major Hindu festivals including Deepavali (Death of Narakasura), Ay | Tags: Invocation To Goddess Tamil,India,Websites related to: Max India Limited |