TAMILNADU

TAMILNADU

Area : 1,30,058 sq km , Population : 6,24,05,679
Capital : Chennai , Principal Language : Tamil

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Tamilnadu has a hoary antiquity. Though early sangam classics throw historical references it is only from the Pallavas we pass to recorded history. South India had remained under the hegemony of the Cholas, the Cheras and the Pandyas for centuries. The Pallavas held supremacy from about the second quarter of the fourth century AD. They were the originators of the famous Dravidian style of temple architecture. The last Pallava ruler was Aparajita in whose reign the later Cholas under Vijayalaya and Aditya asserted themselves by about the 10th century. At the end of the 11th century, Tamilnadu was ruled by several dynasties like the Chalukyas, Cholas and Pandyas. In the two centuries that followed, the imperial Cholas gained paramountacy over South India. Muslims gradually strengthened their position, which led to the establishment of the Bahamani Sultanate, by the middle of the 14th century. At the same time, the Vijayanagar Kingdom quickly consolidated itself and extended its sway over the whole of South India and at the close of the century, Vijayanagar became the supreme power in South. However, it crumbled at the battle of Talikota in 1564 to the confederate forces of the Deccan Sultans. Even during the period of the tumultous confusion that followed the battle of Talikota, European commercial interest had appeared as rivals in the area of South India. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the English came in quick succession and established trading centres known as ‘Factories’. East India Company which had established their factory at Masulipatnam, now in Andhra Pradesh, in 1611 gradually annexed territories by encouraging enmity among the native rulers. Tamilnadu was one of the first of British settlements in India. The State is the successor to the old Madras Presidency which in 1901 covered the bulk of the southern peninsula. The composite Madras State was later reorganised and the present Tamilnadu was formed.

Tamilnadu is bounded on north by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on west by Kerala, on east by the Bay of Bengal and on south by the Indian Ocean.

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is the major occupation in Tamilnadu. The total cultivated area in the State was 56.10 million hectares in 2007-08. The principal food crops include paddy, millets and pulses. Commercial crops include sugarcane, cotton, sunflower, coconut, cashew, chillies, gingelly and groundnut. Plantation crops are tea, coffee, cardamom and rubber. Major forest produces are timber, sandalwood, pulp wood and fuel wood. Tamilnadu occupies a premier position in the production and extensive application of bio-fertilizers. Efforts are on to improve farming technologies so as to increase yields in the low rainfall areas of the State. Annual foodgrains production in the year 2007-08 was 100.35 lakh mt.

INDUSTRY AND MINERALS

Major Industries in the State are cotton, heavy commercial vehicles, auto components, railway coaches, power pumps, leather tanning industries, cement, sugar, paper, automobiles and safety matches. Knowledge based industries like I.T. and Biotechnology have become the thrust area in the industrial scene in Tamilnadu. TIDEL, a software technology park, has been established in Tharamani, Chennai. The Software export from the State which was Rs. 20,700 crores in 2006-07 is expected to cross Rs. 25,000 crores in 2007-08. Top I.T. and Telecom companies such as Nokia, Motorola, Foxcon, Flextronic and Dell have commenced production. Global auto majors Hyundai Motors, Ford, Hindustan Motors and Mitsubishi have commenced production plants. Ashok Leyland and TAFE have set up expansion plants in Chennai. Main mineral wealth of the state is granite, lignite and limestone. The state is an important exporter of tanned skin and leather goods, yarn, tea, coffee, spices, engineering goods, tobacco, handicrafts and black granite. Tamil Nadu contributes to 60 per cent of the tannery industry in India.

IRRIGATION

Important irrigation schemes and modernisation of existing Periyar Vaigai System, Palar Basin System and Parambikulam-Aliyar System besides the minor system in Vellar, Pennayar, Araniyar Amaravathi, Chithar basins totalling, an extent of six lakh acres of existing ayacut in Tamil Nadu have been benefited by implementing the ‘System Improvement and Farmers Turnover Projects’ executed with assistance from World Bank. The World Bank has also approved Rs 2,547 crores for the Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water Bodies Restoration Management Project. The Project covers about 6,17lakh ha. in 63 selected sub-basins throughout the state. Nine irrigation projects which were just started and going on a slow progress have been speeded up with adequate fund and guidance for early completion. The major irrigation system covering one-third of irrigated extent in Tamil Nadu, namely tank irrigation system has been given due regard for development under WRCP and 620 tanks maintained by Public Works Department falling under Palar, Vaigai and Tamaraparani Basins have been taken up for rehabilitation and improvement. This project is nearing completion to the maximum satisfaction of the farmers. This State has become the pioneer State to implement the system of ‘River basin management’ by an individual body consisting of officials and farmers besides various representatives of the basin.

POWER

The total installed capacity for electricity in the State is 10,122 MW as on 29.2.2008. The installed capacity of State Sector is 5,597 MW and that of Private Sector is 1,154 MW. Apart from this 2861 MW is available as share from Central Sector, 335MW is obtained from external assistance and 175 MW from Captive Power Plants. Apart from this wind mills from the private sector provide 3693 MW and 451.6 MW is received from co-generation plants and 104.85 MW from Bio-mass plants. As on 31.03.2006, there are 1100 sub stations, 1.49 lakh kms of Extra High Tension/High Tension lines, 4.87 lakh kms of low tension lines, 1.67 distribution transformers and 178.03 lakh service connections.

TRANSPORT

Roads :
The length of roads network in Tamil Nadu is 1,93,918 km.

Railways :
The total length of railways is 4,181 km and the main junctions being Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli.

Aviation :
Chennai being the international airport in the southern region, is the main centre of airline routes. Besides, there are airports at Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Coimbatore and Salem.

Ports :
Major ports in the State are Chennai, Egmore and Tuticorin. There are seven other minor ports including Cuddalore and Nagapattinam.

FESTIVALS

• Pongal is the harvest festival celebrated by the farmers in January to worship the sun, the earth and the cattle as thanks giving for a bounteous harvest. Pongal is followed by the Jallikattu -Bull fight, Tamilnadu style in some parts of sourthern Tamilnadu. Alanganallur in Tamilnadu is internationally famous for Jallikattu-Bull fight.
• Chithirai festival, Madurai: Madurai brings a spectacular re-enactment of the marriage of the Pandiyan princess Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarar.
• Adipperukku is a festival celebrated on the 18th day of Tamil month,
• Adi , on the banks of rivers. It marks the commencement of new farming operations. A truly secular festival - where devotees flock to the shrine of saint Quadirwali. One of the descendants of the Saint is chosen as a Peer or spiritual leader and is honoured with offerings. On the tenth day of the festival, the Saint’s tomb is annointed with sandalwood and later the holy sandal paste is distributed to everyone.
• Velankanni festival : Wondrous legends surround the church, the most famous being that of the ship wrecked Portuguese sailors, who in the 16th century, vowed to build a great shrine for the Virgin Mary, for saving their lives in a terrible storm. The Velankanni festival attracts thousands, clad in orange robes to the sacred spot where the ship landed. Equally famous are the Virgin Mary's miraculous healing powers - earning for the church the name 'Lourdes of the East'.
• Navarathiri festival : Literally, this means the festival of ‘nine nights’ taking unique and different forms in different states of India - all to propitiate the goddess Sakthi , for power, ealth and knowledge.
• Music Festival : In December Chennai celebrates her priceless heritage of carnatic music and dance to present a galaxy of star artistes, old and new.
  

TOURIST CENTRES

• Chennai,
• Mamallapuram,
• Poompuhar,
• Kancheepuram,
• Kumbakonam,
• Dharasuram,
• Chidambaram,
• Tiruvannamalai,
• Srirangam,
• Madurai,
• Rameswaram,
• Tirunelveli,
• Kanniyakumari,
• Thanjavur,
• Velankanni,
• Nagoor,
• Chithannavasal,
• Kazhugumalai (monument centres),
• Courtallam,
• Hogenakkal,
• Papanasam,
• Suruli (water-falls),
• Ooty (Udhagamandalam),
• Kodaikanal,
• Yercaud,
• Elagiri Kolli Hills (hill stations),
• Guindy(Chennai),
• Mudumalai,
• Annamalai,
• Mundanthurai,
• Kalakad (wild life sanctuaries),
• Vedanthangal and Point Calimere (bird sanctuaries),
• Arignar Anna Zoological Park, near Chennai, are some of the places of tourist interest.

GOVERNMENT

Governor : S.S. Barnala
Chief Secretary : L. Tripathy
Chief Minister : M. Karunanidhi
Jurisdiction of High Court : Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry