52-592: Swamithope (alternate spelling Swamithoppe ) is the name of a village that lies southeast of the City of Nagercoil , the capital of the District of Kanyakumari in the State of Tamil Nadu , at the extreme southern tip of India . In the past, Swamithope was known by the name Poovandanthoppe which was part of the village, Sasthankutty Vilai Swamithope lies about half-way between the cities of Nagercoil and Kanniyakumari on
104-451: A Municipal corporation on the eve of its 100th year as a city on 14 February 2019. Nagercoil derives from the Tamil expression Nagaraja koyil , meaning "temple of Nagas". "Kottara: This is the name of a place in the country of the 'Aii', or ' Paralia ' (identical with South Travancore), which is called ‘Kottiara Metropolis' by Ptolemy, ' Cottora' by Pliny. Undoubtedly the town referred to
156-698: A Protestant Christian Missionary came to Mylaudy in 1806 A.D and he built the first Protestant church ( CSI Mylaudy )and started the first English medium school in Mylaudy . Also he continue his missionary work in Travancore . After that Charles Mead came to Mylaudy in December 1817 and continued the work of Williams Tobias Ringeltaube. As Charles found that he would not be able to continue his missionary work in Mylaudy , he shifted to Nagercoil in April 1818. In
208-513: A Western Christian religious missionary who stayed at Padmanabhapuram Palace had praised the significant specialties of Kottar's business and arts. In his words, the people who lived in Kottar were excellently ameliorated in music, dance and handicrafts. Dr. Caldwell, who wrote the Dravidian languages’ ‘Oppilakkanam’, has also included Kottar's greatness in his book. Williams Tobias Ringeltaube,
260-764: A central point for bus operations, the terminus enhances accessibility and convenience for travelers, ensuring smooth connectivity between different areas within Kanyakumari and to the neighboring Tirunelveli district. The town bus routes to surrounding localities are to Vadasery , Parvathipuram , Vetturnimadam, Asaripallam, Chunkankadai, Villukuri, Thuckalay , Karungal , Thingalnagar, Mulagumoodu, Chettikulam, Kottar , Ramanputhur, Konam, Eathamozhi, Rajakkamangalam , Manavalakurichi, Colachal , Midalam, Enayam, Parakkai, Thengamputhur, Puthalam, Manakudy, Kovalam, Thovalai , Suchindram , Vazhukkamparai, Thamaraikulam, Mylaudy , Kottaram, etc. There are two railway stations in
312-529: A compound, the final ' ' must be doubled for the purpose of giving the word the force of an adjective : it is another rule that sonants when doubled become surds. Consequently the compound ‘kôd- ara' becomes by rule 'kôţt-âra' . It is interesting to perceive that in the time of the Greeks the same peculiar phonetic rules existed which are now in operation . It is also worth noticing that the Greek writers represent
364-465: A letter written on 24 April 1818, Charles Mead mentions Nagercoil . This might be the first record of the newly named city Nagercoil. This letter is included in C.M. Augur's book titled "History of Christians in Travancore" (Page 683–684). Mary Miller, wife of William Miller who came here to do Missionary work from England stayed here for a period of 5 months and died on 21.01.1828. This information
416-490: A platform for spiritual development in the southern part of India. The people of Kottar and around contributed immensely in eradicating the slave market which was prevalent in those times. Rustic games like Sadugudu or Kabbadi (two groups of people competing in capturing opponent's territory in return attacking and making the fighter to lose the consistent flow of breath to stop him from chanting), Kannampoochi (a very mundane and ancient version of hide and seek), Paandi (throwing
468-619: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Kanyakumari district location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Nagercoil Nagercoil , also spelt as Nagarkovil ("Temple of the Nāgas ", or Nagaraja-Temple), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu state, India. Situated close to the tip of the Indian peninsula , it lies on an undulating terrain between
520-494: Is a locality and a bazaar area of Nagercoil , Tamil Nadu state, in the southernmost part of Peninsular India ; though a part of Nagercoil today, it is the original town around which the city of Nagercoil grew. It was an ancient trade centre of both Pandyans and Cheras at various times. The ancient mercantile centre of Kottar was established on the banks of the Pahrali River (Pazhayar). Robert Caldwell describes
572-650: Is at 96.99% higher than the national average of 74.04% and state average of 80.09%. At Vadasery , a locality in Nagercoil, a unique Temple jewellery is made. The Vadasery Temple jewellery has Geographical Indications (GI) registry of the Government of India. These jewels are used by classical dancers in India. Onam is a festival which is widely celebrated among the Malayalam -speaking population by drawing
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#1732773031228624-726: Is now a part of Nagercoil, was in its own right, a trading emporium even prior to the first century A.D. Temple Inscriptions An inscription with information on Kottar was first found in Kommandaiyamman temple located at Vadasery (also now a locality in Nagercoil ). This inscription was carved during the 18th ruling year of Rajaraja chozhan, which was in the year of 1003 A.D. 15 of the 19 inscriptions found in Sozhapuram Sozharaja temple call this city's name as ‘Thiru Kotaaru’ and ‘Kottar’. These inscriptions were of
676-768: Is one among the 50 Indian cities to be ranked in the World Startup Index of 1,000 cities. The major software companies present in Nagercoil are CapeStart Inc., Hinduja Global Solutions , Navigant Consulting and American stock exchange NASDAQ . The city also has small aerospace manufacturing plants and satellite fabricating firms serving the Indian Space Research Organisations facility in ISRO Propulsion Complex , Mahendragiri. The Regional Academic Centre for Space by Indian Space Research Organisation, one among
728-634: Is well utilized by buses belonging to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation . Local buses primarily serve the commuting needs of residents within the Kanyakumari district, offering reliable transportation options for daily travel and commuting purposes. Additionally, buses to Tirunelveli district provide connectivity for inter-district travel, enabling passengers to reach destinations across both districts efficiently. As
780-523: Is ‘Kôțţâra' or, as it is ordinarily spelled by Europeans, ‘ Kotaur,' the principal town in South Travancore, and now , as in the time of the Greeks, distinguished for its commerce. The name of the place is derived from ‘ Kôd-u, ' Tam., a line of circumvallation, a fortification , and “ ârú, ' a river. It is a rule in the Tamil and the Malayalam , that when a word like ‘Kôd is the first member of
832-477: The 'athapoo' on the floor. Navaratri is uniquely celebrated here with an inter-state tradition in which the idols of Goddess Munuthithanankai Amman from Suchindrum , Goddess Saraswati from Padmanabhapuram Palace and Lord Kumaraswamy from Kumarakovil travel to Thiruvananthapuram . A ceremonial welcome is given to the idols of the Gods by the officials and representatives of the Government of Kerala . After
884-464: The Granary of Travancore , Nagercoil not only served as the food basket of Kerala, but was also one among the important spice-trading centers in the kingdom of Travancore from the 14th century onward, and maintained a trade network with Arab merchants from the pre-Islamic era. Various Tamil and Kerala kings fought over this rich agricultural land, which boasted six rivers. Various historians cite that
936-603: The Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea . The present city of Nagercoil grew around Kottar , a mercantile town that dates back to the Sangam period . Kottar is now a locality within the city limits. Nagercoil was a major town in the erstwhile Travancore kingdom till 1956. In 1956, Kanyakumari District , along with the town, was merged with Tamil Nadu. Nagercoil is a centre for a range of economic activities in
988-557: The Western Ghats , outside the town. Nagercoil is also the nearest city to the ISRO Propulsion Complex , Mahendragiri and the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant . The city, along with the district of Kanyakumari, stands at the top in many Human Development Index parameters in Tamil Nadu state, including education, per capita income, health indices, etc. The municipality of Nagercoil was upgraded as
1040-604: The 11th century as recorded in various articles and ancient history. India's architectural masterminds gather for the forum spending in researching and evolving the artifacts in and around Kottar. Kottar includes Kambolam a.k.a. Kottar Bazaar, Vadiveeswaram, Nagercoil Railway Station, Edalakudy, Elankadai, Vatta Vizhai, Chettikulam, Part of Cape Road Tourist attractions around Kottar include St. Xavier's Cathedral, Kanyakumari town and beach, Suchindrum Temple, Vattakottai Fort (Circular Fort) and Sanguthurai Beach. The ancient and rich cultural traditions and legacy of Kottar had been
1092-530: The 15th century the palm-leaf manuscript of Azhagiyapaandipuram mudhaliyaar points out this city as "Kotaaraana chozha keralapuram". A total of 12 incarnations were found in Nagaraja temple by the archeologists of Tamilnadu. In which one of the incarnations of 17th century mentions this city as Kottar. Church Inscriptions & Christian Manuscripts St. Francis Xavier, the great Roman Catholic missionary came to Kottar in 1544 A.D and started missionary work in
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#17327730312281144-517: The 21st century contemporary. Although there are prehistoric and classical structures in the city, the architectural history of Nagercoil effectively begins with the first small settlements from 3 A.D. The Roman naturalist and writer Pliny the Elder mentions Nagercoil as a commercial metropolis, having trade links with his contemporaneous Roman merchants, who traded and stayed in unique rock-walled, clay-roofed structures. This legacy can be found in some of
1196-458: The Elder (who lived in between 23 – 79 A.D.) mentions Kottar as a commercial metropolis, having trade links with his contemporaneous Roman merchants. Doctor Galdwell, one of the most authoritative Indologists of modern time's mentions, that Ptolemy, a Greek mathematician, astronomer and geographer who lived in Alexandria about 130 A.D., referred Kottar as Kottora Metropolis. Thus, Kottar which
1248-1480: The Nagercoil Clock Tower was presented to the Maharajah by Rev. James Duthie. of the London Missionary Society. The total cost for constructing the Nagercoil Clock Tower was ₹ 3,258, 9 Chakrams and 12 Kasu. The Maharajah of Travancore donated ₹ 1017, and the balance was donated by the public. Tamil is the official language in Nagercoil and is spoken by the majority of the population here. In addition to Tamil, English and Malayalam are widely spoken. There are many schools and colleges in Nagercoil that are known for their national reputation and were established more than 150 years ago; colleges such as Scott Christian College (est. 1809), South Travancore Hindu College (est. 1952), Holy Cross College (est. 1965), Women Christian College and schools such as Scott Christian Higher Secondary School (est. 1819), Duthie Girls School (est. 1819), St. Joseph's Convent Higher Secondary School (est. 1910), Carmel Higher Secondary School (est. 1922), S.L.B. Government Higher Secondary School (est. 1924), S.M.R.V. Higher Secondary School (est. 1919). Also, there are several private primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) schools in
1300-495: The Nagercoil Palace, Nagercoil Clock Tower , Home Church , Scott Christian College , Scott School , Carmel Higher Secondary School , St. Joseph Convent , Sethu Lakshmi Bai School, Nagercoil Court, The Concordia Seminary, Filter House, The Salvation Army Catherine Booth Hospital and many more heritage structures in and around the town. The Nagercoil Clock Tower is the most visible to the outside world, situated in
1352-496: The Nagercoil-Kanniyakumari road. Swamithope is located at 8°07′N 77°29′E / 8.12°N 77.49°E / 8.12; 77.49 Swamithoppu is a synonym for this village, as used in the holy book ( Akilam ) of the Tamil belief system Ayyavazhi . Swamithoppu is the name earned by the village Swami (Ayya Vaikundars thavam) Thoppu was a coconut tree farm so it has been merged by people. being
1404-537: The area. This can be attributed to the construction of the Thanumalayan Temple in the 16th century. The 14th century St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar serves as a testimony to the mix of Roman and native architecture. While Saint Xavier was doing missionary work at Kottar and its neighborhood, he averted an invasion of Padagas and thus protected the people of the Venad kingdom from that attack which
1456-1112: The city Nagercoil has the distinction of housing one of the two Sports Authority of India Centers in the state, the other being in Chennai . There are plans to make the city hub for sports in South India by merging it with the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi Centers with headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram . Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) is maintaining Aringar Anna Outdoor Stadium in Vadasery and SDAT indoor Stadium in Konam, Nagercoil. It also has an excellent Swimming pool for sports players. Nagercoil also has various sports clubs that promote various sports activities. Nagercoil Fencing Club promotes fencing sports in nagercoil. Also there are various Non govt sports clubs like The District Club, The Nagercoil Club, Ramavarmapuram club, etc. Kottar Kottar
1508-596: The city that provide learning diversity to the local & surrounding students. There are approved institutions in and around the city, consisting of autonomous colleges, aided colleges and self-financing colleges. There is a Government ITI, Government Polytechnic, University College of Engineering, and Government Arts And Science College situated in Konam . There are two Government Medical Institutes in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari Government Medical College, Asaripallam , and Government Ayurvedic College, Kottar . The literacy rate
1560-537: The dice and reaching to that spot with one leg folded, by then mutually agreed to own the land resembles the colony captivation act of Americans during the 16th century), Seven dice (In the early ages during British rule in India, this game was invented indirectly to showcase the anti-British rule by destructing seven layered dices formed in the centre of the play court) . Most prominently, there were community of people named as "Aasan" are celebrated as demigod who were believed to have supernatural powers and gained them with
1612-412: The domestic and export markets. The minor cottage industries include Surgical Gloves, Coir -making, floral trade, handloom-weaving, cashew nut, spices, food-processing units, and lace-making (export-oriented). Nagercoil has the highest per capita income of ₹2,76,454 (US$ 3,800), making it among the richest small cities in India. The city has an installed windmill capacity of 1500 MW catering to 20% of
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1664-457: The extent of Malayalam in the mid 19th century as extending from the vicinity of Mangalore in the north where it supersedes with Tulu and Kannada to Kottar beyond Pahrali River near Kanyakumari in the south where it begins to supersede with the Tamil and from Malabar Coast in the west to Western Ghats in the east besides the inhabited islands of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea . In
1716-512: The heart of the town, which was built to commemorate the visit of Sri Moolam Thirunal, the ruler of Travancore , in 1893, and was designed by Hogeorf and S. Horesly of England. The Maharajah himself inaugurated it on 15 February of that year. The pendulum of the clock was made in Derbyshire by Smith of Derby Group, London . The clock is attached to a 60-foot-long chain with a weight, operated with pulleys through gravitational force. The clock in
1768-542: The influence of science and meditation. It was said that Aasans were invited by many influential persons around the World to learn the craft of healing and resurrection. Aaroodam (Prophecy), a profession which was conceded to the heir of the Families traditionally had been acclaimed and believed that they have the will to study the destiny of a Human. Renowned Locations: Marunthuvazh malai (Translated as Mountain of Medicines);
1820-615: The inscriptions carved during the 15-16th century in this temple, we come to know that the place where this temple is built was called as Vadiveeswaram. The 14th century inscription found in Pudhukkiraamam Manavaala Perumal temple tells about Kottar and the Palace found there. The 16th century incarnations found in Parakkai and kariyamaanikka puram temples mentions this city as "Kotaaraana mummudi chozhapuram". In
1872-432: The land's climate and diverse, luxuriant vegetation had no comparison anywhere else in Tamil Nadu. According to the 2011 census , Nagercoil had a population of 289,916 with a female-male sex ratio of 1.05, well above the national average of 0.929 females/male. A total of 20,241 were under the age of six, constituting 10,119 males and 10,122 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 4.19% and 0.17% of
1924-481: The last syllable of the name of the town, not as ' âru ,' but as 'âra . The Tamil has ' âru, ' the Malayalam 'ara ' At Kotaur, the dialectic peculiarities of the Malayalam language begin to supersede those of the Tamil ;; and this appears to have been the case even in the time of the Greeks." (Page 62-63) It was from the ancient trade centre of Kottar from where the city of Nagercoil began to expand. Known as
1976-554: The modern day, Kottar is the main commodities market area of Kanyakumari District . The main railway station of Nagercoil , the Nagercoil Junction is at Kottar. The only Government Ayurveda Medical College in Tamilnadu state is also at Kottar. The history of Kottar stretches way back to the sangam period, Thirugnyana sambandhar, who lived in the 7th century A.D portrays about the natural beauty, business resources and
2028-840: The only six incubation centers for Space Startups in India, is under construction in Nagercoil. The Integral Coach Factory has a small scale windmill unit. The export of 95 tons of fruits and vegetables to the Gulf Countries through the Thiruvananthapuram airports is a major source of revenue for the city, with food processing companies generating a daily revenue of ₹16.7 lakh and an annual revenue of ₹6.1 billion. The flower market of Thovalai exports 350 tons of Flowers to Kerala, Europe and Middle Eastern countries generating an annual revenue of ₹250 crore . The major cottage industries like Fish-net manufacturing, Rubber industries, Jewellery manufacturing are industries serving
2080-582: The origin of the Ayyavazhi religion in the mid-nineteenth century. It is the birthplace place of sampoorana Devan , after the incarnation at his age of 24 he got 4 ubadesa vinjai from Lord Narayana in the Thiruchendoor sea, after 3 days of Birth and vinjai ubadesam Sampoorana Devans Body has been used by Lord Narayana to become Ayya Vaikundar the founder of the practice called Ayyavazhi. Ayya vazhi means fathers' way of practice and presently serves as
2132-665: The period of Rajendra chozhan, Kulothunga chozhan, Venaattu mannan, Veerakerala varman and Paraakirama pandiyan. The inscription from Puravaseri Perumal temple of the 12th century A.D and from Pudhukkiramam Azhagiya Manavaala Perumal temple of the 14th century A.D also calls this city as Kottar. The 12th century inscription found from Thalapathysamuthiram Naaganaadha Swami temple located in the highways of Tirunelveli – Trivandrum highways remarks this highway as "Kotaaru peruvazhi". 4 of 7 inscriptions found in Vadiveeswaram Azhagamman temple also call this city as Kottar. From
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2184-444: The population respectively. The literacy rate of the city was 96.99%. The city had a total of 59,997 households. There were a total of 76,345 workers, comprising 244 cultivators, 1,155 main agricultural laborers, 2,271 in household industries, 67,050 other workers, 5,625 marginal workers, 110 marginal cultivators, 361 marginal agricultural laborers, 447 marginal workers in household industries and 4,707 other marginal workers. The city
2236-530: The region keeping Kottar as his base. St. Francis Xavier built a small church at Kottar, which is today part of the St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar , Nagercoil . The church comes under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar , Nagercoil . Roman Catholic martyr and Saint, Devasahayam Pillai , is interred at the St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar . In the 18th century A.D, St. Paulinus,
2288-581: The site of its Head of Ayya vaikundars teaching practice to reach the God. (the Swamithope Pathi ). It also becomes the terminating point of beautiful western ghats starting from the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra, south of the Tapti river, and runs approximately 1,600 km (990 mi) through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and finally at Tamil Nadu. This Ayyavazhi-related article
2340-486: The small but densely-populated Kanyakumari District . Economic activities in and around the city include tourism, wind energy, IT services, marine fish production and exports, rubber and cloves plantations, agro-crops, floral production, manufacture of fishnets, rubber products among other activities. 'Nagercoil Cloves' is a distinct quality of dried cloves in the spices market, noted for its aroma and medicinal value. Cloves , pepper and other spices are grown in estates in
2392-480: The specialized art of Kottar in his ‘Thirukkottaaru Padhigam’, a part of ‘Dhevaaram’. He starts it with ‘Suchindrum Thalapuraanam’, which also mentions the Kottar name reason. In the literature "Pandi Kovai" of the 8th Century, it is mentioned that, Ninraseer Nedumaaran, a Pandian king who lived during the period of Thirugnyana Sambandhar invaded Kottar and conquered it. Thus he was called as ‘Kotaaru Azhitha Kon’. Foreign Sources The Roman naturalist and writer, Pliny
2444-544: The state's renewable electricity needs. Muppandhal has emerged as the wind power hub, with plant owners eager to cash in on the ₹2.90 per unit purchase price being offered by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board . The architecture of Nagercoil consists of an eclectic combination of architectural styles, ranging from those that predate the creation of the town, from the early Dravidian architecture and Kerala Architecture , to English Gothic Revival , to
2496-399: The ten days of Navratri festival, they return to the respective temples with great celebrations. There are three main bus stands in the city. In addition to the bus bays, the terminus houses essential facilities such as a reservation counter for ticketing services. It also includes numerous commercial and refreshment outlets, providing amenities to travelers and visitors alike. Overall,
2548-783: The terminus plays a crucial role in the transportation infrastructure of Nagercoil, offering convenience and connectivity for passengers traveling within the state and to neighboring Kerala. Frequent bus services to Marthandam , Thiruvananthapuram , Valliyur , Tirunelveli , Kovilpatti , Virudhunagar , Madurai , Karaikudi , Dindigul , Thoothukudi , Tiruchendur available from here. Also scheduled long distances buses to Chennai , Salem , Krishnagiri , Hosur , Bengaluru , Palani , Pollachi , Tiruppur , Ooty , Thanjavur , Nagapattinam , Velankanni , Kodaikanal , Trichy , Ariyalur , Virudhachalam , Kumbakonam , Chidambaram , Cuddalore , Puducherry , Pudukkottai , Thanjavur , Vellore , Chittoor , Tirupathi operated from here. The terminus
2600-609: The town's old heritage structures like the Nagaraja Temple, Nagercoil . The temple has two main deities, Krishna (revered as Ananda Krishna) and Nagaraja. The upadevathas are Shiva, Subrahmanya Swami, Ganesha, Devi, and Dwarapalaka. As an ancient tradition, the priests are Namboothiri Brahmins who are referred by the Pambumekkat mana in Thrissur, Kerala. Later on, Dravidian and Kerala architectural styles began to appear in
2652-499: Was appreciated by the king, Unni Kerala Varma. In recognition of Xavier's services, the king allotted him a piece of land to construct a Catholic church, as a gesture of goodwill, as per the church records. There was already a small church, in the same place where St. Xavier's church stands at present, dedicated to Mary the Mother of God, since AD 1544. The brilliant artistic influence of Kerala and British architecture marvels are seen in
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#17327730312282704-524: Was carved on her grave at the cemetery backside of the CSI Home church, Nagercoil . This incarnation notifies this city as Nagercoil and this is said to be the first incarnation found representing this city. It has been carved in English and Tamil languages. Kottar was predominately occupied by Vellalars, Chettis, Paravars, Chavalakara Padayatchis, Kuravars and Nadars. Romans visited Kottar to trade during
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