173-438: Thirukkadaiyur (Thirukadavur) is a village on the east coast of Tamil Nadu , about 300 km south of Chennai and 15 km north of Karaikal . The history of the village is associated with the legends of Markandeya and Abirami Pattar. The village is centered around Amritaghateswarar - Abirami Temple of Tirukkadaiyur , a replica. The original temple, Thirumeignanam Gnanaparameswarar Temple , called Thirumeignanam , built in
346-783: A banana leaf , and using clean fingers of the right hand to take the food into the mouth. After the meal, the fingers are washed; the easily degradable banana leaf is discarded or becomes fodder for cattle. Eating on banana leaves is a custom thousands of years old, imparts a unique flavor to the food, and is considered healthy. Idli , dosa , uthappam , pongal , and paniyaram are popular breakfast dishes in Tamil Nadu. Palani Panchamirtham , Ooty varkey , Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai , Manapparai Murukku and Srivilliputhur Palkova are unique foods that have been recognised as Geographical Indications . Tamil Nadu has an independent literary tradition dating back over 2500 years from
519-526: A tank called the kalyani or pushkarni . The gopuram is a monumental tower, usually ornate at the entrance of the temple forms a prominent feature of koils and Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. They are topped by the kalasam , a bulbous stone finial and function as gateways through the walls that surround the temple complex. The gopuram's origins can be traced back to the Pallavas who built
692-623: A Siva temple in northern Tamil Nadu and named it Kadaremkonda Cholaeswarem. Following Rajendra's victories in the wars on the Indian mainland and near-overseas, he built two "magnificent & gigantic temples completely out of Granite stone" as living monuments of his forces' great valour and superior status in this region, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Series . The two granite temples were built to commemorate their triumphs far overseas and as monuments of
865-575: A book of Tamil grammar. The kingdoms had significant diplomatic and trade contacts with other kingdoms to the north and with the Romans . Much of the commerce from the Romans and Han China were facilitated via seaports including Muziris and Korkai with spices being the most prized goods along with pearls and silk . From 300 CE, the region was ruled by the Kalabhras , warriors belonging to
1038-564: A book on ethics by Thiruvalluvar , is amongst the most popular works of Tamil literature. In the early medieval period, Vaishnava and Shaiva literature became prominent following the Bhakti movement in the sixth century CE with hymns composed by the Alvars and the Nayanars . In the following years, Tamil literature again flourished with notable works including Ramavataram , written in
1211-487: A choice: they could either have a gifted son who would live only up to sixteen years, or a son of low intelligence who would live a longer life. Mrikandu and Marudmati chose the former, and had Markandeya , an exemplary son, destined to die at the age of sixteen. As Markandeya grew, so did his devotion to Shiva. As advised by his father, Markandeya worshipped the Shiva Lingam at Tirukkadaiyur, even bringing water from
1384-631: A collection of couplets is attributed to the same period. Around the 7th century CE, the Kalabhras were overthrown by the Pandyas and Cholas, who patronised Buddhism and Jainism before the revival of Saivism and Vaishnavism during the Bhakti movement . Though they existed previously, the period saw the rise of the Pallavas in the sixth century CE under Mahendravarman I , who ruled parts of South India with Kanchipuram as their capital. The Pallavas were noted for their patronage of architecture:
1557-654: A confederacy of Deccan sultanates . Later, the Nayaks , who were the military governors in the Vijaynagara Empire, took control of the region amongst whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were the most prominent. They introduced the palayakkararar system and re-constructed some of the well-known temples in Tamil Nadu including the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai. In the 18th century,
1730-406: A gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹ 27.22 trillion (US$ 330 billion), making it the second-largest economy amongst the 28 states of India. It has the country's 9th-highest GSDP per capita of ₹ 315,220 (US$ 3,800) and ranks 11th in human development index . Tamil Nadu is also one of the most industrialised states, with the manufacturing sector accounting for nearly one-third of
1903-412: A hot battle; Takkaṇalāḍam, whose fame reached (all) directions, (and which he occupied) after having forcibly attacked Raṇaśura; Vangāḷa-deśā, where the rain water never stopped, (and from which) Gōvindacandra fled, having descended (from his) male elephant; elephants of rare strength, women and treasure, (which he seized) after having been pleased to put to flight in a hot battlefield the strong Mahipāla by
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#17327978511292076-515: A large army into Anuradhapura and captured Mahinda's crown, queen and daughter, a vast amount of wealth and the king himself, whom Rajendra took to India as a prisoner to India, where he died in exile in 1029. 11–12 years after the Chola conquest of Rohana, Prince Kassapa, son of Mahinda, hid in Rohana, where Chola forces unsuccessfully searched for him. Soon after the death of Mahinda, Kassapa assumed
2249-571: A large fleet of ships with Chola warriors was sent to Sri Vijaya, Palembang in southern Sumatra, which was captured. After that, the fleet captured the adjacent settlement Malaiyur. From there, the fleet sailed to the nearby island Bangha and captured Mevilibangham. The fleet then sailed to Pannai , on the eastern Sumatran mainland, followed by Ilamuridesam in northern Sumatra. The forces next sailed to Malaysia and captured Vallaipandur in modern-day north-east Malaysia and Kadarem in north-west Malaysia. From here, Rajendra's forces sailed north and captured
2422-499: A large heap of family-treasures with many (other) treasures (which he carried away), after having conquered Indraratha of the ancient race of the moon, together with (his) family, in a fight which took place at Ādinagar, (a city) whose fame knew no decline; Oḍḍa- viṣaya which was difficult of approach on account of its dense forest defence; the good Kōśalai-nāḍu where Brahmins assembled; Taṇḍabutti in whose gardens bees abounded, (land which he acquired) after having destroyed Dharmapāla (in)
2595-802: A marine national park and Guindy , an urban national park within Chennai. Tamil Nadu has 18 wildlife sanctuaries . Tamil Nadu is home to one of the largest populations of endangered Bengal tigers and Indian elephants in India. There are five declared elephant sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu as per Project Elephant –Agasthyamalai, Anamalai , Coimbatore , Nilgiris and Srivilliputtur . Tamil Nadu participates in Project Tiger and has five declared tiger reserves –Anamalai, Kalakkad-Mundanthurai , Mudumalai , Sathyamangalam and Megamalai. There are seventeen declared bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. There
2768-527: A number of temples including the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai. In the 13th and 14th centuries, there were repeated attacks from Delhi Sultanate . The Vijayanagara kingdom was founded in 1336 CE . The Vijayanagara empire eventually conquered the entire Tamil country by c. 1370 and ruled for almost two centuries until its defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by
2941-460: A part of a Tamil meal. Coconut and spices are used extensively in Tamil cuisine. The region has a rich cuisine involving both traditional non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes made of rice, legumes , and lentils with its distinct aroma and flavour achieved by the blending of flavourings and spices. The traditional way of eating a meal involves being seated on the floor, having the food served on
3114-481: A population of 6,244. The village is connected by bus transport and is located on the Chidambaram - Nagapattinam highway. There are three secondary schools and one senior secondary school in the village. There are a total of 1,528 households and the total area of the village is 793.4 ha (1,961 acres). There was one medical practitioner with M.B., B.S. degree and four other medical systems practitioners. Being
3287-874: A port named São Tomé near present-day Mylapore in Madras. In 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat and the Danes had their establishment in Tharangambadi . On 20 August 1639, Francis Day of the British East India Company met with the Vijayanager emperor Peda Venkata Raya and obtained a grant for land on the Coromandel coast for their trading activities. A year later,
3460-599: 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 and III. The volcanic basalt beds of the Deccan plateau were laid down in the massive Deccan Traps eruption, which occurred towards the end of the Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago. Layer after layer
3633-604: A rudimentary script dated to 5th century BCE. Potsherds uncovered from Keeladi indicate a script which might be a transition between the Indus Valley script and Tamil Brahmi script used later. The Sangam period lasted for about eight centuries, from 500 BCE to 300 CE with the main source of history during the period coming from the Sangam literature. Ancient Tamilakam was ruled by a triumvirate of monarchical states, Cheras , Cholas and Pandyas . The Cheras controlled
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#17327978511293806-404: A significant expatriate population. As of 2011 , the state had 3.49 million immigrants. Distribution of languages in Tamil Nadu (2011) Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu, while English serves as the additional official language. Tamil is one of the oldest languages and was the first to be recognized as a classical language of India . As per the 2011 census, Tamil is spoken as
3979-488: A similar difficulty; he had to contend with the hostility of local chiefs who regarded him as a more-significant threat than the Cholas to their independence. For that reason, the Cholas recruited nominal support from rebel chiefs in Rohana. Vijayabahu needed help consolidating a firm territorial base from which to launch a decisive campaign against the Cholas. On another front, the Cholas needed to eliminate similar opposition in
4152-606: A term of three years and consisted of 132 Members of which 34 were nominated by the Governor and the rest were elected. The Government of India Act 1935 established a bicameral legislature with the creation of a new legislative council with 54 to 56 members in July 1937. The first legislature of Madras state under the Constitution of India was constituted on 1 March 1952 after the 1952 elections . The number of seats post
4325-518: A title of Rajaraja. Chola official Tali Kumaran erected a Siva temple called Rajarajeshvara ("Lord of Rajaraja") in the town Mahatittha – modern Mantota, Mannar – which was renamed Rajaraja-pura. Chola-occupied territories on the island were named Mummudicholamandalam after Mummudi Chola or Rajaraja I, Rajendra's father. During his reign, Rajendra's father Rajaraja I annexed the Kingdom of Anuradhapura in northern Sri Lanka. Rajendra invaded
4498-569: A tourist village, the public transports like autorickshaws, car-taxis and buses are common. The village also has an Anganwadi centre and noon meal nutrition centre. The village is also agrarian with a total of 455.3 ha (1,125 acres) irrigated lands. The village has a minor port close to the private PPN Power Generating Company. The port is under the control of Tamil Nadu Maritime Board. Shastiapthapoorthi (60th birthday), Bhimaradha Shanthi (70th birthday), Sadabishegam (80th birthday) and other Ayul Shanthi fire worships are very famous here. The village
4671-651: A type of silk sari made in the Kanchipuram region in Tamil Nadu and these saris are worn as bridal and special occasion saris by most women in South India. It has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2005–2006. Kovai Cora is a type of cotton sari made in the Coimbatore. Rice is the diet staple and is served with sambar , rasam , and poriyal as
4844-414: A younger brother named Araiyan Rajarajan, who became a commanding general of a Chola army, and at least three sisters; the younger sister was Kundavai (not to be confused with Kundavai Pirattiyar ), the queen of Chalukya-Vimaladitya; and a daughter called Mahadevi. Other significant members of the royal household include queen mother Dantisakti Vitanki—alias Lokamahadevi. The nakshatra of Rajendra's birth
5017-552: Is a classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu and is one of the oldest dances of India. Other regional folk dances include Karakattam , Kavadi , Koodiyattam , Oyilattam , Paraiattam and Puravaiattam . The dance, clothing, and sculptures of Tamil Nadu exemplify the beauty of the body and motherhood. Koothu is an ancient folk art, where artists tell stories from the epics accompanied by dance and music. The ancient Tamil country had its own system of music called Tamil Pannisai described by Sangam literature such as
5190-570: Is a group of Maddalams and other similar percussion instruments from the ancient Tamilakam which are played during events. The traditional music of Tamil Nadu is known as Carnatic music , which includes rhythmic and structured music by composers such as Muthuswami Dikshitar . Gaana , a combination of various folk musics, is sung mainly in the working-class area of North Chennai. Rajendra Chola Rajendra I ( /rɑːdʒeɪndrə/ ; Middle Tamil : Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Old Malay : Raja Chulan ; 26 July 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra
5363-709: Is a small seaport under the control of the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board. Thirukkadaiyur derives its name from the pot, called Gatam in Tamil . Vishnu , Indra , and the other Devas needed an outstanding place to consume the Amrita that had been churned during the Samudra manthan and, therefore, brought the Amrita pot here. Before consuming it, they forgot to worship Ganesha , who has to be worshipped before any great undertaking. Ganesha, hurt and offended at
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5536-445: Is also believed that Abhirami was incarnated here by the power of Vishnu. As per popular legend, near the temple of Tirukkadaiyur, there lived a sage named Mrikandu and his wife Marudmati. They were both devotees of Shiva and worshipped him day and night for many years, asking to be graced with a child. After many years of penance , Shiva appeared before Mrikandu and Marudmati. He told them that he heard their prayers and would give them
5709-780: Is at Kanyakumari where the Indian Ocean meets the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats run south along the western boundary with the highest peak at Doddabetta (2,636 m (8,648 ft)) in the Nilgiri Hills . The Eastern Ghats run parallel to the Bay of Bengal along the eastern coast and the strip of land between them forms the Coromandel region. They are a discontinuous range of mountains intersected by Kaveri river . Both mountain ranges meet at
5882-500: Is bound by the Indian states of Kerala , Karnataka , and Andhra Pradesh , and the union territory of Puducherry . It shares an international maritime border with the Northern Province of Sri Lanka at Pamban Island . The Palk Strait and the chain of low sandbars and islands known as Rama's Bridge separate the region from Sri Lanka , which lies off the southeastern coast. The southernmost tip of mainland India
6055-430: Is connected by buses from Mayiladuthurai to Poraiyar . The buses travelling to Poraiyar , Karaikal , Nagapattinam stop at Thirukkadaiyur bus-stop. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu ( / ˌ t æ m ɪ l ˈ n ɑː d uː / ; Tamil: [ˈtamiɻ ˈnaːɽɯ] , abbr. TN ) is the southernmost state of India . The tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population , Tamil Nadu
6228-507: Is found in western Tamil Nadu and parts of the southern coast. Alluvial soil is found in the fertile Kaveri delta region, with laterite soil found in pockets, and saline soil across the coast where the evaporation is high. The region has a tropical climate and depends on monsoons for rainfall. Tamil Nadu is divided into seven agro-climatic zones: northeast, northwest, west, southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly, and Kaveri delta. A tropical wet and dry climate prevails over most of
6401-578: Is not suitable for agriculture. The southwest monsoon from June to September accounts for most of the rainfall in the region. The Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon hits the Western Ghats from Kerala and moves northward along the Konkan coast , with precipitation on the western region of the state. The lofty Western Ghats prevent the winds from reaching the Deccan Plateau; hence,
6574-1466: Is one conservation reserve at Tiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur district . There are two zoos recognised by the Central Zoo Authority of India namely Arignar Anna Zoological Park and Madras Crocodile Bank Trust , both located in Chennai . The state has other smaller zoos run by local administrative bodies such as Coimbatore Zoo in Coimbatore , Amirthi Zoological Park in Vellore , Kurumpampatti Wildlife Park in Salem , Yercaud Deer Park in Yercaud , Mukkombu Deer Park in Tiruchirapalli and Ooty Deer Park in Nilgiris . There are five crocodile farms located at Amaravati in Coimbatore district , Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district , Kurumbapatti in Salem district , Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai and Sathanur in Tiruvannamalai district . Threatened and endangered species found in
6747-451: Is one of the most urbanized states in the country with more than 48.4 per cent of the population living in urban areas. As per the 2011 census, the sex ratio was 996 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 943. The sex ratio at birth was recorded as 954 during the fourth National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in 2015–16 which reduced further to 878 in the fifth NFHS in 2019–21, ranking third worst amongst states. As per
6920-516: Is responsible for maintaining law and order in the state. As of 2023 , it consists of more than 132,000 police personnel, headed by a Director General of Police . Women form 17.6% of the police force and specifically handle violence against women through 222 special all-women police stations. As of 2023 , the state has 1854 police stations, the highest in the country, including 47 railway and 243 traffic police stations. The traffic police under different district administrations are responsible for
7093-420: Is the distinct style of rock architecture in Tamil Nadu. In Dravidian architecture, the temples consisted of porches or mantapas preceding the door leading to the sanctum, gate-pyramids or gopurams in quadrangular enclosures that surround the temple, and pillared halls used for many purposes. These features are the invariable accompaniments of these temples. Besides these, a South Indian temple usually has
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7266-672: Is the home of the Tamil people , who speak the Tamil language —the state's official language and one of the longest surviving classical languages of the world. The capital and largest city is Chennai . Located on the south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula , Tamil Nadu is straddled by the Western Ghats and Deccan Plateau in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Eastern Coastal Plains lining
7439-654: Is the tenth-largest state in India. Located on the south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula , Tamil Nadu is straddled by the Western Ghats and Deccan Plateau in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Eastern Coastal Plains lining the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait to the south-east, and the Laccadive Sea at the southern cape of the peninsula. Politically, Tamil Nadu
7612-586: Is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff, as according to Indian philosophy, the navel is considered as the source of life and creativity. Ancient Tamil poetry such as the Cilappadhikaram , describes women in exquisite drapery or sari. Women wear colourful silk saris on special occasions such as marriages. The men wear a dhoti , a 4.5 metres (15 ft) long, white rectangular piece of non-stitched cloth often bordered in brightly coloured stripes. It
7785-400: Is usually wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist. A colourful lungi with typical batik patterns is the most common form of male attire in the countryside. People in urban areas generally wear tailored clothing, and western dress is popular. Western-style school uniforms are worn by both boys and girls in schools, even in rural areas. The Kanchipuram silk sari is
7958-718: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) indicate a continuous history from more than 3,800 years ago. Neolithic celts with the Indus script dated between 1500 and 2000 BCE indicate the use of the Harappan language . Excavations at Keezhadi have revealed a large urban settlement, with the earliest artefact dated to 580 BCE, during the time of urbanization in the Indo-Gangetic plain . Further epigraphical inscriptions found at Adichanallur use Tamil Brahmi ,
8131-414: The Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait to the south-east, the Laccadive Sea at the southern cape of the peninsula, with the river Kaveri bisecting the state. Politically, Tamil Nadu is bound by the Indian states of Kerala , Karnataka , and Andhra Pradesh , and encloses a part of the union territory of Puducherry . It shares an international maritime border with
8304-596: The Dravidian languages and preserves many features of Proto-Dravidian , though modern-day spoken Tamil in Tamil Nadu freely uses loanwords from other languages such as Sanskrit and English. Korean , Japanese , French , Mandarin Chinese , German and Spanish are spoken by foreign expatriates in the state. The LGBT rights in Tamil Nadu are among the most progressive in India . In 2008, Tamil Nadu set up
8477-521: The Ganges to the temple via an underground passage. On the day he was destined to die, Yama , the deity of death, appeared with his noose in his hand to tie around the soul of Markandeya and take it away with him. Markandeya sought refuge in the temple and embraced the Siva Lingam. Shiva appeared and warned Yama not to touch Markandeya, as he was under his protection. Yama refused to listen and threw
8650-577: The Independence of India in 1947, the Madras Presidency became Madras state , comprising present-day Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Kerala . Andhra state was split from the state in 1953 and the state was further re-organized when states were redrawn linguistically in 1956 into the current shape. On 14 January 1969, Madras state was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning "Tamil country". In 1965, agitations against
8823-555: The Indian Ocean . Rajaraja brought in administrative reforms including the reorganisation of Tamil country into individual administrative units. Under his son Rajendra Chola I , the Chola empire reached its zenith and stretched as far as Bengal in the north and across the Indian Ocean. The Cholas built many temples in the Dravidian style with the most notable being the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, one of
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#17327978511298996-532: The Indian Parliament . The Madras High Court was established on 26 June 1862 and is the highest judicial authority of the state with control over all the civil and criminal courts in the state. It is headed by a Chief Justice and has a bench at Madurai since 2004. The Tamil Nadu Police , established as Madras state police in 1859, operates under the Home ministry of the Government of Tamil Nadu and
9169-523: The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa in the south in 1017. Chola raids were launched southwards from Rajarata into Rohana. By his fifth year, Rajendra claimed to have completely conquered the island. The whole of Anuradhapura, including the south-eastern province Rohana, was incorporated into the Chola Empire. According to the Sinhalese chronicle Mahavamsa , the conquest of Anuradhapura was completed in
9342-517: The Madras State of the Republic of India and was further re-organized when states were redrawn linguistically in 1956 into its current shape. The state was renamed as Tamil Nadu, meaning "Tamil Country", in 1969. Hence, culture , cuisine and architecture have seen multiple influences over the years and have developed diversely. As of December 2023 , Tamil Nadu had an economy with
9515-403: The Malacca and Sunda Straits , the Malacca Strait's north-west opening was controlled from Kedah on the Malay Peninsula side and from Pannai on the Sumatran side. In 1025 CE, Rajendra's Chola forces crossed the Indian Ocean and invaded Srivijaya, attacking several places in modern-day Malaysia and Indonesia. The Cholas sacked the capital Kadaram and Pannai on Sumatra, and Malaiyur on
9688-480: The Medieval Cholas . On the southern wall in the central shrine, there is an inscription from the 13th year reign of the king, Rajaraja I Cholan, indicating stipulation of delivering paddy to the temple by a merchant in return to the land offered by the temple. Another inscription in the temple indicates the record (ARE 242 of 1925) of a gift of paddy to the temple by the king, Rajendra Chola , for conducting an eight-days temple festival annually. A third inscription on
9861-445: The Mughal empire administered the region through the Nawab of the Carnatic with his seat at Arcot , who defeated the Madurai Nayaks. The Marathas attacked several times and defeated the Nawab after the Siege of Trichinopoly (1751–1752) . This led to a short-lived Thanjavur Maratha kingdom . Europeans started to establish trade centres from the 16th century along the eastern coast. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built
10034-417: The Nilgiri mountains which run in a crescent approximately along the borders of Tamil Nadu with northern Kerala and Karnataka, extending to the relatively low-lying hills of the Eastern Ghats on the western portion of the Tamil Nadu–Andhra Pradesh border. The Deccan plateau is the elevated region bound by the mountain ranges and the plateau slopes gently from west to east resulting in major rivers arising in
10207-750: The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in the Nilgiri Hills , the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve in the Agastya Mala - Cardamom Hills and Gulf of Mannar coral reefs. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 10,500 km (4,100 sq mi) of ocean, islands and the adjoining coastline including coral reefs , salt marshes and mangroves. It is home to endangered aquatic species, including dolphins , dugongs , whales and sea cucumbers . Bird sanctuaries, including Thattekad , Kadalundi , Vedanthangal , Ranganathittu , Kumarakom , Neelapattu , and Pulicat , are home to numerous migratory and local birds. Protected areas cover an area of 3,305 km (1,276 sq mi), constituting 2.54% of
10380-417: The Northern Province of Sri Lanka at Pamban Island . Archaeological evidence points to Tamil Nadu being inhabited for more than 400 millennia, first by hominids and then by modern humans . The state has more than 5,500 years of continuous cultural history. Historically , the Tamilakam region was inhabited by Tamil-speaking Dravidian people , who were ruled by several regimes over centuries such as
10553-449: The Pandya and Chera Perumal kingdoms. He appointed one of his sons as viceroy with the title Jatavarman Sundara Chola-Pandya with Madurai as the headquarters in charge of both Pandya and Chera/Kerala. Rajendra Chola I fought several battles with Western Chalukyas . From 992 CE to 1008 CE, during the reign of Rajaraja I, Rajendra raided and annexed several towns, such as Rattepadi, Banavasi and Toanur. In 1015, Jayasimha II became
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#173279785112910726-433: The Ryotwari system resulted in two severe famines in the Madras Presidency, the Great Famine of 1876–78 and the Indian famine of 1896–97 which killed millions and the migration of many Tamils as bonded laborers to other British countries eventually forming the present Tamil diaspora . The Indian Independence movement gathered momentum in the early 20th century with the formation of the Indian National Congress , which
10899-413: The Sangam era triumvirate of the Cheras , Cholas and Pandyas , the Pallavas (3rd–9th century CE), and the later Vijayanagara Empire (14th–17th century CE). European colonization began with establishing trade ports in the 17th century, with the British controlling much of the state as a part of the Madras Presidency for two centuries. After the Indian Independence in 1947, the region became
11072-463: The Silappatikaram . A Pallava inscription dated to the 7th century CE has one of the earliest surviving examples of Indian music in notation. There are many traditional instruments from the region dating back to the Sangam period such as parai , tharai , yazh and murasu . Nadaswaram , a reed instrument that is often accompanied by the thavil , a type of drum instrument , are the major musical instruments used in temples and weddings. Melam
11245-408: The Sinhalese monarchy as Kassapa VI – also known as Vikramabahu – and reigned in Rohana from 1029 to 1040 while attempting to organise a campaign of liberation and unification. He became the king of Rohana after the 11–12 years of Chola rule in Rohana. Taking advantage of uprisings in the Pandya and Chera kingdoms,which seems to have no effect in this conflict, 2 Sinhala dandanayakas by
11418-536: The University of Madras , is the first among the dictionaries published in any Indian language. The 19th century gave rise to the Tamil Renaissance and writings and poems by authors such as Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai , U.V. Swaminatha Iyer , Ramalinga Swamigal , Maraimalai Adigal , and Bharathidasan . During the Indian Independence Movement , many Tamil poets and writers sought to provoke national spirit, social equity and secularist thoughts, notably Subramania Bharati and Bharathidasan. Dravidian architecture
11591-442: The Vellalar community, who were once feudatories of the three ancient Tamil kingdoms. The Kalabhra era is referred to as the "dark period" of Tamil history, and information about it is generally inferred from any mentions in the literature and inscriptions that are dated many centuries after their era ended. The twin Tamil epics Silappatikaram and Manimekalai were written during the era. Tamil classic Tirukkural by Valluvar ,
11764-462: The Vellar estuary in the north and Coleroon estuary in the south with mangrove forests. The Pichavaram mangrove forests is one of the largest mangrove forests in India covering 45 km (17 sq mi) and supports the existence of rare varieties of economically important shells, fishes and migrant birds. The state has five National Parks covering 307.84 km (118.86 sq mi)– Anamalai , Mudumalai, Mukurthi , Gulf of Mannar ,
11937-405: The chief minister who has the de facto executive authority. The Indian Councils Act 1861 established the Madras Presidency legislative council with four to eight members but was a mere advisory body to the governor of the presidency. The strength was increased to twenty in 1892 and fifty in 1909 . Madras legislative council was set-up in 1921 by the Government of India Act 1919 with
12110-434: The imposition of Hindi and in support of continuing English as a medium of communication arose which eventually led to English being retained as an official language of India alongside Hindi. After independence, the economy of Tamil Nadu conformed to a socialist framework, with strict governmental control over private sector participation, foreign trade , and foreign direct investment . After experiencing fluctuations in
12283-403: The poverty line as per the Multidimensional Poverty Index , one of the lowest rates amongst Indian states. The capital of Chennai is the most populous urban agglomeration in the state with more than 8.6 million residents, followed by Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Tiruppur , respectively. The state is home to a diverse population of ethno-religious communities. According to
12456-419: The 11th century, was ravaged by the sea, and is in ruins now. People worship and pray at Thirukkadaiyur temple to have a longer life. In modern times, the village is part of Mayiladuthurai district and is administered by a village panchayat. As per the 2021 census, the village had a population of 6,244. The village is connected by bus transport and is located on the Chidambaram - Nagapattinam highway. There
12629-496: The 12th century CE by Kambar . After a lull in the intermediate years due to various invasions and instability, the Tamil literature recovered in the 14th century CE, with the notable work being Tiruppukal by Arunagirinathar . In 1578, the Portuguese published a Tamil book in old Tamil script named Thambiraan Vanakkam , thus making Tamil the first Indian language to be printed and published. Tamil Lexicon , published by
12802-603: The 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region and established the Madras Presidency with Madras as the capital. After the defeat of Mysore in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 and the British victory in the second Polygar war in 1801, the British consolidated most of southern India into what was later known as the Madras Presidency . On 10 July 1806, the Vellore mutiny , which
12975-440: The 2011 census, Hinduism is followed by 87.6% of the population. Christians form the largest religious minority in the state with 6.1% of the population; Muslims form 5.9% of the population. Tamils form a majority of the population with minorities including Telugus , Marwaris , Gujaratis , Parsis , Sindhis , Odias , Kannadigas , Anglo-Indians , Bengalis , Punjabis , and Malayalees . The state also has
13148-432: The 2011 census, Literacy rate was 80.1%, higher than the national average of 73%. The literacy rate was estimated to be 82.9% as per the 2017 National Statistical Commission (NSC) survey. As of 2011 , there were about 23.17 million households with 7.42 million children under the age of six. A total of 14.4 million (20%) belonged to Scheduled Castes (SC) and 0.8 million (1.1%) to Scheduled tribes (ST). As of 2017 ,
13321-527: The 36th year of the reign of the Sinhalese monarch Mahinda V – about 1017 to 1018. But the Cholas never consolidated their control over the south of the island, which lacked large, prosperous settlements to tempt long-term Chola occupation. Under Rajendra, the Chola's predatory expansion in Sri Lanka approached a point of diminishing returns. According to the Culavamsa and Karandai plates, Rajendra led
13494-718: The 3rd century BCE. The available literature from the Sangam period was categorised and compiled into two categories based roughly on chronology: the Patiṉeṇmēlkaṇakku consisting of Eṭṭuttokai and the Pattupattu , and the Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku . The existent Tamil grammar is largely based on the 13th-century grammar book Naṉṉūl based on the Tolkāppiyam. Tamil grammar consists of five parts, namely eḻuttu , sol , poruḷ , yāppu , aṇi . Tirukkural ,
13667-571: The British era followed the style. By the early 20th century, art deco made its entry in the urban landscape. After Indian Independence, Tamil architecture witnessed a rise in Modernism with the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns. Tamil Nadu is a major centre for music, art and dance in India. Chennai is called the cultural capital of South India. In the Sangam era, art forms were classified into: iyal (poetry), isai (music) and nadakam (drama). Bharatanatyam
13840-655: The Chola Empire during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I, leading to Mara Vijayatungavarman building the Chudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam . Sangrama Vijayatunggavarman succeeded Mara. Khmer Emperor Suryavarman I started a war against the kingdom of Tambralinga on the Malay Peninsula , and requested aid from Rajendra. After learning of Suryavarman's alliance with Rajendra, Tambralinga requested aid from Srivijaya, which Sangrama granted. This led to
14013-525: The Chola Empire. After his successful campaign for the Ganges river in North India, Rajendra gained the title Gangaikonda Chola (The Chola who took the Ganges river). After his successful South-East Asian campaign, he gained the title "Kadaram Kondan" (He who took Kedah). He inherited the title Mummudi Cholan (Chola with three crowns) from his father Mummudi , a title used by Tamil kings who ruled
14186-771: The Chola army. According to the Siddhantasaravali of Trilocana Sivacharya, many Shaivite Brahmins from Bengal were taken to Chola country, where Rajendra granted them lands. They eventually settled in Kanchipuram and the Cauvery Delta , forming the Sivacharya community. Srivijaya was a kingdom centred in Palembang , Sumatra , and was ruled by the Sailendra dynasty . During the reign of Mara Vijayatungavarman , Srivijaya had cordial relations with
14359-513: The Chola invasion of the Srivijiya Empire. This belligerence were partly influenced by religion; the Chola and Khmer Empire were Hindu Shaivites , while Tambralinga and Srivijaya Empires were Mahayana Buddhists . The Cholas are known to have benefitted from both piracy and foreign trade. Sometimes, Chola naval expeditions led to plunder and conquest as far as South-east Asia. While Srivijaya controlled two major naval choke points
14532-446: The Chola military. These networks also extended west; the Cholas engaged in the spice trade with Arabia , North Africa , Anatolia and Turkic peoples . Rajendra Chola I was succeeded by his son Rajadhiraja I , who ruled from 1044 to 1054. The exact birth date of Rajendra I is unknown; it is speculated he was born around 971 CE. He was the son of Rajaraja I and queen Vanathi, who is also called Thiripuvāna Mādēviyār. Rajendra had
14705-540: The Chola throne. During his reign, the Chola Empire reached its zenith in the Indian subcontinent ; it extended its reach via trade and conquest across the Indian Ocean , making Rajendra one of only a few Indian monarchs who conquered territory beyond South Asia. In his early years, Rajendra was involved in the Chola Army , with which he fought in several campaigns against the Western Chalukyas and
14878-840: The Chola's achievements in South-East Asia and the high status of the Medieval Chola Empire in the world history of that period (1025 CE). Rajendra led campaigns from 1002 CE; these include the conquest of the Rashtrakutas and the campaigns against the Western Chalukyas . He conquered the Chalukyan territories of Yedatore – a large part of Raichur district between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra rivers – Banavasi in north-western Mysore and
15051-730: The Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the great Gangaikonda Choleswarer temple, and the sacred Cholagangam Tank at the Udaiyar Palaiyam region of Ariyalur district. In the temple " Gangaikonda Cholaeswarem " he built, the presiding deity of the Karuvarai (Sanctum Sanctorum) called the "Gangaikonda Cholaeswarer" also known as "Peruvudaiyar" – the God Siva in the form of Lingam, the biggest Lingam among the Siva Temples in
15224-670: The Ganges river. In Kalinga, the Chola forces defeated Indraratha, ruler of the Somavamsi dynasty . Rajendra accepted the help of the Paramaras and the Kalachuris, with whom Indraratha had a bitter enmity, and Rajendra took advantage of this situation. The combined armies defeated Indraprastha, who was probably killed. The Chola army eventually reached the Pala kingdom of Bengal, where they defeated Mahipala . The Chola army also defeated
15397-456: The Gangetic expedition. Rajendra commenced the construction of a new city named "Gangaikonda Cholapuram", with a new Siva temple named "Gangaikonda Cholaeswarem" and a large temple water tank called "Chola Gangam", where the holy water brought from the Ganges river was mixed. The Essalam Copper Plates of Rajendra state with the conquest of the Gangetic region, Rajendra constructed the new city of
15570-526: The Great , Gangaikonda Cholan (Middle Tamil: Kaṅkaikoṇṭa Cōḻaṉ ; lit. ' Bringer of the Ganges ' ), and Kadaram Kondan (Middle Tamil: Kaṭāram Koṇṭāṉ ; lit. ' Conqueror of Kedah ' ), was a Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 and 1044 CE. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I . His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as co-regent with his father in 1012 until his father died in 1014, when Rajendra ascended to
15743-484: The House of Lambakanna II. By the age of seventeen, he had defeated his most-potent rivals in Rohana and was anxious to take on the Cholas. The crisis in the country left a few scattered, turbulent chiefs and intractable rebels whose allegiance, if any, was at best opportunistic, which proved a problem to both sides in the conflict, frustrating both the Sinhalese kings and the Cholas. Vijayabahu, from his base in Rohana, faced
15916-655: The Indian mainland when he was a co-regent for his father in an expedition in 1012 with the capture of Aduthurai in modern-day central Tamil Nadu and Vanavasi in western Tamil Nadu. He then directed his attention to Kollipaakkai in northern Andhra Pradesh and captured it in 1013. In 1014, Rajendra led a war against the Irratiapaadi ElaraIiakam in northern Karnataka and southern Maharashtra . He also captured its capital city Mannaikadakkam or Maleked on behalf of his father, which met this reversal after its initial capture by Rajaraja Cholan in 1006. With
16089-400: The Indian mainland, became more ambitious in conquering the northern and north-western parts of India. He commenced his war expedition in this direction in 1021, capturing Sakkarakkoattam in the south of Chhattisgarh . Then, he sent part of his forces to the Ganges river in the north and the other in a north-westerly direction. At the same time, he stationed himself at Sakkarakkoattam until
16262-607: The Kedah king at the request of the Srivijayan Maharaja, and Kedah accepted Srivijayan sovereignty. Rajendra I died in 1044 in Brahmadesam, present-day Tiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu. Rajendra's son Rajadhiraja I recorded this information in an inscription, which states Rajendra's queen Viramahadevi committed sati upon her husband's death. Her remains were interred in the same tomb at Brahmadesam. It adds
16435-670: The King of Lamuri in north Sumatra. The Chola invasion led to the fall of the Sailendra Dynasty of Srivijaya also coincided with the return voyage of the Buddhist scholar Atiśa from Sumatra to India in 1025. Despite the devastation, the Srivijaya mandala survived because the Chola attack was short and only meant to plunder so the invasion failed to install direct administration over Srivijaya. This invasion severely weakened
16608-731: The Malay Peninsula. Rajendra also invaded Tambralinga and the Gangga Nagara Kingdom in modern-day Malaysia and southern Thailand. Chola forces captured the last ruler of the Sailendra Dynasty Sangrama Vijayatunggavarman . The Chola invasion was the end of Srivijaya. Srivijaya's maritime power declined under the Chola attack. Chola forces conquered large portions of Srivijaya, including its ports Ligor , Kedah and Tumasik (now Singapore). The Chola invasion furthered
16781-551: The Ocean Where Three Waters Meet"). These islands were later used as strategic naval bases. During his South-East Asia campaign , he annexed Srivijaya , Kedah , Tambralinga and Pegu , achieving imperial dominance in the region and strengthening Indian influence in Southeast Asia . Rajendra conducted a war against the Pala dynasty and captured a great deal of wealth, which he used to build
16954-505: The Sangam era. Early Tamil literature was composed in three successive poetic assemblies known as the Tamil Sangams , the earliest of which, according to legend, were held on a now vanished continent far to the south of India. This includes the oldest grammatical treatise, Tolkappiyam , and the epics Cilappatikaram and Manimekalai . The earliest epigraphic records found on rock edicts and hero stones date from around
17127-479: The Srivijaya court, and in 1067, a Chola prince named Divakara or Devakala was sent as a Srivijayan ambassador to the Imperial Court of China. The prince, who was the nephew of Rajendra Chola, was enthroned in 1070 as Kulothunga Chola I . During the Kedah rebellion, Srivijaya asked the Cholas for help. In 1068, Virarajendra Chola launched a naval raid to help Srivijaya reclaim Kedah. Virarajendra reinstated
17300-511: The Srivijayan hegemony, and enabled the formation of regional kingdoms like Kahuripan and its successor Kediri , in Java , which were based on agriculture rather than coastal and long-distance trade. Sri Deva was enthroned as the new king and trading activities resumed. Deva sent an embassy to the court of China in 1028. The invasion was not followed by direct Cholan occupation, and the region
17473-588: The Tamil country was divided between the Pallavas and the Pandyas. The Pallavas were finally defeated by Chola prince Aditya I in the 9th century CE. The Cholas became the dominant kingdom in the 9th century under Vijayalaya Chola , who established Thanjavur as Chola's new capital with further expansions by subsequent rulers. In the 11th century CE, Rajaraja I expanded the Chola empire with conquests of entire Southern India and parts of present-day Sri Lanka and Maldives , and increased Chola influence across
17646-460: The Transgender welfare board and was the first to introduce a transgender welfare policy, wherein transgender people can avail free sex reassignment surgery in government hospitals. Chennai Rainbow Pride has been held in Chennai annually since 2009. In 2021, Tamil Nadu became the first Indian state to ban conversion therapy and forced sex-selective surgeries on intersex infants , following
17819-454: The Western Ghats and flowing east into the Bay of Bengal. The coastline of Tamil Nadu is 1,076 km (669 mi) long, and is the second longest state coastline in the country after Gujarat . There are coral reefs located in the Gulf of Mannar and Lakshadweep islands. Tamil Nadu's coastline was permanently altered by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Tamil Nadu falls mostly in
17992-898: The Western Ghats while tropical dry forests and scrub lands are common in the interior. The southern Western Ghats have rain forests located at high altitudes called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests . The Western Ghats eco-region is one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . There are about 2,000 species of wildlife that are native to Tamil Nadu, 5640 species of angiosperms (including 1,559 species of medicinal plants , 533 endemic species, 260 species of wild relatives of cultivated plants, 230 red-listed species), 64 species of gymnosperms (including four indigenous species and 60 introduced species) and 184 species of pteridophytes apart from bryophytes , lichen , fungi , algae , and bacteria . Common plant species include
18165-468: The adjacent settlement Ilankasokam in south-east Thailand, followed by Mathamalingam, eastern Thailand and Thalaitakkolam in south-west Thailand. From here, the fleet departed to India, en route capturing Manakkavaarem in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands , the southern Myanmar (Burma) seaport city Magpapaalam, and returned to Chola country. The Chola south-east Asian expedition ended in 1024, and details of
18338-548: The borders of Tamilakam as Tirumala and Kanniyakumari . The name Tamilakam is used in other Sangam era literature such as Puṟanāṉūṟu , Patiṟṟuppattu , Cilappatikaram , and Manimekalai . Cilappatikaram (5th to 6th century CE) and Ramavataram (12th century CE) mention the name Tamil Nadu to denote the region. Archaeological evidence points to the region being inhabited by hominids more than 400 millennia ago. Artifacts recovered in Adichanallur by
18511-414: The capital Manyakheta . Rajendra erected a Siva temple at Bhatkal . He also conquered Kollipakkai, located north of Hyderabad in present-day Telangana . An excerpt from an inscription in Tamil from Kolar states: In the eighth year of the reign of Kopparakesarivanmar sri Rajendra Sola Deva, who, while the goddess of Fortune, having become constant, increased, and while the goddess of the great Earth,
18684-553: The chief minister of the Madras Presidency. In 1944, Periyar transformed the Justice party into a social organisation, renaming the party Dravidar Kazhagam , and withdrew from electoral politics. After independence, the Indian National Congress dominated the political scene in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s and 1960s under the leadership of K. Kamaraj , who led the party after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru and ensured
18857-547: The city of Gangaikondacholapuram , the capital of the Chola Empire , and one of the centers of trade and commerce in the empire for several centuries. The city was remarkable for its artificial lake, extensive fortifications, moats surrounding the imperial palace, and the Brihadisvara Temple . Rajendra was a follower of Shaivism but welcomed Buddhism and built several stupas across South-East Asia and South India. New forms of trade emerged during Rajendra's reign such as
19030-533: The commercial system called "emporia," this was after the Chola's had gained control of Strait of Malacca and several other coastal areas. Emporia refers to exporting goods according to their demand, arose, making trade within the Empire profitable and helped maintain the Chola military. The Khmer Empire was a major ally and trading partner, and helped the Cholas expand their networks as far as Song China . This link allowed Rajendra to incorporate Chinese vessels into
19203-681: The company built Fort St. George , the first major English settlement in India, which became the nucleus of the British Raj in the region. By 1693, the French established trading posts at Pondichéry . In September 1746, the French captured Madras during the Battle of Madras . The British regained control of Madras in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and resisted a French siege attempt in 1759. The British and French competed to expand
19376-512: The countries conquered by his forces in the expedition were included in his Meikeerthi's from 1023. With the return of Rajendra Chola's forces to the Chola capital in 1022, the Royal Guru of Rajendra, Isaana Pandithar, built Gangaikonda Cholaeswarer temple at Kulampandel, Tamil Nadu. With his return, Rajendra claimed a new title, "Gangaikondaan", and gave the title "Gangaikonda Cholan" (the Chola who captured Gangai) to his younger brother, who led
19549-546: The death of Rajaraja Cholan I in 1014 CE and the ascension of Rajendra to the Chola throne in the same year. After a lapse of two years, in 1016, Rajendra sent a naval force to Sri Lanka and brought the Anuradhapura Kingdom under his control. Following an expedition to eastern Kerala in 1017, Rajendra captured Kudamalai Nadu. In 1018, Rajendra's forces captured the Maldives and Lakshadweep islands, and
19722-420: The decades immediately after Indian independence, the economy of Tamil Nadu consistently exceeded national average growth rates from the 1970s, due to reform-oriented economic policies. In the 2000s, the state has become one of the most urbanized states in the country with a higher Human Development Index compared to national average. Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 km (50,216 sq mi) and
19895-627: The directions of the Madras High ;Court. In 2019, the Madras High Court ruled that the term "bride" under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 includes trans-women, thereby legalizing marriage between a man and a transgender woman. Tamil women traditionally wear a sari , a garment that consists of a drape varying from 5 to 9 yards (4.6 to 8.2 m) in length and 2 to 4 feet (0.61 to 1.22 m) in breadth that
20068-408: The earth-goddess, Bhumi Devi , appealed to Shiva for help. Shiva, feeling compassionate for the earth-goddess, released Yama, allowing deaths to occur again. However, in order to remind Yama never to try again to kill any one who is worshiping Shiva, the icon of Shiva in this temple is depicted with his forefinger raised in warning about it. There are several inscriptions in the temple belonging to
20241-533: The expansion of Tamil merchant associations such as the Manigramam , Ayyavole and Ainnurruvar into South-East Asia, and for the next century, Tamil trading companies from southern India dominated the region. Rajendra's expedition is mentioned in corrupted form as Raja Chulan in the medieval Malay chronicle Sejarah Melaya , and Malay princes have names ending with Cholan or Chulan, such as Raja Chulan of Perak . One record of Rajendra describes him as
20414-437: The first Indian Governor General of India post independence, was from Tamil Nadu. The state has produced three Indian presidents, namely, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , R. Venkataraman , and APJ Abdul Kalam . As per the 2011 census , Tamil Nadu had a population of 72.1 million and is the seventh most populous state in India. The population is projected to be 76.8 million in 2023 and to grow to 78 million by 2036. Tamil Nadu
20587-550: The first language by 88.4% of the state's population, followed by Telugu (5.87%), Kannada (1.78%), Urdu (1.75%), Malayalam (1.01%) and other languages (1.24%) Various varieties of Tamil are spoken across regions such as Madras Bashai in northern Tamil Nadu, Kongu Tamil in Western Tamil Nadu , Madurai Tamil around Madurai and Nellai Tamil in South-eastern Tamil Nadu. It is part of
20760-549: The first series of Polygar wars. The Maruthu brothers along with Oomaithurai , the brother of Kattabomman, formed a coalition with Dheeran Chinnamalai and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja , which fought the British in the Second Polygar War. In the later 18th century, the Mysore kingdom captured parts of the region and engaged in constant fighting with the British which culminated in the four Anglo-Mysore Wars . By
20933-410: The foremost temples of the era built by Rajaraja, and Gangaikonda Cholapuram , built by Rajendra. The Pandyas again reigned supreme early in the 13th century under Maravarman Sundara I . They ruled from their capital of Madurai and expanded trade links with other maritime empires. During the 13th century, Marco Polo mentioned the Pandyas as the richest empire in existence. The Pandyas also built
21106-567: The geographic area and 15% of the 22,643 km (8,743 sq mi) recorded forest area of the state. Mudumalai National Park was established in 1940 and was the first modern wildlife sanctuary in South India. The protected areas are administered by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the government of India and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department . Pichavaram consists of a number of islands interspersing
21279-412: The goddess of victory in battle and the matchless goddess of Fame, having become his great queens, rejoiced-that in his extended lifetime, conquered with his great war-like army Idaiturai-nadu, Vanavasi shut in by a fence of continuous forests; Kollipakkai, whose walls were surrounded by sulli trees; Mannaikkadakkam whose fortification was unapproachable. In 1018 and 1019 CE, Rajendra invaded and conquered
21452-587: The group of monuments in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram . The Cholas later expanded the same and by the Pandya rule in twelfth century, these gateways became a dominant feature of a temple's outer appearance. The state emblem also features the Lion Capital of Ashoka with an image of a Gopuram on the background. Vimanam are similar structures built over the garbhagriha or inner sanctum of
21625-434: The inland peninsular region except for a semi-arid rain shadow east of the Western Ghats. Winter and early summer are long dry periods with temperatures averaging above 18 °C (64 °F); summer is exceedingly hot with temperatures in low-lying areas exceeding 50 °C (122 °F); and the rainy season lasts from June to September, with annual rainfall averaging between 750 and 1,500 mm (30 and 59 in) across
21798-631: The king erected the Cholaganga tank as a Ganga-jalamayam jayasthambham ("liquid pillar of victory). The Chola expedition to the Ganges had a long-lasting influence. According to R. D. Banerji, a Kannadiga chief who accompanied Araiyan Rajarajan on his campaign settled in Bengal and founded the Sena Dynasty . It is believed the Karnata people of Mithila might have descended from soldiers of
21971-505: The king of Western Chalukyas. He tried to recover the losses suffered by his predecessor Satyashraya , who fled his capital and was later restored to the throne by Raja Raja I as a tribute-paying subordinate. Initially, Jayasimha II was successful because Rajendra was busy with his campaigns in Sri Lanka. In 1021, after the demise of the Eastern Chalukyan king Vimaladitya of Vengi , Jayasimha supported Vijayaditya VII's claim to
22144-462: The lands conquered by his forces in this expedition were included in his Meikeerthan early silver kasu of 1025. With Rajendra's victory over Sri Vijaya(m) of Sumatra in 1023, he built a Siva Temple at Erumbur, Tamil Nadu, and named it Vijayamkonda Cholaeswarem. With his triumph over the Kadaram, Rajendra assumed the new title "Kadaremkondaan", and one of his grandsons who led the Kadaram expedition
22317-692: The last ruler of the Kamboja Pala dynasty , Dharmapala of Dandabhukti. The Chola army went on to raid eastern Bengal – modern-day Bangladesh – defeated Govindachandra of the Chandra dynasty , and invaded the Bastar region. The Tamil praśasti of Rajendra I reads: (He seized) Śakkarakkōţţam, whose warriors were brave; Madura-maṇḍalam destroyed in a trice, the prosperous city of Nāmaṇaik-kōṇam with its dense groves. Pañcap-paḷḷi whose warriors (bore) cruel bows, Māśunideśa with its green fields;
22490-464: The leeward region (the region deprived of winds) receives very little rainfall. The Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon heads toward northeast India, picking up moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The Coramandel coast does not receive much rainfall from the southwest monsoon, due to the shape of the land. Northern Tamil Nadu receives most of its rains from the northeast monsoon . The northeast monsoon takes place from November to early March, when
22663-531: The massive gopuram , ornate towers at the entrance of temples, originated with the Pallava architecture . They built the group of rock-cut monuments in Mahabalipuram and temples in Kanchipuram . Throughout their reign, the Pallavas remained in constant conflict with the Cholas and Pandyas. The Pandyas were revived by Kadungon towards the end of the 6th century CE and with the Cholas in obscurity in Uraiyur ,
22836-463: The names of Budha and Kiththi massacred the Chola garrisons (on behalf of Kassapa IV) in a 6 month long battle at Palatupana in Rohana. Leftover soldiers of the 95,000-strong Chola army escaped to Pulatthinagara across dhakkina principality. Prince Kassapa IV launched an unsuccessful raid into Pulattinagara but died because of a disease before he could consolidate his power to a second raid into Pulattinagara. A series of non-sinhalese ephemeral aspirants to
23009-418: The national parties usually aligning as junior partners to the major Dravidian parties, AIADMK and DMK. M. Karunanidhi became the leader of the DMK after Annadurai and J. Jayalalithaa succeeded as the leader of AIADMK after M. G. Ramachandran. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa dominated the state politics from the 1980s to early 2010s, serving as chief ministers combined for over 32 years. C. Rajagopalachari,
23182-401: The nature of the expedition. Early scholars such as V. Venkayya interpreted Rajendra's campaign to "bring the waters of the Ganges into Chola territory" as a pilgrimage to the Ganges river. This theory has been refuted by later historians, the most notable being K. A. Nilakanta Sastri . The military nature of the campaign is suggested by the last line of the Thiruvalangadu plates, which state
23355-440: The noose, binding around both Markandeya and the Lingam together. Angered by Yama's extraordinary arrogance, Shiva kicked and held him under his foot, thereby making him inactive. Markandeya was blessed by Shiva to remain sixteen years old eternally. Meanwhile, with Yama being rendered inactive, there were no deaths on earth, but people were still being born. Burdened by the weight of so many people and unable to sustain their hunger,
23528-467: The north. Gradually the wider conflict developed into a prolonged, back-and-forth struggle of raids and counter-raids; the forces of Vijayabahu advanced upon Polonnaruva, and then fell back to fortresses in Dakkhinadesa and Rohana to withstand retaliatory Chola attacks and sieges. Vijayabahu eventually defeated the Cholas and drove them out of the island restoring ancient Sri Lanka's sovereignty. In 1019 CE, Rajendra's forces marched through Kalinga towards
23701-408: The outer precinct from the period of the king, Rajaraja II Cholan indicates confiscation of lands from a custodian of a temple who colluded with Vaishnavites (worshipers of Vishnu ). There are also several other inscriptions indicating donations for performing art, drama, dance and music. The temple is maintained and administered by the Dharmapuram Adheenam . As per the 2021 census, the village had
23874-455: The present-day Kadambavanesvara temple near Erumbur – was built to commemorate the victory of Rajendra's forces over Sri Vijaya and many regions of Sumatra . The Kadaremkonda Cholaeswarem Siva temple in Kudimallur in Vellore district – present-day Bhimeswara temple near Kalavai – was built to commemorate Rajendra's victory over Kadarem and many regions of present-day Malaysia. Rajendra I's overseas war expedition commenced in 1023;
24047-437: The queen's brother Madhuranthaka Parakesari Velan, who was a general in Rajendra's army, constructed a watershed at the same place in memory of his sister. According to the Siddanta Saravali of Trilochana Sivacharya, Rajendra Chola I was a poet who composed hymns to praise the god Siva. A commentary on the same work says Rajendra brought several Saivas from the banks of the Ganges river and settled them in Kanchi and across
24220-408: The re-organization in 1956 was 206, which was further increased to 234 in 1962. In 1986, the state moved to a unicameral legislature with the abolition of the Legislative Council by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council (Abolition) act, 1986. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is housed in the Fort St. George in Chennai. The state elects 39 members to the Lok Sabha and 18 to the Rajya Sabha of
24393-409: The region include the grizzled giant squirrel , grey slender loris , sloth bear , Nilgiri tahr , Nilgiri langur , lion-tailed macaque , and the Indian leopard . Chennai is the capital of the state and houses the state executive , legislative and head of judiciary . The administration of the state government functions through various secretariat departments. There are 43 departments of
24566-685: The region. Once the dry northeast monsoon begins in September, most precipitation in India falls in Tamil Nadu, leaving other states comparatively dry. A hot semi-arid climate predominates in the land east of the Western Ghats which includes inland south and south central parts of the state and gets between 400 and 750 millimetres (15.7 and 29.5 in) of rainfall annually, with hot summers and dry winters with temperatures around 20–24 °C (68–75 °F). The months between March and May are hot and dry, with mean monthly temperatures hovering around 32 °C (90 °F), with 320 millimetres (13 in) precipitation. Without artificial irrigation, this region
24739-410: The rulers in battle. Vengi was later the site of the coronation of Rajendra's nephew following his victories in the Chola expedition to North India . Under his father Rajaraja I, Rajendra Chola I's commander Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan commanded an army that invaded Sri Lanka and sacked the capital city Anuradhapura . The new Chola capital was at Polonnaruwa , which was renamed "Jananathamangalam",
24912-493: The rulers of Anuradhapura , earning him his first victories. He quelled rebellions in the Chera and Pandiya vassal states, and in Sri Lanka . As Emperor, Rajendra completed the conquest of Anuradhapura and brought a large portion of Sri Lanka under imperial rule. Rajendra expanded Chola rule by defeating the kingdoms of Kalinga and Vengai , and subduing the islands of Laccadives and the Maldives , which he renamed Munnir Palantivu Pannirayiram ("Twelve Thousand Islands and
25085-413: The same wall indicates a record dated to 1054 AD from the reign of the king, Rajadhiraja Chola informs about a gift of land by a devotee to feed 17 devotees. The fourth inscription (ARE 244 of 1925) in the shrine from the period of the king, Kulothunga Chola I , indicates that Mahasabha of Tirukadavur selling 1.74 velis of land that had been lying fallow for 50 years. Another interesting inscription from
25258-430: The same year captured Sandimaaththivu, the Kavaratti island west of Kerala. In 1019, Rajendra sent another expedition against the Irrataipaadi Elaraiillakam, northern Karnataka and southern Maharashtra. With its new capital at Kalyani in northernmost Karnataka, which the Cholas lost again but recaptured after a battle at Musangi in eastern Karnataka. After a two-year lapse, Rajendra, with his capture of many regions of
25431-529: The selection of Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi . C. N. Annadurai , a follower of Periyar, formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1949. The Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu led to the rise of Dravidian parties that formed Tamil Nadu's first government, in 1967 . In 1972, a split in the DMK resulted in the formation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) led by M. G. Ramachandran . Dravidian parties continue to dominate Tamil Nadu electoral politics with
25604-473: The sound of a conch from the deep sea; Uttiralāḍam (on the shore of) the expansive ocean (producing) pearls; and the Gangā whose waters bearing flagrant flowers dashed against the bathing places ( tirtha ) To celebrate his victory in the Ganges, Rajendra constructed a new capital at Gangaikondacholapuram and built Gangaikonda Choleeswarar Temple , which is similar to the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur. There has been general disagreement among historians on
25777-755: The state and the departments have further sub-divisions which may govern various undertakings and boards. The state is divided into 38 districts , each of which is administered by a District Collector , who is an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) appointed to the district by the Government of Tamil Nadu. For revenue administration, the districts are further subdivided into 87 revenue divisions administered by Revenue Divisional Officers (RDO) which comprise 310 taluks administered by Tahsildars . The taluks are divided into 1349 revenue blocks called Firkas which consist of 17,680 revenue villages. The local administration consists of 15 municipal corporations , 121 municipalities and 528 town panchayats in
25950-419: The state had the lowest fertility rate in India with 1.6 children born for each woman, lower than required for sustaining the population. As of 2021 , the Human Development Index (HDI) for Tamil Nadu was 0.686, higher than that of India (0.633) but ranked medium. As of 2019 , the life expectancy at birth was 74 years, one of the highest amongst Indian states. As of 2023, 2.2% of the people live below
26123-510: The state tree: palmyra palm , eucalyptus , rubber, cinchona , clumping bamboos ( Bambusa arundinacea ), common teak , Anogeissus latifolia , Indian laurel , grewia , and blooming trees like Indian laburnum , ardisia , and solanaceae . Rare and unique plant life includes Combretum ovalifolium , ebony ( Diospyros nilagrica ), Habenaria rariflora (orchid), Alsophila , Impatiens elegans , Ranunculus reniformis , and royal fern . Important ecological regions of Tamil Nadu are
26296-557: The state's GDP. With its diverse culture and architecture, long coastline, forests and mountains, Tamil Nadu is home to a number of ancient relics, historic buildings, religious sites, beaches , hill stations , forts , waterfalls and four World Heritage Sites . The state's tourism industry is the largest among the Indian states. The state has three biosphere reserves , mangrove forests, five National Parks , 18 wildlife sanctuaries and 17 bird sanctuaries . The Tamil film industry , nicknamed as Kollywood, plays an influential role in
26469-449: The state's popular culture. The name is derived from Tamil language with nadu meaning "land" and Tamil Nadu meaning "the land of Tamils". The origin and precise etymology of the word Tamil is unclear with multiple theories attested to it. In the ancient Sangam literature , Tamilakam refers to the area of present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh . Tolkāppiyam (2nd to 1st century BCE) indicates
26642-405: The surface high-pressure system is strongest. The North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones occur throughout the year in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, bringing devastating winds and heavy rainfall. The annual rainfall of the state is about 945 mm (37.2 in) of which 48 per cent is through the northeast monsoon, and 52 per cent through the southwest monsoon. The state has only 3% of
26815-411: The temple but are usually smaller than the gopurams in the Dravidian architecture with a few exceptions including the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur . The Mugal influence in medieval times and the British influence later gave rise to a blend of Hindu , Islamic and Gothic revival styles, resulting in the distinct Indo-Saracenic architecture. Several buildings and institutions built during
26988-575: The three kingdoms of Cholas , Pandyas and Cheras . Rajendra assumed other titles to commemorate his conquests, such as Mudigonda Cholan and Irattapadikonda Cholan . Rajendra I bore the title Chalukya-Chudamani (Crest Jewel of the Chalukyas). Rajendra I had many queens; Tribhuvana or Vanavan Mahadevi, Mukkokilan, Panchavan Mahadevi, Puteri Onangki and Viramahadevi, the last of whom committed sati upon Rajendra's death. He had seven sons; Rajarajan, Rajadhiraja , Manukula Kesari , Sanga Varman, Rajendra II , Rajamahendran and Virarajendra . Rajarajan
27161-401: The throne against the claims of Rajaraja Narendra , the son of Vimaladitya and Chola princess Kundavai. Rajendra helped his nephew Rajaraja defeat Vijayaditya. Rajendra fought Jayasimha in the Battle of Maski. Rajendra led a 900,000-strong army and defeated Jayasimha II at the Battle of Maski in 1019 and 1020. On the eastern front, Rajendra led Rajaraja Chola I 's army in Vengi and routed
27334-425: The throne subsequently appeared and disappeared in Rohana without dislodging the Cholas from the north. Kassapa VI's mysterious death in 1040, however, brought an end to the war until the rise of Vijayabahu. His successor Mahalana-Kitti (1040–1042) tried to lead an revolt against the Cholas but failed. Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa I (1055–1110) descended from or claimed to be descended from the Sinhalese royal house,
27507-482: The trade which led to Battle of Wandiwash in 1760 as part of the Seven Years' War . The Nawabs of the Carnatic surrendered much of their territory to the British East India Company in the north and bestowed tax revenue collection rights in the South, which led to constant conflicts with the Palaiyakkarars known as the Polygar Wars . Puli Thevar was one of the earliest opponents, joined later by Rani Velu Nachiyar of Sivagangai and Kattabomman of Panchalakurichi in
27680-435: The traffic management in the respective regions. The state is consistently ranked as one of the safest for women with a crime rate of 22 per 100,000 in 2018. Elections in India are conducted by the Election Commission of India , an independent body established in 1950. Politics in Tamil Nadu was dominated by national parties till the 1960s. Regional parties have ruled ever since. The Justice Party and Swaraj Party were
27853-473: The two expeditions were complete. The second expedition went to Uttarapatha and Gangetic region countries towards the Ganges river in the north from Sakkarakkoattam; they captured the regions of Odda Vishayam and Thandabuththi in Odisha , Kosala Naadu in northern Chhattisgarh, Thakkana Laadam and Uttara Laadam in Jharkhand , and Vangala Desam in modern-day Bangladesh, and reached the Ganges. The Chola Indian Mainland expedition ended in 1022, and details of
28026-412: The two major parties in the erstwhile Madras Presidency. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Self-Respect Movement , spearheaded by Theagaroya Chetty and E. V. Ramaswamy (commonly known as Periyar), emerged in the Madras Presidency and led to the formation of the Justice party. The Justice Party eventually lost the 1937 elections to the Indian National Congress and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari became
28199-412: The unintentional slight by them, stole the pot of Amrita and hid it at Tirukkadaiyur. Ganesha created a Shiva Lingam , dedicated to his father and mother, and poured some of the Amrita over it. The Shiva Lingam at this temple is known as Amrita Ghat Eshwarar , which, translated from Sanskrit literally means "Lord who leads to immortality" ('Immortality' ( Amrita ) 'Step' ( Ghat ) 'Lord' ( Eshwarar )). It
28372-426: The urban areas, and 385 panchayat unions and 12,618 village panchayats , administered by Village Administrative Officers (VAO). Greater Chennai Corporation , established in 1688, is the second oldest in the world and Tamil Nadu was the first state to establish town panchayats as a new administrative unit. In accordance with the Constitution of India , the governor is a state's de jure head and appoints
28545-434: The water resources nationally and is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its water resources. Monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought . Forests occupy an area of 22,643 km (8,743 sq mi) constituting 17.4% of the geographic area. There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in Tamil Nadu, resulting from its varied climates and geography. Deciduous forests are found along
28718-424: The western part of Tamilkam, the Pandyas controlled the south, and the Cholas had their base in the Kaveri delta. The kings called Vendhar ruled over several tribes of Velala (peasants), headed by the Velir chiefs. The rulers patronized multiple religions including vedic religion , Buddhism and Jainism and sponsored some of the earliest Tamil literature with the oldest surviving work being Tolkāppiyam ,
28891-456: The world over, having a height of 13 feet (4.0 m) and a circumference of 20 ft (6.1 m). The praśasti mentions Rajendra's conquests: On the third Regnal year of Rajendra Chola – the conqueror of the East country, Ganges and Kadaram; this stone inscription was made to record the tax exemption grant given by Rajendra, the one who surrendered to Shiva . The Vijayamkonda Cholaeswarem Siva temple of Erumbur in Cuddalore district –
29064-422: Was Thiruvathirai (Ardra). Rajendra was declared heir apparent and formally associated with his father in the administration of the Chola Empire in the final years of his father's reign (1012–1014). In 1018, Rajendra appointed his son Rajadhiraja as heir apparent or co-regent to the Chola throne, which Rajadhiraja occupied from 1018 to 1044. On his father's behalf Rajaraja I, Rajendra I started his wars on
29237-443: Was based on an idea propagated by the members of the Theosophical Society movement after a Theosophical convention held in Madras in December 1884. Tamil Nadu was the base of various contributors to the Independence movement including V. O. Chidambaram Pillai , Subramaniya Siva and Bharatiyar . The Tamils formed a significant percentage of the members of the Indian National Army (INA), founded by Subhas Chandra Bose . After
29410-411: Was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted many years and when the volcanoes became extinct, they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table. The predominant soils of Tamil Nadu are red loam , laterite , black , alluvial and saline . Red soil, with a higher iron content, occupies a larger portion of the state and all the inland districts. Black soil
29583-431: Was given the title "Kadaremkonda Cholan" (the Chola who captured Kadarem). A region of the present-day Kudimallur, Tamil Nadu, was named "Kadarekonda Cholapuram". Some villages in present-day Tamil Nadu still bear the names Kidarankondan in Thiruvaarur and Ariyalur regions (present Gedaramkondan in Ariyalur) and Kadaramkonda Cholapuram (present Narasingpuram). With Rajendra's victories over Kadaram, Malaysia, in 1023, he built
29756-429: Was the first instance of a large-scale mutiny by Indian sepoys against the British East India Company, took place in Vellore Fort . After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act 1858 , which transferred the governance of India from the East India Company to the British crown, forming the British Raj . Failure of the summer monsoons and administrative shortcomings of
29929-410: Was unchanged geo-politically, trade had considerable consequences. Tamil traders encroached on the Srivijayan realm that was traditionally controlled by Malay traders, and the Tamil guilds' influence increased on the Malay Peninsula and the north coast of Sumatra. With the growing presence of Tamil guilds in the region, relations between Srivijaya and the Cholas improved. Chola nobles were accepted in
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