Kanniyakumari district is one of the 38
districts in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
state and the southernmost
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...
in mainland India. It stands second in terms of population density among the districts of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
. It is also the richest district in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
in terms of per capita income, and also tops the state in Human Development Index (HDI), literacy, and education. The district's headquarters is
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 ...
.
Kanniyakumari district has a varied topography with the sea on three sides and the mountains of the
Western Ghats bordering the northern side. Except for a small stretch of land to the east of
Kanniyakumari town, almost the entire district is sandwiched between the
Western Ghats and the
Arabian Sea – the only district in
Tamilnadu state facing the
Arabian Sea.
Geologically, the landmass of the district is much younger when compared to the rest of the state – faulted as late as 2.5 million years during the
Miocene, after which numerous
transgression, as well as regression of sea, had shaped the western coast of the district.
Historically,
Nanjinad
Nanjilnad (pronounced ''Nanjil Nadu'') is a historical region corresponding to present-day Thovalai and Agastheeshwaram of Kanyakumari district. The name is derived from ''nanj'', meaning 'plough', and ''nad'', meaning 'land'.'A Comprehensive Mal ...
and Edai Nadu, which comprise the present-day Kanniyakumari district, were ruled by various Tamil and Malayalam dynasties: the
Cheras, the
Ay/
Venad/
Travancore dynasty, the
Pandyans, the
Chozhans and the
Nayaks. A few artifacts have been unearthed by archeological excavations. It was part of the princely state of
Travancore during the colonial times prior to
India's independence
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal. ...
; four of the eight
tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its adminis ...
s of
Thiruvananthapuram district were separated from the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom to form the new district of Kanniyakumari, and they were made the part of
Madras Presidency under recommendations from the
States Reorganisation Commission
The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) constituted by the Central Government of India in December 1953 to recommend the reorganization of state boundaries. In September 1955, after two years of study, the Commission, comprising Justice Fazal ...
in 1956. The Presidency was later renamed Tamil Nadu and Kanniyakumari, today, is one of the 38 districts of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
state.
The district is the birthplace of
Ayyavazhi. Many historical assumptions persist in the district and state, which associate sages such as
Agastya,
Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
,
Tolkappiyar,
Avvaiyar and
Thiruvalluvar with the district.
History
The area that comprises the current Kanniyakumari district was a part of the old Ay kingdom of the first and second Sangam ages. Following the decline of the Ay kingdoms, the area became Venad, with its capital
Padmanabhapuram located North, North West of Nagercoil. The wealth of the Nanjilnadu beckoned many invaded kings including the Nayaks during the reign of
Umayamma Rani. The
Venad region was in anarchy before
Marthanda Varma ascended the throne in 1729 CE. Under their rule anarchy was dominant in
Kanniyakumari region. However,
Marthanda Varma brought a sense of disorder under control by annexing the nearby territories, putting down the feudal lords and establishing the strong state of
Travancore. He had also bought some portions of Kanniyakumari from the then viceroy making it the southern boundary. Under his rule, the district improved in a social context as well as economically. The famous
battle of Colachel
The Battle of Colachel (or The Battle of Kulachal) was fought on
between the Indian kingdom of Travancore and the Dutch East India Company. During the Travancore-Dutch War, King Marthanda Varma's (1729–1758) forces defeated the Dutch East ...
took place in the district. Later, the Maharajas of Travancore built the forts at Aramboly (Aralvaimozhy) to prevent any invasion from the Carnatic Kings. Key elements of
Velu Thampi Dalawa's revolt occurred in the area and the English East India company's army under Col.
Leger broke through the fortifications and entered Travancore in 1810. In the year 1949, the area became a part of the reestablished
Travancore Cochin state. The people of Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks, which formed the southern divisions of the former district of
Trivandrum
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its List of renamed Indian cities and states, former name Trivandrum (), is the Capital city, capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as ...
, were predominantly Tamil speaking people. The present Kanniyakumari district was historically part of the erstwhile Travancore State. Four Tamil-speaking taluks viz., Vilavancode, Kalkulam, Thovala and Agastheeswaram which now form the Kanniyakumari district was transferred to Madras State on 1st November 1956. The changes that were effected between the taluks and the villages as on 1st October 1956 are furnished in the fly-leaf to Table A-I. .An extreme agitation by Tamil speaking residents under the leadership of
Marshal Nesamony took place for including Kanniyakumari within
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
. Eventually the merger happened in 1956 based on
language reorganization of states.
Historically,
Nanjilnadu
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 ...
(Agastheeswaram and Thovalai taluks) and
Eda Nadu
Edanadu is a village situated from Chengannur in Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. It lies on the banks of the Pampa River. Edanadu is situated in the extreme eastern part of Alappuzha district and forms the geographical border between Alapp ...
(Vilavancode and Kalkulam taluks) which comprises the present Kanniyakumari district. The district were ruled by various dynasties:
Venad Kingdom
Venad was a medieval kingdom lying between the Western Ghat mountains and the Arabian Sea on the south-western tip of India with its headquarters at the port city of Kollam/Quilon.Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Is ...
,
Travancore Kingdom, the
Cheras, the
Cholas, the
Ays and the
Nayaks. A few artifacts were unearthed by archeological excavations in parts of the district. The district was part of the princely state of
Travancore during the colonial times prior to
India's independence
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal. ...
; four of the eight
tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its adminis ...
s of
Thiruvananthapuram district were separated to form the new district of Kanniyakumari in 1956 following the demands of reunion made by the Tamil speaking majority people (about 70% of the population), who feels that their feelings were suppressed by the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom which has Malayalam-majority population. The four taluks were made the part of then
Madras Presidency under recommendations from the
States Reorganisation Commission
The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) constituted by the Central Government of India in December 1953 to recommend the reorganization of state boundaries. In September 1955, after two years of study, the Commission, comprising Justice Fazal ...
in 1956. The Presidency was later renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969 and Kanniyakumari, today, is one of the 38 districts of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
state.
The district is the birthplace of
Ayyavazhi, the
henotheistic
Henotheism is the worship of a single, supreme god that does not deny the existence or possible existence of other deities. Friedrich Schelling (1775–1854) coined the word, and Friedrich Welcker (1784–1868) used it to depict primit ...
belief initiated by
Hari Gopalan Seedar, one among the 5 prime disciples of
Ayya Vaikundar. The social, religious and cultural history of the 19th century Kanniyakumari district is intrinsically inter-twined with those of Ayyavazhi. Many historical assumptions persist in the district and state, which associate with sages namely
Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
,
Agastya,
Tolkappiyar,
Avvaiyar and
Thiruvalluvar.
Geography
Location
The district is situated between 77°15' and 77°36' east longitude and 8°03' and 8°35' north latitude. The district has borders with
Tirunelveli district in the North & North East, the
Gulf of Mannar in the East, the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by ...
in the South, the
Arabian Sea in the West and the
Thiruvananthapuram District (
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
) in the West.
Kanniyakumari District is divided into two regions: Edai nadu and Nanjil nadu. Vilavancode and Kalkulam taluks are in the Edai nadu region which consists of full stretched Western ghats. Thovalai and Agastheeswaram taluks are present in the Nanjil nadu region. Aralvaimozhy pass separates these two regions. Also the boundary of these regions is Vaezhimalai (Vaezhi Hills).
Kanniyakumari district has a varied topography with sea on three sides and the mountains of the
Western Ghats bordering the northern side. Geologically, the landmass of the district is much younger when compared to the rest of state – faulted as late as 2.5 million years during the
Miocene, after which numerous
transgression, as well as regression of sea, had shaped the western coast of the district.
Politics
Places of interest
Thirparappu Waterfalls
Thirparappu Waterfalls are waterfalls in Kanniyakumari District. It is also known as 'Courtallam of Kanniyakumari'. The Mahadevar Temple is very near to the waterfalls. The waterfalls is from
Kulasekaram.,Actually the waterfalls is exactly 34 km from city centre, Nagercoil.
Manimedai
Manimedai is the situated in the central part of
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 ...
. Manimedai literally means High Clock. It is the symbol of the Nagercoil Town. A clock is placed in a High Clock gauge, so the place becomes Manimedai. The construction of Clock gauge began in 1892 in the period of
Travancore Maharajas. After construction, it was opened by His Highness Sree Moolam Thirunal Varma, the King of Travancore. The clock placed in the gauge was gifted to the English missionary in Nagercoil.
Mathur Aqueduct
The
Mathur Aqueduct
Mathoor Aqueduct is an aqueduct in Kalkulam taluk of Kanniyakumari district of Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is built over the Pahrali River and takes its name from Mathoor, a hamlet near the aqueduct, which is about 3 km from Thiru ...
was built to pass the cultivable water between two mountains. Mathur Aqueduct was built between Aruvikkarai and Mudhalaaru in Paraliyaru River. The aqueduct was built by Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Perunthalaivar Thiru Kamarajar. Mathur aqueduct was South Asia's largest aqueduct. The aqueduct is long, high with 28 giant pillars. It is from
Thiruvattar and 26 km from Nagercoil.
Padmanabhapuram palace
Before centuries, the houses that has all the facilities are known as Palaces. The rulers of states, the Kings resides in such Palaces.
Padmanabhapuram Palace was once the official residence of Travancore Kings.
Padmanabhapuram Palace was built in
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
styled Architecture with woods. The palace was built in 18th century by Travancore King Thiru
Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The palace was situated in 6.5 acres in 186 acres fort. The palace is under the control of Kerala Government. The palace is situated just 2 km from
Thuckalay
Thuckalay or Thakkalai is a town in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Thuckalay comes under the Padmanabhapuram Municipality, and is the administrative headquarters of Kalkulam Taluk. The Revenue Divisional Office is located in Mettuk ...
.
Udayagiri Fort
Udayagiri Fort was situated just 10 km from
Parvathipuram. The fort was situated in 22½ hectares in a place called Puliyoorkurichi. The Fort is maintained by the Ministry of Forests, Government of Tamilnadu.
Vattakkottai
The word 'Vattakkottai' means Circle Fort and is circular in shape. The Fort was constructed along the seashore in East coast. The fort was situated in 3 1/2 acres with compound stones constructed for 25 metres height and constructed by Travancore Army Chief Dilanai. The fort is under the control of Archaeological Department, Government of India. It is situated just 6;km north from
Kanniyakumari and just 2 km south from
Anjugramam
Anjugramam is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district
Kanniyakumari district is one of the 38 districts in Tamil Nadu state and the southernmost district in mainland India. It stands second in terms of population density among the di ...
.
Vivekananda Rock
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a monument and popular tourist attraction in Kanyakumari, India's southernmost tip. The memorial stands on one of the two rocks located about 500 meters off mainland of Vavathurai. It was built in 1970 in honour o ...
is a monument in Vavathurai in Kanniyakumari District. It is located just 500 meters east in main land of
Vavathurai. The rock was built in 1970 in honour of
Swami Vivekananda who is said to have attained enlightenment on the rock. Vivekanand was a disciple of Swami
Ramakrishna Paramahansa
Ramakrishna Paramahansa ( bn, রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস, Ramôkṛṣṇo Pôromohôṅso; , 18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886),——— — also spelled Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, born Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya,, was an In ...
. According to local legends,
Goddess Kumari performed Tapas in devotion of
lord Shiva in these rocks. The rocks are surrounded by the
Laccadive Sea.
Chitharal Jain Rock Cut Temple
It is famous for the Rock-cut temple. Hillock at Chitharal has a cave containing Rock-cut sculptures of Thirthankaras and attendant deities carved inside and outside dating back to 9th Century A.D by King Mahendra Varman I.
Administrative divisions
For administrative purposes, the district comprises six taluks:
Thovalai
Thovalai is a small village located in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. The area is well known in India for its production of flowers, especially jasmine. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the ...
,
Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
History
Agasteeswaram is named after Sage Agastya who had visited this place to teach Ramayana. Most of the people from this village are well educat ...
,
Kalkulam
Kalkulam is a small village located in Kalkulam taluk, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from ...
,
Killiyur,
Thiruvattar and
Vilavancode. It has nine blocks —
Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
History
Agasteeswaram is named after Sage Agastya who had visited this place to teach Ramayana. Most of the people from this village are well educat ...
,
Rajakkamangalam,
Thovalai
Thovalai is a small village located in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. The area is well known in India for its production of flowers, especially jasmine. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the ...
,
Kurunthancode
Kurunthancode is a block or Panchayat Union of Kanyakumari district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in s ...
,
Thuckalay
Thuckalay or Thakkalai is a town in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Thuckalay comes under the Padmanabhapuram Municipality, and is the administrative headquarters of Kalkulam Taluk. The Revenue Divisional Office is located in Mettuk ...
,
Thiruvattar,
Killiyur,
Munchirai and
Melpuram
Melpuram is a historical place in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rubber plantation plays an important role in this village's economy.
Melpuram is a quasi town that is sandwiched by Pacode town panchayat and Edaicode panchayat als ...
. There is a municipal corporation in the district which is Nagercoil. There are also four municipalities, they are
Padmanabhapuram,
Colachel,
Kuzhithurai
Kuzhithurai (also known as Kuzhithura) is a city and a municipality in Kanyakumari District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Vilavancode Taluk.
It is located north of the Nagercoil city an ...
and
Kollemcode.
At the lower levels of administration, there are 95 village
panchayat
The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical men ...
s and a further 55 special category village panchayats.
The major towns of the district include:
* Agastheeswaram taluk:
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 ...
,
Kanniyakumari,
Anjugramam
Anjugramam is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district
Kanniyakumari district is one of the 38 districts in Tamil Nadu state and the southernmost district in mainland India. It stands second in terms of population density among the di ...
,
Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
History
Agasteeswaram is named after Sage Agastya who had visited this place to teach Ramayana. Most of the people from this village are well educat ...
,
Suchindram
Suchindram is a panchayat town in Kanyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu with Indian postal code as 629704. It is an important pilgrim centre and the site of the famous Thanumalayan Temple. There is an Anjaneya, (or Hanuman), st ...
and
Rajakkamangalam.
* Thovalai taluk:
Boothapandi,
Thovalai
Thovalai is a small village located in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. The area is well known in India for its production of flowers, especially jasmine. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the ...
,
Azhagiapandiapuram
Azhagiapandiapuram is a second grade panchayat town, town panchayat in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located at the centre of Pazhayar valley. It is one of the four town panchayat's in Thovalai taluk.
Locati ...
and
Aralvaimozhy.
* Kalkulam taluk:
Padmanabhapuram,
Thuckalay
Thuckalay or Thakkalai is a town in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Thuckalay comes under the Padmanabhapuram Municipality, and is the administrative headquarters of Kalkulam Taluk. The Revenue Divisional Office is located in Mettuk ...
,
Colachel,
Kalkulam
Kalkulam is a small village located in Kalkulam taluk, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from ...
,
Thiruvithamcode,
Eraniel
Eraniel is a panchayat town in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is of major commercial and political importance in the history of South India, as it was the seasonal capital of the affluent Venad and later Travancore ...
,
Kurunthancode
Kurunthancode is a block or Panchayat Union of Kanyakumari district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in s ...
, and
Thingalnagar
Thingalnagar is the town panchayat, located in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The origin of the name "Thingalnagar" ("Monday Market" in English) is that every Monday, people from several nearby villages, wholesalers, a ...
.
* Thiruvattar taluk:
Thiruvattar, and
Kulasekaram.
* Killiyur Taluk:
Killiyur, and
Karungal
Karungal is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Demographics
At the 2001 India census, Karungal had a population of 15,832. Males constituted 49% of the population and females 51%. It had an average ...
.
* Vilavancode Taluk:
Kuzhithurai
Kuzhithurai (also known as Kuzhithura) is a city and a municipality in Kanyakumari District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Vilavancode Taluk.
It is located north of the Nagercoil city an ...
,
Marthandam
Marthandam is a major trade centre in Kuzhithurai municipality across National Highway (NH 47) in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Formerly known as Thoduvetty (another name for the Marthandam market region), it was a portion ...
,
Vilavancode,
Kaliyakkavilai,
Munchirai,
Manjalumoodu
Manjalumoodu is a village in the Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
Nearby villages
* Arudesam
* Keezhkulam
* Paloor
* Kilamalai R F
* Puliyoorsalai
* Muzhucode
* Malayadi
* Vanniyoor
* Maruthancode
* Vellamcode
* Ku ...
,
Arumanai, and
Melpuram
Melpuram is a historical place in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rubber plantation plays an important role in this village's economy.
Melpuram is a quasi town that is sandwiched by Pacode town panchayat and Edaicode panchayat als ...
.
Demographics
According to
2011 census, Kanniyakumari district had a population of 1,870,374 with a sex-ratio of 1,019 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.
A total of 182,350 were under the age of six, constituting 92,835 males and 89,515 females.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 3.97% and 0.39% of the population respectively. The district had a total of 483,539 households. There were a total of 679,620 workers, comprising 12,229 cultivators, 51,350 main agricultural labourers, 21,078 in household industries, 468,001 other workers, 126,962 marginal workers, 3,381 marginal cultivators, 21,517 marginal agricultural labourers, 14,711 marginal workers in household industries and 87,353 other marginal workers.
The average literacy rate of Kanniyakumari in 2011 was 91.75 compared to 87.55 in 2001. If things are looked out at gender-wise, male and female literacy were 93.65 and 89.90 respectively. For the 2001 census, the same figures stood at 90.37 and 84.79 in Kanniyakumari District. The total number of literates in Kanniyakumari District were 1,548,738 of which male and female were 780,541 and 768,197 respectively. In 2001, Kanniyakumari District had 1,308,322 in its district.
Languages
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, na ...
is the most widely spoken language in Kanniyakumari district, though there is significant numbers of native
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...
speakers (''
Malayalis''). Kanniyakumari District has a Tamil dialect which is completely different from other part of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
, since it has extensive Malayalam influence. Malayalis form 30% of the 1.87 million population in Kanniyakumari District. English can be understood by two-thirds of the district's population.
Urban population
Out of the total Kanniyakumari population for 2011 census, 82.33 percent lives in urban regions of district. In total 1,539,802 people lives in urban areas of which males are 761,407 and females are 778,395. Sex ratio in urban region of Kanniyakumari district is 1022 as per 2011 census data. Similarly child sex ratio in Kanniyakumari district was 966 in 2011 census. Child population (0-6) in urban region was 148,570 of which males and females were 75,573 and 72,997.
This child population figure of Kanniyakumari district is 9.93% of total urban population. Average literacy rate in Kanniyakumari district as per census 2011 is 91.96% of which males and females are 93.92% and 90.06% literates, respectively. In actual number 1,279,358 people are literate in urban region of which males and females are 644,109 and 635,249, respectively.
Rural population
As per 2011 census, 17.67% population of Kanniyakumari districts lives in rural areas of villages. The total Kanniyakumari district population living in rural areas is 330,572 of which males and females are 164,938 and 165,634 respectively. In rural areas of Kanniyakumari district, sex ratio is 1004 females per 1000 males. If child sex ratio data of Kanniyakumari district is considered, figure is 957 girls per 1000 boys. Child population in the age 0-6 is 33,780 in rural areas of which males were 17,262 and females were 16,518.
The child population comprises 10.47% of total rural population of Kanniyakumari district. Literacy rate in rural areas of Kanniyakumari district is 90.76% as per census data 2011. Gender wise, male and female literacy stood at 92.39 and 89.16 percent, respectively. In total, 269,380 people were literate of which males and females were 136,432 and 132,948, respectively.
Religion
As per 2011 census, total population of the district is 1,870,374, among them 909,872 (48.5%) are Hindus, 876,299 (47%) are Christians, 78,590 (4.2%) are Muslims, 438 (0.02%) are Buddhists, 160 (0.01%) are Sikhs, 156 (0.01%) are Jains, 10 (0.001%) are Others and 4,849 (0.26%) are "not stated".
Festivals
The
Mandaikadu
Mandaikadu is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital ...
festival is celebrated in March by people of the district and by those in Kerala. Traditionally, participants would chant while walking while others would provide them with butter, milk, water,
jaggery, and coffee. The festival, which is celebrated for ten days, later became a social function, especially on Sunday.
The Kollemcode Tookam festival is another famous festival celebrated by the people of the district and also by the people from the nearby Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state. It is celebrated for 10 days during the month of March/April with the famous Child Tookam taking place on the 10th day corresponding to Meena Bharani as per the Malayalam calendar.
The
Ayya vaikunda Avataram of
Ayyavazhi is widely celebrated throughout the district. The
Kodiyettru Thirunal is celebrated in the religious headquarters of
Swamithope pathi and attracts large crowds from Tamil Nadu and across India. Onam is also celebrated in many places throughout Kanniyakumari district, especially in the western part of the district.
Transport and highways
Roadways
There are two major
National Highways (NH) roads originating from Kanniyakumari town. One is the National Highway 44 which connects Kanniyakumari with Srinagar of
Jammu & Kashmir. NH 44 connects North India with South India. The road passes through
Madurai,
Hosur,
Bengaluru,
Hyderabad,
Nagpur,
Jhansi,
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
and
Jalandhar. It covers 3745 kilometres. The other is the National Highway 66 that connects Kanniyakumari with
Panvel (38 km from
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
) in Maharashtra. NH 66 roughly runs north-south parallel to the western ghats. It passes through
Thiruvananthapuram,
Kochi,
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
,
Mangaluru
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
,
Udupi,
Margoa and
Ratnagiri. Nagercoil, the district capital is well connected with the rest of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
.
The government transport body State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) is operating direct buses to
Chennai,
Ootacamund,
Coimbatore,
Vellore,
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is a town and municipality in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vellar River where it meets the Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Chidambaram taluk. The town is believed to be o ...
,
Thiruchirappalli
Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...
,
Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal () is a hill station which is located in Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name in the Tamil language means "The Gift of the Forest". Kodaikanal is referred to as the "Princess of Hill stations" and has a long ...
,
Tirupur,
Erode,
Kalpakkam,
Velankanni, and
Thiruvannamalai. It also operates direct buses to
Bengaluru,
Pondicherry and
Tirupati. Some bus services to the aforesaid destinations are originating from
Kanniyakumari,
Colachel,
Marthandam
Marthandam is a major trade centre in Kuzhithurai municipality across National Highway (NH 47) in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Formerly known as Thoduvetty (another name for the Marthandam market region), it was a portion ...
,
Kulasekaram,
Kaliyakkavilai, and
Thiruvananthapuram.
Another government transport body known as the Tamilnadu State Road Transport Corporation (TNSTC) operates direct buses to various destinations inside
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
. Some of the terminating stations are
Chennai,
Tiruppur,
Periyakulam,
Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal () is a hill station which is located in Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name in the Tamil language means "The Gift of the Forest". Kodaikanal is referred to as the "Princess of Hill stations" and has a long ...
,
Rameswaram
Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 ...
,
Thiruchirappalli
Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...
,
Dindigul,
Thanjavur,
Palani,
Salem,
Coimbatore,
Karaikudi,
Kumily,
Bodinayakkanur
Bodinayakanur (also shortened to Bodi) is a Town and a municipality in Theni district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
Etymology
In early days, it was called by the name Thenkasiyampathi (Tamil: தென்காசியம்பதி). ...
,
Erode, and
Sivakasi. Most of these buses starts their journey from
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 ...
while some buses starts from
Kanniyakumari,
Marthandam
Marthandam is a major trade centre in Kuzhithurai municipality across National Highway (NH 47) in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Formerly known as Thoduvetty (another name for the Marthandam market region), it was a portion ...
,
Colachel,
Kulasekaram, and
Kaliyakkavilai. TNSTC also operates frequent bus services to
Madurai,
Tirunelveli,
Tiruchendur,
Tuticorin, and
Thiruvananthapuram.
Railways
There is a railway station located at Kanniyakumari where trains terminate. The
Vivek Express starting from Kanniyakumari is the longest-running train in India. It connects Kanniyakumari with
Dibrugarh, in
Assam.
Nagercoil Junction railway station
Nagercoil Junction railway station (station code: NCJ) is a railway junction in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Background
Trivandrum–Nagercoil–Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli–Nagercoil construction projects were inaugur ...
is the district's primary railway station located near Kottar and is also commonly known as Kottar Railway station. There is also another railway station in Nagercoil, known as Nagercoil Town railway station. There is rail connectivity from Nagercoil, the district capital, to most parts of the country with daily trains running to
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
,
Chennai,
Bengaluru,
Guruvayur,
Coimbatore,
Trichy,
Mangaluru
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
,
Tambaram etc. and weekly trains to
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Hous ...
,
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
,
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
,
Hyderabad,
Pondicherry,
Bilaspur,
Rameswaram
Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 ...
,
North East India and
Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to:
* Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent
* Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory
* Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...
. The other stations in the district are Eraniel, Palliyadi, Kuzhithurai, and Kuzhithurai west. Passenger trains connect
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 ...
with
Thiruvananthapuram,
Kollam,
Punalur,
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south ...
,
Tirunelveli,
Madurai, and
Coimbatore.
Airways
The nearest International airport is
Trivandrum International Airport which is 76 km from Kanniyakumari. The Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to construct an airport near Swamithoppu in Kanniyakumari District as the initiative attracts international tourists to the district.
Education
Schools and Colleges of higher education are found throughout the district.
The district is home to many well- established institutions like colleges such as Scott Christian College (est. 1809),
2South 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).
The district has a literacy rate of 97.6% which is the highest in the state.
Forests
Of the total district area of 1671.3 km
2, government forests occupy an area of 504.86 km
2 which comes to about 30.2 percent of the geographical area of the district.
Tamil Nadu Forest Department
. Forests.tn.nic.in. Retrieved on 2013-07-28.
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of Kanniyakumari District are vast and diverse. Kanniyakumari district has 4 types of lands except Desert. In which, Forest has a significant place in the district's landscape. The district's forest areas were surrounded by plenty of rivers and falls. Forests also has significant mountainous landscape. The district has forests of 40239.55 Hectares. The district's forests are situated between Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Neyyar Forests in Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
. Kaalikesam, Balamore, Upper Kodayar
Upper may refer to:
* Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot
* Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both
* ''Upper'', the original film title for the 2013 found f ...
, Lower Kodayar, Mukkadal
Mukkadal dam is built across the Vambaru River located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is located near Thuvarankadu Village in Kanyakumari District. The district capital and nearby town Nagercoil is located from the dam. It was built in 1945 ...
are the important places in Forests.
Rainfall
Achankadu hill is the tallest mountain peak in the district with a height of 1828 m. Hilly regions like Upper kodayar, Muthukuzhivayal and Achankadu hills receive more than 5000mm of annual rainfall which makes the region one of the wettest regions in Tamil Nadu. Kanniyakumari town which is located on the leeward side with no tall mountain ranges receives less rainfall in the district. Pechipara, Chittar dams 1&2, Perunchani dam and Surlacode receive annual rainfall between 2500 to 3000 mm. Kanniyakumari is the only district in Tamil Nadu that benefits from rains in all seasons.
Flora
The Kanniyakumari forests has sandal trees, teak trees, rosewood trees, Wild Jack
''Wild Jack'' is a 1974 young adult science fiction novel written by the English prize-winning author John Christopher. Set in twenty-third century England, the plot concerns the young aristocrat Clive Anderson, who lives in decadent isolation ...
trees. pepper and cloves are grown in private estates that operate in the forests. The district's forests have some 600 varieties of large trees and another 3500 varieties of small trees.
Fauna
Animals on the hills of the district include Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Indian elephant, Sambar Deer, Porcupines, Indian Pangolins and Indian Boar
The Indian boar (''Sus scrofa cristatus''), also known as the Andamanese pig or Moupin pig,Lydekker, R. (1900), The great and small game of India, Burma, & Tibet', London : R. Ward, pp. 258-266 is a subspecies of wild boar native to India, Nepal, ...
, while pied kingfisher and painted stork are commonly found in the water bodies and wetlands. Reptiles include Bengal monitors, pythons, and other snakes.
The Mahendragiri hills (about above sea level) are occupied by elephants, tigers, leopards and deer .
The Keeriparai and Maramalai hills are habitats for wild elephants and Indian bison
The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...
. The Kodayar hills are the breeding centers for the Indian rock pythons and Indian bison. The Theroor wetlands are home for varieties of storks and migratory birds during specific seasons. Trout and other varieties of freshwater fish are found in the Pechiparai reservoir.
The district also has a wildlife sanctuary and a bird sanctuary.
See also
* List of districts of Tamil Nadu
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Official Website of Kanniyakumari district
About Kanniyakumari district
General Introduction of Tamil Nadu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanyakumari District
Districts of Tamil Nadu
1956 establishments in Madras State