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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 km2, government forests occupy an area of 504.86 km2 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 districtGeneral Introduction of Tamil Nadu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanyakumari District Districts of Tamil Nadu 1956 establishments in Madras State