Devakottai
Encyclopedia
Devakottai [தேவகோட்டை] is a town and a first grade municipality
in Sivaganga district
in the state of Tamil Nadu
, India. Devakottai is one of the biggest towns of the Nagarathar
(Nattukkottai Chettiar) community.
. The municipal court in Devakottai was burned to ground during the Quit India Movement
. The town suffered punitive fines and some citizens served prison terms. To remember the brave patriots, the park on the main road was named "Thiyagigal Park" and the road adjoining it was called "Thiyagigal Road".
Today Devakottai is a favoured site for movie shootings, mainly because of its palatial bungalows (which belong to Nagarathar families). Devakottai is going to come under Karaikudi constituency after the reformation of constituencies. Currently it is with Thiruvadanai constituency. For parliamentary it comes under Sivaganga constituency.
Mahatma Gandhi
visited Devakottai in 1934 to condole with the death of Poochi, a Dalit
, in the movement against untouchability, and held discussions with Dalits and Nattar
s, who were opposed to Dalits wearing shirts.
The 75th aaniversary of the Mahatma's visit was celebrated at the site where he stayed- Saraswathi vasaka salai- in January 2009.
Apart from Gandhiji many eminent politicians like Rajiv Gandhi, Karmaveerar Kamarajar, Perarignar Anna Durai, MGR, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Dhevar, Selvi Jayalalitha and Kalaignar Karunanidhi have visited Devakottai.
In the first half of the 20th century, the temples of Rameswaram, Kalahasti, Kalayar Koil, Thiruvengadu, Thiruvadanai, Thirupunavasal, Thiru Yedagam, Thiruvisainallur, Thiruvarur, Seerkazhi, Thirukkolakka, Nalla Koorur, Thiruvanmiyur
, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvidaimaruthur, Thiruchuli, Courtallam
, Thievennainallur, Kandadevi, Kottur, Pennagaram
(now Pennadam) were all converted to stone structures in whole or part by pious Nagarathar families of Devakottai.
Devakottai has many well run schools and educational institutions that include:
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Sivaganga district
Sivaganga District
Sivaganga District is an administrative district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Sivaganga is the district headquarters. It is bounded by Pudukkottai district on the Northeast, Tiruchirapalli district on the North, Ramanathapuram district on South East, Virudhunagar district...
in the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India. Devakottai is one of the biggest towns of the Nagarathar
Nagarathar
The Nagarathars is a Chettiar community in Shaivism that originated in Kaveripoompattinam under the Chola kingdom of India. They are a prominent mercantile Vaishya, caste in Tamil Nadu, South India...
(Nattukkottai Chettiar) community.
History
Devakottai is one of the oldest municipalities of Tamil Nadu. The Tamil term for "the fort of Goddess" is "Devi Kottai". It might have changed in to "Devakottai" in a course of time. Devakottai is noted for its literature, shaivite temple buildings, publishing, judiciary, and politics. The town was active in the Indian independence movementIndian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
. The municipal court in Devakottai was burned to ground during the Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
. The town suffered punitive fines and some citizens served prison terms. To remember the brave patriots, the park on the main road was named "Thiyagigal Park" and the road adjoining it was called "Thiyagigal Road".
Today Devakottai is a favoured site for movie shootings, mainly because of its palatial bungalows (which belong to Nagarathar families). Devakottai is going to come under Karaikudi constituency after the reformation of constituencies. Currently it is with Thiruvadanai constituency. For parliamentary it comes under Sivaganga constituency.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
visited Devakottai in 1934 to condole with the death of Poochi, a Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
, in the movement against untouchability, and held discussions with Dalits and Nattar
Nattar
Nattars were an administrative body in the Tamil kingdoms of Chola, Pandya and Pallava, who had the right to sell and purchase land, and make them tax-free whenever such a request was made. Nattar generally meant an official of an area called nadu....
s, who were opposed to Dalits wearing shirts.
The 75th aaniversary of the Mahatma's visit was celebrated at the site where he stayed- Saraswathi vasaka salai- in January 2009.
Apart from Gandhiji many eminent politicians like Rajiv Gandhi, Karmaveerar Kamarajar, Perarignar Anna Durai, MGR, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Dhevar, Selvi Jayalalitha and Kalaignar Karunanidhi have visited Devakottai.
In the first half of the 20th century, the temples of Rameswaram, Kalahasti, Kalayar Koil, Thiruvengadu, Thiruvadanai, Thirupunavasal, Thiru Yedagam, Thiruvisainallur, Thiruvarur, Seerkazhi, Thirukkolakka, Nalla Koorur, Thiruvanmiyur
Thiruvanmiyur
-Transport:The area is easily accessible by Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses and has a sprawling bus terminus. Bus Routes connecting Thiruvanmiyur with other places in Chennai are: 1, 1A, 1C, 1D, 6D, 22A, 23C Extn., 29M,29C Extn., 41C, A47, 47A, 47D, M1, M49, M7, C51, T51, M23, M19, M70,...
, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvidaimaruthur, Thiruchuli, Courtallam
Courtallam
Courtallam is a panchayat town situated at a mean elevation of on the Western Ghats in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, India. Many seasonal and a few perennial rivers such as the Chittar River, the Manimuthar River, the Pachaiyar River and the Tambaraparani River originate in this region...
, Thievennainallur, Kandadevi, Kottur, Pennagaram
Pennagaram
Pennagaram is a panchayat town in Dharmapuri district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Pennagaram is located at . It has an average elevation of 493 metres .-Demographics:...
(now Pennadam) were all converted to stone structures in whole or part by pious Nagarathar families of Devakottai.
Demographics
As of India census, Devakottai had a population of approximately 45021 (in the year of 2009). Males constituted 49% of the population and females 51%. Devakottai has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: the male literacy rate is 85% and the female literacy rate 75%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.Park
There are two parks situated in Devakottai town: Thiyagigal park near Bus stand and Alagappa Oorani Park near Ramnagar.Education
There are two colleges in Devakottai: Sree Sevugan Annamalai College and Ananda College.Devakottai has many well run schools and educational institutions that include:
- N.S.M.V.P.S. Higher Secondary School (Nagarathar Sri Meenakshi Vidhya Paripalana Sangam Higher Secondary School)
- Pethal Achi Girls' Higher Secondary School
- De Britto Higher Secondary School
- St Mary's Convent & Girls' Higher Secondary School
- St. John Girls' Higher Secondary School
- Infant Jesus Matriculation Higher Secondary School
- CSI Christ Church Nursery & Primary School
- Sri Meenakshi Vidhyasala Middle School
- Muthathal Middle School
- Sri Ramakrishna Middle School
- Zamindar Street High School
- Chairman Manickavasagam Middle School
- Muruganantha Middle School
- Sreenivasa Middle School
- Sree Sevugan Annamalai Matriculation School
- Vairam Group Matriculation Higher Secondary School
- Lotus. Venkatachalam Chettiar Matriculation High School
- K.V.P. Matriculation School
- Yadava Nursery & Primary School
- Thalambal Nursery & Primary School
Hindu temples
- Nagara Sivan Kovil
- Pidaariamman Kovil
- Kottaiamman Kovil
- Silambani Pillayar Kovil
- Vellayan Oorani Pillayar Kovil
- Thinnan Chetty Oorani Pillayar Kovil
- Karutha Oorani Pillayar Kovil
- PL Sellappa Chettiar Kovil
- Ranganatha Perumal Kovil
- Ramar Kovil
- Krishnan Kovil
- Mariamman Kovil
- Kandadevi Sivan Kovil
- Kottur Sivan Kovil
- Iravuseri Mummudinathar Kovil
- Iravuseri Kaliamman Kovil
- Thalaiyur MuthuPeriyanayaki Amman Kovil
- karutha urani pillaiyar koil
- sri Bhuvaneshwari amman koil
- Anna salai Kaligambal Kovil
Mosques
- Mohideen Abdul Qadir (Kadhdhasallhu sirrahul Aziz) Masjidh (Vattanam Road)
- Masjid-ul- Hudha (Mohammadhiar Pattanam)
- Masjidh -e- Noor (Gandhi Road)
- Masjidhu -th- Thaqwa (Bus Station)
- K'uthba Palli K'uthba Eidhaini (Ram Nagar)
Churches
- Ramnagar Church
- Thiruppathur Road Church
- Saraswathivasagasalai Church
- Panipulanvayal Madha Church
Festival
The Kandhar Sashti Vizha is conducted by the Kandhar Sashti Vizha Kazhagam for the past 63 years (as of year 2008) at the Nagara Sivan Kovil at Devakottai. The 10-day festival is celebrated with participation by literary personalities and eminent artists.Notable people
- Hari SevuganHari SevuganHari Sevugan is the former national press secretary for the Democratic National Committee. He served as the senior spokesman for the Barack Obama presidential campaign. In June, 2011, Sevugal left his position with the DNC to become the Vice President of Communications for StudentsFirst, an...
, the national press secretary for the Democratic National CommitteeDemocratic National CommitteeThe Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support... - Charles Borromeo (athlete)Charles Borromeo (athlete)Charles Borromeo is a track and field athlete born at Devakottai in Tamil Nadu, India. He was awarded Arjuna Award in 1982 for winning gold at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi at a record time of 1:46:81 seconds in India. His represented India in the 1984 Summer Olympics at Los Angeles...
, is a track and field athlete. He won a gold at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi at a record time of 1:46:81 seconds in India. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1982 and the Padma Shri in 1984 by the Government of India. - Late Shree Dhinamani chettiar, Freedom Fighter. Who actively involved India Independence Movement.