Dharapuram
Encyclopedia
Dharapuram is a town and a municipality
in the Tirupur
district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu
. Dharapuram one of the Oldest Town in Tiruppur District. Dharapuram, then known as Rajarajapuram was the capital of Kongu Nadu
under Kongu Cholas. The Amaravathi River flows through the ancient city of Dharapuram. It's the birth place of Tamil actor Nagesh.
and Kongu
country in ancient times. They had their own Chera and Kongu
kings ruling them till 850 A.D. Thereafter (in 1000 A.D. - 1275 A.D.) it was ruled by the Kongu
Cholas who renamed Dharapuram as Rajarajapuram (also Viradapuram) and made it as their military and political headquarters because the Cholan capital was under invasion by an hitherto unknown group in South India
called Kalabhars during the dark age of Tamilakam. Sometime later, the Pandyan empire took control of the region (from 1276 A.D.). A Pandyan ruler Veerapandian made Kalingarayar, a Kongu
chieftain (meaning slayer of Kalinga King's head in battlefield), the Prime minister of the Pandyan empire. During this period, the famous Kalingarayan Channel was dug by this visionary and it continues to irrigate the region.
The Viradapuram Raja
built a famous fort in the heart of Rajarajapuram but it is in bad state now and no care is taken by the authorities to revamp it. Then the Muslims (Modern Sulthans) took over the rule after which Nayaks of Madurai ruled. Then Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan had their sway. In 1799 when Tippu fell to the British, the East Indian Company took over the administration. It's famous for its Aanjeeneya Temple. British had their military camp in Therupatti village on the Palani road, regularly practicing rifle firing in the Kannimar Hills. The ancient foundry of the Chera, Kongu Nadu (Kollan Pattari) is also found to be in the same village. In ancient times, Dharapuram was known as Viradapuram with significant links to the events of the epic Mahabharata
. Dharapuram and Coimbatore got the status of Municipality on the same day.
Dharapuram Municipality was promoted 1st grade municipality on May 6, 1983. That time Tirupur was a township in 1983. Dharapuram Town is situated along the bank of River Amaravathi with an extent of 9.62 km2.The town attained the status of a Municipality in the year 1916 and functioning as the First Grade Municipality from 06.05.1983. The town developments completely depend on the agriculture and textile trade.
During British times, Dharapuram was the Capital of South Noyyal Dt., and Bhavani was the capital of North Noyyal Dt., now it is in Thirupur district.
, Dharapuram had a population of 78,137. Males constitute 49.6% of the population and females 50.4%. The majority of the people in the town belongs to the Gounder community
Colleges
Lok Sabha constituency.
Constituency. Previously it came under Pollachi
.
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 the Tirupur
Tirupur
Tiruppur pronounced as is a textile city located on the banks of Noyyal River. It is also called Dollar city. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tiruppur district. It forms a part of the ancient Kongu Nadu region of South India, where its people were the first to establish territorial...
district of the South Indian 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...
. Dharapuram one of the Oldest Town in Tiruppur District. Dharapuram, then known as Rajarajapuram was the capital of Kongu Nadu
Kongu Nadu
Kongu Nadu is a region comprising the western part of the Tamil Nadu India. The region is bounded on the west and north-west by the Karnataka state, on the west by the Kerala state, on the east by Tondai Nadu, on the south-east by Chola Nadu and on the south by Madurai regions of...
under Kongu Cholas. The Amaravathi River flows through the ancient city of Dharapuram. It's the birth place of Tamil actor Nagesh.
Geography
Dharapuram is located at 10.73°N 77.52°E. It has an average elevation of 245 metres (803 feet). It is strategically located in the line of Palakkad pass from where it gets lot of wind for its numerous windmills. Water scarcity is high here.Early history
Dharapuram and the region around the town were part of the CheraChera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
and Kongu
Kongu
Kongu may refer to:* Kongu , a region in Tamil Nadu* Kongu Engineering College, an engineering college in Tamil Nadu* Toa Kongu, a fictional hero from the BIONICLE series.* Kongu Arts and Science College, an Arts college in Tamil Nadu...
country in ancient times. They had their own Chera and Kongu
Kongu
Kongu may refer to:* Kongu , a region in Tamil Nadu* Kongu Engineering College, an engineering college in Tamil Nadu* Toa Kongu, a fictional hero from the BIONICLE series.* Kongu Arts and Science College, an Arts college in Tamil Nadu...
kings ruling them till 850 A.D. Thereafter (in 1000 A.D. - 1275 A.D.) it was ruled by the Kongu
Kongu
Kongu may refer to:* Kongu , a region in Tamil Nadu* Kongu Engineering College, an engineering college in Tamil Nadu* Toa Kongu, a fictional hero from the BIONICLE series.* Kongu Arts and Science College, an Arts college in Tamil Nadu...
Cholas who renamed Dharapuram as Rajarajapuram (also Viradapuram) and made it as their military and political headquarters because the Cholan capital was under invasion by an hitherto unknown group in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
called Kalabhars during the dark age of Tamilakam. Sometime later, the Pandyan empire took control of the region (from 1276 A.D.). A Pandyan ruler Veerapandian made Kalingarayar, a Kongu
Kongu
Kongu may refer to:* Kongu , a region in Tamil Nadu* Kongu Engineering College, an engineering college in Tamil Nadu* Toa Kongu, a fictional hero from the BIONICLE series.* Kongu Arts and Science College, an Arts college in Tamil Nadu...
chieftain (meaning slayer of Kalinga King's head in battlefield), the Prime minister of the Pandyan empire. During this period, the famous Kalingarayan Channel was dug by this visionary and it continues to irrigate the region.
The Viradapuram Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
built a famous fort in the heart of Rajarajapuram but it is in bad state now and no care is taken by the authorities to revamp it. Then the Muslims (Modern Sulthans) took over the rule after which Nayaks of Madurai ruled. Then Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan had their sway. In 1799 when Tippu fell to the British, the East Indian Company took over the administration. It's famous for its Aanjeeneya Temple. British had their military camp in Therupatti village on the Palani road, regularly practicing rifle firing in the Kannimar Hills. The ancient foundry of the Chera, Kongu Nadu (Kollan Pattari) is also found to be in the same village. In ancient times, Dharapuram was known as Viradapuram with significant links to the events of the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. Dharapuram and Coimbatore got the status of Municipality on the same day.
Dharapuram Municipality was promoted 1st grade municipality on May 6, 1983. That time Tirupur was a township in 1983. Dharapuram Town is situated along the bank of River Amaravathi with an extent of 9.62 km2.The town attained the status of a Municipality in the year 1916 and functioning as the First Grade Municipality from 06.05.1983. The town developments completely depend on the agriculture and textile trade.
During British times, Dharapuram was the Capital of South Noyyal Dt., and Bhavani was the capital of North Noyyal Dt., now it is in Thirupur district.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Dharapuram had a population of 78,137. Males constitute 49.6% of the population and females 50.4%. The majority of the people in the town belongs to the Gounder community
- Dharapuram is one of the biggest Taluks in Tirupur. One side of it is bordered by the Kodaikkanal mountain ranges. It stands on the banks of the holy Amaravathi River, a tributary of the Kaveri RiverKaveri RiverThe Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
.
- P. Anaipalyam is one of the small villages. Nallathankal Dam is near the village.
- Dharapuram also has a number of Windmills as it gets a large amount of wind through the Palakkad pass. In addition, it is very near the Murugan temple of PalaniPalaniPalani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
hills.
- The river Amaravathi flows through the town before joining cauvery. There are many temples around the town like Lord Shiva temple in the banks of the river, Thillapuraiamman Temple in the bank of Amaravathy River, Mariamman temple and Neelambur kaaliamman temple. It is located in karaiyur, karur main road, 10 km from dharapuram. It is one the famous temples in the city. The temple was celebrated on every year Tamil month maasi sivarathri night by kumaraplayam cherran kulam peoples.
Eswaran Malai
A Siva temple at Ponnivadi village on a small hill known as Eswaran Malai very close to Nallathangal Dam.- The Amaravathi river is one of the very special river in South India coz the flow from the south to north is (Amaravathi reaches their fall in Lord God Shiva's foot Himalaya) is notified. Uppar River, Nallathankal River, Palar (of palani) all join river Amaravathi, temples and village on the banks of river Amaravathi shows the ancient history.
- It also possesses the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swami Temple which one of the sacred temples for Lord Hanuman. This is one of the Akila Bharatha Madwa Shekthram. Every year the month of may car festival celebrating by the devotees. Car festival every year Narashimma Jeyanthi Day. In Tamil Nadu the Hanumath Jayanthi (Lord Anjaneya Swami's Date of Birth) is celebrated on the new moon day of the Markazhi month.
- Bhagavan Koil which is very famous and Ugadhi is celebrated here in April, nearer to temple small dam is on Nallathankal River and easwaran temple on small hill. Ugathi function is celebrated on every year at the day of Telugu new year. 3 days function is going well on every year. Special buses operate during the festival from Dharapuram and Oddanchathram.
- Bhagavan Koil (called Chinna Bhagavan) in D. Kumarapalayam is also very famous, and it is located around 10 km from Dharapuram. Here also Ugadhi festival is celebrated every year. The devotees mainly are from Gounder and Chettiyar community.
- Shri Angalamman temple is also very familiar for Gounder community which is located at Ponnivadi. Ponnivadi is 15 km away from Dharapuram. The Sevvaya kulam people celebrate Ugadhi every year in this temple.
- Kottai Mariamman Temple in the bank of Amaravathy River near Sankarandampalayam is very famous for cures of eye problems. Sri Rathinamoorthy Samy temple is near by to Kottai Mariamman temple, Thean Easwaran Temple and Sri Periya Nachiamman Temple are also situated on the same river Bank near the village "Kothanoor" (Kotrai Nadu)
- Konguvadukanatha Swami (BairavarBhairavaBhairava , sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji , Kaala Bhairavar or Vairavar , is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation...
) with Siva, ShivakamiAmman, Perumal and Murugan is very ancient and very famous. It is situated in Kundadam on Coimbatore Road. Saint Kongu Siddhar lived around Oothiyur hill. Konganar siddhar has visited this hill, Shiva temple is in the hill and nearby Vatta malai.
- Chakrathalvar Koil in bank of the river Amaravathi at Athukalputhur is also famous temple for God Chakrathalvar. It has a uppar dam which situated 10 km west of city.
- mamangam koilwith sivalingam, amman, ganesh temple is very ancient and famous it is situated in kanchipuram (suriyanallure) on Coimbatore Road. For every 12 years, there was well in temple it will overflow automatically with yellow coloured water. It was very special in that temple. This temple was built in the period of ramayanam. The lingam in that temple was built by sita during the vanavasam.
- Shri Kaliamman Temple located in Angitholuvu is also a famous temple and having Perumal Temple nearby, which is a lotus-like construction (looks like god is inside lotus). It is located about 15 km from the city.
Education
Many Higher Secondary Schools are available- Government Higher Secondary School for Boys Dharapuram, Started on 1857, now it's age 154.
- St. Aloysius Hr. Sec. School for Girls DPM. (Famous Girls' School)
- N.C.P Municipal Higher Secondary School for Boys DPM
- Veveaham Higher Secondary School Dpm
- Centwin Matriculation Higher secondary school Dharapuram
- CSI Boys Higher Secondary School DPM
- CSI Girls Higher Secondary School DPM
- Govt. High School for Girls DPM
- Thenmalar Higher Secondary School DPM
- Sindhu matric Higher Secondary School & sainik school DPM
- Vishnu Lakshmi Matric Higher Secondary School DPM
- Ponnu Matriculation Higher Secondary School Dpm
- V.M.C.D.V Higher Secondary School, Thayampalayam DPM
- Govt. Higher Secondary School Kundadam DPM
- GHSS Kolathuppalayam DPM
- Manikaswamy Naidu Higher Secondary School Gvp, Dpm, (It is Famous for its discipline & cent percent results)
- GHS (Elugamvalasu) and GHS (Kuppichipalayam) is very famous for getting cent percent pass in SSLC Exams consistently every year.
- Dr. Nallini High School, Dharapuram
Colleges
- Govt ITI DPM and two more private ITIs
- Bishop Thorp College Dharapuram
- Bishop Nursing College Dharapuram
- Sara Nursing College Dharapuram
- TRN Polytechnic College Dharapuram
- Maharani Arts and Science College for Women Dharapuram
- Maharani college of education Dharapuram
- Maharani teacher training institute Dharapuram
- Maharani Polytechnic College Dharapuram
- Dr. Nallini Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dharapuram
- Dr. Nallini College of Education, Dharapuram
- Dr. Nallini Institute of Teacher Training Dharapuram
- Vishnu Lakshmi B.Ed college Dharapuram
Business
- Agriculture, Big Paddy Seeds Farm in Tamil Nadu
- Bricks Like Chamber, more than 25 chambers and hand made sulai will be around 250. more than 10000 worker working in Brick Chamber.
- Famous Bakery, JCB, Finance and Blue metal.
- Textiles like Spinning Mills, Rice and Oil Mills, Seeds company around 30.
- Transport like big Lorry Market and Automobile workshops are main area of business in Dharapuram.
- Jaggery Market is located on Alangiyam Road.
Famous
- In temple it is Anjayanar kovil, Easwaran kovil, Murugan kovil and Durgaiamman Temple.
- Sava kattu in Pongal Time, Rackla race, Jalli kattu in Dhalavoipattniam near Dharapuram.
- C.S.I Ellis Memorial ChurchC.S.I Ellis Memorial ChurchEllis Memorial Church is a church located in the town of Dharapuram, in the Tirupur district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and affiliated with the Church of South India .-References:...
was one of the old churches in the town. In 1929, Rev. James John Ellis started to build the Church with Rev. W.J. Noble.
- A SIVA temple at Ponnivadi village near Pallapalayam on a small hill known as ESWARAN MALAI very close to Nallathangal Dam. It is 10 km from DHARAPURAM. Famous for PRATHOSAM.
Transport
- Dharapuram is the major junction point of Roadways connecting(Mid point) major cities Coimbatore-Madurai, Trichy-Cochin, Tirupur- Madurai, Palani - Salem (Via Erode), Coimbatore - Theni, Dindigul-Tiruppur and Karur -Pollachi, via road connects.
- Every 5 minutes once buses available for Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Palani and Madurai, midnight time every 15 minutes once buses available.
- 78 km from ErodeErodeErode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
,34 km from PalaniPalaniPalani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
, 80 km from CoimbatoreCoimbatoreCoimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
. 48 km from TirupurTirupurTiruppur pronounced as is a textile city located on the banks of Noyyal River. It is also called Dollar city. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tiruppur district. It forms a part of the ancient Kongu Nadu region of South India, where its people were the first to establish territorial...
, 150 km from Trichy, 72 km from KarurKarurKarur is a large town and a municipality in Karur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu situated on the banks of Amaravati. Karur district was formed on 30 September 1995 by trifurcating Tiruchirappalli district. It is the administrative headquarters of Karur District. Karur has a very long...
, 243 km from NeyveliNeyveliNeyveli is a mining and power generation township in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located at 11.30° N - 79.29° E. It is 52 km inland from Bay of Bengal, west of Pondicherry and 197 km south of Chennai. The township was developed after mining of lignite...
, 118 km from MaduraiMaduraiMadurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
. Buses are available to all these cities 24 hours.
- Nearly 76 KM from DindigulDindigulDindigul is a town and municipality in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. The name Dindigul comes from the Portmanteau of “Thindu” meaning pillow and “kal” meaning Rock and refers to the bare hill dominating the city’s both land and skyscape...
- southern city famous for ancient locks and Thalappakatti Biryani (typical South Indian Non Veg Dish) - 34 km From PalaniPalaniPalani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
. - 58 km from Pollachi
- 38 km from Udumalpet and Thirumoorthy falls
- No train facility is yet available in Dharapuram.
- Nearest Airport is Coimbatore (80 km)
- The nearest Railway Station to this town is Palani. Though Palani is nearby railway station, now the train route is being converted from meter gauge to broadgauge. Palani is not connected with State Capital Chennai by train. It may take another couple of years. The next nearby railway station is Tirupur (railway code: TUP) located at a distance of 48 km from Dharapuram. Tirupur is well connected with Chennai, Trivandrum, Cochin, Mangalore, Calicut, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkatta, New Delhi, Rajkot, Hyderabad and other important cities. But some trains don't have stops in Tiruppur, so the next nearest railway station is at ERODE (Railway code: ED) at a distance of 78 km from Dharapuram. Though Tiruppur and Erode is in same railway line, Erode is a major junction of southern railways where all the trains stop for loco changing, coach cleaning etc.
- TNSTC and Privaters operate daily buses to Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, Nagapattinam, Ooty, Theni, Tiruchendur, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Rameshwaram, Sengottai, Devakottai, Sathyamangalam, Gobi, Mettur, Salem, Dharmapuri,Hosur, Bangalore and Mysore from Dharapuram.
- Two TNSTC UD buses start from Dharapuram to Chennai every day. One is Karur, Trichy Route, another is Erode, Salem Route. The Karur Trichy bus won't go to Trichy if it is full. Instead, it will go via Kulithalai, Musiri, Perambalur, Chennai. The Karur via Chennai bus will start at 7:00 PM. The Erode via Chennai Bus starts at 6:45 PM.
- Two private bus services are also available for Chennai at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Its name is Vivegam Travels and Mettur Bus services (A/C).
Famous Persons
- Actor NageshNagesh (actor)Nagesh , was a Tamil film actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian during the 1960s. He is regarded as one of the most prolific comedians in Tamil cinema....
- Sundararajan, Director
- Dharapuram Mr. Sundararajan Singer
- Late Mr. A. Senapathi Gounder EX Palani M.P
- Mr.S.K. Karvendhan B.SC B.L Member of National Backward Department & EX Palani M.P
- Mr. K.V. Ramalingam B.A. PWD Minister, Current TN Govt 2011
- Mr. Best S Ramasamy Gounder, Industrialist & President - Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam
- Mr. K.S.N. Venugopalu, M.A, M.L.A, Palani Constituency S/o. Late A. Senapathy Gounder,
- Mr. Thaniarasu, MA, MLA, President of Kongu Ilaignar Peravai
- ChaplinBalu Actor
Administration and Politics
Dharapuram has been reserved constituency from 1967 to still day its assembly constituency (SC) is part of ErodeErode
Erode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
Lok Sabha constituency.
Member of Parliament
Mr. A. Ganeshmurthi - Dharapuram comes under ErodeErode
Erode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
Constituency. Previously it came under Pollachi
Pollachi
Pollachi is a taluk of Coimbatore Rural district of the Tamil Nadu state of India. It lies in the southern part of the Coimbatore city around 40 kilometres from downtown Coimbatore. This is the second largest town in the District after Corporation of Coimbatore. Owing to the proximity to the...
.