Karur
Encyclopedia
Karur is a large town and a municipality
in Karur district
in the India
n 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 history and has been sung by various sangam
poets. It has been the battleground of various Tamil Kings like Chera, Chola and Pandya because of its strategic location in Kongu Nadu. The district has a very rich and varied cultural heritage. The district is made fertile by the perennial flows of the Kaveri River
on the northern side(Thavittupalayam, Vangal, Muniyappanur, Kattalai (Where Kaveri River and Amaravati River are joining) Mayanur
, Kulithalai) and also the Amaravati
, Nalkasi, Kudaganar and Noyyal rivers. Its economy is mainly agrarian. Presently, the district is famous worldwide for its hand-loom products.
It is located 66 km to the South-East of Erode
and 75 km to the West of Trichy, 100 km to the South of Salem, 124 km to the East of Coimbatore
and 145 km to the North of Madurai
.
It is the Major junction point of three Roadways connecting,
, Gangas
, Cholas, the Vijayanagara
Nayaks, Mysore and the British
successively.
It is repeatedly mentioned in inscriptions and literature by two names, Karur and Vanci. It had other names too: Adipuram, Karuvaippati, Vancularanyam, Garbhapuram, Bhaskapuram, Viracholapuram, and Shanmangala Kshetram. Among them, the name Adipuram i.e. the first city seems to indicate that it was held as the foremost city by the mediaeval writers. It was also called Vanci mutur, the ancient city of Vanci. In the foreign notices of Ptolem, it was called Karura - an inland capital of the Cheras.
Karur was built on the banks of river Amaravathi which was called Aanporunai during the Sangam days. According to the Hindu
mythology, Brahma
began the work of creation here, which is referred to as the "place of the sacred cow." The names of the early Chera kings who ruled from Karur, have been found in the rock inscriptions in Aaru Nattar Malai close to Karur. The Tamil epic Silapathikaram mentions that the famous Chera
King Senguttuvan
ruled from Karur.
Epigraphical, numismatic, archaeological and literary evidence have proved beyond doubt that Karur was the capital of early Chera kings of Sangam age. It was called Karuvoor or Vanji during Sangam days. There has been a plethora of rare findings during the archaeological excavations undertaken in Karur. These include mat-designed pottery, bricks, mud-toys, Roman
coins, Chera Coins, Pallava
Coins, Roman Amphorae, Rasset coated ware, rare rings, etc. Karur may have been the center for old jewellery-making and gem setting (with the gold imported mainly from Rome
), as seen from various excavations. In 150 Greek scholar Ptolemy
mentioned “Korevora” (Karur) as a very famous inland trading center in Tamil Nadu.
Karuvoor born in Karur, is one among the nine devotees who sung the divine Music Thiruvichaippa, which is the ninth Thirumurai. He is the single largest composer among the nine authors of Thiruvichaippa. He lived during the reign of the great Raja Raja Chola I. In addition to the famous Siva temple, there is a Vishnu temple at Thiruvithuvakkodu suburb of Karur, sung by famous Kulasekaraazhvaar [7-8th century AD]. The same temple is presumably mentioned in epic Silappadikaram as Adaha maadam Ranganathar whose blessings Cheran Senguttuvan
sought before his north Indian expedition.
Kongu Cheras (capital:Karur (Vanji), ruling nearly the whole of old Kongu - lineage unclear- Cheran kootam)
Vanavan @ Vanavaramban [430-350 BC].
Kuttuvan Uthiyan Cheralathan [350-328 BC] ruled for 22 years.
Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan [328-270 BC] ruled for 58 years.
Palyaanai Chelkezhu Kuttuvan [270-245 BC] ruled for 25 years.
Kalangaikanni narmudicheral [245-220 BC] ruled for 25 years.
Perumcheralathan [220-200 BC] ruled for 20 years.
Kudakko Neduncheralathan [200-180 BC] ruled for 20 years.
Kadal Pirakottiya Velkezhu kuttuvan [180-125 BC] ruled 55 years.
Adukotpattuch Cheralathan [125-87 BC] ruled 38 years.
Selvak kadungo Vazhiyathan [87-62 BC] ruled 25 years.
Yanaikatchei Mantharanj Cheral Irumborai [62-42 BC] ruled 20 years.
Thagadoor Erintha Perum Cheral Irumborai [42-25 BC] ruled 17 years (unification of Upper and lower Kongu).
Ilancheral Irumborai [25-19 BC] ruled 16 years.
Karuvur Eriya Koperumcheral Irumborai [9-1 BC].
Vanji Mutrathu tunjiya Anthuvancheral [BC 20 – 10 AD].
Kanaikal Irumborai [20-30 AD].
Palai Padiya Perum kadungko [1-30 AD].
Kokothai Marban [30 –60 AD].
Cheran Chenguttuvan [60-140 AD].
Kottambalathu tunjiya Maakothai [140-150 AD].
Cheraman mudangi kidantha Nedumcheralathan [150-160 AD].
Cheraman Kanaikkal Irumborai [160-180 AD].
Cheraman Ilamkuttuvan [180-200 AD].
Thambi Kuttuvan [200-220 AD].
Poorikko [220-250 AD].
Cheraman Kuttuvan Kothai [250-270 AD].
Cheraman Vanjan [270-300 AD].
Mantharanj Cheral [330-380 AD].
Karthikeyan Krishnan Right Now
found in Allahabad inscriptions of Samudragupta.
The Chera Celvak Kadungo Vali Adan, who died at Sikkarpalli, was ruling with Vanci as his capital. The waters of the river An Porunai, skirting his fort were splashing against the walls. There were many fertile villages surrounding Vanci, growing paddy. The Chera Celva Kaungo is praised for his sumptous gift by the poet kundukat Paliyadan(11). Among the Chera rulers of Sangam age, Chera Senkuttuvan is the most celebrated for his all round contribution. Paranar, the outstanding poet of the Sangam age has sung about this ruler in ten verses in the Pattirru Pattu collection. The king is praised as the ruler of the confluence of the rivers Kaveri Kudavan aru, and Anporunai Cen Kunakku Olukum Kalush Malirnirai Yanriyum puviri punal oru munrudan kudiya kudal anaiyai(12).
The Chera Antuvan Cheral Irumporai was on the balcony of his palace, in the company of the poet Mutamosiyar of Eniccheri, when he saw the chola Muttitalaik Ko Perunar Killi, entering his capital on the back of an elephant. The poet immediately saw that the Chera mistake the Chola and put him to death. So he pointed out that the Chola's elephant, has inadvertently strayed into Karur and not with any malafide intention and that he deserved to be pardoned. A poem to this effect is found in Puram collection(13). It only shows that Karuvur was very near to the capital of the Chola - which was then at Uraiyur in Trichy.
At the same item, it was also frequently captured by the Cholas of Uraiyur. The Chera Yanaikkat cey Mantaran Cheral Irumporai had his capital at Karur. The Pandya ruler Nedun Celian, the victor of Talaiyalankanam, captured and imprisoned his opponents. The Chera Mantaran Cheral was one of those who was thus imprisoned at Madurai. Soon the Chera escaped from the prison, returned to his capital and ascended his throne(15). Even while he was in prison, his enemies were afraid of him. The commentator says that the Pandya could gift even Uraiyur (of the Cholas) and Karur (of the Cheras) thus conforming that Karuvur was the capital of Mantaran.
Another Chola - Nalam Killi also captured Vanci. Vanci is mentioned as Puva Vanci - (Vanci that is not a flower, meaning a city)(16). A third Chola who captured Karur was Killivalavan The Chera was besieged and never stirred out. The Chola army destroyed the protective forest around Karuvur fort. The trees so cut fell on the sands of An Porunai river. The Poet Alattur Kilar who was an eyewitness to the siege(17) of Karuvur by the Chola gives a description of the war. This siege of Karuvur was seen by another Sangam poet Nappasalaiyar of Marokkam(18). He mentions that 'Karuvur is surrounded by a deep moat with full of water and crocodiles. The Chera is indeed a great ruler, who embossed his royal bow emblem on the lofty Himalayas. He is known for his great chariot. The Chola is now destroying his capital Karuvur, which never witnessed destruction'. The Chera suffered worst defeat in this war.
Another Chola Killivalavan, who died at Kurappalli, also captured Karuvur.In these poems the Chera capital is called Vanci, which the ancient commentator, invariably mentions at Karuvur.
Thus, Karur continued to be respected as the capital of the Cheras, though it changed hands now and then, the Cholas more often and the Pandya, once invading it. But soon the Chera recaptured it and established his rule.
1) Karuvur Kilar - Kuruntokai 170.
2) Karuvur Kannampalanar - Ahananuru 180, 263, Narrinai 148.
3) Karuvur Katappillai Cattanar - Ahananuru 309, Narrinai 343, Puram 168.
4) Karuvur Kalingattar - Ahananuru 183.
5) Karuvur Kosanar - Narrinai 214.
6) Karuvur Cheraman Cattan - Kuruntokai 268.
7) Karuvur Nanmarbanar - Aham 217.
8) Karuvur Bhutam Cattanar - Aham 50.
9) Karuvur Pauttiranar - Kuruntokai 162.
10) Karuvur Perum Catukkattu Bhuta nathanar - Puram 219.
Another point of great interest is that all of them took the title Karuvur and none claimed Vanci, though they themselves sang
Vanci. Among the poems that extol the Cheras, the Patirru Pattu(21) collection of verses occupies an important position as each
group of ten verses is dedicated to one Chera ruler.
to the 8th century. The name Kongu Nadu originated from the term "Kongu", meaning nectar or honey.
Kulasekhara known as Kongar Kon (the king of the Kongu people) ruled Kongu Nadu from Karur during this
period.
The arch rivals Cholas conquered Karur and ruled it for forty years. The Kongus (Gangas) again conquered Karur as vassals of
Hoysalas. Malik Kafur ended the Hoysalas and Vijayanagara empire
absorbed Karur.
The British broke Kongu Nadu after the defeat of Tippu Sultan in 1783 and the defeat of Dheeran Chinnamalai. There is a memorial
at Rayanur (Rayanur Fort) near Karur for the warriors who lost their lives in the fight against the British in the Anglo-Mysore
Wars. Thereafter Karur became part of British India and was first part of Coimbatore
District and later
Tiruchirappalli District.
in the north, Dindigul district
in the south, Tiruchirapalli district on the east and Erode district
on the west.
Karur district has 4 Municipalities (Karur, Inam Karur, Thanthoni, Kulithalai) 10 Town Panchayats, 158 Village Panchayats and 203 Revenue Villages. Karur District has 4 Assembly constituencies of which Krishnarayapuram is a reserved constituency. Karur Parliamentary constitutes 6 Assembly constituencies, 2 from Tiruchirappalli revenue district, namely Marungapuri and Thottiam and 4 assembly constituencies from Karur.
(Madras), the capital of Tamil Nadu.
The average annual rainfall is about 855 mm. The city gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from late September to mid November.
, Karur had a population of 1,54,328. Males constitute 49.5 % of the population and females 50.5 % (1008 females for 1000 males). It is one of the female dominated district in the state.
Karur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 72%. In Karur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Black soil is the predominant soil type in this district accounting for 35.51% followed by lateritic soil for 23.85%. The remaining 20.31% is alluvium soil.
The main crops are Paddy, Banana, Sugarcane, Beetle leaf, Grams & Pulses, Tapioca, Kora grass, Groundnuts, Oil seeds, Tropic-Vegetables, Garland Flowers, Medicinal Herbals etc.
On the international textile map Karur has become synonymous with hand-loom “made-ups” first as Tirupur
in the hosiery product. The weaving industry of Karur and has earned a reputation for its high quality hand-loom products today. Hand-loom Exports from Karur began on a modest scale with just 15 exporters in 1975 and today Karur has thousands of exporters and the products are supplied to world leading chain stores like WalMart, Target, IKEA, JC Penny, Ahlens etc.
The hand-loom products being exported have been broadly classified under three heads viz., kitchen, bathroom and bedroom furnishing items. Some of the hand-loom made-ups exported from Karur are Bedspreads,Sheet sets, Towels, Floor rugs, Tea towels, Napkins, Aprons, Kitchen towels, Pot holders, Plate mats, Bathmats, Tea mats, Curtains, Pillow, Quilt covers, Shower curtains (above 500 classified varieties).
(sugarcane
waste from Sugar mills) based paper
in the world and the largest paper producer in Asia. TNPL produces 230,000 tons of Printing & writing paper and consumes 1 million tones of bagasse every year.
Ltd. and The Lakshmi Vilas Bank
.
therapy) Centre, located at the Government General Hospital. Also in 2007, Karur was selected as an IMAI pilot district by the World Health Organization
and Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India, with support from the District Collectorate and Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society. The IMAI initiative aims to facilitate decentralization of HIV care to the district and sub-district levels.
Karur is well connected with rest of India through all modern means of transportation. Karur lies on India's longest & brodest road of NORTH-SOUTH corridor road. There are 2 National highways NH-7 Varanasi
- Kanyakumari) and NH-67 Nagapattinam
- Trichy - Karur - Coimbatore
- Ooty that ply through Karur.
TRAIN
Karur (Station Code - KRR) is connected to the Indian Railways
network. Trains from Mysore to Tuticorin, Mangalore
to Chennai
, Coimbatore
to Mayiladuthurai
Janshatabdi Express and Mysore to Mayiladuthurai
, Nagercoil
to CST Mumbai, Rameswaram to Okha
and Tirunelveli
to Jammu Tawi
via New Delhi, Rohtak, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot (Chakki Bank) travel via Karur. Karur is also connected by rail to major towns like Trichy, madurai, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Tirupathy, Mumbai. Now it become a very important 4 route junction.
AIRPORT
The nearest airports are in Tiruchirapalli International Airport (78 km), Salem (100 km), Coimbatore International Airport (122 km) and Madurai
(135 km).
SEA PORT
The nearest major sea port is at Cochin (280 km), Tuticorin (344 km) and Chennai (332 km).
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 Karur district
Karur District
Karur District is located center along the Kaveri & Amaravati rivers in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The main town in Karur District is the city of Karur, which is also the district headquarter. It had a population of 935,686 as of 2001. It is 33.27% urbanized as per Census 2001...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
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...
situated on the banks of Amaravati
Amaravati River
The Amaravati River is a tributary of Kaveri River in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu state, South India. It is continuation of the Pambar and Chinnar rivers in Kerala.-Route:...
. Karur district was formed on 30 September 1995 by trifurcating Tiruchirappalli district. It is the administrative headquarters of Karur District
Karur District
Karur District is located center along the Kaveri & Amaravati rivers in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The main town in Karur District is the city of Karur, which is also the district headquarter. It had a population of 935,686 as of 2001. It is 33.27% urbanized as per Census 2001...
. Karur has a very long history and has been sung by various sangam
Sangam literature
Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
poets. It has been the battleground of various Tamil Kings like Chera, Chola and Pandya because of its strategic location in Kongu Nadu. The district has a very rich and varied cultural heritage. The district is made fertile by the perennial flows of the Kaveri River
Kaveri River
The 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...
on the northern side(Thavittupalayam, Vangal, Muniyappanur, Kattalai (Where Kaveri River and Amaravati River are joining) Mayanur
Mayanur (Tamil Nadu)
Mayanur is a developing tourist place in Tamil Nadu.Mayanur is located in midpoint of TamilNadu. Mayanur is located in Krishnarayapuram Taluk of Karur District. Mayanur is located on "Karur-Trichy" main road , 21 km from Karur city and 21 km from Kulithalai.-Cauvery River at...
, Kulithalai) and also the Amaravati
Amaravati River
The Amaravati River is a tributary of Kaveri River in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu state, South India. It is continuation of the Pambar and Chinnar rivers in Kerala.-Route:...
, Nalkasi, Kudaganar and Noyyal rivers. Its economy is mainly agrarian. Presently, the district is famous worldwide for its hand-loom products.
It is located 66 km to the South-East of Erode
Erode
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"...
and 75 km to the West of Trichy, 100 km to the South of Salem, 124 km to the East of Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , 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"....
and 145 km to the North of Madurai
Madurai
Madurai 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...
.
It is the Major junction point of three Roadways connecting,
- BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
& Salem to 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...
& TirunelveliTirunelveliTirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
. - 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"....
& 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...
to Trichy & Tanjore. - MangaloreMangaloreMangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, Mysore & 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"...
to Trichy, 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...
& Tuticorin.
Introduction
Karur is the real name Karuvoor was carved out from the Western part of Tiruchirappalli District and Headquartered as Karur District. Karur is good in economic condition its a second place in good economic condition over all Tamil Nadu. Karur is one of the oldest towns in Tamil Nadu and has played a very significant role in the history and culture of the Tamils. Its history dates back over 2000 years, and has been a flourishing trading center in the early Sangam days. It was ruled by the CherasChera 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...
, Gangas
Gangas
The Western Ganga Dynasty was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India. They are known as Western Gangas to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over modern Orissa...
, Cholas, the Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
Nayaks, Mysore and the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
successively.
It is repeatedly mentioned in inscriptions and literature by two names, Karur and Vanci. It had other names too: Adipuram, Karuvaippati, Vancularanyam, Garbhapuram, Bhaskapuram, Viracholapuram, and Shanmangala Kshetram. Among them, the name Adipuram i.e. the first city seems to indicate that it was held as the foremost city by the mediaeval writers. It was also called Vanci mutur, the ancient city of Vanci. In the foreign notices of Ptolem, it was called Karura - an inland capital of the Cheras.
Karur was built on the banks of river Amaravathi which was called Aanporunai during the Sangam days. According to the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
mythology, Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
began the work of creation here, which is referred to as the "place of the sacred cow." The names of the early Chera kings who ruled from Karur, have been found in the rock inscriptions in Aaru Nattar Malai close to Karur. The Tamil epic Silapathikaram mentions that the famous Chera
Chera 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...
King Senguttuvan
Senguttuvan
King Senguttuvan; also Chenguttawan, was the most famous and powerful Chera king who ruled in Ancient south India during the early centuries of the Common Era. He is famous for the legends surrounding Kannagi, the heroine of the legendary Tamil epic Silapathikaram...
ruled from Karur.
Epigraphical, numismatic, archaeological and literary evidence have proved beyond doubt that Karur was the capital of early Chera kings of Sangam age. It was called Karuvoor or Vanji during Sangam days. There has been a plethora of rare findings during the archaeological excavations undertaken in Karur. These include mat-designed pottery, bricks, mud-toys, Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
coins, Chera Coins, Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
Coins, Roman Amphorae, Rasset coated ware, rare rings, etc. Karur may have been the center for old jewellery-making and gem setting (with the gold imported mainly from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
), as seen from various excavations. In 150 Greek scholar Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
mentioned “Korevora” (Karur) as a very famous inland trading center in Tamil Nadu.
Karuvoor born in Karur, is one among the nine devotees who sung the divine Music Thiruvichaippa, which is the ninth Thirumurai. He is the single largest composer among the nine authors of Thiruvichaippa. He lived during the reign of the great Raja Raja Chola I. In addition to the famous Siva temple, there is a Vishnu temple at Thiruvithuvakkodu suburb of Karur, sung by famous Kulasekaraazhvaar [7-8th century AD]. The same temple is presumably mentioned in epic Silappadikaram as Adaha maadam Ranganathar whose blessings Cheran Senguttuvan
Senguttuvan
King Senguttuvan; also Chenguttawan, was the most famous and powerful Chera king who ruled in Ancient south India during the early centuries of the Common Era. He is famous for the legends surrounding Kannagi, the heroine of the legendary Tamil epic Silapathikaram...
sought before his north Indian expedition.
Rulers
Karur was ruled by different Chera kings.Kongu Cheras (capital:Karur (Vanji), ruling nearly the whole of old Kongu - lineage unclear- Cheran kootam)
Vanavan @ Vanavaramban [430-350 BC].
Kuttuvan Uthiyan Cheralathan [350-328 BC] ruled for 22 years.
Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan [328-270 BC] ruled for 58 years.
Palyaanai Chelkezhu Kuttuvan [270-245 BC] ruled for 25 years.
Kalangaikanni narmudicheral [245-220 BC] ruled for 25 years.
Perumcheralathan [220-200 BC] ruled for 20 years.
Kudakko Neduncheralathan [200-180 BC] ruled for 20 years.
Kadal Pirakottiya Velkezhu kuttuvan [180-125 BC] ruled 55 years.
Adukotpattuch Cheralathan [125-87 BC] ruled 38 years.
Selvak kadungo Vazhiyathan [87-62 BC] ruled 25 years.
Yanaikatchei Mantharanj Cheral Irumborai [62-42 BC] ruled 20 years.
Thagadoor Erintha Perum Cheral Irumborai [42-25 BC] ruled 17 years (unification of Upper and lower Kongu).
Ilancheral Irumborai [25-19 BC] ruled 16 years.
Karuvur Eriya Koperumcheral Irumborai [9-1 BC].
Vanji Mutrathu tunjiya Anthuvancheral [BC 20 – 10 AD].
Kanaikal Irumborai [20-30 AD].
Palai Padiya Perum kadungko [1-30 AD].
Kokothai Marban [30 –60 AD].
Cheran Chenguttuvan [60-140 AD].
Kottambalathu tunjiya Maakothai [140-150 AD].
Cheraman mudangi kidantha Nedumcheralathan [150-160 AD].
Cheraman Kanaikkal Irumborai [160-180 AD].
Cheraman Ilamkuttuvan [180-200 AD].
Thambi Kuttuvan [200-220 AD].
Poorikko [220-250 AD].
Cheraman Kuttuvan Kothai [250-270 AD].
Cheraman Vanjan [270-300 AD].
Mantharanj Cheral [330-380 AD].
Karthikeyan Krishnan Right Now
found in Allahabad inscriptions of Samudragupta.
Poems on Karuvur
Peymakal Ilaveyini, a poetess, has a poem on Karur and the Chera. She says that Vanci on the banks of the cool Porunai river, was a victorious city whose fame was as great as that of the sky. Young and lovely girls with soft hairs in their fore arms, adorned with jewels played on the sands of the river bank. They created figures and sand houses on the banks, plucked flowers to decorate them and sport in the cool waters of the Porunai river. The king Cheraman Palai Padiya Perumkadungo, (who sang the Palai land) was victorious in the battlefield, by destroying the impregnable forts of the enemies. The Patini woman minstrel, who praised his conquests, received from him, enchanting jewels made of gold Kalanjus. The Bana, who sang along with the Patini, in a perfect synchronizing voice, received golden lotuses, fastened to silver strings'(10). This Puram praises the Chera Perum Kadungo and his capital Vanci, on the banks of Porunai. The old commentator on this poem, mentions that the city was Karuvur of great fame. 'Vanai muttiya Pukalaiyum, Venriyaiym udaiya Karuvur'. The verse also indicates that bards frequented the Chera court at Karur and received golden jewels and flowers.The Chera Celvak Kadungo Vali Adan, who died at Sikkarpalli, was ruling with Vanci as his capital. The waters of the river An Porunai, skirting his fort were splashing against the walls. There were many fertile villages surrounding Vanci, growing paddy. The Chera Celva Kaungo is praised for his sumptous gift by the poet kundukat Paliyadan(11). Among the Chera rulers of Sangam age, Chera Senkuttuvan is the most celebrated for his all round contribution. Paranar, the outstanding poet of the Sangam age has sung about this ruler in ten verses in the Pattirru Pattu collection. The king is praised as the ruler of the confluence of the rivers Kaveri Kudavan aru, and Anporunai Cen Kunakku Olukum Kalush Malirnirai Yanriyum puviri punal oru munrudan kudiya kudal anaiyai(12).
The Chera Antuvan Cheral Irumporai was on the balcony of his palace, in the company of the poet Mutamosiyar of Eniccheri, when he saw the chola Muttitalaik Ko Perunar Killi, entering his capital on the back of an elephant. The poet immediately saw that the Chera mistake the Chola and put him to death. So he pointed out that the Chola's elephant, has inadvertently strayed into Karur and not with any malafide intention and that he deserved to be pardoned. A poem to this effect is found in Puram collection(13). It only shows that Karuvur was very near to the capital of the Chola - which was then at Uraiyur in Trichy.
At the same item, it was also frequently captured by the Cholas of Uraiyur. The Chera Yanaikkat cey Mantaran Cheral Irumporai had his capital at Karur. The Pandya ruler Nedun Celian, the victor of Talaiyalankanam, captured and imprisoned his opponents. The Chera Mantaran Cheral was one of those who was thus imprisoned at Madurai. Soon the Chera escaped from the prison, returned to his capital and ascended his throne(15). Even while he was in prison, his enemies were afraid of him. The commentator says that the Pandya could gift even Uraiyur (of the Cholas) and Karur (of the Cheras) thus conforming that Karuvur was the capital of Mantaran.
Another Chola - Nalam Killi also captured Vanci. Vanci is mentioned as Puva Vanci - (Vanci that is not a flower, meaning a city)(16). A third Chola who captured Karur was Killivalavan The Chera was besieged and never stirred out. The Chola army destroyed the protective forest around Karuvur fort. The trees so cut fell on the sands of An Porunai river. The Poet Alattur Kilar who was an eyewitness to the siege(17) of Karuvur by the Chola gives a description of the war. This siege of Karuvur was seen by another Sangam poet Nappasalaiyar of Marokkam(18). He mentions that 'Karuvur is surrounded by a deep moat with full of water and crocodiles. The Chera is indeed a great ruler, who embossed his royal bow emblem on the lofty Himalayas. He is known for his great chariot. The Chola is now destroying his capital Karuvur, which never witnessed destruction'. The Chera suffered worst defeat in this war.
Another Chola Killivalavan, who died at Kurappalli, also captured Karuvur.In these poems the Chera capital is called Vanci, which the ancient commentator, invariably mentions at Karuvur.
Thus, Karur continued to be respected as the capital of the Cheras, though it changed hands now and then, the Cholas more often and the Pandya, once invading it. But soon the Chera recaptured it and established his rule.
Poets of Karuvur
Among the Sangam poets, two groups of poets deserve attention (a) those who hailed from Karur and (b) those who sang Karuvur and the ruling Chera. A large number of poets have hailed from Karuvur and their poems are seen in Kuruntokai, Ahananuru, Narrinai, and Purananuru. The following are the poets.1) Karuvur Kilar - Kuruntokai 170.
2) Karuvur Kannampalanar - Ahananuru 180, 263, Narrinai 148.
3) Karuvur Katappillai Cattanar - Ahananuru 309, Narrinai 343, Puram 168.
4) Karuvur Kalingattar - Ahananuru 183.
5) Karuvur Kosanar - Narrinai 214.
6) Karuvur Cheraman Cattan - Kuruntokai 268.
7) Karuvur Nanmarbanar - Aham 217.
8) Karuvur Bhutam Cattanar - Aham 50.
9) Karuvur Pauttiranar - Kuruntokai 162.
10) Karuvur Perum Catukkattu Bhuta nathanar - Puram 219.
Another point of great interest is that all of them took the title Karuvur and none claimed Vanci, though they themselves sang
Vanci. Among the poems that extol the Cheras, the Patirru Pattu(21) collection of verses occupies an important position as each
group of ten verses is dedicated to one Chera ruler.
Modern Vanji
After the Sangam Cheras, Kongus (Gangas), a Chera related native clan ruled Karur. The history of modern Kongu Nadu dates backto the 8th century. The name Kongu Nadu originated from the term "Kongu", meaning nectar or honey.
Kulasekhara known as Kongar Kon (the king of the Kongu people) ruled Kongu Nadu from Karur during this
period.
The arch rivals Cholas conquered Karur and ruled it for forty years. The Kongus (Gangas) again conquered Karur as vassals of
Hoysalas. Malik Kafur ended the Hoysalas and Vijayanagara empire
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
absorbed Karur.
The British broke Kongu Nadu after the defeat of Tippu Sultan in 1783 and the defeat of Dheeran Chinnamalai. There is a memorial
at Rayanur (Rayanur Fort) near Karur for the warriors who lost their lives in the fight against the British in the Anglo-Mysore
Wars. Thereafter Karur became part of British India and was first part of Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , 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"....
District and later
Tiruchirappalli District.
Karur District
Karur district, with headquarters at Karur, is the most centrally located district of Tamil Nadu. It is bounded by Namakkal districtNamakkal District
Namakkal District is an administrative district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The district was bifurcated from Salem District with Namakkal town as Head Quarters on 25-07-1996 and started to function independently from 01-01-1997...
in the north, Dindigul district
Dindigul District
Dindigul District is an administrative region in the south of Tamil Nadu, India. The district was carved out of Madurai District in the year 1985...
in the south, Tiruchirapalli district on the east and Erode district
Erode District
Erode District is a western district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with Erode as its headquarters. Until the year 1996, Erode district was called as Periyar District....
on the west.
Karur district has 4 Municipalities (Karur, Inam Karur, Thanthoni, Kulithalai) 10 Town Panchayats, 158 Village Panchayats and 203 Revenue Villages. Karur District has 4 Assembly constituencies of which Krishnarayapuram is a reserved constituency. Karur Parliamentary constitutes 6 Assembly constituencies, 2 from Tiruchirappalli revenue district, namely Marungapuri and Thottiam and 4 assembly constituencies from Karur.
Geography
Karur is located at 10.95°N 78.08°E. It has an average elevation of 122 m (400.3 ft). It is about 371 km south west of ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
(Madras), the capital of Tamil Nadu.
Climate
The highest temperature is obtained in early May to early June usually about 34 °C, though it rarely exceeds 38 °C for a few days. Average daily temperature in Karur during January is around 23 °C, though the temperature rarely falls below 17 °C.The average annual rainfall is about 855 mm. The city gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from late September to mid November.
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...
, Karur had a population of 1,54,328. Males constitute 49.5 % of the population and females 50.5 % (1008 females for 1000 males). It is one of the female dominated district in the state.
Karur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 72%. In Karur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Agriculture
Utilization of land area in Karur district is up to 44.59%. 4.76% of the land area remains as other uncultivated land. 2.74% is forest area in Karur district.Black soil is the predominant soil type in this district accounting for 35.51% followed by lateritic soil for 23.85%. The remaining 20.31% is alluvium soil.
The main crops are Paddy, Banana, Sugarcane, Beetle leaf, Grams & Pulses, Tapioca, Kora grass, Groundnuts, Oil seeds, Tropic-Vegetables, Garland Flowers, Medicinal Herbals etc.
Home textiles
Karur a tex-city is famous for its home textiles.Karur has a niche in five major product groups — bed linens, kitchen linens, toilet linens, table linens and wall hangings. Overall Karur generates around Rs.6000 crores ($300 million dollars a year) in foreign exchange through direct and indirect exports. Allied industries like ginning and spinning mills, dyeing factories, weaving etc. employs around 300,000 people in and around Karur.On the international textile map Karur has become synonymous with hand-loom “made-ups” first as 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...
in the hosiery product. The weaving industry of Karur and has earned a reputation for its high quality hand-loom products today. Hand-loom Exports from Karur began on a modest scale with just 15 exporters in 1975 and today Karur has thousands of exporters and the products are supplied to world leading chain stores like WalMart, Target, IKEA, JC Penny, Ahlens etc.
The hand-loom products being exported have been broadly classified under three heads viz., kitchen, bathroom and bedroom furnishing items. Some of the hand-loom made-ups exported from Karur are Bedspreads,Sheet sets, Towels, Floor rugs, Tea towels, Napkins, Aprons, Kitchen towels, Pot holders, Plate mats, Bathmats, Tea mats, Curtains, Pillow, Quilt covers, Shower curtains (above 500 classified varieties).
Paper
TNPL is promoted by the Government of Tamil Nadu with loan assistance from the World Bank. Today TNPL is the 2nd largest producer of bagasseBagasse
Bagasse is the fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice. It is currently used as a biofuel and as a renewable resource in the manufacture of pulp and paper products and building materials....
(sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
waste from Sugar mills) based paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
in the world and the largest paper producer in Asia. TNPL produces 230,000 tons of Printing & writing paper and consumes 1 million tones of bagasse every year.
Bus body building
Karur is a hub for bus body building industries. Most of the South Indian private bus bodies are built in Karur. The total business from building bus bodies is estimated to be around Rs.324 crore per annum.Cement
Karur is also home to Chettinad Cements. It has an installed production capacity of 600,000 tons per annum, with another 1.1 million tons expansion in the pipeline.Sugar
EID Parry has a sugar factory in Pugalur, Karur. It has a capacity of 4000 TCD per year. It also has a 22 MW co-generation Power plant, with TNPL.Banking
Karur is the home town of India's oldest private scheduled banks, The Karur Vysya BankKarur Vysya Bank
Karur Vysya Bank is a privately held Indian bank, headquartered in Karur in Tamil Nadu. It was set up in 1916 by M. A. Venkatarama Chettiar and Athi Krishna Chettiar.The bank has a branch network of 417 and an ATM network of 620 as on 28.11.2011....
Ltd. and The Lakshmi Vilas Bank
Lakshmi Vilas Bank
The Lakshmi Vilas Bank Limited was founded in 1926 by seven people of Karur under the leadership of Shri V.S.N. Ramalinga Chettiar, mainly to cater to the financial needs of varied customer segments...
.
HDPE Monofilaments
HDPE monofilament and associated product manufacturing. Its mainly for manufacture of Mosquito Nets. Above 80% of plastic nets in India are made in Karur.Gem Stones
The Karur belt also produces some very good Cats eyes, Feldspar, Moonstones, Aquamarines, Quartz, Elastial Quartz, Sapphires, Jasper and Beryls.Tourism
- 'Shree Kalyana Maragatheeshwarar temple (Hill), Shree Uthanda Velayudhaswami temple (Molapalayam,K.Paramathy (via).NH67)http://maragatheeswarartemple.blogspot.com/
- sri kaliyamman mariyamman kamatchi amman temple in panchamadevi
- Karur District Museum
- Sri Kalyanapasupatheeswarar Temple
- Sri Kalayanavenkatramana swamy temple Thanthonrimalai
- Sri Karuvur Mariyamman temple
- Naagampalli Sri Sellandiamman & Anaikkaruppana samy Temple, Malaikovilur.
- Vennaimalai Shree Balathandayuthapani temple
- Sri Papathiyamman (old Vangalamman) Temple,Vangal,Karur(which belong to Kongu vellalar and Devendira kula vellalar community)
- Sri Solliamman Muthusamy Temple, Athur (Which Belongs to Kongu Vellalar Gounder Community)
- Mayanur - Kaveri bed regulator, River side park
- Chettipalayam - Amaravathi bed regulator, park
- Easanatham Sri Mariyamman temple
- Nerur - Sree Sadha Siva Bramenthral - sacred Math, Meditation, River side park
- sripudhuvangalamman Temple, Vangal (http://www.sripudhuvangalamman.net)
- kalliamman kovil, Manmagalam
- Kalliamman Kovil, Puliyur (Which Belongs to Kongu Vellalar Gounder Community)
- Thottakkurichi Shree Malaiyamman Temple,Karur
- Noyyal Shree Selaandiyamman Temple, Karur
- Sree meghabhalishwar temple, Pugalur
- Pugazhli Murugan Temple, Velayuthampalayam
- Murugan temple,Paalamalai
- Sri Annakamatchiamman Temple,kannamuthampatti.
- Sri Sellandiyamman Temple, sanappiratti
- Sri Sakkarathalvar temple, karur (town).
- Thirumukkudalur (Kaveri and Amaravathi rivers are joining here.)
- Malaikovilur (Amaravathi avd Kudagaaru rivers are joining here.)
Health
Karur district has 29 Primary Health Care centres, 168 health sub-centres and Government General Hospital in the city. In recent years, it has gained notoriety as one of the districts with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country. In response to the epidemic, a massive district-level communication campaign (DLCC) was launched in 2006 by the USAID-funded APAC-VHS project in the district. In 2007, the district received its own ART (Antiretroviral drugAntiretroviral drug
Antiretroviral drugs are medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. When several such drugs, typically three or four, are taken in combination, the approach is known as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, or HAART...
therapy) Centre, located at the Government General Hospital. Also in 2007, Karur was selected as an IMAI pilot district by the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
and Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India, with support from the District Collectorate and Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society. The IMAI initiative aims to facilitate decentralization of HIV care to the district and sub-district levels.
Transportation
ROADKarur is well connected with rest of India through all modern means of transportation. Karur lies on India's longest & brodest road of NORTH-SOUTH corridor road. There are 2 National highways NH-7 Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
- Kanyakumari) and NH-67 Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. It is a prominent seaport on the east coast of India and an important centre of trade and commerce.The town of Nagapattinam dates back to the Sangam period...
- Trichy - Karur - Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , 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"....
- Ooty that ply through Karur.
TRAIN
Karur (Station Code - KRR) is connected to the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
network. Trains from Mysore to Tuticorin, Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
to Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , 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"....
to Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai , formerly known by its Sanskrit names Māyavaram and Mayūram is a town in the Nagapattinam District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mayiladuthurai taluk of Nagapattinam district and is the second-largest town in the district...
Janshatabdi Express and Mysore to Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai , formerly known by its Sanskrit names Māyavaram and Mayūram is a town in the Nagapattinam District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mayiladuthurai taluk of Nagapattinam district and is the second-largest town in the district...
, Nagercoil
Nagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
to CST Mumbai, Rameswaram to Okha
Okha
Okha is a town in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. Population: 29,000 ; 27,963 ; 36,104 .-Geography:The town lies on the east coast of the far north of the island of Sakhalin, approximately 850 km north of the regional capital Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, near the shoreline of the Sea of Okhotsk.-History:The...
and Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
to Jammu Tawi
Jammu Tawi
Jammu Tawi is a Railway station in Jammu, in India. It is very well connected with the major cities of India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Ahemedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, Varanasi, Vadodara, Gorakhpur, Dehradun,...
via New Delhi, Rohtak, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot (Chakki Bank) travel via Karur. Karur is also connected by rail to major towns like Trichy, madurai, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Tirupathy, Mumbai. Now it become a very important 4 route junction.
AIRPORT
The nearest airports are in Tiruchirapalli International Airport (78 km), Salem (100 km), Coimbatore International Airport (122 km) and Madurai
Madurai
Madurai 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...
(135 km).
SEA PORT
The nearest major sea port is at Cochin (280 km), Tuticorin (344 km) and Chennai (332 km).