Rajapalayam
Encyclopedia
Rajapalayam is a town and a special grade municipality in Virudhunagar
district in the India
n state of Tamil Nadu
. It is located 85 km southwest of Madurai
in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur. The economy is based on the manufacture of textiles, and there are mills for spinning and weaving cotton, as well as a large cotton market. It's also known for the Rajapalayam breed of dog.
-speaking community that had migrated from Andhra Pradesh
in mid 15th Century A.D. The word 'palayam' is frequently used in many Tamil cities as a suffix and it translates roughly as a 'fort'. The Raju families of Raja-palayam are descendents of families led by the brother of the Vizianagaram
Maharaja, Pusapati Chinna Raju
, who initially settled at Kila-raja-kula-raman and then moved their settlements to Rajapalayam. The original emigrants served under Chokkanath Nayak
king of Madurai
. They purchased land from Vijay Ranga Chokkanath Nayak and constructed Rajapalayam in 1885.
Initially, agriculture was the principal source of livelihood of people of Rajapalayam. In the mid 1900s, Rajapalayam gradually evolved into a thriving business community. Due to the enterprising and hard working nature of its people, commerce developed quickly in the region and several industries, particularly cotton-based, flourished. Hence it got the name "Cotton city". Today Rajapalayam is one of the most industrialized cities in southern Tamil Nadu and people of all communities and religions live and contribute for its growth.
and Rajapalayam. There are buses, every 15 minutes, from Rajapalayam to Tirunelveli
and every 30 minutes to Virudhunagar
and vice-versa.
Many private buses leave for Chennai during nights. There are also the staterun SETC buses to Chennai. Buses between Chennai and Tenkasi
travel via Rajapalayam.
to Sengottai reaches Rajapalayam
every day at around 6.30 AM. There are also special trains available from Chennai
to Sengottai and vice versa via Rajapalayam
almost throughout the year. Trains from/towards Tirunelveli
can be caught at Virudhunagar
Junction. There are 3 passenger train services from/to Madurai
/Sengottai that pass through Rajapalayam
on a daily basis. The passenger train fare is just half of what the buses charge and hence these passengers are always crowded.
(~80 km). Madurai Airport is around 1.5 hours from Rajapalayam. Paramount Airways
, Jet Airways
, Spicejet
and Air India
are operating daily flights between Madurai Airport and Chennai International Airport
.
, Rajapalayam had a population of 121,982. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Rajapalayam has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 66%. In Rajapalayam, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
India census
, Rajapalayam had a total population of 307,959 with 153,529 males and 154,430 females.
, Hanuman
, the monkey god carried the entire Sanjeevi Hills with the herbal plants to Sri Lanka
and threw it away afterwards. It is said that the thrown down hill is the Sanjeevi Hills.
. It is said to have been built by Periyaazhvar, the father-in-law of the Lord, with a purse of gold that he won in debates held in the palace of Pandya
King Vallabhadeva. Another wonder in Srivilliputtur is Chariot which runs on AdiPuram.
, spreads over 480 square kilometres was established in 1989 in Shenbagathopu, Srivilliputtur Taluk. This sanctuary is contiguous with the Periyar tiger reserve on the south-western side and the Megamalai reserve forest on the north-western side. The altitude varies from 100 m to 2010 m above sea level. The sanctuary is home to the endangered, arboreal grizzled giant squirrel Ratufa macrora. This greyish brown squirrel weighs from 1 kg to 1.8 kg and is in the size of a small cat. It measures about 735 mm long from nose to tail, with the tail measuring from 360 mm to 400 mm long. These squirrels construct drays at forked branches where the crowns of neighbouring trees meet, enabling these squirrels to move away from the site by jumping from tree to tree when threatened.
is part of Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency)
.
Rajapalayam (State Assembly Constituency) moved from Sivakasi (Lok Sabha constituency) to Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency) after 2009
Virudhunagar
Virudhunagar is a municipality in Virudhunagar district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.In the beginning of 20th century AD, Virudhupatti was one among the six important places of Ramanathapuram District. Due to the rapid growth in the field of Trade and Education, it was renamed as...
district 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 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...
. It is located 85 km southwest 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...
in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur. The economy is based on the manufacture of textiles, and there are mills for spinning and weaving cotton, as well as a large cotton market. It's also known for the Rajapalayam breed of dog.
History
Rajapalayam got its name from the name of the community that is dominant there – Rajas or Kshtriya Raju, a TeluguTelugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
-speaking community that had migrated from Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
in mid 15th Century A.D. The word 'palayam' is frequently used in many Tamil cities as a suffix and it translates roughly as a 'fort'. The Raju families of Raja-palayam are descendents of families led by the brother of the Vizianagaram
Vizianagaram
Vizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of north-eastern Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of...
Maharaja, Pusapati Chinna Raju
Pusapati
Pusapati or Poosapati was the ruling clan of the Kalinga Vizianagaram . They were Kshatriyas of the Suryavanshi sect.-History:...
, who initially settled at Kila-raja-kula-raman and then moved their settlements to Rajapalayam. The original emigrants served under Chokkanath Nayak
Madurai Nayak Dynasty
The Madurai Nayaks or Nayak Dynasty of Madurai were rulers of a region comprising most of modern-day Tamil Nadu, India, with Madurai as their capital...
king 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...
. They purchased land from Vijay Ranga Chokkanath Nayak and constructed Rajapalayam in 1885.
Initially, agriculture was the principal source of livelihood of people of Rajapalayam. In the mid 1900s, Rajapalayam gradually evolved into a thriving business community. Due to the enterprising and hard working nature of its people, commerce developed quickly in the region and several industries, particularly cotton-based, flourished. Hence it got the name "Cotton city". Today Rajapalayam is one of the most industrialized cities in southern Tamil Nadu and people of all communities and religions live and contribute for its growth.
Climate
The climate of the region is semi-arid tropical monsoon type. Temperature range is 20°C to 37°C.It has a high mean temperature and a low degree of humidity. April, May and June are the hottest months of the year. The southwest monsoon which sets in June and lasts till August brings scanty rain. The bulk of the rainfall is received during the northeast monsoon in the months of October, November and December. Rajapalayam is also famous for its Mangoes.Bus
Rajapalayam has two bus stands to cater to the needs of the population. The old bus stand currently serves as the city bus stand. The new bus stand on Sankarankoil Road is where all the mofussil buses stop by. Buses frequently shuttle between MaduraiMadurai
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...
and Rajapalayam. There are buses, every 15 minutes, from Rajapalayam to 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...
and every 30 minutes to Virudhunagar
Virudhunagar
Virudhunagar is a municipality in Virudhunagar district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.In the beginning of 20th century AD, Virudhupatti was one among the six important places of Ramanathapuram District. Due to the rapid growth in the field of Trade and Education, it was renamed as...
and vice-versa.
Many private buses leave for Chennai during nights. There are also the staterun SETC buses to Chennai. Buses between Chennai and Tenkasi
Tenkasi
Tenkasi pronounced as is a town and a municipality in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats near the Courtallam Waterfalls.Tenkasi is also famous for saaral...
travel via Rajapalayam.
Rail
The Podhigai Express train from Chennai EgmoreEgmore
-Main places:* Chennai Egmore railway station.* Office of the commissioner of Greater Chennai Police department.* Government Museum, Chennai.* Connemara Public Library, one of the biggest libraries in India.* National Art Gallery...
to Sengottai reaches Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam is a town and a special grade municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 85 km southwest of Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur...
every day at around 6.30 AM. There are also special trains available from 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...
to Sengottai and vice versa via Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam is a town and a special grade municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 85 km southwest of Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur...
almost throughout the year. Trains from/towards 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...
can be caught at Virudhunagar
Virudhunagar
Virudhunagar is a municipality in Virudhunagar district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.In the beginning of 20th century AD, Virudhupatti was one among the six important places of Ramanathapuram District. Due to the rapid growth in the field of Trade and Education, it was renamed as...
Junction. There are 3 passenger train services from/to 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...
/Sengottai that pass through Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam is a town and a special grade municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 85 km southwest of Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its main attractions are the Ayyanar Falls and the neighbour town of Srivilliputtur...
on a daily basis. The passenger train fare is just half of what the buses charge and hence these passengers are always crowded.
By Air
The nearest domestic airport is Madurai AirportMadurai Airport
Madurai Airport is fourth largest airport in Tamil Nadu and serves Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The airport is located about from the Madurai railway station. The airport was established in 1957. -Airport specifications:...
(~80 km). Madurai Airport is around 1.5 hours from Rajapalayam. Paramount Airways
Paramount Airways
Paramount Airways was an airline based in Chennai, India, it was a national licensed airline. It operated scheduled services, mainly targeting business travellers. Its hub was Chennai International Airport...
, Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
, Spicejet
SpiceJet
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, India. It began service in May 2005 and by 2008, it was India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in...
and Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
are operating daily flights between Madurai Airport and Chennai International Airport
Chennai International Airport
Chennai International Airport , formerly known as Madras International Airport is located in Tirusulam, south of Chennai , India...
.
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...
, Rajapalayam had a population of 121,982. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Rajapalayam has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 66%. In Rajapalayam, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
India census
Census
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...
, Rajapalayam had a total population of 307,959 with 153,529 males and 154,430 females.
School
- Seithur Sevaga Pandiya Government Higher Secondary School (Board High School)
- Shri Rao Bahadur A.K.D. Dharmaraja Girls High School.
- AKD Dharma Raja Boys school.
- Nadar Higher Secondary School.
- PACM Higher Secondary School. (http://www.pacmhssedu.com/)
- N.A.A.M Hr Secondary School
- Chinmaya Vidyalaya.
- Maharishi Vidya Mandir Matriculation Hr.Sec.school.
- CASA DI MIR Matriculation school,rajapalayam.(www.casadimirmatricschool.in)
- Srimathi Lingammal Ramaraju Rotary Vidhyalaya
College
- Rajapalayam Raju's College. (http://www.rrc1973.org/)
- AKD Dharma Raja Women's College. (http://www.akddrwcollege.in/)
Ayyanar Koil Forest Area (Ayyanar Falls)
Ayyanar Koil forest area is located 10 km west of Rajapalayam on the eastern slope of Western Ghats. The forest area has many of streams, waterfalls, springs and a temple. Hiking in this forest area is one of the main recreations for Rajapalayam residents. Rajapalayam Water Reservoir, which provides water to the entire city, is situated en route to Ayyanar Falls. Rajapalayam Dam and Rajapalayam Water Treatment Plant are also situated adjacent to the Rajapalayam Water Reservoir.Motor pumps are not used for pumping of water supply and distribution system because of water flown on natural gravitational force.Sanjeevi Hills
Sanjeevi Hills is a small hill situated in south-west Rajapalayam en route Chatrapatti area.The Murugan Temple is at top of the hill. Karthigai Deepam lit on the top spot on thirukarthigai day of every year. The calm and serene ambiance makes it a favorite spot for tourists. Tradition recounts that in order to save the unconscious LakshmanaLakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
, Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
, the monkey god carried the entire Sanjeevi Hills with the herbal plants to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and threw it away afterwards. It is said that the thrown down hill is the Sanjeevi Hills.
Srivilliputtur
Srivilliputtur is a town nearby Rajapalayam. The primary landmark of Srivilliputtur is twelve-tiered tower structure dedicated to the Lord of Srivilliputtur, known as Vatapatrasayee. The tower of this temple rises 192 feet high and is the official symbol of the Government of Tamil NaduGovernment of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
. It is said to have been built by Periyaazhvar, the father-in-law of the Lord, with a purse of gold that he won in debates held in the palace of Pandya
Pandyan Kingdom
The Pandyan dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty. The Pandyas were one of the four Tamil dynasties , which ruled South India until the 15th century CE. They initially ruled their country Pandya Nadu from Korkai, a seaport on the Southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, and in later times moved...
King Vallabhadeva. Another wonder in Srivilliputtur is Chariot which runs on AdiPuram.
Shenbagathoppu Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary
The Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife SanctuaryGrizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary
The Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary was declared to protect the Vulnerable Grizzled Giant Squirrel . It is one of the best preserved forests south of the Palghat Gap....
, spreads over 480 square kilometres was established in 1989 in Shenbagathopu, Srivilliputtur Taluk. This sanctuary is contiguous with the Periyar tiger reserve on the south-western side and the Megamalai reserve forest on the north-western side. The altitude varies from 100 m to 2010 m above sea level. The sanctuary is home to the endangered, arboreal grizzled giant squirrel Ratufa macrora. This greyish brown squirrel weighs from 1 kg to 1.8 kg and is in the size of a small cat. It measures about 735 mm long from nose to tail, with the tail measuring from 360 mm to 400 mm long. These squirrels construct drays at forked branches where the crowns of neighbouring trees meet, enabling these squirrels to move away from the site by jumping from tree to tree when threatened.
Notable people
- P.S. Kumaraswamy Raja - Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1949–52) and Governor of Orissa (1954–56).
- DK Raju - MLA
- R. Krishnasamy NaiduR. Krishnasamy NaiduR. Krishnasamy Naidu was an Indian politician and former Member of Madras State Legilative Assembly and Member of the Legislative Assembly...
Freedom fighter was an Indian politician and former Member of Madras State Legilative Assembly.He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as an Indian National Congress candidate from Rajapalayam constituency in 1962 election.
- Indukuri Arangasamy Raja - Freedom fighter.
- P.A.C Ramasamy Raja - The founder of the Ramco Group of Industries, established in the year 1936.
- Chinnaswamy M.L.A , rajapalayam,srinivasan new street.
Politics
Rajapalayam (State Assembly Constituency)Rajapalayam (State Assembly Constituency)
Rajapalayam is an assembly constituency located in Sivakasi Lok Sabha Constituency in Tamil Nadu.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:Rajapalayam moved to Tenkasi after 2009.- References :...
is part of Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency)
Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency)
Tenkasi is a Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes.-Assembly segments:Tenkasi Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments :...
.
Rajapalayam (State Assembly Constituency) moved from Sivakasi (Lok Sabha constituency) to Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency) after 2009