Namakkal
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Namakkal is the capital of Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu India.
Namakkal-District.jpg
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Geography
It is located between 11.00’ and 11.36’ in the North Latitude and between 77.28’ and 78.30’ in the East Longitude. It is close to Kolli Hills - which is part of the Eastern Ghats. The closest river is Kaveri.
History
Namakkal is a historic town dating back to at least the 14th century. The name Namakkal derives from Namagiri, which is the name of the single rock formation at the center of the town. Over this massive rock is a fort built by Tipu Sultan during his struggle against the occupying British forces.
Gandhi held a public meeting in 1933 in Namakkal under the slope of the Namakkal rock. The rock is enormous - 65 meters high and more than a kilometer in circumference.
Economy
The economy of the district is primarily agricultural. A wide variety of crops are grown within the district. The Cauvery riverside has heavy concentration of Rice, Banana and Sugarcane plantations and fields. There are also poultry farms and a well developed small scale industry for Truck body building in the district.
People and Culture
Art
V. Ramalingam Pillai, more popularly known as Namakkal Kavingnar, is a well known Tamil poet who hailed from Namakkal (born in 1888 in Mohanur). His poems on the non-violent Indian independence movement are popular.
Pottery and sculpture are promoted by way of traditional festivals and temple celebrations. Most villages in the district, like many other south Indian villages, have a temple to a guardian deity at the perimeter of the village. Aiyanar is the guardian deity of the village. Much artistic expression goes into sculpting the Aiyanar statues.
Transport
Namakkal is accessible by road. The nearest large cities are Salem (48km), Erode, Tiruchirapalli. Chennai, the capital of the state is 380 km from Namakkal. The nearest airport is in Tiruchirapalli (74km).
Climate
The temperature ranges from 20 to 44 degrees Celsius throughout the year.
Places to Visit
The Hanuman Temple is one of the most famous in South India. The "Narishmma temple" was an inspiration of renowned mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujam.
Institutions and Universities
Public Facilities
Recent developments
- AIDS epidemic and control
External links
- Namakkal District Webpage (not the town) (http://www.namakkal.tn.nic.in/)
- Tourism information for Namakkal (http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/placesofworship/namakkal.asp)
- India9 site on Namakkal (http://www.india9.com/i9show/49984.htm)