Kanyakumari district is one of the 39 districts of Tamil Nadu state and the southern most district in mainland India. It stands second in terms of population density among the districts of Tamil Nadu.[1] It is also the richest district in Tamil Nadu in terms of per capita income,[2][3] and also tops the state in Human Development Index (HDI), literacy, and education.[4][5] The district's headquarters is Nagercoil.
Kanyakumari district has a varied topography with the sea on three sides and the mountains of the Western Ghats bordering the northern side. Except for a small stretch of land to the east of Kanniyakumari town, almost the entire district is sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea – the only district in Tamil Nadu state facing the Arabian Sea.
Historically, Nanjinad and Edai Nadu, which comprise the present-day Kanniyakumari district, were ruled by various Tamil and Malayalam dynasties: the Cheras, the Ay/Venad/Travancore dynasty, the Pandyans, the Chozhans and the Nayaks. A few artifacts have been unearthed by archeological excavations.[6] It was part of the princely state of Travancore during the colonial times prior to India's independence;[7] four of the eight tehsils of Thiruvananthapuram district were separated from the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom to form the new district of Kanniyakumari, and they were made the part of Madras Presidency under recommendations from the States Reorganisation Commission in 1956. The Presidency was later renamed Tamil Nadu and Kanniyakumari, today, is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state.
The district is the birthplace of Ayyavazhi. Many historical assumptions persist in the district and state, which associate sages such as Agastya, Vyasa, Tolkappiyar, Avvaiyar and Thiruvalluvar with the district.
The area that comprises the current Kanniyakumari district was a part of the old Ay kingdom of the first and second Sangam ages. Following the decline of the Ay kingdoms, the area became Venad, with its capital Padmanabhapuram located North, North West of Nagercoil. The wealth of the Nanjilnadu beckoned many invaded kings including the Nayaks during the reign of Umayamma Rani. The Venad region was in anarchy before Marthanda Varma ascended the throne in 1729 CE. Under their rule anarchy was dominant in Kanniyakumari region. However, Marthanda Varma brought a sense of disorder under control by annexing the nearby territories, putting down the feudal lords and establishing the strong state of Travancore. He had also bought some portions of Kanniyakumari from the then viceroy making it the southern boundary. Under his rule, the district improved in a social context as well as economically. The famous battle of Colachel took place in the district. Later, the Maharajas of Travancore built the forts at Aramboly (Aralvaimozhy) to prevent any invasion from the Carnatic Kings. Key elements of Velu Thampi Dalawa's revolt occurred in the area and the English East India company's army under Col.
Leger broke through the fortifications and entered Travancore in 1810. In the year 1949, the area became a part of the reestablished Travancore Cochin state. The people of Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks, which formed the southern divisions of the former district of Trivandrum, were predominantly Tamil speaking people. The present Kanniyakumari district was historically part of the erstwhile Travancore State. Four Tamil-speaking taluks viz., Vilavancode, Kalkulam, Thovala and Agastheeswaram which now form the Kanniyakumari district was transferred to Madras State on 1 November 1956. The changes that were effected between the taluks and the villages as on 1 October 1956 are furnished in the fly-leaf to Table A-I.[8] An extreme agitation by Tamil speaking residents under the leadership of Marshal Nesamony took place for including Kanniyakumari within Tamil Nadu. Eventually the merger happened in 1956 based on language reorganization of states.
Historically, Nanjilnadu (Agastheeswaram and Thovalai taluks) and Eda Nadu (Vilavancode and Kalkulam taluks) which comprises the present Kanniyakumari district. The district were ruled by various dynasties: Venad Kingdom, Travancore Kingdom, the Cheras, the Cholas, the Ays and the Nayaks. A few artifacts were unearthed by archeological excavations in parts of the district. The district was part of the princely state of Travancore during the colonial times prior to India's independence; four of the eight tehsils of Thiruvananthapuram district were separated to form the new district of Kanniyakumari in 1956 following the demands of reunion made by the Tamil speaking majority people (about 70% of the population), who feels that their feelings were suppressed by the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom which has Malayalam-majority population. The four taluks were made the part of then Madras Presidency under recommendations from the States Reorganisation Commission in 1956. The Presidency was later renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969 and Kanniyakumari, today, is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state.
The district is the birthplace of Ayyavazhi, the henotheistic belief initiated by Hari Gopalan Seedar, one among the 5 prime disciples of Ayya Vaikundar. The social, religious and cultural history of the 19th century Kanniyakumari district is intrinsically inter-twined with those of Ayyavazhi. Many historical assumptions persist in the district and state, which associate with sages namely Vyasa, Agastya, Tolkappiyar, Avvaiyar and Thiruvalluvar.
Kanniyakumari District is divided into two regions: Edai nadu and Nanjil nadu. Vilavancode and Kalkulam taluks are in the Edai nadu region which consists of full stretched Western ghats. Thovalai and Agastheeswaram taluks are present in the Nanjil nadu region. Aralvaimozhy pass separates these two regions. Also the boundary of these regions is Vaezhimalai (Vaezhi Hills).
Kanniyakumari district has a varied topography with sea on three sides and the mountains of the Western Ghats bordering the northern side. Geologically, the landmass of the district is much younger when compared to the rest of state – faulted as late as 2.5 million years during the Miocene, after which numerous transgression, as well as regression of sea, had shaped the western coast of the district.
The Thiruvalluvar Statue, or the Valluvar Statue, is a 41-metre-tall (133ft) stone sculpture of the Tamil poet and philosopher Valluvar, author of the Tirukkural, an ancient Tamil work on Dharma and morality. It is located atop a small island near the town of Kanniyakumari on the southernmost point of the Indian peninsula on the Coromandel Coast, where two seas (the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) and an ocean (the Indian Ocean) meet. The statue was sculpted by the Indian sculptor V. Ganapati Sthapati, who also created the Iraivan Temple, and was unveiled on the millennium day of 1 January 2000 by the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. It is currently the 25th tallest statue in India.
Thirparappu Waterfalls
Thirparappu Waterfalls are waterfalls in Kanniyakumari District. It is also known as 'Courtallam of Kanniyakumari'. The Mahadevar Temple is very near to the waterfalls. The waterfalls is 7km (4.3mi) from Kulasekaram.,Actually the waterfalls is exactly 34km from city centre, Nagercoil.
Manimedai
Manimedai is the situated in the central part of Nagercoil. Manimedai literally means High Clock. It is the symbol of the Nagercoil Town. A clock is placed in a High Clock gauge, so the place becomes Manimedai. The construction of Clock gauge began in 1892 in the period of Travancore Maharajas. After construction, it was opened by His Highness Sree Moolam Thirunal Varma, the King of Travancore. The clock placed in the gauge was gifted to the English missionary in Nagercoil.
Mathur Aqueduct
The Mathur Aqueduct was built to pass the cultivable water between two mountains. Mathur Aqueduct was built between Aruvikkarai and Mudhalaaru in Paraliyaru River. The aqueduct was built by Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Perunthalaivar Thiru Kamarajar. Mathur aqueduct was South Asia's largest aqueduct. The aqueduct is 1,240ft (380m) long, 101ft (31m) high with 28 giant pillars. It is 3km (1.9mi) from Thiruvattar and 26km from Nagercoil.
Padmanabhapuram palace
Before centuries, the houses that has all the facilities are known as Palaces. The rulers of states, the Kings resides in such Palaces. Padmanabhapuram Palace was once the official residence of Travancore Kings. Padmanabhapuram Palace was built in Kerala styled Architecture with woods. The palace was built in 18th century by Travancore King Thiru Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The palace was situated in 6.5 acres in 186 acres fort. The palace is under the control of Kerala Government. The palace is situated just 2km from Thuckalay.
Udayagiri Fort
Udayagiri Fort was situated just 10km from Parvathipuram. The fort was situated in 22½ hectares in a place called Puliyoorkurichi. The Fort is maintained by the Ministry of Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu.
Vattakkottai
The word 'Vattakkottai' means Circle Fort and is circular. The Fort was constructed along the seashore in the East coast. The fort was situated in 3 1/2 acres with compound stones constructed for 25 meters in height and constructed by Travancore Army Chief Dilanai. The fort is under the control of the Archaeological Department, Government of India. It is situated just 6;km north of Kanniyakumari and just 2km south from Anjugramam.
Vivekananda Rock
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a monument in Vavathurai in Kanniyakumari District. It is located just 500 meters east in the mainland of Vavathurai. The rock was built in 1970 in honor of Swami Vivekananda who is said to have attained enlightenment on the rock. Vivekanand was a disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa.[11] According to local legends, Goddess Kumari performed Tapas in devotion of lord Shiva in these rocks. The rocks are surrounded by the Laccadive Sea.
Chitharal Jain Rock Cut Temple
It is famous for the Rock-cut temple. Hillock at Chitharal has a cave containing Rock-cut sculptures of Thirthankaras and attendant deities carved inside and outside dating back to 9th Century A.D by King Mahendra Varman I.[12]
Administrative divisions
For administrative purposes, the district comprises six taluks and nine blocks. There is a municipal corporation in the district which is Nagercoil. There are also four municipalities and 53 Town Panchayats [citation needed][13]
At the lower levels of administration, there are 95 village panchayats.
According to 2011 census, Kanniyakumari district had a population of 1,870,374 with a sex-ratio of 1,019 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[15] A total of 182,350 were under the age of six, constituting 92,835 males and 89,515 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 3.97% and 0.39% of the population respectively. The district had a total of 483,539 households. There were a total of 679,620 workers, comprising 12,229 cultivators, 51,350 main agricultural labourers, 21,078 in household industries, 468,001 other workers, 126,962 marginal workers, 3,381 marginal cultivators, 21,517 marginal agricultural labourers, 14,711 marginal workers in household industries and 87,353 other marginal workers.[15]
The average literacy rate of Kanniyakumari in 2011 was 91.75 compared to 87.55 in 2001. If things are looked out at gender-wise, male and female literacy were 93.65 and 89.90 respectively. For the 2001 census, the same figures stood at 90.37 and 84.79 in Kanniyakumari District. The total number of literates in Kanniyakumari District were 1,548,738 of which male and female were 780,541 and 768,197 respectively. In 2001, Kanniyakumari District had 1,308,322 in its district.
Tamil is the most widely spoken language in Kanniyakumari district, though there is significant minority (5.76%) of Malayalam speakers (Malayalis), living mainly along the Kerala border.[16] Kanniyakumari district has a Tamil dialect which is different from other part of Tamil Nadu, since it has a little Malayalam influence.[17] English can be understood by two-thirds of the district's population.[18]
Urban population
Out of the total Kanniyakumari population for 2011 census, 82.33 percent lives in urban regions of district. In total 1,539,802 people lives in urban areas of which males are 761,407 and females are 778,395. Sex ratio in urban region of Kanniyakumari district is 1022 as per 2011 census data. Similarly child sex ratio in Kanniyakumari district was 966 in 2011 census. Child population (0-6) in urban region was 148,570 of which males and females were 75,573 and 72,997.
This child population figure of Kanniyakumari district is 9.93% of total urban population. Average literacy rate in Kanniyakumari district as per census 2011 is 91.96% of which males and females are 93.92% and 90.06% literates, respectively. In actual number 1,279,358 people are literate in urban region of which males and females are 644,109 and 635,249, respectively.
Rural population
As per 2011 census, 17.67% population of Kanniyakumari districts lives in rural areas of villages. The total Kanniyakumari district population living in rural areas is 330,572 of which males and females are 164,938 and 165,634 respectively. In rural areas of Kanniyakumari district, sex ratio is 1004 females per 1000 males. If child sex ratio data of Kanniyakumari district is considered, figure is 957 girls per 1000 boys. Child population in the age 0-6 is 33,780 in rural areas of which males were 17,262 and females were 16,518.
The child population comprises 10.47% of total rural population of Kanniyakumari district. Literacy rate in rural areas of Kanniyakumari district is 90.76% as per census data 2011. Gender wise, male and female literacy stood at 92.39 and 89.16 percent, respectively. In total, 269,380 people were literate of which males and females were 136,432 and 132,948, respectively.
As per 2011 census, total population of the district is 1,870,374, among them 909,872 (48.7%) are Hindus, 876,299 (46.9%) are Christians, 78,590 (4.2%) are Muslims, 438 (0.02%) are Buddhists, 160 (0.01%) are Sikhs, 156 (0.01%) are Jains, 10 (0.001%) are Others and 4,849 (0.26%) are "not stated".[19] The western talukas of the district are Christian-majority, while the eastern talukas are Hindu-majority. Some of the Hindu population follows Ayyavazhi. Protestants and Catholics are both present in the Christian population, with Protestants largely from the Nadar community and Catholics from the fishermen community. Some Syrian Christians also live here.
The Mandaikadu festival is celebrated in March by people of the district and by those in Kerala. Traditionally, participants would chant while walking while others would provide them with butter, milk, water, jaggery, and coffee. The festival, which is celebrated for ten days, later became a social function, especially on Sunday.
The Kollemcode Tookam festival is another famous festival celebrated by the people of the district and also by the people from the nearby Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state. It is celebrated for 10 days during the month of March/April with the famous Child Tookam taking place on the 10th day corresponding to Meena Bharani as per the Malayalam calendar.
The "ezhunnalath" or elephant procession festival of Alappancode Sree Eeswarakala Bhoodhathan Temple located at Anducode is also another major festival of the district. It is the largest elephant festival of Tamil Nadu and is often considered Tamil Nadu' Thrissur Pooram.
The Ayya vaikunda Avataram of Ayyavazhi is widely celebrated throughout the district.[20][21] The Kodiyettru Thirunal is celebrated in the religious headquarters of Swamithope pathi and attracts large crowds[22] from Tamil Nadu and across India.[23][24][25] Onam is also celebrated in many places throughout Kanniyakumari district, especially in the western part of the district.
Transport and highways
Roadways
There are two major National Highways (NH) roads originating from Kanniyakumari town. One is the National Highway 44 which connects Kanniyakumari with Srinagar of Jammu & Kashmir. NH 44 connects North India with South India. The road passes through Madurai, Hosur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Jhansi, Delhi and Jalandhar. It covers 3745 kilometres. The other is the National Highway 66 that connects Kanniyakumari with Panvel (38km from Mumbai) in Maharashtra. NH 66 roughly runs north–south parallel to the western ghats. It passes through Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Udupi, Margoa and Ratnagiri. Nagercoil, the district capital is well connected with the rest of Tamil Nadu.
The nearest International airport is Trivandrum International Airport which is 76km from Kanniyakumari. The Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to construct an airport near Swamithoppu in Kanniyakumari District as the initiative attracts international tourists to the district.[citation needed]
Education
The literacy rate in Tamil Nadu has touched a new high at 80.33%. This is much higher than the country's average of 74.04%, according to Census 2011. Among all the districts in Tamil Nadu, Kaniyakumari district has reported the highest literacy rate of 92.14%.[26]
The district is home to many well- established institutions like colleges such as Scott Christian College (est. 1809), South Travancore Hindu College (est. 1952), Holy Cross College (est. 1965), Women Christian College, Sivanthi Aditanar College (est. 1984) and schools such as Ringletaube Higher Secondary School (est. 1809), Scott Christian Higher Secondary School (est. 1819), Duthie Girls School (est. 1819), St. Joseph's Convent Higher Secondary School (est. 1910), Carmel Higher Secondary School (est. 1922), S.L.B. Government Higher Secondary School (est. 1924), S.M.R.V. Higher Secondary School (est. 1919).
now, The district has a literacy rate of 97.6% which is the highest in the state.[citation needed]
Forests
The Western Ghats at Pechiparai, Kanniyakumari District
Of the total district area of 1671.3km2, government forests occupy an area of 504.86km2 which comes to about 30.2 percent of the geographical area of the district.[27]
Flora and fauna
The Flora and Fauna of Kanniyakumari District are vast and diverse. Kanniyakumari district has 4 types of lands (mountainous regions, forests, cropland, seashore) except Desert. In which, Forest has a significant place in the district's landscape. The district's forest areas were surrounded by plenty of rivers and waterfalls. Forests also has significant mountainous landscape. The district has forests of 40239.55 Hectares. The district's forests are situated between Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. Kalikesam, Balamore, Upper Kodayar, Lower Kodayar, Mukkadal are the important places in Forests.
Rainfall
Achankadu hill is the tallest mountain peak in the district with a height of 1828m. Hilly regions like Upper kodayar, Muthukuzhivayal and Achankadu hills receive more than 5000mm of annual rainfall which makes the region one of the wettest regions in Tamil Nadu. Kanniyakumari town which is located on the leeward side with no tall mountain ranges receives less rainfall in the district. Pechiparai, Chittar dams 1&2, Perunchani dam and Surlacode receive annual rainfall between 2500 and 3000mm. Kanniyakumari is the only district in Tamil Nadu that benefits from rains in all seasons.
Flora
The Kanniyakumari Districts forests have sandal trees, teak trees, rosewood trees, Wild Jack trees. pepper and cloves are grown in private estates that operate in the forests. The district's forests have some 600 varieties of large trees and another 3500 varieties of small trees.[citation needed]
The Kingdom of Travancore, also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor or later as Travancore State, was an Indian kingdom that lasted from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu with the Thachudaya Kaimal's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin. However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram were parts of British India.
Nagercoil, also spelt as Nagarkovil, is a city and the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu state, India. Situated close to the tip of the Indian peninsula, it lies on an undulating terrain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea.
Travancore–Cochin, or Thiru–Kochi, was a short-lived state of India (1949–1956). It was originally called United State of Travancore and Cochin following the merger of two former kingdoms, Travancore and Cochin on 1 July 1949. Its original capital was Thiruvananthapuram. It was renamed State of Travancore–Cochin in January 1950. Travancore merged with erstwhile princely state of Cochin to form Travancore–Cochin in 1950. The five Tamil-majority Taluks of Vilavancode, Kalkulam, Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, and Sengottai were transferred from Travancore-Cochin to Madras State in 1956. The Malayalam-speaking regions of the Travancore–Cochin merged with the Malabar District and the Kasaragod Taluk of South Canara district in Madras State to form the modern Malayalam-state of Kerala on 1 November 1956, according to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 passed by the Government of India.
Thovalai is a small village located in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The area is well known in India for its production of flowers, especially jasmine. The taluk was among the four in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from Thiruvananthapuram district, Travancore-Cochin State to the newly created Kanyakumari district of Madras State.
Padmanabhapuram is a town and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 21,342Padmanabhapuram mes the capital of Travancore state in the past in 1795, the King of Travancore, Rama Varma (known as Dharma Raja moved the capital hom Padmanabhapuram to Thruvananthapuram. At that time the boundaries of Travancore state included half the area of modem Kerala state. In 1947, after independence, Padmanabhapuram became port of Travancore-Cochin state When Indian states ware neorganized on the basis of language in 1957, Padmanabhapuram alung with other Tamsi-speaking areas cuire to Madras State, while the Malayalam-speaking areas became part of Kerala Later the name of Madras State was changed to Tamil Nadu Padmanabhapurans is a town and a municipality near Thuckelayan Kanyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town hast a population of 21,342.
Marthandam is a major trade centre in Kuzhithurai municipality across National Highway in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Formerly known as Thoduvetty, it was a portion of Kanyakumari district which was added to the state of Tamil Nadu on 1 November 1956.
The Adikesava Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India and is one of the 108 Divya desams, the holy sites of Hindu Vaishnavism according to existing Tamil hymns from the seventh and eighth centuries C.E. The temple is one of the historic thirteen Divya Deshams of Malai Nadu. The temple is a picturesque setting surrounded on three sides by rivers namely, It was the Rajya Temple and Bharadevatha shrine of Erstwhile Travancore. After state reorganisation, the temple handed over to Tamilnadu H&RCE Dept. The presiding Vishnu in the form of Ananthapadmabhan/Adikeshavaperumal is believed to be older than Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Since Vishnu resides here in a reclining position, and is surrounded by rivers, the temple is called as "The Srirangam of Chera Kingdom".
Thuckalay or Thakkalai is a town in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Thuckalay comes under the Padmanabhapuram Municipality, and is the administrative headquarters of Kalkulam Taluk. The Revenue Divisional Office is located in Mettukadai.
Azhagiapandiapuram is a second grade town panchayat in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located at the centre of Pazhayar valley. It is one of the four town panchayat's in Thovalai taluk.
Thiruvithamcode, is a small panchayat town located in the Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thiruvithamcode is about 20 km from Nagercoil and 2 km from Thuckalay.
Mylaudy is one of the town panchayats in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a municipality rich in fields, mountains, rivers and natural resources. Before 1950, Mylaudy was part of South Travancore. Now it is in Kanniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
Kalkulam is a small village located in Kalkulam taluk, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from Thiruvananthapuram district, Travancore-Cochin State to the newly created Kanyakumari district of Madras State.
Vilavancode, also spelt as Viḷavaṅgōḍu, is a town panchayat in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu state, India. It is part of territory among several taluks that were with the Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 transferred from Thiruvananthapuram district, Travancore-Cochin State to the newly created Kanyakumari district of Madras State.
Agasteeswaram taluk is a taluk located in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Nagercoil. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from Thiruvananthapuram district, Travancore-Cochin State to the newly created Kanyakumari district of Madras State.
Kallkkulam taluk is a taluk of Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Kallkkulam.Up to 1957, Kallkkulam Taluk formed part of the Travancore Kingdom and subsequently the Travancore-Cochin State. It was when the States were divided on linguistic basis that Kallkkulam, Thovalai, Vilavancode, and Agastheeswaram Taluks of the erstwhile Thiruvananthapuram District of the then Travancore-Cochin State were included in the then Madras State as Kanyakumari District.
Vilavancode taluk is a taluk located in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Vilavancode. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from Thiruvananthapuram district, Travancore-Cochin State to the newly created Kanyakumari district of Madras State. The present Tahsildar of Vilavancode is Mr. Abraham Denny
Midalam is a village in Killiyur block in Kaniyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 27 km towards west from District headquarters Nagercoil, 741 km from State capital Chennai, 55 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. It shares border with Enayam and Thengapattanam at the west, Kurumpanai and Colachel at the east, Karungal at the north and Arabian Sea to the south.
The Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress (TTNC) was a political party in the Indian state of Travancore-Cochin. The party was founded by Sam Nathaniel and led by A. Nesamony, both natives of Palliyadi.
The Southern Division, or Padmanabhapuram Division till 1921 and Trivandrum Division from 1921 to 1949, was one of the administrative subdivisions of the princely state of Travancore, located to the South of Quilon and Kottayam Division. It covered the five taluks of Agastiswaram, Eraniel, Kalkulam, Thovalay and Vilavancode and was administered by a civil servant of rank Diwan Peishkar equivalent to a District Collector in British India. The Southern division was predominantly Tamil-speaking in contrast to the other three divisions where Malayalam was spoken. In 1920, the neighbouring Trivandrum was also merged with the Southern division. In 1949, the princely state of Travancore was dissolved and the Southern Division was included in the Travancore-Cochin state of India.
The present-day Kanyakumari district and parts of Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu state in India was originally a part of the Travancore-Cochin state. Between 1945 and 1956, especially after the Government of India announced plans to reorganize states along linguistic lines, the people of Tamil-majority Kanyakumari campaigned for its inclusion in the Madras State instead of the Malayalam-majority Kerala state. In Tamil, the campaign is also known as Therkku Ellai Porattam.
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