Madurai
Madurai
Madurai | |
|---|---|
city | |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Thenmozhi Gopinathan[1] |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 904,665 |
| Website | madurai.nic.in |
Madurai (Tamil: மதுரை, IPA: [mɐd̪ɯrəj]) is a city[citation needed] and a municipal corporation with a population of more than 1.1 million as per year 2001 Indian Census Records, shows an average of 9% growth in a year then should be about 1.7 million in 2007[citation needed] people. It is situated on the banks of River Vaigai in Madurai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. At the time of the 2001 census it was the third largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu after Chennai and Coimbatore.
Madurai boasts of a cultural heritage that goes back 2500 years and has functioned as an important commercial center even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city of the Pandya kings of South India. Today the city of Madurai is the administrative capital of Madurai district.
History
Madurai, one of India's oldest cities, boasts of a history dating back to Sangam period of the pre-Christian era. It was home to the ancient Tamil Sangam (The Academy of Tamil Learning), and hosted the literary conclave that produced the first Tamil epic Silappathikaaram and other literary masterpieces. Megasthenes, the ancient Greek diplomat and envoy to India in 3rd century BC, had written in glowing terms about Madurai in Indica, his much celebrated account on India. Madurai reached its height of glory during the rule of the Cholas, and finally the Pandyas in the 13th century.
Pandyas
The Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple, which stands today as one of India's cultural and architectural landmarks, was originally built by the Pandya King Kulasekaran. The ancient city of Madurai was then developed in a Lotus like formation with the temple at the center and streets and main thoroughfares layered one after the other in a concentric fashion. It is important to note that these streets were named after months in the Tamil calendar. For example, the first layer is named after the Tamil month of Aadi and the streets are named North, South, East, and West Aadi Streets. Next to Aadi street is Chithirai street. Legend has it that on the day the city was to be named, Lord Shiva blessed the land and its people while divine nectar showered on the city from his matted locks. The city hence came to be known as "Madhurapuri" meaning "The Land of Divine Nectar". The city has often been referred to as "Athens of the East" thanks to the beautiful architecture of all the ancient monuments and to meticulous urban planning.
Muslim Rule
On the death of Maaravaramban Kulasekara Pandyan I in 1308, a succession dispute led to conflict between his sons, Sundara Pandya and Vira Pandya. Vira Pandya took refuge under the Delhi Sultanate. In 1311 AD Madurai was invaded by Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji who ruled the Delhi Sultanate. Subsequently, the sanctum sanctorum of the Meenakshi Temple was closed and the main deity was shifted to the Ardhamandapam.[3] Madurai remained under the control of Muslim rulers for the next fifty years. However, in 1371, the Vijayanagar rulers of Hampi raided the city and annexed it to their Kingdom.
Nayak Rule
Vijayanagar rulers appointed Governors known as Nayaks or Nayyakars to administer this newly annexed territory. By 1545 the Nayaks became more autonomous, establishing the Madurai Nayak dynasty ruling up to 1740s. The temple was reopened and the Nayaks, most notably Thirumalai Nayak, contributed much to the rebuilding of the temple that had almost been destroyed during the Muslim rule. The Nayaks made lasting contributions to the city's architecture such as the Raja Gopuram of the Meenakshi Temple, and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace. After the Vijayanagar empire collapsed in 1565, the Nayak dynasty continued to rule Madurai for about two centuries.
Rani Mangammal (1689-1704) was other notable ruler who made large contributions to the city's structures. During her reign Shivaji Bhonsle, the great Maratha Ruler, invaded the south; and so did Chikka Deva Raya of Mysore and other Muslim rulers, resulting in chaos and instability all around. Rani Mangammal stood up against these invasions. Though her rule lasted no more than two decades, she will forever be cherished by the people of Madurai for the prudence, determination and courage she exhibited during a particularly troublesome period, with very little support from outside. The kingdom began to break up after her rule as her successors were weak rulers, and invasions of Madurai recommenced.
British Rule
Madurai soon started slipping into the hands of the British East India Company. By 1801, the whole of Madurai district, which then was made up of Dindigul, Palani, Kodaikkanal, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai was brought under the control of British East India Company. Madurai was the birthplace of American academic Vida Dutton Scudder. American missionary Henry Martyn Scudder came to Madurai in 1846.
Today, Madurai stands on the banks of the river Vaigai. The city is well known for its spiritual hill Thiruparankundram which abodes lord Subramaniya. Apart from this the ancient city is also surrounded by three small prominent hills which are called the Anaimalai, Pasumalai and Nagamalai from their supposed resemblance to an elephant, a cow and a snake respectively.
Administration
In the post-Independence era, Madurai District, headquartered at Madurai City, was one of the largest districts of Tamil Nadu. It was also the administrative headquarters of the neighboring Ramanathapuram District. However, in 1984, the then huge Madurai district was bifurcated into Madurai and Dindigul District for administrative convenience. Again, in 1997, it was bifurcated into Madurai and Theni District. Like all other districts of India, it is administered by a District Collector, a person from the Indian Administrative Service. Mr. T. Udhayachandar is the current District collector.
A recent attraction is the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in Ulaganeri, Madurai, the only location outside of Chennai to have such a setup.
Geography
Madurai is located at 9°56′N 78°07′E / 9.93°N 78.12°E.[4] It has an average elevation of 136 metres (446 feet).
Demographics
As of 2001 India census,Template:GR Madurai had a population of 922,913. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Madurai has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Madurai, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. There are 968 fmales per 1,000 males.[5]
Population decline:[1]
| Year | Population | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 940,989 | census | official |
| 2001 | 902,913 | census | official |
| 2006 | 905,645 | calculation |
The population decline in the last decade may be accounted for the city's stagnant or no industrial development. Due to the software boom, educated youngsters of the city have no option but to migrate to the cities like Chennai and Bangalore for lucrative jobs. Successive state governments took no action to develop the city's industry, and even closed some companies like Madura Coats. Recent trends assure the spread of the IT and industrial investments pouring in from the public and private sectors targeting the highly educated youth.
Tamil is the lingua franca of Madurai and is understood by almost everyone. Tamil spoken in Madurai is relatively pure, and devoid of influences from other languages. The Sourashtra language is spoken by members of the transmigrant Sourashtra community which maintains a significant presence in the city. Other languages such as Telugu, Urudu and Hindi are also spoken by few migrants in the city. English is understood by almost all educated and youngsters.
People and culture
The people of Madurai are amicable, hospitable, and deeply respect and value their tradition. They lead a relaxed and casual lifestyle, and are not seen as very ambitious. Though Salwar Kameez, a North-Indian ethnic wear for women, has made deep inroads into the city's populace, many prefer the traditional Indian wear of Thavani or Dhavani, also called Half Saree, and Saree. However, in recent days many have started wearing jeans and skirts.
Maduraiites like to entertain themselves by watching movies and visiting amusement parks. The city has plenty of Movie Halls, numbering about 50. This is a large number for a city of Madurai's size, and recently many Movie Halls have closed down due to High ticket rates. Madurai once had a rich tradition of Carnatic music, boasting of several stalwarts. Popular carnatic vocalist M. S. Subbulakshmi was born in Madurai and learnt music here until she moved to Madras.
Madurai is famous for the Jil Jil Jigarthanda, Paruthi Pal, and sugar cane juice. Jigarthanda is a delicious drink made of algae, milk and sugar. Paruthi pal is yet another drink made of cotton seeds, flour of raw rice, coconut and jaggery. There is also a special 'fruit mixture' drink that is sold here, mostly near the Meenakshi Amman Temple. Some of the famous restaurants in Madurai are the Modern Restaurant (since 1956), Arya Bhavan and the latest Madurai Meenakshi Bhavan. The Modern Restaurant is the scrumptious chili parotha, which is spicy shredded bits of parotha garnished with green chilies, lemon, and cilantro. Another favorite joint is Murugan Idli Shop that serves steaming hot idlis and a variety of chutneys to go with it. One great distinction about Madurai's road side food joints is that they are available almost all the time. Visitors to Madurai are recommended to try the dosas and pongals; there are some 30 varieties of dosas alone.
Madurai is also well known for its fragrant Jasmine flowers. Jasmine is known as Malli or Malligai in Tamil. Madurai Malli is an important horticultural produce. The buds are transported every day to major cities in India, like Mumbai.
City architecture
The City of Madurai was originally built around the Meenakshi temple.[6][7][8] Rectangular streets named after the Tamil months of Aadi, Chithirai and Maasi surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos. Though there are numerous other temples in Madurai, which is why it is known as the "Temple City", the Meenakshi temple's architectural splendor outdoes all of them. The Temple Complex in itself is breathtaking, given the fort-like walls pierced with lofty Gopurams (Towers), over an area of 640,000 square feet (60,000 m²). The gopurams are adorned with figures of Hindu Gods, animals and mythological creatures. Upon entering the temple, one gets to view the spectacular "Potraamaraikkulam", meaning the Golden Lotus Pond, surrounded by corridors depicting murals from the "Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam". The "Ayirangaal Mandapam" (Thousand Pillared Hall) is another exhibit of impressive craftsmanship whose pillars feature sculptural work beyond comparison. Madurai has many other famous temples. Some of them are: Thirupparankundram, Pazhamuthircholai, two of the six temple shrines of Lord Murugan (son of Lord Shiva according to Tamil beliefs); Azhagarkovil, a prominent Vaishnavaite shrine, Aappudaiyaar temple and Koodalazhagar temple.
Present-day Madurai extends on both sides of the River Vaigai. The parts of the city adjoining the temple in the southern banks of Vaigai are bustling commercial hubs where one can find everything from basic necessities to electronic gadgets. As a result, they are congested and offer little scope for further expansion. However, across the river, is where one would find the chic, modern and young face of Madurai with its relatively spacious roads and structures with plenty of room for expansion and development. The Madurai Collectorate, Madurai District Court, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai Corporation Building, Madurai Race Course, Government Offices, and many schools, colleges and companies are located in the northern part of the city.
Transport
Madurai is well connected by air, rail and road. The railway station is one of the busiest in India, with trains from every major city in India,[citation needed] and has computerized reservation counters. Madurai Division has repeatedly got the award for best maintained station in Southern Railway.[9]
Madurai has five bus stands, which cater to the needs of the people: Central Bus terminus at Maattuthavani (North), Palanganatham (South), Arapalayam (West), Periyar (Central) and Anna Bus stand (East). The major bus stand is at Maattuthavani, from where many buses operate round the clock. A sudden importance to infrastructure has been well augmented by construction of bridges across the Vaigai river to connect Madurai at various points. Flyovers have been constructed within the city to overcome traffic congestion. The Golden Quadrilateral and the four lane highway to Madras makes Madurai one of the most well connected cities in India.
Madurai Airport is approximately 13 kilometers from the Madurai Railway station, and currently has connectivity to Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Paramount Airways and Indian Airlines are the major airline operators.
Education
Madurai is home to some of India's oldest institutions including the Thiagarajar College of Arts and Science in Madurai, American and Madura Colleges. The city has a Medical College, Madurai Medical College (1954), an Agricultural College and a Law College. The Madurai Kamaraj University (1966) situated in Nagamalai Pudukottai, has 18 schools, which in turn is made up of 72 departments. It pioneered the concept of Distance Education throughout India, and its Directorate of Distance Education currently boasts of a student strength of about 130,000. Several other Arts and Science colleges are present in and around the city, affiliated to the Madurai Kamaraj University.
Madurai is also home to Lady Doak College (1948), which is the oldest college for women in south India. The undergraduate, postgraduate and research college offers degrees in Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Business Management Studies and Information Technology. Fatima College which is located near Koodal Nagar is also a well known college for women.
The city also has its share of Engineering Colleges, Polytechnics, Paramedical and Nursing Colleges. This city is home to one of Tamil Nadu's oldest engineering institutions, Thiagarajar College of Engineering (1957) and private engineering colleges such as SACS MAVMM Engineering college, azhagar koil, Sethu Institute of Technology, K.L.N College Of Engineering (1994), the Yadava College of Arts & Science in Natham Road, Raja College of Engineering and Technology (1995), Vickram College of Engineering, PTR College of Engineering, the Kamaraj College of Engineering & Technology in Kaligudi.
Schools in Madurai are either run by the Tamil Nadu Government or are run privately. The medium of education is English in private schools while both English and Tamil mediums are available in Government run schools. The Sethupathi Higher Secondary School is over 100 years old. Subramanya Bharathi, the famous Tamil poet, was a teacher in this school. The OCPM Girls Higher Secondary School is over 200 years old.
Economy
Madurai's economy was chiefly agrarian. Textiles and tourism contribute significantly to the local economy. Madurai is famous for "Sungidi", a fine-count, zari-bordered, fabric painted cotton saree. However, in the past few years, overt dependence on monsoons, and international competition and cheaper imports have dented the performance of agriculture and textile sectors respectively.
Madurai has a thriving flower industry, jasmine in particular. "Madurai Malli" jasmine is well known across Tamil Nadu and beyond for its enchanting fragrance. The cultivation of jasmine is done at the foothills of Kodaikanal near Madurai, with its red soil which retains water. The flowers are in good demand in other parts of India like Salem, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and Hyderabad. They are also exported to the Middle East and Singapore, where they are used in perfumes.
Industrial development
Madurai has long been a laggard in industrial development as compared to other parts of Tamil Nadu and India. TVS, India, Hi-Tech Arai Limited manufacturer of automobile and automobile parts, TVS Srichakra, manufacturer of tyres and tubes for two wheelers, Fenner, manufacturer of solid woven PVC conveyor belts, TAFE, manufacturer of tractors and farm equipments and Madura Coats, manufacturer of textiles are some of the major companies in Madurai. Honeywell, a technology and manufacturing company in aerospace products and services. SAMTRACK was the first successful BPO company to get established in Madurai in 2000 and Chella Software was the first successful IT products company from the city. According to a recent task force report released by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Madurai district has the potential to become a "manufacturing hub" and can be promoted as a knowledge gateway and tourism corridor of southern Tamil Nadu.
The State and Union Governments, acknowledging the fact that there has been little industrial development in Madurai district, have adopted a multi-pronged approach to give a much-needed fillip to industrial growth.
The Government has set up industrial estates in different parts of the city to push industrial growth in identified key areas, thus building entrepreneurs and creating new jobs. The following industrial estates are currently operational:
- SIDCO Industrial Estate, K.Pudur
- SIDCO Industrial Estate, Kappalur
- Hoisery Estate, Urangaanpatti
- Electrical and Electronics Industrial Estate, Kappalur
- Automobile Industrial Estate, Kappalur
To reduce unemployment and to promote equitable growth of small-scale industries in all areas, District Industries Centers (DIC) were formed through out the country. DIC's primary objective is to provide aspiring and budding entrepreneurs all necessary assistance. In Madurai, it was formed in 1979. DIC conducts workshops periodically to motivate students of Engineering Colleges, Polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes and how they can put their entrepreneurial skills to work. DIC also organizes programs to promote entrepreneurship among women.
Present problems
Unlike many other historical cities that have been reduced to small towns, hamlets and ruins in the modern age, Madurai still remains a "city" and a major regional hub of commerce. However, it is a concerning fact that it has failed to achieve the progress it should have and its city ranking has sunk in the past few decades. Not only has it failed to attract new domestic and foreign investments, but it has also failed to capitalize on its inherent strengths.
Though there is no dearth of talent in Madurai, thanks to the Engineering and Science colleges in the city, it has not been able to retain the pool of qualified professionals. During the years following the Information Technology boom that swept across the country, the city saw an exodus of professionals to other urban centers[citation needed], such as Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai, which offered them better opportunities.
Many blame the state government for limiting industrial development to northern Tamil Nadu, Chennai and its adjacent districts in particular, and cite this as the reason southern Tamil Nadu is industrially underdeveloped. While this claim may not be totally invalid, the main reason Madurai is industrially underdeveloped lies in the fact that there is a definite lack of initiative and poor self-esteem amongst the local populace. The elite and professionals who ought to guide their fellow citizens into the new economy shrug away from their responsibilities, and worse, move to other cities looking for greener pastures and settle down there.
IT industry
 |
The emergence of the Honeywell's Research Lab tied to the Thiagarajar Enginnering College and TCS' Disaster Recovery Centre have been instrumental in IT development of the city. Also interest from Syntel, Infosys and RR Industries in opening development centers mean Madurai can look forward to an IT industry driven future. The global software major, IBM, has established its "Rational Center of Excellence" that is equipped with latest software, hardware and networking technologies.
The district administration has identified two sites, one near the Madurai Kamaraj University at Nagamalai Pudukottai and the other on the city outskirts, for setting up the much-awaited IT Park. The Government has transferred 8.81 hectares at Ilandhaikulam and 16.02 hectares at Kinnimangalam (near Madurai Kamaraj University) to ELCOT. The Madurai Corporation has identified 29.93 acres of land for establishing the Tidel park in the city. The Tidel park will be an Elcot undertaking. NASSCOM, CII and MADITSSIA have joined hands to conduct the "Madurai.com", a move to showcause Madurai as an ideal IT destination. The government run STPI has plans to open its Madurai centre in the year 2007.
Chella is a software company
Healthcare
Madurai is also home to the Aravind Eye Care System which is an international eye-care hospital, research and training institute that provides quality and affordable eye health care to all, and an organisation which develops high-volume, low-cost service models for deployment in India and developing nations. Aravind has pioneered a system of vertical integration in healthcare by conducting in-house training of doctors and paramedicals, developing comprehensive hospital design standards, and manufacturing intra-ocular lenses, pharmaceuticals and sutures for use in cataract surgery. The Aravind eye hospital was founded by Padmashree Dr. G. Venkataswamy.
Notes
- ^ "First woman Mayor for Madurai". The Hindu.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Census India
- ^ "History of Meenakshi Temple".
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Madurai
- ^ "Women Development" (PDF).
- ^ Meenakshi temple
- ^ The Meenakshi Temple - Madurai
- ^ Sri Meenakshi Temple (1623-1659)
- ^ "Elegant ambience". The Hindu. Oct 16, 2004. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
