Rajapalayam

Rajapalayam (Tamil: [ɾaːdʑabaːɭaɪjam]) is a city and a special grade municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the largest municipality in the Virudhunagar district.Rajapalayam is located in the Madurai to Quilon Highway at a distance of 560 km from the State Capital Chennai. Economy is based on textile manufacture: the town has several mills for spinning and weaving cotton, as well as a large cotton market.

      Rajapalayam
      City
      Rajapalayam
      Location in Tamil Nadu, India
      Rajapalayam
      Rajapalayam (India)
      Coordinates: 9°27′0″N 77°33′0″E
      Country India
      StateTamil Nadu
      DistrictVirudhunagar district
      TalukaRajapalayam
      Government
       • TypeSpecial Grade Metro Municipality
       • MLAThangappandian.S (2019-Current)
      Area
       • Total68.008 km2 (26.258 sq mi)
      Area rank1
      Elevation
      		175 m (574 ft)
      Population
       (2011)
       • Total130,442
       • Rank34
       • Density1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi)
      Demonym(s)Rajapalayaththaan
      Languages
       • OfficialTamil
      Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
      Pincode(s)
      626117,626108,626110
      Area code(s)+91-4563
      Vehicle registrationTN 67,TN 84

      Rajapalayam is well known for its winter climate. Rajapalayam Mango, The Rajapalayam breed of dogs are famous and also Cotton industries.

      Geographic

      The mountains of the Western ghats are to the west of the city (12 km from the city), and the Sanjeevi hills are to the east. These moderate the climate, and several water catchment areas in the hills provide water for the city. Water is stored in the 6th mile water reservoir. There are several major lakes around the city, including Kondaneri, Karungulam, Pirandaikulam, and Sengulam. The soil in the area is classified by the government as red loam.[1]

      Climate

      The climate of the region is of the semi-arid tropical monsoon type. The average temperature range is 20 °C to 37 °C.

      Industries

      The principal industry was initially agriculture. In 1936, Shri P. A. C. Ramasamy Raja started the first cotton spinning mill, called Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. Later, more textile mills were started including Sree Karpagambal Mills Ltd. Today, Rajapalayam is a major hub of the textile industry, famous for bandages, woven fabric, nightwear, and other products. The neighboring town of Chatrapatti (Virudhunagar Dist) is a large player in producing surgical cotton gauze, and nearby Dhalavaipuram and Muhavoor produce women's nightwear.

      Demographics
      Religious census
      Religion Percent(%)
      Hindu
       
      		 94.53%
      Muslim
       
      		 3.48%
      Christian
       
      		 1.75%
      Sikh
       
      		 0.02%
      Other
       
      		 0.21%

      According to the 2011 census, Rajapalayam had a population of 130,442 with 1,014 females for every 1,000 males, far above the national average of 929.[2] A total of 11,604 individuals (5,927 males and 5,677 females) were under the age of six. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 13.51% and 0.09% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the city was 77.87%; the national average was 72.99%.[2] The city had a total of 37,797 households. There were 53,913 workers, comprising 380 cultivators, 3,676 main agricultural labourers, 1,375 in household industries, 45,223 other workers, 3,259 marginal workers, 34 marginal cultivators, 326 marginal agricultural labourers, 286 marginal workers in household industries and 2,613 other marginal workers.[3] According to the religious census of 2011, the population was 94.53% Hindu, 3.48% Muslim, 1.75% Christian, 0.02% Sikh and 0.21% other.[4]

      As of 2016, Rajapalayam had a population of around 275,000.

      Transportation

      By Land

      Road

      The National Highway NH-744 from Tirumangalam to Kollam passes through the city. State highway SH-41 (Rajapalayam-Sankarankovil-Tirunelveli) links the major parts of the extreme south of Tamil Nadu, including Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari. The road also offers good freight connectivity to Tamil Nadu's second largest seaport, Tuticorin. State highway SH-186 (Rajapalayam-Vembakottai) connects the town to the east part of Virudhunagar district and passes through the fast-growing industrial towns of Chatrapatti and Alangulam.

      Bus
      Rajapalayam Old Bus Stand

      Rajapalayam's long-distance bus station, located on Sankarankovil Road, is served by buses from the government of Tamil Nadu's TNSTC (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation) and private transport companies. Buses run to Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Trichy, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Mettupalayam, Sathyamangalam, Oddanchatram, Pondicherry, and Sengottai. Several Private bus services runs to Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore from Rajapalayam. Rajapalayam old bus station is currently serving buses to nearby villages Seithur, Muhavoor, Chatrapatti, Dhalavaipuram,devathanam and often called as Old bus stand or Town bus stand.

      Rail
      Main article: Rajapalayam railway station

      The Rajapalayam railway station is in the Southern Railways zone/Madurai division of Indian Railways and falls on the Virudhunagar to Kollam line. The station code is RJPM.[5]

      The Pothigai Express connects Rajapalayam to Chennai and runs daily. A Tri-weekly express train, the "Silambu Express" runs to Chennai via Aruppukottai, Manamadurai, Karaikudi and on to Sengottai. Kollam Express[6] runs between Chennai Egmore and Kollam Jn daily via Trichy, Madurai, Rajapalayam, Tenkasi. Passenger trains also run to Madurai. There are two temporary services runs between Velakkani & Ernakulam Jn[7] and between Chennai Egmore and Tirunelveli (via Tenkasi).[8]

      By Air

      The nearest International airport is Madurai Airport (~80 km).

      Tourist attractions

      Ayyanar Kovil Forest Area (Ayyanar Falls)
      Water Dam
      Ayyanar Fails

      Ayyanar Kovil forest area is 10 km west of Rajapalayam on the eastern slope of the Western Ghats. The forest area has many 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.

      Shri Raakatchiamman Temple & Falls

      It is also located in the foothills of Western Ghats which is around 10 km from the city. It is also a well known attraction for the falls. Comparing to the Ayyanar falls water flows here almost throughout the year.

      Sri Vallakattu Karuppasamy kovil

      Vallakattu Karuppasamy temple is situated en route to Ayyanar Kovil, in the middle of the forest next to the 6th Mile Dam that supplies water to Rajapalayam. Karuppu Sami is one of the 21 associate folk-deities of Ayyanar. This temple is one of the most famous in the area.

      Sanjeevi Hills

      Sanjeevi Hills lies to the east of Rajapalayam. The Murugan Temple is at the top of the hill. Tradition recounts that Hanuman, the monkey god, carried the entire mountain of Sanjeevi, complete with its herbal plants, to Sri Lanka to save the unconscious Lakshmana. A small portion of the mountain fell off en route, and this portion is said to be the Sanjeevi Hills.

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      References
      1. "Soil in Rajapalayam" (PDF). Virudhunagar district.
      2. "Census Info 2011 Final population totals". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
      3. "Census Info 2011 Final population totals - Rajapalayam". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
      4. "Population By Religious Community - Tamil Nadu" (XLS). Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
      5. P, Arpit. "Rajapalayam Station - 16 Train Departures SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
      6. "16101/Chennai Egmore - Kollam Jn Express (PT) - Chennai Egmore to Quilon SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry".
      7. "06016/Velankanni - Ernakulam Jn (Via Kollam Jn) Summer Special (PT) - Rajapalayam to South SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry".
      8. "06035/Tambaram - Tirunelveli Special (via Tenkasi) (PT) - Rajapalayam to Tirunelveli SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry".
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