Rajapalayam

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
type =
native_name = Rajapalayam
state_name = Tamil Nadu
district = Virudhunagar
latd = 9 |latm = 27 |lats = 0
longd = 77 |longm = 33 |longs = 0
locator_position = right
area_total =
area_magnitude =
altitude = 100.58
population_total = 121982
population_as_of = 2001
population_density =
leader_title_1 =
leader_name_1 =
leader_title_2 =
leader_name_2 =
footnotes =

Rajapalayam is a city and a 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 town of Srivilliputur. 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 here - Rajas or Rajus a Telugu 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'. [History of Rajapalayam. [http://www.rajapalayam.com/about.html] ] The Raju families of Raja-palayam are descendents of families led by the brother of the Vizianagaram Maharaja, Pusapati Chinna Raju, who intially 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 principle source of livelihood of people of Rajapalayam. In the mid 1900s, the small town of 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 Mango.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, [GR|India] 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.

Views

These photographs were taken from top of Sanjeevi Hills, showing parts of Rajapalayam with Western Ghats in the background.

Education

Rajapalayam has many higher secondary and high schools, which provide quality education. Most of the schools are established due to the vision and philanthropy of wealthy Rajus.

Notable schools in town are:
* Ananda Vidhyalaya
* N.A. Annappa Raja Higher Secondary school
* Chinmaya Vidyalaya
* S.S.Govt. Hr. Sec. School
* P. A. Chinnaiah Raja Memorial School
* P.A.C Ramasamy Raja Matriculation Hr Sec School
* A.K.D. Dharmaraja School
* Nadar Hr. Secondary School
* N.A. Ramachandra Raja Gurukulam
* P.K.K. Vidhyasram
* S.S.D.N School

These schools frequently compete with each other in providing better and quality education and people from the nearby town also come to these institutions to get education.

During the yester century,like many conservative communities, the womenfolk among the Raju's caste did not continue their schooling due to the restrictive nature of this community. Girls are mostly confined to their homes after they attain puberty. Today there has been a lot of progress and women continue their education beyond high school and many have become accomplished doctors, engineers and professionals. Higher education which was once the preserve of wealthy people of this town has become possible to its ordinary people with the beginning of a separate women's college in the town.

A Gurukulam (old style institute teaching Sanskrit and Vedic literature) has also been set up recently.

There is a polytechnic (TAFE) named,

*PACR Polytechnic College. A highly reputed technical institute and has produced a number of talented engineers in various fields.

*N.A.Manjammal Polytechnic college. having 5 courses gives quality education.

And, there are two colleges in the town, named:

*Rajapalayam Raju's College.
*AKD Dharma Raja Women's college.

Tourist attractions

Ayyanar Koil (Ayyanar Falls)

Ayyanar Falls is located on the slope of Western Ghats, It has lot of waterfalls and a temple. It provides good opportunity for woodland mountain climbing. Dam is situated on the way to Ayyanar Falls which is providing water for the whole city. Sanjeevi Hills"'

Sanjeevi Hills is situated in Rajapalayam on the way to Chatrapatti. The calm and serene ambience makes it a favorite spot for tourists. Tradition recounts that in order to save the unconscious Lakshmana, Hanuman, the monkey god carried the entire Sanjeevi Hill with the herbal plants to Sri Lanka and threw it away afterwards. It is said that the thrown down hill is the Sanjeevi Hills.

Srivilliputtur

Sri Andal's Temple is located here. Andal was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. The tower at the entrance gate (Main Gopuram) is the second highest in Tamil Nadu. And the tower is the symbol of Tamilnadu Government.

Shenbagathope Grizzled Squirrel Sanctuary

The forests are found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Only 6.3% of the total geographical area is under forests. Many rare and endemic varieties of flora and fauna are found along the mountain slopes. A wildlife sanctuary, spread over 480 square kilometres was established in 1989 at Shenbagathopu in 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 to 2010 m above sea level. The sanctuary is home to the endangered, arboreal grizzled giant squirrel "Ratufa macrora". This greyish brown squirrel weighs 1 to 1.8 kg. and is the size of a small cat. It measures about 735 mm. from nose to tail with the tail being 360 to 400 mm. long. They construct drays at forked branches where the crowns of neighbouring trees meet. This enables the squirrel to move away from the site by jumping from tree to tree when threatened. The home range of an individual is between 1,970 and 6,110 square metres.

Notable people

* P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja - Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1949-52) and Governor of Orissa (1954-56). [ [http://www.rajapalayam.org/kumarasamyraja.html Rajapalayam History] ] [ [http://www.virudhunagar.tn.nic.in/psk.htm Virudhunagar Official Weblink] ]
* P.A.C Ramasamy Raja - The founder of the Ramco Group of Industries, established in the year 1936. [ [http://www.ramcoindltd.com/about_ramco_industries.asp Ramco website] ]
* P.R. Ramasubrahmaneya Raja - Chairman - Ramco Group of Companies.
* N.A.Ramachnadra Raja - Founder - N.A.R. Group of Industries and Charity Trusts.

See also

* Rajus

References

External links

* [http://wikitravel.org/en/Rajapalayam Travel Rajapalayam]
* [http://www.rajapalayam.org Rajapalayam]
* [http://www.chennairajus.com Chennai Rajapalayam Rajus]
* [http://www.rjpmrajususa.com USA Rajapalayam Rajus]
* [http://www.Rajapalayam.com Rajapalayam]
* [http://www.rajapalaiyam.org Rajapalaiyam]
* [http://www.geocities.com/ragupathi_b/srss.htm Sri Guru Raghavendra Seva Sangh]