Kovilpatti: Difference between revisions

| native_name_lang                = Tamil and telugu

| settlement_type                = Special Grade Municipality

| nickname        

    | image_caption                  = Car festival at Shenbagavalli Amman temple

| nickname                  =  

| population_footnotes            =  

| demographics1_title1            = Official telugu

'''Kovilpatti''' is an industrial town and special grade municipality in [[Thoothukudi District]] in the Indian [[States of India|state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is the second largest town in the district and 12th largest town in Tamil Nadu. The town is spread around an area of {{Convert|49|km2}} and had a population of 95,097 in 2011 with the urban agglomeration having a population of above 3 lakhs.kovilpatti having second largest telugu speaking people's(nayakkar) after coimbatore outside the state of AP and telangana.  The Sithirai festival of the Shenbagavalli Poovananathar temple is celebrated annually in mid-April. Car festival is done by kammavar people's (telugu speaking people's).Kovilpatti is the leading producer of matches in the country and hence gets the name "Matchless city of Matches". It stands second in the firework industry in the country just after [[Sivakasi]]. Kovilpatti is famous for its unique candy kadalai mittai (Ground-nut candy) and is referred to as "Land of Homemade sweets and Savouries" .<ref>http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/in-search-of-kovilpatti-kadalai-mittai/article4316161.ece</ref> Manthithoppu Transgenders' Milk Producers' Cooperative Society (MTMPCS) - The first cooperative society in the country to be run by trans people was set up at Manthithoppu in Kovilpatti by the former [[Thoothukudi district]] Collector Mr.[[Sandeep Nanduri]] IAS<ref>{{ cite web | title = Towards transfarmation | url = https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/jan/23/towards-transfarmation-3 times Mla kadmpur se. Raj2253776.amp#aoh=16183815795954&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s}}</ref>

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The town already existed before 1876. Kovilpatti was a water stop for steam engines after the introduction of the Southern Railways, and the establishment of [[textile mill]]s like Loyal Textiles (1891) and Lakshmi Mills Ltd (1926) fueled the economic growth of the town. The Government Revenue divisional offices were sited there in 1911. The town was constituted as a Municipal Town in 1964 composed of Kovilpatti Village and Illuppaiyurani Village. In 1961, the area of the town was 2.64&nbsp;km² with a population of 33,305; in 1971, it extended to 7.25&nbsp;km² and the population reached 48,509. In 1991, it was 12.58&nbsp;km² with a population of 78,834.

In the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]], Kovilpatti had a population of 95,057. The sex-ratio of 1,065 females to 1,000 males much exceeded the national average of 929.<ref name="dashboard">{{cite web|title=Census Info 2011 Final population totals|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/censusinfodashboard/index.html|publisher=Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|year=2013|access-date=26 Jan 2014}}</ref> A total of 8,325 residents were under the age of six, constituting 4,158 males and 4,167 females. [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes]] accounted for 10.32% and 0.84% of the population respectively. The literacy rate of the city was 81.27%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.<ref name="dashboard"/> The city had a total of  25099 households in 2011. There were a total of 41,006 workers, comprising 85 cultivators, 165 main agricultural labourers, 932 in household industries, 36,989 other workers, 2,835 marginal workers, 26 marginal cultivators, 26 marginal agricultural labourers, 262 marginal workers in household industries and 2,521 other marginal workers.<ref name=2011census>{{cite web|title=Census Info 2011 Final population totals - Kovilpatti|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=700655|publisher=Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|year=2013|access-date=26 Jan 2014}}</ref>

In the religious census of 2011, Kovilpatti was 92.29% [[Hindus]], 2.48% [[Muslims]], 5.12% [[Christians]], 0.01% [[Sikhs]], 0.01% [[Buddhists]] and 0.08% followers of other religions.<ref name=religion2011>{{cite web|title=Population By Religious Community - Tamil Nadu|year=2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01.html|format=XLS|publisher=Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>

==Geography==

Kovilpatti is located at {{Coord|9.17|N|77.87|E|}}.<ref name=fallingrain>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/25/Kovilpatti.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Kovilpatti]</ref> It has an average elevation of 106&nbsp;metres (347&nbsp;feet). Located 100&nbsp;km south of [[Madurai]], 55&nbsp;km north of [[Tirunelveli]] and 60&nbsp;km north-west of [[Thoothukudi|Tuticorin]], Kovilpatti is situated on National Highway No. 07 [[NH 7]], which connects [[Srinagar]] in the north and [[Kanyakumari (town)|Kanyakumari]] in the south. The town lies approximately 130&nbsp;m [[above mean sea level]]. The climate of Kovilpatti town is hot and dry. Temperatures range between a maximum of 37&nbsp;°C and a minimum of 22&nbsp;°C. April to June are the hottest months and December and January are coldest with temperatures rising towards the end of February. Rainfall occurs mostly during the north-east monsoon in the months of October to December. However, the town receives little rainfall, averaging 840&nbsp;mm compared to the district average. Annual rainfall has ranged from 964&nbsp;mm to 228&nbsp;mm during past decades.<ref>{{cite web|title=About City|url=http://municipality.tn.gov.in/kovilpatti/abt_aboutcity.htm|publisher=Kovilpatti Municipality|year=2011|access-date=2013-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617171511/http://municipality.tn.gov.in/kovilpatti/abt_aboutcity.htm|archive-date=17 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Politics==

[[Kovilpatti (State Assembly Constituency)|Kovilpatti constituency]] was part of Sivakasi Lok Sabha Constituency till 2008. As per order of the [[Delimitation Commission]] in respect of the [[delimitation of constituencies]] in the Tamil Nadu, the [[Kovilpatti (State Assembly Constituency)|Kovilpatti constituency]] will be a segment of the new Thoothukkudi (Lok Sabha constituency) the member of loksabha currently is Mrs. K Kanimozhi  from DMK party and the state legislative member is Mr. Kadambur Raju.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.delimitation-india.com/Final_Publications/Tamilnadu/Final%20Notification%20&%20Order%20.pdf | title = Press Note, Delimitation Commission | access-date = 2009-03-12 | work = Assembly Constituencies in Tamil Nadu | publisher = Delimitation Commission}}</ref> Delimitation was made effective for all elections in the state of Tamil Nadu that is held on or after 19 February 2008.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=48192 | format = PDF | title = Press Note - Schedule for General Elections, 2009 | publisher = Press Information Burueau, Government of India | access-date = 2009-03-12}}</ref>

* Punitha Ohm College of Education <ref>{{cite web|url=http://municipality.tn.gov.in/kovilpatti/ser_schools.htm|title=Educational Institutions|year=2011|publisher=Kovilpatti Municipality|access-date=2013-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004232401/http://municipality.tn.gov.in/kovilpatti/ser_schools.htm|archive-date=4 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

 

 

 

*Shrikarra Vidhya Mandhir

 

*The Lakshmi Mills Higher Secondary  

 

 

==Economy==

Kovilpatti is one of the industrial cities in Tamil Nadu with almost all the Nationalized and Private banks having branches. The town started its industrial development earlier than 1891. The introduction of the Southern Railway, the establishment of Loyal Textiles (1891), [[Lakshmi Mills]] (1926),  establishment of Government Revenue Divisional Offices (1911), induced the industrial growth of the town. Kovilpatti is famous for match factories, like rose matches, cycle brand, eagle box. [[textile mill]]s and fireworks industry. Kovilpatti and its neighboring towns are candy paradise and most shops sell eatables like dark brown spiral candy, bright yellow wavy sev, Ellu mittai, cocoa mittai, cheeni mittai, karupatti mittai and yeni padi mittai .

==Culture==

 

[[Ettayapuram]] is situated about 15&nbsp;km east of Kovilpatti. It is notable as a cotton growing centre. It is also famous as the birthplace of Nationalist poet and freedom fighter, [[Subramanya Bharathi]]. Points of interest are the ruins of Ettayapuram Jamin palace, the Manimandapam of Bharathiyar, the birth house of Bharathiyar, and the memorial of Sri Muthusamy Deikshidar.

 

Panchalankuruchi is situated {{convert|3|km}} north of Ottapidaram, {{cvt|26|km}} north-west of Thootukudi and {{cvt|38|km}} south-east of Kovilpatti. The famous freedom fighter Kattabomman's fort was located here. At present only the fort remains; the rest of the settlement was destroyed by the British at the end of the war in 1799. In 1975, the government of Tamil Nadu constructed a fort in Panchalankurich in memory of the freedom fighter.

 

Kalugumalai is a massive dome of rock of {{cvt|300|ft}} height situated on the road connecting Kovilpatti and Sankarankoil, westerly. It is famous for a rock cut temple called "Vettuvankoil" and these arts also proudly called as "Southern Ellora". Another rock cut temple is dedicated to lord Subramaniya Swamy is located at the foot of the rock. The remains of "Samana Palli" or [[Jain]] school can be seen atop the hill along the Vettuvan Koil. The government of Tamil Nadu has listed this place as tourist place.{{vague|date=August 2019}}{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

 

 

 

Other than theatre, there are some small parks for children, such as LPL KIDS PARK, Ram Hanuman park and Rajaji park.

 

"Kadalai mittai" i.e. (Peanut candy/Chikki) is the signature dish of the town. It attracts people from all part of the world. Large quantities get exported to Southeast Asia, Europe and the US.It has got GI(Geographical Indication) tag from GOI in 2020

 

Similarly Kaisuthu muruku, Karuppatti Mithai and Karasevu are also notable food in the Kovilpatti region.

 

*[[Kovilpatti (State Assembly Constituency)]]