Sivakasi

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Sivakasi
Sivakasi
State - District(s)	Tamil Nadu - Virudhunagar
Coordinates	9.45° N 77.82° E
Area - Elevation	- 101 m
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Population (2001) - Density	72,170 -

For the film, see Sivakasi (film).

Sivakasi (Tamil:சிவகாசி) is a city and a municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

It is most famous for its fireworks factories with at least 300 manufacturers based there. Sivakasi is also known for printing industry and match boxes and its highly industrious nature and was given the nickname "Kutty Japan" (meaning "Little Japan" in Tamil) by Jawaharlal Nehru.

1 Demographics
2 History
3 Geography
4 Industry
5 Education
6 Culture
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^GRIndia, Sivakasi had a population of 72,170. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Sivakasi has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 72%. In Sivakasi, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] History

Sivakasi has a history of more than 600 years.

Between 1428 and 1460 AD, King Harikesari Parakkirama Pandian, then king of Tenkasi, ruled the southern region of Madurai, with his capital at Tenkasi. According to legend, he wanted to construct a temple for Lord Shiva at his palace. Therefore he went to Kasi Varanasi and worshiped Lord Shiva there and brought a Shivalingam from there. While returning to his palace with the prized lingam, he took rest under a grove of Vilva trees, which are favored by Shiva. The cow which carried the Shivalingam refused to move from that point, and also the King's wife attained puberty that night, which prevented the carrying of the lingam to Tenkasi. The king realised that the wishes of Lord Shiva were different from his own and placed the lingam in the place where the cow had halted. The place which was sanctified by the "Shivalingam brought from Kasi" henceforth came to be called Sivakasi.

Later on King Pandia and King Thirumalai Naicker contributed to the expansion of this temple and named it "Kasi Viswanatha Swamy" Temple. The period of construction was between the 15th and 16th centuries. Aanaiappa Gnani reconstructed this temple. Under the rule of the Naickers, the temple was developed more. In 1659, the Ratham (the temple chariot for processions during festival times) was constructed by Muthu Veerappa Naicker.

[edit] Geography

Sivakasi is located at 9.45° N 77.82° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 101 metres (331 feet).

[edit] Industry

Sivakasi's industries grew out of the economic struggles of India in the 1960s. Without government aid, the community constructed matches, fireworks, and printing industries, which today contribute 80% of India's total safety matches production, 90% of India's total fireworks production, and 60% of India's total offset printing solutions. It is one of the highest Sales/Excise/Customs Duty paying towns, and has achieved 100% employment.

Sivakasi may be called as "A town of three industries", namely - Printing / Offset Printing Press - Pyrotechnics (Fire Works) & Crackers - Safety Matches & Color Matches

Sivakasi town is known for its fireworks manufacturing reputation and offset printing machines of which it has the second largest number in the world, next to Guthenburg, a city in Germany.

Ayya Nadar and his brother Shanmuga Nadar founded the match industry and several colleges, and Kaliappa Nadar founded the printmaking industry.