Parangipettai
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| ?Parangipettai Tamil Nadu • India |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| District(s) | Cuddalore |
| Population | 20,901 (2001) |
Coordinates: Parangipettai (Tamil:பரங்கிப்ேபட்ைட), historically called Porto Novo, is a panchayat town in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Parangipetta is situated on the north bank of the mouth of the Vellar river at a distance of 30-km from Cuddalore.It has a glorious historical background.
Due to its strong geographical position along the coromandel coast, it has been a major trading centre. Particularly, Parangipettai was an important trading destination for the Arabs, especially the Yemenis. During the colonial era, the Portuguese, Dutch and English successively colonized the area.
Today, Parangipettai is a town flourishing with money from overseas, particularly the Middle East and South East Asia. It also hosts a Marine Biology Station affiliated with the Annamalai University.
Parangipettai is an important pilgrimage centre for Muslims. Parangipettai is also well know for its unique and divesified Muslim population. It is ironic that Parangipettai still remains as a town in Tamilnadu, as it has seen arrival of wealth and different people even before the dawn of globalisation.
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[edit] History
Pettai means market place and Parangipettai means "the market place of foreigners" in Tamil. The town was called "Mahmood Banthar" during the Mughal Empire period, and later Porto Novo by the Portuguese, who controlled the region from the early 16th century to the early 18th century. The French named this place "Portonovo" when they temporarily occupied it before moving on to establish their colony in Pondicherry. Muslims living in Parangipettai have a unique Arab ancestry.It has other old names as Muthu krishnapuri when Naiyakkar ruled here.Also this place was called by Varunapuri(the place for 'Varuna' who is a god of rain).Now also it is noticeable that for at every monsoon times the high amount of rain is recorded.
The Second Anglo-Mysore War was fought here between Hyder Ali and the British under Sir Eyre Coote in July 1781. The town flourished as a sea port with connections to southeast Asia and as an industrial centre during British rule, when iron made here was exported to England. The Nawab of Arcot had his mint at Portonovo and the gold coin struck in this mint came to be called 'Portonovo Pagodas'. Later the English followed the same design when they minted the 'Negapatam' (Nagapatnam) Pagoda and the Dutch minted their coin in the same design at Tuticorin and Colombo mints. In Ceylon (Srilanka),in the Sinhala language it was known as 'ParangiPatta'.
There is a Gandhian connection also. A European disciple of Mahatma Gandhi established a school, the "Seva Sadan", based on Gandhian principles.
[edit] Muslims in Parangipettai
Muslims in Parangipettai have an unique origin. Muslims in parangipettai can trace their origin to several destinations, particularly the Middle East and North India. There are also different Muslim groups in Parangipettai, particularly the Maraicars and Sahibs.
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India census[1], Parangipettai had a population of 20,901. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Parangipettai has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 69%. In Parangipettai, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. Parangipettai people also called as Novians. Most of them migrate to other countries for their livelihood. Originally it was to Indo-china, then Malaya-singapore and presently Arab countries.Most of the muslim people depend on the income of their male relatives employed in arab countries.A sizable section of the population from fishing community is employed in merchant navy.
More than ten mosques in parangipettai, meerapalli ( Big Mosque and Jumma Palli), Gummath palii ( jummah Moque),Vathiyapalli, housepalli, Appapalli, Housepalli, Kadriya Mosque, Madina palli, Kalima palli, Ukkash (RA) mosque, habeebiyah palli. one of the history our forefather said, Ukkas (RA) companian of the Muslim prophet Muhammad his graveyard in portonovo, Allah knows best.
Notable Hindu Temples are Kumaran Kovil(Temple of Lord Muruga), Periya Kovil(Big Temple)for Lord shiva this temple has so many historical events as said in saivam this place is called as 'Thiruvarunamanmiyam'.In this temple famous 'Chitragupta','Sun'and 'Varuna' worshipped god to get the bliss.And it has the special event as; at the start of every tamil year in chitthirai month's first ten days the light ray of sun falls on the Linga God and Goddess.So many other Amman Temples (Temple of Goddesses)are here.Here in the year 203 AD Kriya Babaji Nagaraj was born on the night before the new moon during the Tamil month Karthigai (November 30).Here is a temple was constructed for him.
Two rivers join to sea here are 'vellaru' a branch of Kaveri and 'Buckingham Canal'.
[edit] External links
Portonovo HomePage Portonovo classified Latest Updates on Porto Novo
[edit] References
- ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.
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This Tamil Nadu location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Cuddalore District |
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| Taluk |
Chidambaram | Cuddalore | Kattumannarkoil | Panruti | Thittakudi | Vriddhachalam |
| Blocks |
Annagramam | Bhuvanagiri | Cuddalore | Kammapuram | Kattumannarkoil | Keerapalayam | Komaratchi | Kurinjipadi | Mangalur | Nallur | Panruti | Parangipettai | Vriddhachalam |
| Corporation |
None |
| Municipality |
Chidambaram | Cuddalore | Nellikuppam | Panruti | Vriddhachalam |
| Town Panchayat |
Annamalai Nagar | Bhuvanagiri | Gangaikondan | Kattumannarkoil | Killai | Kurinjipadi | Lalpet | Mangalampet | Melpattampakkam | Parangipettai | Pennadam | Sethiathoppu | Srimushnam | Thorapadi | Thittakudi | Vadalur |
