Tiruchirappalli
| Tiruchirappalli (தி௫ச்சிராப்பள்ளி) Trichy |
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 |
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 Tiruchirappalli (தி௫ச்சிராப்பள்ளி)
in Tamil Nadu and India |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District(s) | Tiruchirappalli |
| Mayor | Sujatha |
| Population • Density |
866,364 (2001[update]) • 5,898 /km2 (15,276 /sq mi) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area |
146.90 square kilometres (56.72 sq mi) • 85 metres (279 ft) |
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Footnotes
Second capital of tamil nadu
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| Website | www.trichycorporation.gov.in |
Tiruchirappalli (Tamil: தி௫ச்சிராப்பள்ளி (tiruccirāppaḷḷi) pronunciation (spelt as Trichinopoly in the records of British India), also called Tiruchi or Trichy (Tamil: தி௫ச்சி), is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirapalli District. It is the fourth largest municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu and also the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state. Situated at a distance of 319 kilometres south of Chennai and 402 kilometres north of Kanyakumari on the national highway NH 45, it is located almost at the geographic centre of the state.
Tiruchirapalli is believed to have been named after the three-headed demon Trishira of Hindu mythoology who is believed to have indulged in penance and obtained favours at this place. The city is of great antiquity and has been ruled by the Early Cholas, Early Pandyas, Pallavas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Delhi Sultanate, Madurai Sultanate, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, the Carnatic state and the British at different times. The archaeologically important town of Uraiyur which served as the capital of the Early Cholas is a suburb of Tiruchirapalli. Tiruchirapalli has a number of historical monuments, the Rockfort and Thiruvanaikaval being the most prominent among them.
Tiruchirapalli is a prominent industrial and educational hub of central Tamil Nadu. The factories of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and the Golden Rock Railway Workshops are located in Tiruchirapalli. The National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Bharathidasan University, Bharathidasan Institute of Management and Anna University have their campuses in Tiruchirapalli.
Contents |
Etymology
There are several theories for the origin of the city's name. One is that Tiruchirapalli was named after the three-headed demon Trishira (or "Chira") who performed penance at the Shiva temple in the city and obtained favors. The city was therefore named after the demon. Another theory states that since there are three peaks in the area, which are occupied by Shiva, Parvati, and Vinayaka the name Tri-Shikharam or Tirisirapuram arose. The legend says that Shiva in the guise of a woman attended to the call of a devotee in labor, hence he is called as Matrubhuteswarar (Matru means mother, Bhuteswar is another name of Siva meaning 'king of ghosts') or Taayumaanavar in Tamil.[1]
The name Tiruchirappali is the combination of three words Thiru + Chira + Palli, meaning the 'School Chira'. In Thaayumanavar Temple in Rock fort, the pictures depict that there was a saint called 'Chira', who established a school ('Palli' in Tamil) near that area. Hence the name Chira Palli or Tiruchirappalli, Tiru is a honoric prefix for the saint Chira.
Normally the place names ends with 'Palli' refers the ancient devotional place of Jains (Samanar). Rocky caves in many places occupied by them. 'Palli' means not only school but also refers to resting place.
History
Tiruchirapalli, along with Madurai, is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Tamil Nadu. Uraiyur, which served as the capital of the Early Cholas from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD is a suburb of present-day Tiruchirapalli.[2] The oldest human-built dam, Kallanai, was built by Karikala Cholan across the Kaveri River about 10 miles from Uraiyur.
The medieval history of Tiruchirapalli begins with the reign of the Pallava king Mahendravarman I who ruled over South India in the 6th century AD.[2] Mahendravarman laid the foundation of the Rockfort which is regarded as the cultural symbol of the city and is one of the oldest surviving monuments in Tamil Nadu. Following the demise of the Pallavas in the 8th century AD, Tiruchirapalli was conquered by the Medieval Cholas under whom it served as a regional stronghold.
When the Chola Empire began to decline, Tiruchirapalli was conquered by the Pandyas[2] who ruled from 1216 to 1311 when they were defeated by Malik Kafur. The victorious armies of the Sultanate are believed to plundered and ravaged the kingdom. According to a local legend, the idol of Lord Ranganatha in the Hindu temple of Sirangam was saved from destruction by transporting it out of the city. Tiruchirapalli was ruled by the Delhi Sultanate and the Madurai Sultanate from 1311 to 1378 when it was annexed by the Vijayanagar Empire.In the year 1463 Tiruchirapalli along with parts of Tamil country was annexed by Surya Vamsi king of Orissa Gajapati Kapileswar Dev.He appointed his son Rajkumar Hamvira Dev as Governer of his southern most province.According to inscriptions the Gajaptis have made enourmous gifts& landgrants to Sri Rangaraja temple and other temples of this region.This region was a war ground between Gajapatis of Orissa & Vijayanagara Kingdom till 1510. Tiruchirapalli remained a part of the Vijayanagar Empire[2] and its successor, the Madurai Nayak kingdom till 1736. Under the Madurai Nayak kingdom, Tiruchirapalli was an important stronghold in the wars against the Thanjavur Marathas and later, Chanda Sahib. It served as the capital of the kingdom from 1616 to 1634 and from 1665 to 1736. In 1736, the last Madurai Nayak ruler Meenakshi committed suicide and Tiruchirapalli was conquered by Chanda Sahib who ruled the kingdom from 1736 to 1740 when he was captured and killed by the Thanjavur Marathas.
With regard to the centre of origin of iron,[3] Sir William Larke, Director of the British Iron and Steel Federation, says -
"The centre of origin is variously placed in India, where there are historical traditions and remains indicating a highly developed iron culture. Hyderabad and Trichinopoly are considered by many to have been the centres of production of wootz..... This steel was noted for centuries, being carried by merchants from India to Damascus and Toledo.." Sir William gives the date of this origin of the Iron Age as 1400 to 1500 B.C.E
The well-known Trichinopoly cigars are chiefly manufactured from Tobacco grown outside the district at Dindigul. It was said that Winston Churchill developed a taste for the mildly aromatic Trichy cigar that was traded from Fort St George to Whitehall during 2nd World War
One famous landmark in Tiruchirapalli is the Rock Fort, a big outcrop of rock, 83 metres in height. It is the only such outcrop of its kind. Because of it Trichy is also called as Rock City. On top of it is the Ucchi Pillayar Koil, a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vinayaka (Ganesh), from where one can enjoy a panoramic view of Tiruchirapalli. The temple was also used as a military fort by the Nayaks for some time.
On the southern face of the rock are several beautifully-carved cave temples of the Pallava period. On the eastern side is Sri Nandrudayan Vinayakar Temple, with Ganesha as the main deity. A large-sized Ganesha and depictions of other rare deities can be seen in this temple, which hosts festivals every year during the Vinayaka Chathurthi (birthday of Ganesha). Many Carnatic musicians have given concerts in this famous shrine. Around the rock temple is a busy commercial region, mainly known for its textiles and Burma, China, Japan goods, known as Chatram. The Main Guard Gate is flooded on festive occasions such as Deepavali, Ramzan, Bakrid, Christmas, and Pongal.
Trichy is famous for the number of Christian churches it has—it is said to have the greatest number of chapels in India. The most famous are Holy Redeemer's Church (Sagayamatha Kovil), Our Lady of Lourdes Church(built by Jesuits) near Chatram bus stand, and The Cathedral in Melapudur(built by Jesuits), all more than a century and a half old. The most famous college in Trichy, St. Joseph's College was also built by the Jesuits, and so was St. Joseph's school,etc. Trichy also is famous for Arcot Nawab masjid (one of the oldest), with its large water storage tank (Ahail)
Geography and climate
The topology of Trichy is flat. It lies at an altitude of 78 m above sea level. The area of the city is 146.90 sq. km while the urban agglomeration is spread over an area of 180 sq. km. There is also a plan to increase the area of the corporation to 223 sq. km which would result in an increase in population of 0.9 million(2001). The river Kaveri (also called Cauvery) and the river Coleroon (also called Kollidam) flows through Trichy, the latter forms the northern boundary of the city. The river Cauvery flows along WNW-SSE direction through the city.
The city is divided into three parts: the Cantonment area to the south, the temples to the north and the bazaar in the centre of the city.[2] Most of Tiruchirapalli's hotels and government and post offices are situated in the cantonment while most of Tiruchirapalli's temples are located in the north.[2] The Rockfort and its temple are situated in the centre of the city and surrounded by a bazaar.[2]
There are few hills located within the city, the prominent among them are Golden Rock, Rock Fort, Kajamalai and in Thiruverumbur. There are few reserve forests along the river Cauvery, located at the west and the north-west of the city. The southern and the south-western part of the district is dotted by several hills which are thought to be an offset of the Western Ghat. Eastern ghats also pass through the district. The soil here is considered to be very fertile. As two rivers flows through the city, the northern part of the city is more greener than other areas of the city.
Trichy has very hot climate, with humidity slightly above normal. The city experiences mild winters and humid summers. The timing of the monsoon in this part of the country has lately become unpredictable, with the rainy season starting from mid-October until early-November and the rains then extending until early or mid-January.
| Summer | Winter | |
|---|---|---|
| Max. | 41 °C (106 °F) | 36 °C (97 °F) |
| Min. | 21 °C (70 °F) | 18 °C (64 °F) |
Demography
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | %± |
| 1871 | 76,530 | — |
| 1881 | 84,449 | 10.3% |
| 1891 | 90,609 | 7.3% |
| 1901 | 104,721 | 15.6% |
| 1911 | 123,512 | 17.9% |
| 1921 | 120,422 | −2.5% |
| 1931 | 142,843 | 18.6% |
| 1941 | 159,566 | 11.7% |
| 1951 | 218,921 | 37.2% |
| 1961 | 249,862 | 14.1% |
| 1971 | 361,774 | 44.8% |
| 1981 | 609,538 | 68.5% |
| 1991 | 668,648 | 9.7% |
| 2001 | 752,066 | 12.5% |
As of 2001, Trichy had a population of 7,52,066 within the corporation limits and the urban agglomeration had a population of 8,66,354. Recent estimates peg the population of Trichy city to be 10,27,436, while the urban agglomeration has a population of 13,39,534. Males constitute 49.97% of the population and females 50.03%. Trichy has an average literacy rate of 91.45%, and is among the highest literate cities in India. Male literacy is 94.17% and female literacy is 88.73%. In Trichy 9.59% of the population is under 6 years of age. The city's population is predominantly Hindu (with both Saivaite and Vaishnavaite), and there are sizable population of Christians and Muslims.Around 10 percent of the population is Christian and the city is known for the number of churches it contains. Sikhs and Jains are also present in smaller numbers.
The most widely spoken language is Tamil, though there are also significantly large numbers of people speaking Telugu, Saurashtrian, Kannada and Malayalam. The standard dialect is the Central Tamil dialect.[4][5] Madurai Tamil is also widely spoken.
During the pre-independence era, Anglo-Indians, many of whom worked in the 'South-Indian Railways', started settling in 'Golden Rock-Township' and 'Crawford' located within the city. Crawford is considered as one of the expensive areas in the city. The place is predominantly Christian. Thillai Nagar is considered as the Beverly Hills of Trichy, with its real estate prices soaring to the skies.
Culture
The city has a multi-cultural society with a sizeable presence of Tamil, English, Marathi, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Urdu-speaking population. The city projects a calm outlook and is considered to be friendly toward tourists. One may experience typical Anglo-Indian, Andhra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu cuisines here. In addition to Pongal, the Thamizhar Thirunaal, Ugadi, Holi,Ramzaan,Bakareed & Onam are festivals celebrated by their respective communities retaining their cultural roots.
People living in Trichy have a rich ancient cultural heritage. The city served as the centre of fine arts since sangam literature periods. Uraiyur, the old head and name of the city, was the capital of early Cholas. Here lived a number of great Tamil Scholars and contributed to the Tamil literature.
Economy
- Power plant industry
Trichy is a major engineering, energy equipment and fabrication hub in Tamil Nadu. Nearly, 65% of India's Power plant equipments are made in trichy.
- BHEL -- Bharat Heavy Electriclas Limited
- Bharat Heavy Electriclas Limited (BHEL) is ranked among the leading Power Plant Manufacturers in the world. if turnover crossed 10008 cr in 2009-2010 At trichy, the High Pressure Boiler Plant of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was setup in 1963. Now, it is one of the foremost manufacturing facilities within BHEL and it has 3 major plants namely, High Pressure Boiler Plant, Seamless Steel Tube Plant and Boiler Auxiliaries Plant. BHEL is the first state-owned company to acquire ISO 9000 certification during 1993 for all its operations. Further it has been accredited to ISO 14001 Standard. It is having a very big Housing colony, with all facilities including good educational facilities, on the NH-67, just in front of the main factory. And it manufactures about 86% of the total outcome of BHEL is from this factory.BHEL was set up during the period of K.Kamaraj, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the statue of K.Kamaraj is there at the entrance of the Colony main Gate.
- CETHAR VESSELS LIMITED
- Incorporated in India,in the Year 1981. Started manufacturing activities in the year 1984.Achieved a sales turnover of Rs.1405 crores in 2007-2008.instaling 1000 boilers in operation.we make the power plants at present 2x150 mw. at present year 2010 the company order value above 5000 cr.we started turbine manufacturing in trichy we joint venture with russian form ojsg.today the annuam capasity of the company is 8000 mw we improving 12000 mw shortly.in future we make 350-660 mw power plants.
- GOLDEN ROCK RAILWAY WORKSHOP, HAPP and OFT are also based in trichy.
- TDCL -- Trichy distilleries & Chemicals LTD.Provides organic chemical material,organic salt,ceramic manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.6 products are acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetic anhydride, alcohols, and ethyl acetate.
- TSRM -- Trichy Steel Rolling Mills, Tamilnadu's biggest Melting and Re-rolling units of TMT bars.
- Dalmia Cements -- One of the famous cements in our country has its plant in Dalmiapuram - Trichy.
- EID - Parry -- Parry sugar factory is situated near petaivaithalai which also contributes in Trichy's Economy.
- A number of small scale industries have also sprung up in Trichy, mostly around Thuvakudi and Mathur.
- Sanmar group , Rane group , SRF and TVS are located in viralimalai zone.
- L&T, MRF, ANSOLDO are eyeing trichy to develop their business.
- Leather tanneries are located on the way to Pudukottai.
- Viralimalai, considered an industrial sub urban, has many factories.
- Manachanallur has numerous rice mills supplying polished rice all over Tamil Nadu and it is well known for the quality of the rise produced from its land.
- The economy of the city is driven to a certain extent by IT/ITES companies encouraged by the support from state government. A dedicated stretch of land has been identified and developed to increase the state's share in national IT/ITES exports. The government had begined its work for setting up IT park in the city. The economy of the city would be increased to a great extent after the park starts functioning.
- HCL has a carrier development centre in the city to guide the youth of the city.
Transportation
Trichy, considered as the Heart of Tamil Nadu is well connected by Road, Rail and Air throughout the country.
Roadways
Trichy is well connected to all parts of Tamil Nadu and many parts of the surrounding states. There are two Bus Stands at Tiruchirappalli, They are.
- Chathiram Bus Stand (also called Chinthamani Bus Stand or Main Guard Gate)
- This bus stand, near The Rock Fort temple, runs local and Mofussil (City-to-Town) bus services which connect people to nearby towns and villages such as Thuraiyur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Jayankondam, Vriddhachalam, Chidambaram, Neyveli, and many small towns and villages.
- Central Bus Station
- The central bus stand runs long distance services to major cities and states of South India such as Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Karaikal, Chennai, Madurai, Dindigul, Rameswaram, Villupuram, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Theni, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Tirupathi, Salem, Pudukkotai, Hosur, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur and also well-connected to Karnataka, Andhra and Kerala through private charter and Luxury buses.
- Bus services are frequent whole day and night, You can get a bus of any destination from Trichy.
- One can get buses from Trichy to almost any part of the state, due to its geographical location in the center of Tamil Nadu.
- Other Transport Facilities
- The State-run DCTC town buses cover areas from Trichy to Pudukkottai, Manapparai, Musiri, Viralimalai and Vallam.
- Private and public buses connect Trichy to all parts of Tamil Nadu.
- Tamil Nadu Government introduced the Share -Auto scheme in the year 2001.
- The city has a very wide network of city deluxe buses .
National Highways
On the road infrastructure, the city has four lane highways from the centre, branching to destination Chennai, Madurai, Nagappattinam and Coimbatore. The four-laning of Chennai-Trichy-Madurai and Trichy-Tanjore is almost completed. The widening of Trichy-Karur, Trichy-Dindigul and Trichy-Rameswaram is under progress. National Highways passing through Trichy are :
| NH No. | Route | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Chennai-Chengalpattu-Viluppuram-Ulundurpettai-Trichy-Dindigul-Theni | 460 |
| 45B | Trichy-Thuvarankurichchi-Melur-Madurai-Aruppukottai-Ettaiyapuram-Tuticorin | 257 |
| 67 | Nagappattinam-Thiruvarur-Thanjavur-Trichy-Karur-Kangayam-Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Ooty–Bandipur-Gundlupet | 555 |
| 210 | Trichy-Pudukkottai-Karaikkudi-Devakottai-Devipattinam-Ramanathapuram | 160 |
| 227 | Trichy-Lalgudi-Kizhapalur-Jayamkondam-Kattumannarkoil-Kumaratchi-Chidambaram | 135 |
State Highways
Trichy is situated in the central part of Tamil Nadu, as a result the roadways in Tamilnadu runs towards Trichy from all directions. Trichy is one of the central hub for state transportation. The state highways passing through Trichy are
| SH No. | Route | Districts Covered | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Trichy-Chidambaram (Converted as NH-227) | Cuddalore,Ariyalur,Trichy | 135 |
| 25 | Trichy-Namakkal | Trichy,Namakkal | 77 |
| 26 | Trichy-Pudukkottai-Aranthangi-Mimisal | Trichy,Pudukkottai | 120 |
| 30 | Musiri-Thuraiyur-Athur | Trichy,Salem | 61 |
| 62 | Trichy-Thuraiyur | Trichy | 32 |
| 71 | Musiri-Kulithalai-Manapparai-Pudukottai-Peravoorani-Sethubavachatram | Karur,Trichy,Pudukkottai,Thanjavur | 156 |
- Trichy has the most no. of flyovers in Tamil Nadu next to Chennai.
- Trichy also has an ring road under construction which connects all the 5 national highway tracks leading out from the city.
Railways
Trichy is a division of Southern Railway (India). Southern railway connecting the central part of Tamil Nadu to various parts of India, notably regions in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. Trichy Railway Junction has five branches leading to Madurai, Rameswaram, Erode, Tanjore and Chennai.
Credits & Developments
- Trichy is one of the busiest railway junctions in India.
- It is the second biggest railway station in Tamilnadu next to Chennai Central.
- It has more than 200 train crossings per day in its division.
- The railway station has been accredited with international standards, and development is under process.
- Electrification between Villupuram and Tiruchirapalli has been completed and electric trains are being run in this section.
- Electrification between Trichy and Madurai is under progress.
- Four of the five platforms are always filled with people.
- The Junction has been given 5 stars for electricity conservation, which is one of the few stations given such.
- Golden Rock Locomotive Workshops is a firm in India that manufactures railway locomotives and other kinds of rolling stock.Its age is 75 years old and is the biggest wagon construction unit in India.
Trichy Division Jurisdiction
Broad Gauge
- Villupuram - Vriddhachalam - Tiruchchirappalli (Chord line)
- Tiruchchirappalli - Thanjavur - Kumbakonam - Mayiladuthurai
- Villupuram - Puducherry
- Vriddhachalam - Cuddalore Port Jn.
- Thanjavur - Nagapattinam - Karaikal
- Tiruchchirappalli Jn - Tiruchchirappalli Fort (Including)
Under Gauge Conversion
- Villupuram (Excluding) - Cuddalore Port Jn - Mayiladuthurai (Main Line)
- Tiruvarur - Nagore
- Villupuram - Vellore Cant.
Metre Gauge
- Mayiladuthurai - Karaikkudi
- Tiruthuraipoondi - Agasthiampalli
Trains Originating from Trichy
- Trichy - Chennai Pallavan Express
- Trichy - Howrah Howrah Express
- Trichy - Chennai Rockfort Express
- Trichy - Mayiladuthurai Mayiladuthurai Express
- Trichy - Chennai Cholan Express
More over there are 22 Passenger trains operating from Trichy connecting near by Towns such as Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Karur, Erode, Nagore, Vriddhachalam, Palakkad(Kerala), Dindigul, Cuddalore, Rameshwaram, Karaikkudi.
Trains Passing through Trichy junction
- Madurai - Lokmanya Tilak Express
- Chennai - Guruvayur Express
- Chennai - Madurai Vaigai Express
- Mumbai - Nagercoil Express(Via. Tirupati)
- Chennai - Rameshwaram Express
- Chennai - Kanniyakumari Express
- Chennai - Tuticorin Pearl City Express
- H.Nizamuddin - Madurai Tamil Nadu Sampark Kranti Express
- H.Nizamuddin - Kanniyakumari Tirukkural Express
- Chennai - Nagercoil Express(three trains with different routs and frequencies)
- Chennai - Tiruvananthapuram Ananthapuri Express
- Chennai - Sengottai Pothigai Express
- Howrah - Kanniyakumari Express
- Chennai-Tirunelveli Nellai Express
- Chennai - Madurai Pandian Express
- Chennai - Mangalore Express
- Bhubaneswar - Rameshwaram Express(Via. Mayiladuthurai)
- Varanasi - Rameshwaram Express (Via. Mayiladuthurai)
- Chennai - Tiruchendur Express (Via. Mayiladuthurai)
- Chennai - Rameshwaram Sethu Express(Via. Mayiladuthurai)
- Coimbatore - Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express
- Mysore - Mayiladuthurai Express
- Jammu Tawi - Tirunelveli Link Express
In addition to these express trains there is two Passenger trains passing through Trichy
- Madurai - Villupuram Passenger
- Mayiladuthurai - Tirunelveli Link Passenger
Railway stations in Trichy city
| Station name | Station code |
|---|---|
| Tiruchirapalli Junction | TPJ |
| Tiruchirapalli Town | TPTN |
| Tiruchirapalli Fort | TP |
| Tiruchirapalli Palakkarai | TPE |
| Ponmalai | GOC |
| Srirangam | SRGM |
| Thiruverumbur | TRB |
| Uttamar Kovil | UKV |
Airways
Tiruchirapalli Airport or Trichy Airport (IATA: TRZ, ICAO: VOTR) is a major airport mostly serving Tiruchirapalli and adjacent districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the second largest airport in Tamil Nadu next to Chennai Airport and also the second airport in the state to get International Connectivity. The airport, located on the NH 210 Tiruchirapalli - Rameswaram highway, is 5 km (3.1 mi)[6] south of the city centre. The airport operates flights to Indian cities, territories, and neighbouring countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Gulf by Air Asia, Indian Airlines, Air India Express, Srilankan Airlines, Mihin Lanka, Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airways. Trichy airport;
Integrated Terminal Building
The New Integrated Terminal (Inaugurated on 21 February 2009 and started operations from 1 June 2009) has an area of 11777 sq m and is made of glass and steel structure having modern passenger friendly facilities such as central air conditioning system, aerobridges,baggage conveyor system, escalators, public addressing system, Flight Information Display System (FIDS), CCTV for surveillance, check in counters, car parking, etc.
The Integrated Terminal Building has peak hour passenger handling capacity of 400 passengers and annual handling capacity of 3.24 lakhs. It has 2 aerobridges, 12 Check-in counters, 1 X ray scanners (for baggage). It also has 8+8=16 Immigration Counters (Dep. + Arr.), 2+4=6 Custom Counters (Dep. +Arr.), 2 Security check units and 3 Conveyor Belt – arrival (47m each).
The expansion of apron has been completed to cater for parking of total 7 aircraft: 3 Category 'D' and 4 Category 'C' type of aircraft from existing capacity of 3 Category 'C' type of aircraft.A new Air Traffic Control Centre is also being planned to be constructed to cope up with growing air traffic in the region.[6]
Expansion
Tiruchirapalli Airport is on Rs 150 crore expansion mode since 2004. The runway was expanded from 6,000 ft (1,829 m) to 8,136 ft (2,480 m). The apron was expanded to hold 10 aircraft and new taxiway was constructed at cost of Rs 40 cr. The construction of Rs. 80 cr New Integrated Terminal Building with world class features has been completed and inaugurated on 21st of February 2009. It consists of 2 aerobridges and provision for an additional gate.The Glass ATC tower with modern features is under construction.
Further, the airport is one of the non-metro airports selected for Rs. 200 cr city side development on public-private partnership model. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has already appointed a legal advisor for this and will shortly release a tender for the work. AAI has proposed Phase II expansion on 500 acres (2.0 km2). The expansion includes extending the runway to 12,500 ft (3,810 m), construction of cargo, hangars, parking bay for aircraft maintenance and other works. The state government would provide land free to AAI for the phase II expansion. The Phase II expansion has been pending for a year due to land acquisition issues. People in and around the airport have opposed the move to acquire their land. The expansion gained momentum recently with the district administration deciding to go ahead with land acquisition opposite to the airport and also possible closure of the Tiruchirapalli-Pudukottai highway. There is a plan to bring up a cargo terminal at the airport.
| Domestic | |
|---|---|
| Carrier | Destination |
| Air-India Express | Chennai, |
| Kingfisher Airlines | Chennai |
| Paramount Airways | Chennai |
| International | |
| Carrier | Destination |
| AirAsia | Kuala Lumpur |
| SriLankan Airlines | Colombo |
| Air-India Express | Singapore, Abu-Dhabi, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, |
| Mihin Lanka | Colombo |
Flight Training and Pilot Training Centres
Also owing to excellent conditions prevailing at Trichy Airport which is highly suitable for Flight Training. Trichy Airport is now the hotspot for establishment of flight training and pilot training centres in southern India. Given the state of the art infrastructure available here, it is an ideal training airport and base for aspiring pilots. VKN group have established a flight academy called VKN Aviation Academy with a fleet comprising of 5 brand new Cessna 172 R Glass Cockpit Aircraft.
Administration
The city is a Municipal Corporation. It also serves as the headquarters of the district with the same name. The city is headed by a Mayor, under whom are the Deputy Mayor and several councillors elected by people representing administrative wards; as well as a corporation Commissioner of the rank of IAS to administer the city.
The city has one Member of Parliament representing the Trichy Constituency, Pudukkottai Parliamentary Constituency has been merged with trichy and few regions are mearged with other constituency for administrative reasons. Both Tiruchi (East) and Tiruchi (West) assembly constituencies are part of Tiruchirappalli (Lok Sabha constituency).[7]
The district is headed by the District Collector of the rank of IAS. The District court is the highest court of appeal in Trichy/Tiruchirappalli. The city has seen moderate to high development in spite of funds constraint.
The city's police force is headed by the City Police Commissioner of the rank of IPS. One of the 5 Central prisons of the state is located here and also a prison for women
Education
- Considered an educational city, Tiruchirapalli has schools and colleges that are hundreds of years old. St. Joseph's College (SJC) is one of the important and the oldest institution in Trichy, with more than 160+ years of its presence. College Road in Chatram has three colleges and five schools, including St. Joseph's College.
- Notable educational institutions from the city include: National College, Bishop Heber College, Jamal Mohamed College, National Institute of Technology (formerly known as REC Trichy), Anna University Trichy, Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Bharathidasan University, the Government Law College and K.A.P Viswanatham Government Medical College.
- The Indian Institute of Management is scheduled to open in Trichy by 2010-2011.[8]
- Former President of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and writer Sujatha Rangarajan (Rangarajan) studied here. R. Venkataraman, another former President of India also had his education in Trichy.
- Among the schools in Trichy, Campion Anglo Indian Boys Higher Secondary School, St. Joseph's Anglo Indian Girls' Higher Secondary School, RSK Higher Secondary School, Bishop Heber Hr Sec School,Teppakulam and E.R.Higher Secondary School are the best.
Health-care
The city has numerous hospitals. Apart from the Government hospital, several multi-facility hospitals function in the city. The district's health department is one of the best in terms of implementing government-initiated healthcare schemes.
Rare surgical procedures have taken place in some of the hospitals in the city. The polio eradication programme is heavily assisted by various NGOs and clubs in the city. It also has many sidhdha/unani/ayurveda/homeopathic clinics.
Tourism
- Temples of Historical Importance:
- A number of temples of historic importance stands here in Trichy include Sri Rangam, Rock Fort, Samayapuram, Thiruvanaikkaval, Vekkaliyamman, Iyappan Temple, Vayalur Murugan Kovil, Somarasam Pettai Mariyamman Kovil, Uyyakondan Thirumalai, Erumbeeshwar Temple, Rettai Malai Sami Kovil,bikshandar koil, etc.
- Planetarium/Science centre:
- The Anna Science Centre-Planetarium is located at Guttapet, 5 km from Trichy-Central bus terminus on Pudukkottai Road, close to Trichy Airport.
- Zoo:
- A Zoological Park has been proposed to be set up in Trichy, along the River Cauvery.
- Picnic spots:
- Grand Anaicut at Kallanai (24 km) is an ancient dam built (according to legends) by Karikala Chola across the River Cauvery in the 1st century CE. It still is in use as part of the district's irrigation system.
- Mukkombu or Upper Anaicut (18 km) is a wonderful picnic spot where the River Kollidam or Coleroon branches off from the River Cauvery.
- Viralimalai (30 km) a hillock has a peacock sanctuary at the foothills.
- Sittanavasal (58 km) is the site of an ancient Jain monastery with exquisite fresco paintings in a cave. It is also noted for its prehistoric burial grounds.
- Puliancholai (72 km) is a waterfall in the foothills of the Kolli Hills. It is a nice picnic spot.
- Musiri (20 km) here Thiruengoimalai Maragatha Lingeswar temple is nice place and also cavery river is looking nice, when we see from the Thiru-engoi-malai.
- Hill Station
- Kolli Hills seated on the Pachamalai (Green hills) range which in turn is an eastern offshoot of the Eastern Ghats. The Pachaimalai range of hills is cut across by the River Cauvery at numerous places, forming small valleys.
- Kolli Hills is a low lying hill station with gentle plateau falls inside Trichy district. Though the altitude of these hills is only average, it always has a pleasant climate and many parts of the hills are heavily wooded. However, it has retained its pristine beauty owing to being lesser known among the tourists.
- Kollam Pond, is a large water-body located in Crawford lies along the Trichy-Madurai Railway line. The pond is home to different types of bird varieties including ducks and Kingfisher. One could also see few fisherman spreading nets naviagating with the help of vehicle tyre tubes.
Important and Famous Temples, Churches and Mosques
Important Temples
- The spectacular Rock Fort Temple, the landmark of the city, is on the shores of the River Cauvery. It is perched on a massive rocky outcrop at an altitude of 83 m above sea level. The Thayumanaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is situated halfway to the top. It has a 100-pillar Hall and a vimana covered with gold. On the southern face of the rock are several beautifully carved rock-cut cave temples of the Pallava period.
- The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, situated 6 km north within the city, is among the most revered shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu in South India, and is the largest temple complex in the world. Shrouded in a haze of coconut palms away to the north, the temple is built on an island in the middle of the River Cauvery and covers an area of 2.5 km². Enclosed by seven rectangular walled courtyards, this temple has 21 gopurams, the largest of which was completed in 1987 and measures 73 m in height. Srirangam Town is an island and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. The temple is replete with excellent carvings and numerous shrines dedicated to various gods. It is believed that Sri Ramanujar the Vaishavite saint and philosopher is embalmed inside the temple premises in the Sri Ramanujar Sannidhi.
- Erumbeeswarar Temple, also known as Tiruverumbeeswarar Temple, is located at Thiruverumbur, in Tiruchirappalli District of Tamil Nadu. It is located about 15 km east of Tiruchirapalli, on the way to Thanjavur. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple enshrines Erumbeeswarar as the presiding deity along with his consort Saurabhya Kudalaambal.The temple has several inscriptions dating back to the Chola and Pandya period
- The Jambukeshwara Temple (Thiruvanaikaval), dedicated to Lord Shiva, is situated just 2 km east of Srirangam and houses five concentric walls and seven gopurams. Mythology has it that an elephant once worshipped the Lord under the Holy Jambu Tree, and hence the name Jambukeshwara. The principal deity is the shiva lingam, almost submerged in water, which flows from the subterranean spring in the sanctum sanctorum. It is one of the panchabhoota sthalam - representing five basic elements. This is the Appu Sthalam among the Pancha Bootha Sthalams.
- The others are -
- Tiruvannamalai (Thejo sthalam - Fire)
- Kanchipuram (Prithvi sthalam - Earth)
- Kalahasti (Vayu sthalam - Air)
- Chidambaram (Akasa sthalam - Space).
- The Samayapuram Mariamman Temple is located 12 km north of the Trichy central bus terminus on Trichy-Chennai NH 45. The Maariamman Temple is one of the most visited shrines in Tamil Nadu, dedicated to Maariamman, a manifestation of the primeval energy shakti as the mother goddess. The offerings are in various forms. The most common offering is the mavilakku mavu made of jagery, rice-flour, dhal and ghee. Mariamman is believed to be a form of shakti associated with prosperity and health. Local beliefs associate the deity with cures for diseases such as small-pox and chicken-pox. Samayapuram was a local capital of the Vijayanagar rulers in the vicinity of Tiruchirappalli, and was known as Vikramapuram.
- Tirupattur is located around 5 km from Samayapuram. It is famous for its Bramhapureeswarar Temple which has a huge shrine for Lord Brahma. This is the second of the two temples dedicated to Lord Bramha in the world. The first being in Pushkar near Ajmer, Rajasthan.
- Katha Veeraiya swamy temple is a very famous temple in Tamil Nadu. It is located in Pachur near Mannachanallur. (Bus root no 27a,e )
- The Bikshandar koil also called as uttamar kovil is about 5 kilometers from chatiram bus stand. It is one of the 108 divya desams.
Important Churches
- The architecture of the St. Lourde's Church situated within the St. Josephs College Campus is awe inspiring.
- The Poondi Madha Basilica is one of the famous churches near Trichy. It is approximately 25 km from Trichy junction and around 12 km from the Grand Anaikut, Kallanai.
Important Mosque
- There are numerous other churches, temples, and mosques in and around the city.
- The first mosque of Tamil nadu is in Trichy near Fort station.The Nadhar Shah mosque is rumored to be over a 1000 years old.
Khanmian Masjidh and Nanamuna Masjidh are in Palakkarai where Muslims are living bulk.
Media and communication
- Dailies
The city has two major English dailies, The Hindu and The New Indian Express. Tamil language dailies include Dina Malar, Dina Thanthi, Dina Mani and Dinakaran with two other dailies Tamil Murasu and Malai Malar published in the evening.
- Radio Station
A short wave radio station is operated by All India Radio, with most programmes in Tamil, English and Hindi. A FM station AIR FM Rainbow operated by All India Radio with the programmes in Tamil, English and Hindi, Also a other Private FM Stations Hello FM 106.4Mhz (Malar Publication), Suryan FM 93.5Mhz (SUN Network),Gyan vani(Educational)FM 104.8Mhz and Holy Cross (Educational) 90.4Mhz Operated in this City.
- Television
Television relay started in 1985 from Delhi Doordarshan. In 1986, after inception of a repeater tower at Kodaikanal, telecast from Madras Doordarshan commenced. Television reception is through DTH or by Cable, while "Doordarshan" reception is still available using an external antenna.
- Telecom
Trichy has an excellent communication infrastructure, with the major cellular/broadband service providers involved in. Telecom services BSNL (Second Largest Electronic Exchange in Tamilnadu), VSNL (TATA Indicom), Reliance, Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel and BPL available are by Landline, CDMA and GSM. Fiber optic cables were laid in 2001, improving internet access.
Entertainment
- Zoo:
- A Zoological Park has been proposed to be set-up in Trichy soon.
- Theme Park:
- A Water-theme park proposed by Trichy City Corporation is to come-up in Anna Nagar soon.
- Also another theme park promoted by a private company is under construction near Kudamuratti river within Trichy city limit.
- List of Theaters in Trichy
The following list gives the Cinema halls in Trichy city. There are local, defunct and non-operating theatres which are not included in this list.
| Cinema Theatres | Location | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Kalaiyarangam | Central Bus Stand | A/C, Qube Digital, 70MM |
| Maris | Fort Station | A/C, DTS, 70MM |
| Cauvery | Palakkarai | A/C,Qube Digital, DTS |
| Sona | Central Bus Stand | A/C,Qube Digital, DTS |
| Mega Star | Thillai Nagar | A/C,Qube Digital, DTS |
| Ramba | Chatram Bus Stand | A/C, Qube Digital |
| Meena | Central Bus Stand | A/C,Qube Digital, DTS, 35MM |
| Venkatesha | Tiruvanaikovil | A/C,Qube Digital, DTS |
| Maris Rock | Fort Station | A/C, DTS |
| Oorvasi | Chathram Bus Stand | A/C, 35MM |
| Star | Thennur Terminal | A/C, DTS |
| Ramakrishna | Thennur | DTS |
| Maharani | E.B.Road | 70MM |
| Urvashi | Chatram Bus Stand | 70MM |
| Aruna theatre | Ramalinga Nagar | 70MM |
| VVV theatre | Ponnagar | 70MM |
| Venkateshwara Theatre | Mannarpuram | 70MM |
Notable people
Some prominent people from Trichy include:
- Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (Sir CV Raman) , Indian physicist and Nobel laureate in physics (Nobel Prize-winning physicist)
- Akilan, author, Tamil scholar, Sahitya Akademi Award recipient
- Sujatha Rangarajan, writer
- Hema Malini, actress
- Lalgudi Jayaraman, violinist
- Kavingnar Vaali, Tamil poet and lyricist
- M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, first superstar of Tamil cinema
- A. R. Murugadoss, Tamil Film Director.
- Prasanna, Tamil Film Actor
- Iravatham Mahadevan, famous epigraphist, specializing on the Indus script and Early Tamil epigraphy.
- James Vasanthan, music director
- Rajagopal Sathish Cricket player
- Vanitha Rangaraju Ramanan, OSCAR award winner in 2004
Notes
- ↑ Kanniks Kannikeswaran. "Tiruchirappalli Matrubhuteswarar -Taayumaanavar Temple - Shivastalam". Templenet.com. http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s132.html. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Lonely Planet, pp 411
- ↑ Bulletin of the British Iron and Steel Federation,1949.
- ↑ Dravidian case system, Volume 1. Annamalai University. 1976. pp. 264.
- ↑ "Language Variation in Tamil". http://www.lisindia.net/Tamil/Tamil_vari.html.
- ↑ http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=22755
- ↑ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- ↑ Opening of IIM Trichy.
arya Tamil actor
References
- Joe Bindloss, Sarina Singh (2007). Country Guides - India. Lonely Planet. ISBN 1-74104-308-5, ISBN 978-1-74104-308-2.
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