Bodinayakkanur

Bodinayakkanur
Bodinayakanur, Bodi Naickanur
city

View of Bodinayakkanur from bodi mettu hills
Nickname(s): Bodi
Bodinayakkanur

Location in Tamil Nadu, India

Coordinates: 10°01′N 77°21′E / 10.02°N 77.35°ECoordinates: 10°01′N 77°21′E / 10.02°N 77.35°E
Country  India
State Tamil Nadu
District Theni
Elevation 353 m (1,158 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 75,675
Languages
 • Official Tamil
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 625 513
Telephone code 04546
Vehicle registration TN 60 Z
Website municipality.tn.gov.in/bodi/

Bodinayakanur (also spelled Bodi Naickanur; or shortened to just Bodi) is a city and a municipality in Theni district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. As of 2011, the town had a population of 75,675.

Demographics

According to 2011 census, Bodinayakanur had a population of 75,675 with a sex-ratio of 1,018 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[1] A total of 6,544 were under the age of six, constituting 3,334 males and 3,210 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 7.61% and .03% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 76.18%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[1] The town had a total of 20333 households. There were a total of 30,234 workers, comprising 1,117 cultivators, 6,602 main agricultural labourers, 621 in house hold industries, 18,623 other workers, 3,271 marginal workers, 89 marginal cultivators, 1,574 marginal agricultural labourers, 134 marginal workers in household industries and 1,474 other marginal workers.Thevars,Chettiyars,Reddiyars and Naiyakars are dominant and powerful caste.[2]

History

Bodinayakanur is the second largest and most populated city in Theni district; the city is the taluk headquarters. Due to the weather and natural beauties, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, called the city as "South Kashmir". Town located on the foothills of the Western Ghats, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. This town is surrounded by the ranges of Western Ghats on three sides, offering spectacular views of the Ghats. Theni, the nearest market town is 16 km from Bodi.

During the nineteenth century, Bodinayakanur was an important place in the Travancore province. There is a small palace built by the Rajah of Travancore. This palace has been built with the Jaipur Palace in mind. Bodinayakkanur is the "Cardamom Capital of India".

Origin of the name

In early days, it's called by the name Thenkasiyampathi(Tamil#தென்காசியம்பதி). The history behind the new name of the town is interesting. Once a wild boar roamed in the nearby lowland forest. It often intruded into the town and ruined the farms. So the Rajah of Travancore had announced that the town will be named after the person, who kills the wild boar. So the town has been named as Bodayanayakkanur, after the person Bodayanayakkar, who killed the wild boar. Later it got transformed to Bodinayakanur.

Location

Bodinayakanur is situated at the foot-hill of Western ghats in Theni district. It is located on the Cochin-Madurai-Rameswaram National Highway 49 (India). It is accessible by the road from Chennai, Madurai and various parts of the State. Bodinayakanur was connected with Madurai by meter-gauge railway until December 2010 after which the service was stopped for gauge conversion to broad-gauge.

Conversion of all meter-gauge lines to broad-gauge - "Project Unigauge" of the Indian Railways - is the avowed goal to have seamless operations across the length and breadth of India without any disruptions or change of trains due to track gauge difference.

Since the closing down of the track at the end of 2010, the gauge conversion has been plagued by very meager funds allocation by the Railway administration. As a result nearly three and half years have passed with the track conversion woefully short of completion.

Economy

The main business is agriculture. Paddy, Sugar cane, Banana, Corn, Maize are some of the main crops planted here. The climate is very good. The average temperature in day time is 25 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius. It is on the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The major plantation crops here is Silk Cotton, Mango, Pepper, Coffee, Tea and Cardamom.. Athiyuthu, Anakarai two hilly areas are located to the north of Bodinayakanur.This place is famous for high quality coffee production. The coffee cultivation in these areas were carried out for more than 250 years.Cardamom and silkcotton are the major export goods.

Film Shooting

Bodinayakanur is the preferred destination for film shooting in Tamil Nadu besides Ooty and Kodaikanal. The locations in and around Bodi abound in scenic locations. Recent Tamil films like Pithamagan, Avan Ivan, Mynaa, Kumki, Vettai, Settai, Dheena, yaa yaa and Sundhara pandiyan were all shot in this location.

Politics

Bodinayakkanur assembly constituency is part of Theni (Lok Sabha constituency).[3]

The Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha, was elected for the first time as Member of Legislative Assembly from Bodinayakanur Constituency.
Current Tamil Nadu Chief minister O.Panneer Selvam B.A, is the Member of Legislative Assembly from Bodinayakanur Constituency

Picnic Spots

Near by hill station location are Kurangani,Central Station,Topstation,Agamalai,Bodi mettu and Kozhuku Malai.Kotakudi Plantation which is located in Kozhuku Malai, where the world highest grown tea are cultivated.

Educational Institutions

Cardamom Planters' Association College
Z.K.M.Hr.Sec school
Z.K.M.metric Hr.Sec school
Nadar Hr.Sec.School, Thirumalapuram
Pankajam Girls Higher Sec School
Scism Matriculation school
Kala pandian polytechnic
Government engineering college
The spice valley public school

Hospitals

Dr.Manavalan(T.R.Ramanathan Child Specialist Hospital/>-Best Children's Hospital in Bodinaykanur. Location: Opp. to Bus Stand

Dr.Amudha & Dr. Anbuchlian's Arun hospital

Dr.Uthama Preethy & Dr. Ponraj's Shanmugam clinic

Dr.Balasubramanian 's Deepam hospital

Dr.Sivakumar's Saravana clinic

Dr.Inbarathi & Dr. Mathialagan's V.P.R.Clinic

Dr.M.D.Shanmuga Preethy 's Durai Dental Clinic, opp to Krishna Gas Agency

Dr.Raveendranath's Raveendranath Child hospital

Dr.V.N.Velraj - General Medicine (Location: Near Old Busstand)

Dr.P. Manivannan B.A.M.S. Opp. Bus stand.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Census Info 2011 Final population totals". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Census Info 2011 Final population totals - Bodinayakanur(05842)". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2008-10-11.

External links