Nazareth, Tamil Nadu

Nazareth, Tamil Nadu
town
Nazareth, Tamil Nadu

Location in Tamil Nadu, India

Coordinates: 8°33′22.35″N 77°58′15.64″E / 8.5562083°N 77.9710111°ECoordinates: 8°33′22.35″N 77°58′15.64″E / 8.5562083°N 77.9710111°E
Country  India
State Tamil Nadu
District Tuticorin
Languages
 • Official Tamil
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 628617
Nearest city Tirunelveli

Nazareth is a town in the Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Geography


Nazareth is situated near the southern tip of the country. It was named by early Christian missionaries. There is a 200+ year old church (St. John's Cathedral) in the center of the town. It has a tall tower with a flat top. This part of Southern Tamil Nadu has many Gothic-styled churches.

Nazareth is in Thoothukudi district. It is about 50 km from Thoothukudi; and about 36 km from Tirunelveli. It has a railway station and a bus station. Several villages surrounding Nazareth are considered part of Nazareth.

Several daily trains to Chennai pass through Tirunelveli. Nazareth is connected to major cities in Tamil Nadu as well as to villages in the area. Bus services include direct nightly services to Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore and other places. it has been named after the gosple of christians to tamilandu as the country nazareth, today. where jesus spent his days and was called as son of nazareth.

Climate


The climate of Nazareth is usually dry. A short rainy season exists but the weather is for the most part hot and humid.

History


Nazareth is a Christian town, created by missionaries from Europe, primarily through the work of Canon Margoschis. 90% of its population are Christians. The town is surrounded by Hindu communities. The main Hindu temple is for Lord Vinayaka which was founded in the 1960s. The town was previously known as Therku Mudalur and was renamed by the residents. It is an educational centre with schools such as Margoschis HSS for Boys and St John's Girls' HSS, colleges and a vocational education institution.

Demographics

As of 2011 India census[1] Nazareth had a population of 24,862. Males constitute 48% of the population. Nazareth has an average literacy rate of 94%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 95%, and female literacy is 93%.

Education

Nazareth has separate secondary schools for boys and girls, an arts and science college, an engineering college, a polytechnic college, a nursing college and an industrial training institution called Art Industrial School.

The town has several small schools including an Margoschis Matriculation School, Seventh day Adventist, Solomon Matriculation School and Nightingale Nursery and Primary School. Tamil medium schools include Kaspa, St. Johns model School, Dr. Maduram School, etc.

Primary & Middle Schools

Tamil Medium

English Medium

Margoschis Higher Secondary School

[2] The first evangelist Aerion started a Primary school in 1839 with the aim of imparting education to the local children. Soon another school was started for girls. In 1880 the Boys’ Primary School became a Higher Grade Middle School. When Canon Arthur Margoschis was the Missionary at Nazareth, the Higher Grade Middle School became an "Anglo-vernacular School". In 1885, this school was selected for the Award of the "Best School of the Madras Presidency" and in the very same year, it was upgraded into a High school. But unfortunately in 1990, the high school classes were taken away from this high school and attached to the Caldwell High School, Thoothukudi. So the school at Nazareth was reverted into a Higher Grade Middle School. From 1890 to 1912, it served as a model school for the Higher Grade Teacher Trainees. In 1909, it became a recognized Middle school and in that capacity it continued to function till 1932. The school attained the status of a high school again on 23 October 1932. New buildings were added to the school at various periods to meet the need for additional classrooms, laboratories etc. When the new educational pattern of 10 +2 was introduced, the school was upgraded into a Higher Secondary School in 1978. True to its motto "Learn, labour and be lighted", this institution spreads the light of enlightenment all around and inculcates in its students a spirit of enquiry and a sense of devotion and dedication to noble causes. Many orphanage students study at the school, which has an enrollment of nearly 1600. Most graduates work abroad. The school is a government-aided minority educational institution owned and managed by the CSI Thoothukudi-Nazareth Diocese.

St John's Girls Higher Secondary School

St. John's Girl’s Hr. Sec. School which is like a light house which gives light of knowledge in Thoothukudi District, is the first school in south India and a third one in India, which was started for girls. It was started by Rev. Hough in 1820. It was upgraded into St. John's Girls High School in 1886, by the sacrifice and task of many English missionaries Rev. Camerar, Green, Swingler and Evans showed much interest in the development of the school and worked for it. St. Michael, St. Gabriel and Guardian Angels hostels were built. The chapel was built by the efforts of Rev. G.T. Selwyn and dedicated to the service of God in 1939. It was upgraded into Hr. Sec. School in 1978. Homes run by KNII and world vision are also here and many poor girls arc benefited by them. The motto of the school is "To Love is to serve" 1600 girl’s are studying here and there are forty three teachers working here. NCC, Red Cross, Bharat Scout & Guides, NSS, Sunday Class and Prayer Group Programmes are conducted here successfully.

Higher education

Polytechnic College

Engineering College

Arts and Science College

Nursing college

Training Schools

Festivals

From 14 October to 19 October Saint Andrews Church celebrates its annual Church Festival. Its centenary was in 2006. Its church choir has released two albums, one of Traditional Devotional (Vaa engal swamy) and a Christmas Album in 2011 (Pullanyil Piranthaar).

The town celebrates Christmas with a fireworks display, lighting the streets and singing Christmas carols at the church. The celebration attracts many former residents each year.

Services to the needy

In 2007, Calvary Chapel Trust, headquartered in Bangalore, purchased a facility from the Catholic Church and turned it into a boy's orphanage called "Heaven's Gate". This residential facility is home to HIV+ boys. In 2008, Boise, Idaho based Genesis World Mission, Inc. performed a 3-day medical outreach to the community. Over 1100 people were served with primary medical care with the help of local medical providers and volunteers.

St. Luke's Hospital ( Mission Hospital ) is present in the Sathankulam Road.

KNH Home, CCCYC Bangalore , Home for Girls for orphan / semiorphan and deserted children is present inside the St.John's Girls School Campus.

Mentally Retarded Home for Boys and Girls present in Thirumaraiyoor.

An old age home, a school for the deaf and dumb and a home for the orphan and poor children operate in Thirumaraiyoor.

A private home for the children of life term prisoners is operated by Stephen.

References

  1. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  2. ↑ http://www.margoschishssnazareth.com/
  3. ↑ http://www.jacsipoly.com/
  4. ↑ http://www.new.jacsice.in/
  5. ↑ http://www.margoschiscollege.com/
  6. ↑ http://www.stlukescon.org
  7. ↑ http://nazarethaischool.org/

External links