Thiruparankundram

Thiruparankundram Arubadai Veedu ( one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga )
Neighbourhood
Thiruparankundram
Thiruparankundram Location in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 9°53′24″N 78°03′22″E / 9.89°N 78.056°E / 9.89; 78.056Coordinates: 9°53′24″N 78°03′22″E / 9.89°N 78.056°E / 9.89; 78.056
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Madurai
Population (2011)
• Total	48,810
Demonym	maduraites
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

Thiruparankundram is a town in Madurai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This Panchayat has been added to the Madurai Corporation and the first local body election for Corporation was held on 18th Oct 2011. Thiruparankundram is known for its ancient temple of Hindu Deity Murugan. The temple is the first among the six abodes of Murugan, the Arupadaiveedu, literally "Six Battle Houses", and one of the most visited tourist spots in Madurai, next only to the Meenakshi Amman Temple. It has the Islamic Dargah (Grave shrine) of Hazrat Sulthan Sikandhar Badhusha Shaheed at the top of Thiruparankundram hill. As of 2011, the town had a population of 48,810.

Demographics

Photograph by Wiele & Klein, Madras c. 1890

According to 2011 census, Thiruparankundram had a population of 48,810 with a sex-ratio of 999 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.^[1] A total of 4,736 were under the age of six, constituting 2,455 males and 2,281 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 7.44% and .66% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 79.55%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.^[1] The town had a total of 12934 households. There were a total of 18,480 workers, comprising 109 cultivators, 386 main agricultural labourers, 516 in house hold industries, 15,926 other workers, 1,543 marginal workers, 47 marginal cultivators, 69 marginal agricultural labourers, 228 marginal workers in household industries and 1,199 other marginal workers.^[2]

Transportation

Bus

There is full-fledged bus stand which connects Thirupparangkundram with almost all parts of the city and with adjacent villages.Frequent bus services are available from in and around Madurai. Route Nos. 5,14, 22,48, 49 and 52 from Periyar bus stand and Mattuthavani Bus stand covers Tiruparankundram. Also Mofussil buses heading towards Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli crosses here which seldom stops.

Train

All passenger Trains running between Madurai and Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kollam stops at Thirupparankundram. Also Tuticorin-Mysore express stops here. Thirupparankundram railway station is 6 kilo meters from Madurai Junction.

Air

Passengers can avail domestic flight services operated to Chennai and Mumbai from Madurai Airport which is 11 km from Thirupparangundram.

View of Thiruparankundram from the Dargah, June 2011.

Gallery

The plaque at the top of the hill dargah displaying the name of the saint and the year He was martyred.

See also

• Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple
• Thiruparankundram Dargah

References

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