Tirunelveli
Nellai (shortened) Tinnevely (colonial) | |
|---|---|
 Clockwise from Top Left : Swami Nellaiappar Temple, Tirunelveli Junction Railway Station, Thiruvalluvar Bridge – Aerial view, Town Arch, Speaker Chellapandian Flyover near Vannarapettai at night, Tirunelveli City Skyline, Older side of Sulochana Mudaliar Bridge at night across river Thamirabharani connecting Downtown Tirunelveli and Kokkirakulam, NH 44 cutting through the Reddiyarpatti Hillock, Thamirabarani River passing between Downtown Tirunelveli and Kokkirakulam, Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation Building | |
  Tirunelveli Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu  Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (India) | |
| Coordinates: 8°42′49″N 77°45′24″E / 8.71361°N 77.75667°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Tamil Nadu |
| Region | Pandya Nadu |
| District | Tirunelveli |
| Boroughs | Tirunelveli Town Palayamkottai Melapalayam Pettai Thachanallur |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation |
| Area | |
| • Metropolis | 189.9 km2 (73.3 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 3 |
| Elevation | 73 m (240 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Metropolis | 473,637 |
| • Rank | 8th in Tamil Nadu |
| • Density | 2,500/km2 (6,500/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 968,874 |
| Demonym(s) | Tirunelvelian, Nellaikaran (Male) and Nellaikari (Female) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Pin Codes | 627001 627002 627003 627004 627005 627006 627007 627008 627009 627010 627011 627012 627051 627353 627357 627358 |
| Telephone code | 91 (0)462, (0)4633 |
| Vehicle registration | TN 72 |
| Website | https://tirunelveli.nic.in/ |
Tirunelveli (Tamil: [tiɾɯnelʋeːli] ), also known as Nellai and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirunelveli District. It is the fourth-largest municipal corporation in the state after Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai. Tirunelveli is located 624 km (388 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai, 58 km (36 mi) away from Thoothukudi, and 73 km (45 mi) from Kanyakumari. The downtown is located on the west bank of the Thamirabarani River; its twin Palayamkottai is on the east bank. Tirunelveli and its neighbourhood, Palayamkottai, have been called the Oxford of South India for their colleges.[2][3] It has several important government offices.
Tirunelveli is an ancient city, recorded to be more than two millennia old. It has been ruled at different times by the Early Pandyas, the Cheras, the Medieval Cholas and Later Cholas, the later Pandyas, the Vijayanagara Empire and the British. The Polygar War, involving Palaiyakkarars led by Veerapandiya Kattabomman and forces of the British East India Company, was waged on the city's outskirts from 1797 to 1801.
Tirunelveli is administered by the Municipal Corporation, established on 1 June 1994 by the Municipal Corporation Act. The city covers an area of 189.9 km2 (73.3 sq mi), and holds a population of 473,637 in 2011. The total population after the inclusion of other municipalities is 968,984. Tirunelveli is well-connected by road and rail with the rest of Tamil Nadu and India. The nearest domestic airport is Thoothukudi Airport. The nearest international airports are Madurai International Airport and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The nearest seaport is Thoothukudi Port.
Industries in Tirunelveli include administrative services, agricultural trading, tourism, banking, agricultural machinery, information technology and educational services. The city is an educational hub of southern India, with institutions such as Anna University Regional Campus – Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli Medical College, The Tirunelveli Veterinary College and Research Institution, Tirunelveli Law College, the Government College of Engineering, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University and much more.
Tirunelveli has a number of historical monuments, with the Nellaiappar Temple being the most prominent. The city is also renowned throughout the state for a sweet called 'Irutu kadai halwa'.
- ^ "Census 2011". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
- ^ Sudhakar, P (19 May 2016). "Palayamkottai electorate earn a dubious distinction". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ Mallady, Shastry V (10 September 2012). "A case for Madurai". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 September 2024.