Ariyalur district is an administrative
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
, one of the
38 districts in the
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The district headquarters is located at
Ariyalur
Ariyalur () is a town and district headquarters of Ariyalur district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is rich in limestone, surrounded with seven cement factories and two sugar factories. The town is located at a distance of from th ...
. The district encompasses an area of 1,949.31 km².
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gaṅgaikoṇḍa Chōḻapuram is a village located near to Jayankondam, Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It became the capital of the Chola dynasty in c. 1025 by Chola emperor Rajendra I, and served as the capital for around 250 years.
...
, built by King
Rajendra Chola
Rajendra Chola I (; Middle Tamil: Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Classical Sanskrit: Rājēndradēva Cōla; Old Malay: ''Raja Suran''; c. 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, and also known as Gangaikonda Chola (Middle Tami ...
n of
Chola Empire
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BC ...
, is a
UNESCO World Heritage site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
situated in this district. The district is also known for its rich prehistoric fossils. Many fossils of gigantic molluscs and jawed fishes, at least one fossilized dinosaur egg, and several fragmentary fossils of
sauropod
Sauropoda (), whose members are known as sauropods (; from '' sauro-'' + '' -pod'', 'lizard-footed'), is a clade of saurischian ('lizard-hipped') dinosaurs. Sauropods had very long necks, long tails, small heads (relative to the rest of their bo ...
and
theropod
Theropoda (; ), whose members are known as theropods, is a dinosaur clade that is characterized by hollow bones and three toes and claws on each limb. Theropods are generally classed as a group of saurischian dinosaurs. They were ancestrally c ...
dinosaurs have been discovered here. An on-site museum is being set up at Keelapazhur to preserve and conserve fossils. Ariyalur is noted for its
cement
A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mix ...
industries and Jayankondam has huge reserves of
lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible, sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35%, and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat ...
.
History
In 1995, Tiruchirappalli was trifurcated and the Perambalur and Karur districts were formed. Ariyalur district was carved out of Perambalur district on 1 January 2001. But, it was merged with
Perambalur district
Perambalur is one of the 38 districts (an administrative district) in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The district headquarters is located at Perambalur. The district occupies an area of 1,752 km² and had a population of 565,223 with a se ...
on 31 March 2002. Ariyalur district was re-carved on 23 November 2007. The district is bordered by the districts of
Cuddalore
Cuddalore, also spelt as Kadalur (), is the city and headquarters of the Cuddalore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated south of Chennai, Cuddalore was an important port during the British Raj.
While the early history of Cudda ...
to the north and north-east,
Mayiladuthurai to the east, Thanjavur to the south and south-east, Tiruchirapalli to the south-west and Perambalur to the west.
Brihadeeswarar Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram
Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
dedicated to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
in
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gaṅgaikoṇḍa Chōḻapuram is a village located near to Jayankondam, Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It became the capital of the Chola dynasty in c. 1025 by Chola emperor Rajendra I, and served as the capital for around 250 years.
...
,
Jayankondam
Jayankondam is a Second Grade Municipality in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu in India. As of 2011, the town had a population of 33,945.
Huge amounts of lignite deposits have been found here and power projects have been initiated by the Neyveli ...
, in the
South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
n state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
. Completed in 1035 AD by
Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra Chola I (; Middle Tamil: Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Classical Sanskrit: Rājēndradēva Cōla; Old Malay: ''Raja Suran''; c. 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, and also known as Gangaikonda Chola (Middle Tami ...
as a part of his new capital, this
Chola
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...
dynasty era temple is similar in design, and has a similar name, as the older 11th century,
Brihadeeswarar Temple
Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram () by its builder, and known locally as ''Thanjai Periya Kovil'' ("Thanjavur Big Temple") and ''Peruvudaiyar Kovil'', is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on the ...
about 70 km (43 mi) to the southwest in
Thanjavur
Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...
. The Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple is smaller yet more refined than the Thanjavur Temple. Both are among the largest Shiva temples in South India and examples of
Dravidian style temples.
Demographics
According to the
2011 census, Ariyalur district has a population of 754,894,
roughly equal to the nation of
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
or the US state of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
. This gives it a ranking of 491 in India (out of a total of 640).
[ The district has a population density of .][ Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 8.19%.][ Ariyalur has a ]sex ratio
The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species devia ...
of 1016 females for every 1000 males,[ and a literacy rate of 71.99%.][ Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 23.3% and 1.4% of the population, respectively. As of 2011 it is the third least populous district of Tamil Nadu (out of 32), after Perambalur and ]Nilgiris
The Nilgiri Mountains form part of the Western Ghats in northwestern Tamil Nadu, Southern Karnataka, and eastern Kerala in India. They are located at the trijunction of three states and connect the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats. At le ...
. Jayankondam
Jayankondam is a Second Grade Municipality in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu in India. As of 2011, the town had a population of 33,945.
Huge amounts of lignite deposits have been found here and power projects have been initiated by the Neyveli ...
is the most populated town in Ariyalur district.
Politics
Important places
* Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gaṅgaikoṇḍa Chōḻapuram is a village located near to Jayankondam, Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It became the capital of the Chola dynasty in c. 1025 by Chola emperor Rajendra I, and served as the capital for around 250 years.
...
* Kallathur
* Jayankondam
Jayankondam is a Second Grade Municipality in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu in India. As of 2011, the town had a population of 33,945.
Huge amounts of lignite deposits have been found here and power projects have been initiated by the Neyveli ...
* Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
The Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Ariyalur District of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary is about from Thanjavur. This freshwater lake is fed by Pullambadi, Kattalal canal and attracts thousands of bi ...
* Thirumalapadi
* Kamarasavalli
* Govindaputtur
* Fossil Museum
* Vikkiramangalam
* Ariyalur – Kodandarmaswamy Kovil
* Elakurichi Church
* Kallankurichi Kaliya Perumal Kovil
See also
* List of districts of Tamil Nadu
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
* List of villages in Ariyalur district
References
External links
Ariyalur District Official WebSite
Ariyalur District Police
{{Ariyalur district
Districts of Tamil Nadu
2001 establishments in Tamil Nadu