Kayalpattinam (also known as Kayalpatnam or Kayalpattanam) is a

Municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Thoothukudi district Thoothukudi District is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The district was formed by bifurcation of Tirunelveli district on 20 October 1986. Thoothukudi is the district headquarters and largest city of the distric ...

in the Indian

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 ...

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 ...

. As of 2011, the town had a population of 40,588.

History

Also known as Kayal, it is referred to in

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

's travel diaries dating to 1298 AD. Korkai, vaguthai or Kayal was an ancient port dating to the 1st centuries of the common era and was contemporaneous to the existence of

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...

, another Pandyan port.

served the Pandyas on the west coast while Korkai/Kayal served them on the east coast connecting them to

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

and the pearl fisheries in the

Gulf of Mannar The Gulf of Mannar ( ) is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean with an average depth of .

facing the

Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tami ...

Coast. Arab traders from Egypt and Yemen landed at the port of Korkai (the present Kayalpatnam). some traders migrated to Adirampattinam. Strong trading connections existed with (Sri Lanka). There exist a strong cultural connection between Kayalpattinam, Adirampattinam and Kilakarai. Most of the Muslims here are matrilocal residents. The ancient port had trade connections with Egypt,

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

and Greece.

Ibn Battuta Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...

, the

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

Moroccan explorer has mentioned about Kayalpattinam (as called as Fatan) in his travel node

The Rihla ''The Rihla'', formal title ''A Masterpiece to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling'', is the travelogue written by Ibn Battuta, documenting his lifetime of travel and exploration, which according to his descr ...

(lit. "Journey"). There exist a strong cultural connection exists between Kayalpatnam, Adirampattinam and

Kilakarai Kilakarai (alternatively spelled Kilakkarai or Keelakarai) is a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 38,355. Kilakarai is one of the Taluka in Ramanathapuram Distri ...

. Kayalpatnam now has many Mosques (also known as ''Masjid''). Noted photographer Benoy Behl has made a film on Islamic Architecture of India, and he visited this Kayalpatnam Mosque.

Demographics

According to 2011 census, Kayalpattinam had a population of 40,588 with a sex-ratio of 1,082 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 4,995 were under the age of six, constituting 2,548 males and 2,447 females.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...

accounted for 7.37% and .01% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 81.3%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The town had a total of : 9417 households. There were a total of 11,414 workers, comprising 17 cultivators, 27 main agricultural labourers, 206 in house hold industries, 10,717 other workers, 447 marginal workers, 9 marginal cultivators, 4 marginal agricultural labourers, 30 marginal workers in household industries and 404 other marginal workers. As per the religious census of 2011, Kayalpattinam had 26.34%

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

, 67.24%

Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...

, 6.36%

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, 0.01% following other religions.

Culture

Most of Muslims here follow Shafiee Madhab with

Qadiriyya The Qadiriyya (), also transliterated Qādirīyah, ''Qadri'', ''Qadriya'', ''Kadri'', ''Elkadri'', ''Elkadry'', ''Aladray'', ''Alkadrie'', ''Adray'', ''Kadray'', ''Kadiri'', ''Qadiri'', ''Quadri'' or ''Qadri'' are members of the Sunni Qadiri ta ...

and

Shadhili The Shadhili Order ( ar, الطريقة الشاذلية) is a tariqah or Sufi order of Sunni Islam founded by al-Shadhili in the 13th century and is followed by millions of people around the world. Many followers (Arabic ''murids'', "seekers") ...

Tariqa A tariqa (or ''tariqah''; ar, طريقة ') is a school or order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking ''haqiqa'', which translates as "ultimate truth". ...

(Sufi order) Qadiriyya tariqa connected to Mahlara and Shadhiliya tariqa connected to zaviya Faasiyatush shadhiliya Tariqa. Headquarters of this tariqa in India Zaviathul Fasiyathus shathulia is located here. There are few followers of ahle hadees also.

Maqbara The Arabic word ''Maqbara'' ( "mausoleum"; ''plural'': ''Maqâbir'') is derived from the word Qabr, which means grave. Though maqbara refers to the graves of all Muslims, it refers especially to a Muslim cemetery. In some Islamic cultures (espe ...

of Kazi Syed Alauddin brother of Kazi Syed Tajuddin the fore father of

Madurai Maqbara Madurai Maqbara ( ta, மதுரை மக்பரா; ar, مدهر مقبرة) refers to the Dargahs of three Sufi saints: Mir Ahmad Ibrahim, Mir Amjad Ibrahim, and Abdus Salaam Ibrahim situated in Kazimar Big Mosque, Madurai, India. Th ...

Hazrats' and of all the Syeds living in

Kazimar Street Kazimar Street is an ancient street in Madurai, India, dating from the 13th century. Kazi Syed Tajuddin is the one who settled here after preaching Islam in South India. 99.2% population of this street are Muslims and 0.8% Hindus. The famous ...

, Madurai is located here.

Educational institutions

* Al Madrasatul Fasiyyah * Al Mahlarathul Qadhiriyyah * Al Madrasatul Hamidhiyya * Madrasathul Azhar li Thahfeezil Quraanil Kareem * Da'wathul Huda * Aroosul Jannah Women's Islamic college * Ayisha Siddiqua women's Islamic college * Al Kulliyathun Nasuhiyya women's Islamic college * Muaskarur Rahman Women's Islamic college * Muaskarur Rahman Hifz college for Women's

References

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Thoothukudi district