Kayalpattinam (also known as Kayalpatnam or Kayalpattanam) is a

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

in Thoothukudi district 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 ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil languag ...

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

History

Also known as Kayal, it is referred to in Marco Polo'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, another Pandyan port. Kollam served the Pandyas on the west coast while Korkai/Kayal served them on the east coast connecting them to Ceylon and the pearl fisheries in the Gulf of Mannar facing the Tirunelveli 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 Berber Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, largely in the Muslim ...

, the Muslim Moroccan explorer has mentioned about Kayalpattinam (as called as Fatan) in his travel node The Rihla (lit. "Journey"). There exist a strong cultural connection exists between Kayalpatnam, Adirampattinam and Kilakarai. 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 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, 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 Abra ...

, 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 t ...

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 Ahl-i Hadith or Ahl-e-Hadith ( bn, আহলে হাদীছ, hi, एहले हदीस, ur, اہلِ حدیث, ''people of hadith'') is a Salafi reform movement that emerged in North India in the mid-nineteenth century from the teach ...

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 Hazrats' and of all the Syeds living in Kazimar Street, 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