Sangagiri or Sankagiri is a
panchayat town
A nagar panchayat (town panchayat; ) or Notified Area Council (NAC) in India is a settlement in transition from rural to urban and therefore a form of an urban political unit comparable to a municipality. An urban centre with more than 12,000 ...
in
Salem district
Salem District is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The district is now divided into Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Namakkal as individual districts. Salem is the district headquarters and other major towns in the distri ...
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 ...
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 ...
. It is situated on the
National Highway 544
National Highway 544, commonly referred to as NH 544, (''old number'' NH 47) is a National Highway in South India connecting Salem city in Tamil Nadu to the city of Kochi in Kerala. It is also called the Salem-Kochi Highway. The highway runs ...
, on the
Coimbatore
Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
-
Salem section.
Sangagiri is known for
Sangagiri fort
Sankagiri Fort is a historical fort maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is located 22 km from the city of Erode and 38 km from Salem. Sankari or Sankagiri is the town located around this place. The fort is 707 ...
, lorries and lorry building industries. It is the headquarters of Sangagiri revenue district comprising
Edappadi
Edappadi (also spelt Edappadi or Idappadi) is a municipality in Salem district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Edappadi was once known for its thriving power loom industry. The economy is diversified by agriculture, heavy truck transport, g ...
. It is also headquarters of Sangagiri educational district.
Etymology
Sangagiri, pronounced as San-ga-giri in
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
. Sangu means conch and Giri means hill.
History
![Sangagiri hill 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Sangagiri_hill_3.jpg)
In sangam age, Sangagiri was comes under
Mazhanadu
This region was owned by the Chera Dynasty. It includes the Districts of Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. In the ancient sangam age this region was ruled by Mazhavar King Kolli Mazhavan. Famous Sangam poetess Avvaiyar had cordi ...
. It was also called as Kundrathur.
Sangagiri Fort
Sankagiri Fort is a historical fort maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is located 22 km from the city of Erode and 38 km from Salem. Sankari or Sankagiri is the town located around this place. The fort is 707 ...
was built in the 15th century by the
Vijayanagar empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
. It was later under the control of
Dheeran Chinnamalai
Dheeran Chinnamalai (17 April 1756 – 31 July 1805) was a Palayakkarar and Pattakarar who fought against the British East India Company.
Early life
Dheeran Chinnamalai was born on April 17, 1756 in present-day Kangeyam, to a noble family. Hi ...
and
Tippu Sultan
Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He int ...
before the British annexed it to their territory.
Dheeran Chinnamalai
Dheeran Chinnamalai (17 April 1756 – 31 July 1805) was a Palayakkarar and Pattakarar who fought against the British East India Company.
Early life
Dheeran Chinnamalai was born on April 17, 1756 in present-day Kangeyam, to a noble family. Hi ...
was hanged by the British at
Sangagiri Fort
Sankagiri Fort is a historical fort maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is located 22 km from the city of Erode and 38 km from Salem. Sankari or Sankagiri is the town located around this place. The fort is 707 ...
on 31 July 1805. The fort later served as a British tax storage facility for
Kongu Nadu
Kongu Nadu, also known by various names as Kongu Mandalam and Kongu belt, is a geographical region comprising present day parts of western Tamil Nadu, southeastern Karnataka and eastern Kerala. In the ancient Tamilakam, it was the seat of th ...
and the town developed around it.
Geography
Demographics
Population
According to the
2011 census, Sangagiri had a population of 29,467. Male constitute 52% of the population and female 48%. Sankari has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: Male literacy is 75%, and female literacy is 60%. In Sankari, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. 40% percent of the people are engaged in agriculture, the remaining are lorry proprietors.
Religion
Kongu Vellalar
Kongu Vellalar is a community found in the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu, India.
Etymology
The Vellalar of the Kongu country came to be known as Kongu Vellalar. They are also known by names such as "Bupaalan", Gangavamsam, Kudiyaanavar and Vi ...
Gounder and
Vanniar
The Vanniyar, also spelled Vanniya, formerly known as the Palli, are a Dravidian community or '' jāti'' found in the northern part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. From the 19th century, peasant castes typically classified under Shudra ca ...
castes are the majority population in Sangagiri.
Government and politics
Sankari (state assembly constituency)
Sangagiri or 'Sankari' is a state assembly constituency in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India. Its State Assembly Constituency number is 87. It comprises Sangagiri taluk and a portion of Omalur taluk. It is a part of the wider Namakkal con ...
is the
state assembly constituency in
Salem district
Salem District is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The district is now divided into Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Namakkal as individual districts. Salem is the district headquarters and other major towns in the distri ...
,
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 ...
, India. It comprises
Sankari taluk
Sangagiri taluk is a taluk of Salem district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Sangagiri. Sangagiri Fort is the one of the tourist spot on this taluk
Demographics
According to the 2011 census, the t ...
and a portion of
Omalur taluk
Omalur taluk is a taluk of Salem district of the Indian state of 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 ...
. It is a part of the wider
Namakkal constituency for national elections to the
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameralism, bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the R ...
. Refer
Economy
The economy of the town was predominantly dependent on agriculture. Over the past decade Logistics and related services, Cement, Steel, Spinning mills and Body building industries have developed around the town contributing to the economy. Sangagiri is well known for its truck logistics industry and SLOA(Sangagiri Lorry Owners Association) one of the biggest in India. Some famous long existent truck fleet operators from Sangagiri are AST, SSPT, MM Roadways, KRN, Murugan, SPP, Triveni, SKP, SNR, Sankari Roadways, SPN, KKC, Simon, Sri Vari, AM TRANSPORT and MST. SLOA also runs the fuel station with No.1 Sales in India for 8 consecutive years located on Salem main road, Sangagiri. Many famous private bus companies like SPBT and Shanmugam bus service operate out of Sangagiri.
There is a cement plant of the renowned India Cements Limited which has a production capacity of 2000T/day and of late lorry industry in Sangagiri is fast picking up with
Tiruchengode
Tiruchengode is a city and selection grade municipality located in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for the ancient hilltop Ardhanareeswarar temple, Tiruchengode, temple of Umaiorubagan (Arthanāreeshwara), dedicated to the uniq ...
and
Namakkal
Namakkal () is a special grade municipality and the headquarters of Namakkal district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the first ISO 14001-2004 certified municipality in Asia for environmental management, specifically the provision a ...
, places renowned for truck industry in the country. Industry in Sangagiri are dominated by
Kongu Vellalar
Kongu Vellalar is a community found in the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu, India.
Etymology
The Vellalar of the Kongu country came to be known as Kongu Vellalar. They are also known by names such as "Bupaalan", Gangavamsam, Kudiyaanavar and Vi ...
,
Vanniar
The Vanniyar, also spelled Vanniya, formerly known as the Palli, are a Dravidian community or '' jāti'' found in the northern part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. From the 19th century, peasant castes typically classified under Shudra ca ...
and
Chettiar
Chettiar (also spelt as Chetti and Chetty)is a title used by many traders, weaving, agricultural and land-owning castes in South India, especially in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
They are a subgroup of the Tamil community ...
Castes.
Culture/Cityscape
Tourist Attractions
*
Sangagiri Fort
Sankagiri Fort is a historical fort maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is located 22 km from the city of Erode and 38 km from Salem. Sankari or Sankagiri is the town located around this place. The fort is 707 ...
Transport
By Air
By Rail
Sangagiri railway station is also called as
Sankari Durg (SGE), which is a B grade station in Salem division. It has train services to/from major cities nearby.
The nearest railway junctions are
Erode
Erode () is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Erode is the seventh largest urban agglomeration in the state, after Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tiruppur and Salem. It is also the administrative headquarters of the E ...
and
Salem. It is not so crowdy because it is located away from the town, meanwhile people around Sangagiri requested southern railways through Salem division for more trains to halt here. There are 14 trains halt here daily. Among 14, three are express trains. They are:
#
Yercaud express ,
#
West coast express
The West Coast Express is a commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it provides a link between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District and is the only commuter railway in ...
,
#
KSR Bengaluru intercity express.
Notable people
*
P. V. Nandhidhaa, Indian Chess player, India's 17th
Woman Grandmaster
FIDE titles are awarded by the international chess governing body FIDE (''Fédération Internationale des Échecs'') for outstanding performance. The highest such title is Grandmaster (GM). Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating and ...
.
Refer
List of Indian chess players.
*
Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Edappadi K. Palaniswami (born 12 May 1954), also known as E.P.S., is an Indian politician and the leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He served as the 7th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, from 2017 to 2021. He has been th ...
, 7th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Refer
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
The chief minister of Tamil Nadu is the head of government, chief executive of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the Governors of states of India, governor is a state's ''de jure'' head, bu ...
* Sangagiri Rajkumar, notable film director of Tamil cinema industry.
See also
*
Vaikuntham
References
External links
Sankagiri-fort and Town
{{Salem District
Cities and towns in Salem district