History

ABOUT DISTRICT

Tirunelveli: Green energy Hub of Tamil Nadu; The Ainthinai landscape

Tirunelveli District, situated in the south of Tamil Nadu, has a long history and heritage of more than 3200 years. Tirunelveli is the ‘Green Energy Capital’ of Tamil Nadu with more than 25% of state’s total installed wind energy capacity. The district is also an emerging industrial hub. It is also the land of Ainthinai (five themes), a term that denotes the five major emotional themes of Sangam literature, which is also connected with the five unique landscapes and heritage of ancient Tamil civilisation.

The district as a rich heritage. The Porunai civilisation dates back to 3200 years as per the recent carbon dating analysis of archaeological excavation which has yielded the date of 1155 BC. The recent documented account of the region is in the Devaram hymns, generally ascribed to 7th century AD. Various inscriptions (526 nos till 1912) has been identified in the region of which more than 100 are from Tirunelveli town alone and all of them are of post 11th century accounts.

Tirunelveli was a chief town of the Pandyas to the south of their capital. When the Pandya country came under the Imperial Cholas, the Pandya country was known as Rajaraja Valanadu since 991 A.D. It became Rajaraja Mandalam in 1012 AD and was re-christened as Rajaraja Pandinadu since 1022 A.D. The present Tirunelveli district comprised the Mudikonda Cholavalanadu. The Valanadu was divided into many nadus and Kurrams. The Nadus and Kurrams as evidenced from the inscriptions of the district are Kilvembu nadu (Tirunelveli and Sevalapperi). Melvembunadu (Chernmahadevi and Suthamalli), Thiruvazhuthi Valanadu (Karukkurichi), Mullinadu, (Ambasamudram and Kallidaikurichi), Anmanadu (Cholapuram), Vanavan nadu (Kalakadu), The Kurrams, mentioned are Tirukkanaper Kurram and Millali Kurram.

During Nayaks period, Tirunelveli became the capital of their southern province and came to be known as Tirunelveli Seemai / Nellai Semai. In the modern era, Tirunelveli District was formed in the year 1790 by the East India Company, later came under the direct control of the British Crown. It was reorganised during the formation of Ramanathapuram district in 1911, bifurcated for the formation of Thoothukudi district on 20.10.1986 and then for the formation of Tenkasi district in 12.11.2019. As per mythology the name Tirunelveli is said to have been composed from the three Tamil words i.e. “Thiru – Nel – Veli” meaning Sacred Paddy Hedge.

The district has a total area of 3865 sq.km, bounded on the north and east by Thoothukudi District on the west by Tenkasi District and south by Kanyakumari District. The Western Ghats in the west and Gulf of Mannar of Bay of Bengal in the south and south east act as natural boundaries in the district.

Tirunelveli District has geographical area of 3865.45sq.kms, in the South eastern portion of Tamil Nadu and is in quadrilateral shape. It lies between 8° 14’ and 8° 17’ of the Northern latitude and 77° 17’ and 77° 97‟ of Eastern longitude.

Administrative Setup:

The District Collector/ District Magistrate is the Chief Executive Authority of the District and is primarily responsible for various key functions like revenue administration, development works, maintenance of law and order and criminal administration, livelihood development and also the chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority. Various functions related to most of the departments of Government of Tamil Nadu are monitored or coordinated by the District Collector in various capacities.

The City Police is headed by the Commissioner of Police. The Superintendent of Police is the head of Police Force in the District. District Revenue Officer/ Additional District Magistrate heads Revenue Department, Project Director- District Rural Development Agency heads the Rural Development Department.

i. There are 2 Revenue Divisions headed by the Sub Divisional Magistrates comprising of 8 Taluks, 30 firkas 370 Revenue Villages.
ii. There are 9 rural Blocks headed by the Union Chairperson and Block Development Officers and 204 Village Panchayats. There are 17 Town Panchayats, 3 Municipalities and one Municipal Corporation.
iii. There are 2 Police districts with 7 Police Divisions and 50 Police stations.
iv. The forests under Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve area of Agasthiyarmalai Biosphere Reserve is headed by a Field Director assisted by two Deputy Directors. Tirunelveli Forest Division is headed by the District Forest Officer, Tirunelveli.

Demographic Details:

The projected population of this District is 18,48,684 as on October 2024. Tirunelveli and Ambasamudram in the most densely populated Taluks in the District as per 2011 census. The Sex ratio is 1024 females for every 1000 males in the District. The literacy rate is 85.90% in the District.