Saturday, October 6, 2007

Friday, June 1, 2007

Kangayam



Kangayam a view

Coordinates: 11°00′19″N 77°33′43″E / 11.0054, 77.562
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
Elevation

• 310 m (1,017 ft)
District(s) Erode
Population 28,356 (2001)
Codes
Pincode
Telephone
Vehicle

• 638701
• +04257
• TN33

Coordinates: 11°00′19″N 77°33′43″E / 11.0054, 77.562

Kangeyam (Sanskrit: Ganga+eyam = Gangeyam : seat of the Western Ganga Dynasty






People Representatives

Member of Parliament

Mr. Karvendan - Indian National Congress - Kangayam comes under Palani Constituency.

Member of Legislative Assembly

Mr. Sekar.S - Indian National Congress



Local Body Representatives

Elected Representative Category Name Party
Chairperson UR SUBRAMANIYAN.S DMK
Vice Chairperson UR SIBAKATHULLA.K.A INC
Ward 01 Councillor UR GOVINDHASAMY.A.C AIADMK
Ward 02 Councillor UR SUBRAMANIYAN.S DMK
Ward 03 Councillor SCW MARIYAMMAL.S DMK
Ward 04 Councillor W JEENATHUNISHA.S DMK
Ward 05 Councillor UR SIBAKATHULLA.K.A INC
Ward 06 Councillor UR MAHESHWARI.A Independent
Ward 07 Councillor SCG ANGAPPAN.N PMK
Ward 08 Councillor UR MURUGESHAN.K Independent
Ward 09 Councillor W VISHALACHI.P AIADMK
Ward 10 Councillor UR DURAISAMY.S Independent
Ward 11 Councillor W KAMALAVENI.R DMK
Ward 12 Councillor W MAHESHWARI.S AIADMK
Ward 13 Councillor UR DURAISAMY.A.P AIADMK
Ward 14 Councillor UR AMANULLA.A DMK
Ward 15 Councillor UR MANI.N DMK
Ward 16 Councillor UR PATHAULLA.A INC
Ward 17 Councillor W SULOCHANA.B DMK
Ward 18 Councillor UR ARUMUGAM.S CPI(M)

Taluk Villages

ALAMPADI BALA SUMATHIRAM PUDUR GANAPATHY PALAYAM KEERANOOR MARAVAPALAYAM - Semmankulippalayam ( 1st Ward)
MARUDURAI NATAKADAYUR PADIYUR PALAYA KOTTAI PAPPANI
PARANSORVALI POTHYAPALAYAM SIVANMALAI THAMBURETTY PALAYAM VEERANAPALAYAM
VALLIARACHAL VEERACHOLAPURAM

Infrastructure

Bus Stand

Kangayam has a central bus stand which is used by TNSTC, and the private operators. And there is a town bus stand adjusant to the central bus stand. This is situated in the heart of the town.

Buses were available to all parts of tamilnadu from here because of its geographical location. Access to all main cities of tamilnadu like Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Palani, Tirupur, Trichi, 'Tanjavore, Karur, Dindugal, Madurai, Theni, Ooty, Kodaikanal, etc. are available frequently.

Road Accessablity

The town of Kangayem is well connected by NH 67,which runs between Coimbatore and Nagapattinam Via Thiruchirapalli, Thanjavore. A major State Highway connecting Erode and Palani runs through Kangeyam. The other one connecting kangeyam with Vellore(Namakkal). And the another majore state highway runs between Kangeyam and Tirupur, a vibrant industriallised city. Even remote areas of kangayem are within the reach of 5 km from the Highways.

Kangeyam is the only town of its kind having good infrastructure.

Telecommunication

Kangayam has a very good network of Telecommunication. The traditional BSNL suscribers are rapidly targeted by the upcoming private players like Reliance Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, BPL Mobile, Aircell and Tata Indicom. Since the developments of the town was uniformly distributed all over, the connectivity is well within the range.

Since the town is growing fast, the importance of wireless connectivity increases rapidly. And ultimately the town has become a cake in the telecommunication market.

People and Culture

People of Kangayam are known for their hospitality and culture. Though the township has a mixed religious belief, the overwhelming population belongs to a strong land owning Gounder (caste) community who became successful industrialist in the 21st century. Eventhough they were majority in population and economically strong they live with communal harmony with the other people.

People of Kangayam are noted for their rich tradition and economical growth. People living below the poverty line is around 3%, which is much lower than the national average and the state average.

People belonging to the Gounder (caste) community had contributed much to the economical development of the town. And their history dates back to C.E. The much celebrated Poet Kambar had sung hymns, praising the marriage ceremony of Gounder (caste).

Demographics

As of 2005 India census[1], Kangeyam had a population of 38,862. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Kangeyam has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 66%. In Kangeyam, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Kangeyam is a vibrant town with lot of commercial activities. It is located to very close Industrial towns such as Tirupur, famous for its apparel exports, Erode, a major agricultural trading town, Karur, famous for its textile production and Coimbatore, a vibrant city known for its textile prowess, machinery exports and multitude of educational institutions.

The four major industries in the Kangeyam are Rice production , Coconut Copra production , Coconut Oil production and Ghee production. Though the region is semi arid and rain fed, it is very suitable for rice production with its round the year warm weather and optimum humidity. Most of the rice produced here are boiled rice marketed in the near by cities like Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur and also exported to North America and Europe.

Kangayam started emerging as a major trading centre in the '80s with the spread of coconut cultivation in Tamil Nadu. There are a few hundred oil mills in the area, which almost serves the need of the state and exports to the neghiboring states. The bulk of the coconut oil trade at Kangayam goes to states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

There are few hundred drying yards for the purpose of rice production. These mills were located in and around the town.

Paddy is procured from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, near by states, and from Thanjavur, Cauvery delta region in Tamil Nadu.

Educational Institutions

Kangeyam is one of the Town in Erode district having very good educational instutions, especially schools. Schools in this town had prouced district rank holders and even state rank holders. The overall pass percentage of this town particularly was above 85%, which is very much higher than the state's pass percentage.

Colleges In and around kangeyam

Higher Secondary Schools In and Around Kangayam

Primary School In and Around Kangayam

Agriculture

Agriculture in Kangayam

Agriculture had been the main livehood for most of the people in Kangayam till 1990s. Though the people were doing modernised agriculture, with the change in Indian Economic Policy, agriculture got a setback , Which resulted in the change of mentality of the people. Now e days most of the people have a side business along agriculture, owing to poor turnout in agriculture. Most of the agricultural lands in Kangayam receive irrigation facility through PAP irrigation network. There are complains that the water received by Kangayam from PAP irrigation network has drastically reduced after the extension of the canal to Velakoil due to the influence of the erstwile AIADMK strong man Durai Ramasamy at that time.

Attrition of Agricultural Workforce

Though the primary occupication of most of the people in and around kanagayam is agriculture there is a trend in the younger generation to shift work to Knittwear and garments which resulted in the steep increase of agricultural labour demand. This is primarily due to the losses sustained by the agriculture in the last 10 years which is attributed to change in Indian Economic Policies towards agricultural imports and due to the steep raise in skilled and unskilled labours for the Knitting and garment factories in nearby city of Tirupur.

Excessive Ground Water Exploitation

There has been steady decline in ground water due to extensive agriculture in this region. This effect is mainly attributed towards the supply of free electricity by the Government of Tamil Nadu, which resulted in the exploitation of ground water from deep tube wells seen all over the area. If this trend continues there will be a complete exploitation of ground water in Kangayam area in the near future.

Use of Modern Techniques in Agriculture

Kangayam agriculturalists are one of the pioneers in the use of modern agriculture in the state. Almost all the coconut plantations are provided with drip irrigation. Use of single phase preventer and electronic auto on off devices are common in all agricultural establishments.

Places to Visit

Sivan Malai = The hill of lord siva (Tamil: Siva(n) - Lord Shiva, Malai - a hill)

A beautiful Temple dedicated to Lord Muruga near Kangaeyam. This lord is also known as Karthikeya, Skanda among other myriad names. He is the lord of war and victory. In mythology he is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvathi, but was born unconceived. The temple has the classic south Indian (and Tamil) architecture. It is situated on top of the hill in a square walled complex. A lower -hip height- outer wall surrounds a broad walkway around the temple that lets the 'car festival' happen as well allow devotes to perform the classic 'clockwise' walk around the temple. The path on the inner end is bounded by the tall temple walls. The entry to the temple is via the classic 'gopuram' (Tamil: Gopuram - tower). Inside you find another walk path surrounding the core temple (Tamil: Sanidhi - sanctum). The core temple houses the idol of the lord Muruga. An annual car festival occurs here. The car is a gopuram topped four wheeled platform that is pulled by devotees around the temple. This lets the lord preside over the outside of the temple in the fore mentioned walkway. This is a beautiful temple situated in a beautiful location.


Kangayam

The Kangayam cattle conform largely to the Southern Indian Mysore type, thought there is evidence of the blood of the gray-white Ongole cattle in their composition. Possibly this mixture has given the breed its larger size in comparison with other cattle of the Mysore type. This breed, in its native area, is also known by other names of Kanganad and Kongu though the name Kangayam is well-known. These cattle are bred in the southern and southeastern area of the Coimbatore district of Madras State in India. It is observed that there are two varieties of Kangayam cattle, one small and the other large. The smaller variety is found to be more numerous in the Kangayam, Dharampuram, Udmalpet, Pollachi, Paddadam and Erode subdivisions, while the larger variety is found in the areas of Karur, Aravakurchi and Dindigul subdivisions. The breed is found in its pure form in the herds of some large breeders, notably the Pattagar of Palayakottai, who is supposed to have one of the best herds of the breed in the country.

Characteristics

Both varieties of this breed are strong and active, with compact bodies and short, stout legs with strong hooves. Horns in the smaller variety spread apart nearly straight, with a slight curve backwards. In the larger variety, the horns are much longer, curve outwards and backwards and almost complete a circle at the point where they approach the tips. The head is of moderate size with only slightly prominent forehead. The head is more proportionate to the body with a straighter profile than in most of the Mysore type cattle. The ears are small, erect and pointed. The eyes are dark and prominent with black rings around them.

The neck is short and thick. The back is short, broad and level. The body is compact, with well sprung ribs. The quarters are slightly drooping. The dewlap is thin and extends only up to the sternum. The sheath is well tucked up to the body. The hump in bulls, though well-developed, is firm. The hair is fine and short and the skin is dark in pigment and fine in texture. The tail is of moderate length with a black switch reaching well below the hocks.

Kangayam color is usually gray or white. The males generally are gray with black or very dark gray coloring on the head, neck, hump and quarters. In the cows, the prevailing color is white and gray with deep markings on the knees, and just above the fetlocks on all four legs. The calves are light or dark brown with gray or white on the inside of the thighs, ears and forelegs, and occasionally with gray or white rings on the pasterns and fetlocks. At two years the heifer turns gray or dark gray and retains this color but with advancing age after maturity the color fades and becomes white. Male calves become dark gray or iron gray with black shading over the head, neck, hump, dewlap, fore and hind quarters. With maturity the black shading becomes intensified. Castrated males, however, show fading of the color.

Kangayam cattle are of moderate size, active and powerful, and are highly prized draft animals. The cows are generally poor milkers but there are encounters of fair producing abilities.