Gudiyatham

Gudiyatham
குடியாத்தம்
Town
Nickname(s): Kudiyettram
Gudiyatham
குடியாத்தம்

Location in Tamil Nadu, India

Coordinates: 12°56′23″N 78°51′52″E / 12.93972°N 78.8644°E / 12.93972; 78.8644Coordinates: 12°56′23″N 78°51′52″E / 12.93972°N 78.8644°E / 12.93972; 78.8644
Country  India
State Tamil Nadu
District Vellore
Government
 • Type First Grade Municipality
 • Body Gudiyatham Municipality
Population (2011)
 • Total 291,558
Languages
 • Official Tamil
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 632 601, 632 602, 635 803
Telephone code 91 4171
Vehicle registration TN 23

Gudiyatham (also called Gudiyattam or Gudiyettram) is a municipality in Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is 31 km from the city of Vellore. In 2011, the town had a population of 91,558. This is where the first Indian national flag was woven. Gudiyatham is a first-grade municipality. It was named as Gudiyatham Municipality in 1886.

Geography

Gudiyatham is about 160 km west of Chennai and 165 km southeast of Bengaluru. The town is near the border of Andhra Pradesh state. Gudiyatham has more than 500 small villages around it.

In 2010, the opening of NH 234 highway was announced. NH234 passes through it from Mangaluru to Villupuram en route to Vellore and Tiruvannamalai.[1]

Demographics

Religious census
Religion Percent(%)
Hindu
  
 81.58%
Muslim
  
 16.96%
Christian
  
 0.98%
Sikh
  
 0.01%
Buddhist
  
 0.01%
Jain
  
 0.28%
Other
  
 0.16%
No religion
  
 0.02%

According to the 2011 census, Gudiyatham had a population of 291,558 with a sex-ratio of 1,029 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[2] A total of 9,273 were under the age of six, constituting 4,738 males and 4,535 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 16.8% and 0.1% of the population respectively.

The average literacy of the town was 77.46%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[2] The town had 21,363 households. There were 39,067 workers, comprising 108 cultivators, 284 main agricultural labourers, 6,532 in household industries, 28,401 other workers, 3,742 marginal workers, 23 marginal cultivators, 37 marginal agricultural labourers, 870 marginal workers in household industries and 2,812 other marginal workers.[3]

As per the religious census of 2011, Gudiyatham had 81.58% Hindus, 16.96% Muslims, 0.98% Christians, 0.01% Sikhs, 0.01% Buddhists, 0.28% Jains, 0.16% following other religions and 0.02% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.[4]

Tourist attractions

Mordhana Dam is about 8 kilometers from Gudiyatham. The dam is built between two hills that are covered with lush greenery and is 33 meters high and 220 meters long.

Karupuleeswarar Temple, also known as Balasarthuleeswarar (Baby-Tiger Eswarar)temple in Nellorepet is more than 1000 years old and is historically connected with Gudiyatham town. It is famous for its car festival (Thaer Thiruvizha). This temple was the abode for famous sage Goundanya Rishi and the river passing through the town is called in his name "Goundanya Maha Nadi". The temple has lion tank (Simha kulam).

Gangaiamman Temple in Gudiyatham is famous for its 4 days carnival (Gangai Amman Thiruvizha) every year during May 14–17 (Tamil month - Vaigasi 1st) which attracts 10 lakhs of people from all around India.

Arulmigu Punganoor Amman Temple in Chunnambupet (Old Bus Stand backside).

Sethukkarai hill (Serukkiri hill) is recently famous for the Girivalam (going around hill) among the locals on full moon days.


Commerce

India's first national flag hoisted after Independence was made in Gudiyattam. This flag was hoisted by the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru at Redfort on 15 August 1947.

Gudiyatham has a small scale sector manufacturing safety matches, lungis, and beedis. The safety matches industry is second largest in Tamil Nadu after Sivakasi. Beedis are exported to Pakistan and other parts of India. The handloom and powerloom lungies which are manufactured here are exported to many parts of India, African and Arab countries.

The town has many cinema theaters (more than 10). Gudiyatham is famous for gold jewellery making. Being on the Katpadi-Jolarpettai railway line, it is well connected to Chennai and Bengaluru.

Other than these, there were two cotton mills running in Gudiyatham. One is Thirumagal Mills Limited and other one is Rajeshwari Mills Limited; but the latter was closed. Cow and Ox market is held near Nellorepet on every Tuesday and it has been so, for more than 100 years.


Education

The Govt. Thirumagal Mills college,Gudiyatham was established in the year 1964-65. The college was established with a pre-University course and now it has 6 UG courses and 2 PG courses apart from two certificate courses. Located in the Gudiyattam - Katpadi Road.

The K.M.G College was started in the year 2000. From a humble beginning of 7 Undergraduate courses started in the very first year of opening of the college.The college now offers 10 Undergraduate courses,6 PG courses and 2 Research programs.

The Rajagopal Polytechnic College was established in the year 1960. This Polytechnic College offers three year Diploma courses in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, and Automobile Engineering. Located in the Gudiyattam - Katpadi Road.

The Sugarcane Research Station at Melalathur, Gudiyatham was started in 1935 under a scheme for sugarcane research of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research. From 1981 onward, it is under the jurisdiction of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. (TNAU)


Politics

Gudiyatham assembly constituency is part of Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.[5] Kamarajar was elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly from the Gudiyatham constituency when he was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Jayanthi Padmanabhan is the current Member of Legislative Assembly


References

  1. ↑ (NH-234 announcement.)
  2. 1 2 "Census Info 2011 Final population totals". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Census Info 2011 Final population totals - Gudiyatham(05712)". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Population By Religious Community - Tamil Nadu" (XLS). Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
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