Dindigul - General Information

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Dindigul - General Information

It is located between 10005” and 100 9” North Latitude and 77030” and 78020” East Longitude.

This district is bound by Erode, Coimbatore, Karur and Trichy districts on the North, by Sivaganga and Tiruchi District on the East, by Madurai district on the South and by Theni and Coimbatore Districts and Kerala State on the West. It is spread over on area of 6266.64 Sq. Km. It comprises of 3 Revenue Divisions, 7 Taluks and 14 Panchayat Unions, According to 2001 Census, its population is 19,18,960.

For a long time, Dindigul town has been associated with Iron locks, Iron safe of good quality and durability. A lock manufacturing unit under co-operative sector is functioning here. Another industry for which Dindigul is noted is Leather Tanning.

This district is having a flourishing handloom industry at Chinnalapatti, which is located at 11 Kms away from Dindigul on the Madurai-Dindigul road. Art –Silk sarees and sungudi. Sarees Produced in Chinnalapatti are famous through out India. More than 1000 families are engaged in this Industry.

Dindigul city which is an important wholesale market for Onion and Groundnut has the network of inter-district roads connecting Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruchi, Karur, Madurai and Sivaganga District.

Educationally, Dindigul is a well developed and popular city. It has got many High and Higher Secondary Schools to its credit. St.Marry’s Higher Secondary School, a well disciplined Institution is one of the oldest institutions in this city. This district has the credit of having two Universities, viz, Mother Theresa University for Women at Kodaikanal and Gandhigram Rural Deemed University at Gandhigram. Also a number of Engineering Colleges, Arts & Science Colleges, Politechnics, ITIs are available through-out the district.

This district is privileged to have one of the “Six Celebrated Hill Abodes of “Lord Muruga” at Palani Hills, where the famous Dhandayuthapani Temple is situated on the hilly rock at a height of about 450 mts.

Thousands of pilgrims come down to this holy temple every day particularly during festival days, like “Thaipoosam, Adi-kiruthigai, Panguni Uthiram, Sura-samharam, Vaikasi-visagam and monthly Karthigai". Provision of three Electric Winches, the first of its kind in India is unique feature of this temple. It facilitates the aged, children and the disabled to reach the temple in 8 minutes. The income of the temple, which is the Largest in the State, is growing year by year.

Besides this famous Murugan Temple, there is also another Murugan temple at Thirumalaikeni, 25 Km. away from Dindigul town which is becoming a growing pilgrim centre. Abirami Amman temple in Dindigul town and Raja Kaliamman Temple at Thethupatti 20 Km. away from Dindigul are the other important Temples which attract several thousand pilgrims.

Kodaikkanal, a popular Summer Resort, located at an altitude of 2133 meters in the Western Ghats is the “Princess of Hill Stations”. A notable feature of this Hillock is “Kurunji” flowers blooming once in 12 years . Next blooming in the year 2006. It is also famous for potato cultivation.

Peranai and Sirumalai are the two fine picnic spots of this district. There are four dams viz, Palar Porundalar, Varathamanathi, , Parappalar in Palani Taluk and Maruthanathi in Dindigul Taluk augment irrigation facilities to agricultural fields in this district. Nilakkottai town is famous for Brass Vessels and Jewellery. Nilakkottai Taluk is famous for the growing and marketing of flowers and Grapes. Oddanchatram is a noted market centre for vegetables. It is also famous for the export of Butter, manufactured in the nearby villages using cream separators. Batlagundu is an important market centre for Tomato. Pattiveeranpatti in Vathalagundu Block is famous for Cardamom and Coffee curing enterprises.

Area AND Population: 2001 Census
Area (Sq.Km): 6266.64
Population: 19,23,014
Density: 281 306

Dindigul is known for its Leather Tanning Industry. Besides tanning, Textile spinning industry, which ranks second to Coimbatore in spindlage capacity. The town has been long associated with the manufacture of iron locks which is still a major industry. at Chinnalapatti, which is located at 11 km away from Dindigul on the Madurai-Dindigul road is known for its flourishing handloom industry. Art–Silk Sarees and sungudi produced in Chinnalapatti are famous through out India by the name of chinnalapattu. More than 1000 families are engaged in this Industry. Dindigul city which is an important wholesale market for Onion and Groundnut.

Iron Locks steel safes made here are known for good quality and durability. A lock manufacturing unit under co-operative sector is functioning here. They are usually the paddlock type where one has to wind or unwind the keys twice to lock or unlock, thus making it completely foolproof. These has market through out the state and some are even exported to foreign countries.

Dindigul has been a the centre of a trade in tobacco and manufacture of Cigars, from the time of British rule. Two large European cigar factories used to manufacture cigars to exported to England. Presently it has the largest trading center in Tamil Nadu for chewing tobacco.Well known brands of scented chewing tobacco Angu Vilas scented Tobacco and Roja Supari are produced in this town and are being sent to various places in the State and outside. This flourishing industry gives employment to large number of people.

Blocks / Panchayat Unions : 14
Special Village Panchayats : 24
Panchayat Villages : 306

Municipalities & Revenue Divisions

1. Dindigul

- Dindigul
- Nilakkottai
- Natham

2. Palani

3. Kodaikkanal

Development Divisions

- Dindigul
- Palani

Dindigul - General Information

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