Karaikal (, , /kaʁikal/) is a port city of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry.
Etymology
The origin of the word Karaikal is uncertain. The Imperial Gazetteer of British India gives its meaning as 'fish pass'. Both the words 'Karai' and 'Kal' have several meanings, of which the more acceptable ones are 'lime mix' and 'canal' respectively. Hence it has been suggested that the name may mean a canal built of lime mix, however, no trace of such a canal is evident.
History
In 1738, Karaikal was promised to the French by
Shahuji II, the exiled Rajah of Thanjavur, in exchange for their assistance. However, the transfer of control only occurred in 1739 with the help of
Chanda Sahib of
Arcot State, when the French formally obtained the town.
In 1749, additional territories consisting of 81 villages were ceded by Pratap Singh to the French during their siege of Thanjavur, a grant that was confirmed by treaty in 1754. Karaikal changed hands multiple times in the following years due to conflicts between the French and the British, notably during the siege of 1760, when British forces captured the town after a ten-day defense.
Karaikal was eventually restored to French control in 1817 following the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French continued to hold control, despite occasional interruptions by the British Raj, until 1954, when it was de facto incorporated into the Republic of India. Karaikal, along with the other French Indian colonies of Mahé, Yanaon, Chandannagar, and Pondichéry, was de jure integrated into India in 1962.
Geography
Karaikal is a small coastal enclave which was formerly part of
French India. Together with the other former French territories of Pondicherry,
Yanam district, and Mahé, it forms the Union Territory of Puducherry. Karaikal is bounded on three sides by three districts of
Tamil Nadu, on the North by Mayiladuthurai district, on the South by Nagapattinam district of
Tamil Nadu state, on the west by Tiruvarur district (also belonging to Tamil Nadu), and on the East by the Bay of Bengal. The enclave is located south of the city of Pondicherry, east of Trichy and is known for its rich cultural heritage.
The main branches of Kaveri below Kallanai Dam are the Kudamurutti, Arasalar River, Virasolanar and the Vikramanar. Although Arasalar and its branches spread through Karaikal, the waters of Kudamurutti and Virasolanar also meet the irrigation needs of the region.
Forming a part of the fertile Kaveri delta, the region is completely covered by the distributaries of Cauvery. Covered completely by a thick mantle of alluvium of variable thickness, the lie of the region is flat having a gentle slope towards the Bay of Bengal in the east. It is limited on the north by the Nandalar River and on the south-east by the Vettar River. The group of rocks known as Cuddalore formations is met with in the area contiguous to Karaikal region in Nagapattinam district.
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as tropical wet and dry (
As).
Governance
The District Collector is the official representative to the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Co-ordinator and Liaison Officer to all Government departments of Karaikal district. District Collectorate, Karaikal is the functional headquarters of Karaikal District.
Karaikal region is made up of Karaikal municipality and the Communes of
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of India, total population of Karaikal district is 200,222, comprising 97,809 males and 1,02,413 females. Population of the district accounts for 16.04% of the total population of Puducherry U.T. and ranks second among the districts. The literacy rate is 87.1%, with male literacy at 92.4% and female literacy at 82.0%.
Culture
Karaikal is renowned for its connection with Karaikal Ammaiyar, a leading
Shaivism saint and
Bhakti movement poetess, amongst the sixty-three
Nayanars, who lived there around the 5th century CE.
A sanctuary, the Karaikal Ammaiyar temple, is dedicated to her, and popular for its annual celebration of
Mangani Festival (the Mango Festival or
Fête des Mangues in French), which takes place in summer.
The event is the town's main feast.
Located on the former italic=yes (now
Bharathiyar Street), the italic=yes temple is neighboured by the Shaivite temple of Kailasanathar and the
Vaishnavism temple of Nithyakalyana Perumal. The three religious sites share the Chandra Theertham
Temple tank, which lies along the street. A second religious celebration in the town concerns exclusively the Kailasanathar temple, which organizes the Karaikal Chariot festival.
Karaikal is also sometimes associated with the temple partly devoted to Shani or Saneesvara at Thirunallar, one of the Navagraha Sthalam in the Kumbakonam region.
Of lesser reverence with respect to the Paadal Petra Sthalam, Karaikal and its surroundings also feature temples esteemed in the Saiva Siddhanta tradition, designated as the Vaippu Sthalam. Mentioned in the religious literature associated with this tradition, there are two of these temples, the Raja Chozheesvarar temple at Thirumalairayanpattinam or T.R Patnam (once known as the Grande Aldée in French), and the Thirulokanathar temple at Thakkalur, a hamlet between Dharmapuram and Thirunallar. Muslim presence in Karaikal grew between the 18th and 19th centuries.
Economy
Most of the people in town are office goers and industrial workers. There are a number of iron and steel rolling mills, spinning mills, tiles, polythene, rubber and chemical industries in Karaikal. Other common sources of the people's income come from business. The prominent source of income of this district is agriculture and fishing. Karaikal is a coastal town with a total coastline of . There are 12 big fishing hamlets and around more than 25,000 fishermen (6,000 families) are living in these coastal villages. Their main employment is fishing, exporting and fishing related activities. The other main source is the liquor business, the tax being less and the cost almost half when compared to the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Karaikal is one of the towns in South India with high cost of living due to French NRI's presence. Thousands of families with their origin in Karaikal live in France. Puducherry Power Corporation Limited is Generating Electricity with Natural gas fuel in their combined cycle power plant and supply the electricity to Puducherry Electricity Department. The fuel gas received through GAIL India Limited by underground pipelines from ONGC Wells.The ONGC's office
Kaveri rig is at Karaikal.
Transport
Airways
The nearest airport to Karaikal is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, which serves the entire Cauvery delta region, as well as adjacent areas. The other major airport close to the town is Chennai International Airport, which offers better air connectivity, especially to long-haul destinations.
Karaikal Airport is a greenfield project nearby Karaikal, currently frozen. It would have been the first airport in the country built entirely with private capital. The project received in-principle clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in February 2011. Karaikal Airport's Air Traffic Control, however, would have been operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). In its initial plans, the airport, spread across , was being developed by Karaikal Airport Private Limited, a subsidiary of Super Airport Private Limited. The first phase of construction would have included construction of a 1200-metre runway and a terminal building capable of handling 120 passengers during peak hours. The airport was expected to handle regional turboprop airliners like the ATR-42. The company planned to expand the airport after five years, extending the runway to and increasing terminal building capacity to 500 passengers per hour. A further expansion was planned ten years down the line with a 3500-metre runway and a passenger capacity of 1,000 per hour.
Seaways
Karaikal port is a new deep sea water port being constructed in Karaikal. More than of land was leased out to MARG corporation in year 2005 for 30 years and can be renewed for every 10 years thereafter. The port will have a total of nine berths and is constructed for primary transport of coal, textile and cement. The Karaikal port is intended to primarily handle cement and coal to serve the hinterland in Ariyalur, Perambalur and Tiruchi districts. The port is also expected to provide an alternative to the
Madras Port and
Tuticorin Port, which are the major ports in the coastline but are separated by long distance. Further, Karaikal is in the middle of the Tamil Nadu coast, midway between the two deepwater ports of Chennai and Tuticorin.
Roadways
The National Highway NH 32 connects
Chennai and
Thoothukudi, passes through Karaikal. It is located at the distance from
Chennai, from Puducherry, from
Tiruchirappalli, from
Kumbakonam and from
Nagapattinam. Karaikal is connected with both National Highways and State Highways. Both Gov't. and Private buses available from Karaikal to Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli, Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram.
Railways
Karaikal having rail line connected from Tiruchirapalli via Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Nagore. Presently Rails are available from Karaikal to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Ernakulam, Tiruchirapalli, Tanjore, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Nagore, Velanganni and currently Karaikal to Peralam Railway line work is under progress.
Peralam–Karaikal line
Education
According to the 2011 Census, Karaikal has literacy rate of 87.1%. There is a wide network of educational institutions right from elementary level to collegiate level in the Karaikal region.
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) was established in Karaikal in 2016 with an initial intake of 50 students. The students are selected through entrance exams conducted nationwide.
National Institute of Technology Puducherry was established in Karaikal in 2010. The students are admitted based on Joint Entrance Examination – Main entrance exam score.
Notable people
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Peter Hein
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A.M.H. Nazeem
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Padma Shri K. N. Dandayudhapani Pillai
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M. O. H. F. Shahjahan
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K. A. Thangavelu
See also
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French India
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French colonial empire
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French East India Company
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Municipal Administration in French India
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Karaikal Carnival
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Serumavilangai
External links
