Elangakurichy

Etymology

Elangakurichy is believed to have been named sing a pure Tamil word (Elangakurichy = ilanga + Kurinji) which means 'grace or beauty of a mountainous area'. The first word ilanga means 'characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution', suggesting taste, ease, and wealth. The second word Kurinji means 'Mountainous region'.

Geography

Elangakurichy is located at Coordinates: 10°29'41"N, 78°20'4"E. It has an average elevation of 179 metres (564 feet). Elangakurichy covers 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) and it is located near the Puthur hills as its southern border. To the northern side of the village is Azad Road; to the eastern side is Kavalkarapatti and to the western side is Vaiyampatti. Elangakurichy is a parent village to Iyan-rettiapatti and to Puthur. In contrast to Elangakurichy's mixed urban and rural atmosphere, the vast majority of the village is dominated by farms, forests, a pond and mountains.

Climate

The climate of Elangakurichy is tropical with little variation in summer and winter temperatures. While April–June is the hottest summer period, with the temperature rising to 38 °C, November–February is the coolest winter period with temperatures hovering around 18 °C, making the climate quite pleasant. Elangakurichy gets all its rain from the North-east Monsoons between October and December.

Demographics

According to the Census of India, 2001, Elangakurichy had a population of 3660. Males constitute 50.9% of the population and females 49.1%.

According to the voter list of the Tamil nadu state government, 2011, over (76.85%) were muslims and the remaining 23.5% were Hindus.

Elangakurichy had an average literacy rate of 54%, lower than the national average of 64%; male literacy was 62%, and female literacy was 45%. The village human sex ratio is 981 (earlier 932) females per 1,000 males. Before 1999, Elangakurichy's population was more than 4000; the population diminished because of a lack of business opportunities in the village and they settled in nearby city Dindigul and Manapparai.

Culture

Elangakurichy has multi-generational patriarchal joint families, although nuclear families are becoming common in the 21st century. An overwhelming number of villagers have their marriages arranged by their parents and other respected family members, with the consent of the bride and groom. Marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce rate is extremely low. Child marriage is not practiced in Elangakurichy.

Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as the sari and thavani for women, and the vesti and lungi for men; in addition, stitched clothes such as chudidar for women and European-style trousers and shirts for men, are also popular.

Cuisine

The staple foods in the village are rice and rice products. Early morning, after arising from sleep, they will drink dairy products like fresh milk, or tea with milk. They will eat a breakfast such as, Idly, Dosai, appam, uthappam, Idiyappam, paniyaram or puri. For lunch—normally rice with many of the vegetable curries and non-vegetable curries and poriyal ( boiled vegetable with chilly powder) too. Anam means a masal or mixture of food with water. Different type of anam are kari anam (chicken or mutton masal), mean anam (fish masal), vendaika anam, pavaka anam, kaikari anam (vegetable masal), maamdi anam (mutton masal with extra pepper), manja thanni (mutton with turmeric), pulisaru, sambar, rasam, Vatha Kulambu etc.. For Dinner normally villagers cook extra food similar to lunch and if there is any need, they will cook dosai (a type of thin crisp pancake).

Source of income

Elangakurichy is not only a traditional village, basically an agricultural village; there is some industry. Initially Elangakurichy people were engaged in agriculture, but during the 1910s some of them shifted to the tobacco business. But the government of Indira Gandhi slightly changed the laws concerning tobacco. Many people who engaged in the tobacco business were lower middle class, they could not get a license and they could not pay tax. So, their work was stopped by Government. Then many people who had grown tobacco, and other businessmen took up Sintering contracting. This raised living standards for many. At the end of the 20th century (1992) coal powered trains were replaced by diesel powered ones. Many people who had only sinter contracts were seriously affected.

Agriculture

The village produces coconuts, groundnuts, mango, paddy rice, tomato and other vegetables. A lot of farms are irrigated from wells, as well as rain water irrigation. Rain water irrigation is used for the groundnut fields.

Shopkeepers

A lot of shops in nearby cities and towns like Manapparai, Vaiyampatti, and Dindigul are run by villagers.

Many of the Elangakuruchy people have individual businesses like pharmacy, grocery shops, hardwares and paint shops, garment manufacturing, foot wear, and real estate.

Overseas employed

Many village youths are working in various countries in the world. The countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa.

Others

A many educated people are working in Chennai and other parts of the India. A few people are in government jobs.

Places of Worship

Banking

Elangakurichy is business hub for the Vaiyampatti region, so a State Bank of India branch is located in the village.

Postal Service

An Indian Postal Department branch is located in the village. Elangakurichy has its own postal code - 621302.

Education

Transport

The village is well connected to other parts of Trichy and Tamil Nadu through National Highway 45 and by the railway network. National Highway 45 passes by, 2 km from village. This NH-45 connects Trichy and Dindigul. Transport is provided by the State owned Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), and private bus transport, directly connects Pudukkottai. Recently the state capital Chennai was connected to Elangakurichy by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation. But the Chennai bus was stopped by Jayalalitha's politics.