Thirukkattuthurai

Demographics

According to latest 2011 Indian census, Thirukkattuthurai has a population of 3011 consisting of 944 families of which male population is 1458 and female 1553 with 7.21 percent of population under six years of age. The literacy rate is 74.84 percent comparable to state average of 80.09 percent but the sex ratio is 1065 comparable to state ratio of 996. Literacy stands at 85.82 percent for men and 64.72 percent for women.

12.85 percent of the total population constitutes Schedule Caste (SC).

Work Profile

In Thirukkattuthurai village 1694 are engaged in work activities and 99.29 percent of workers describe their work as main job. Out of 1694 workers engaged in main Work, 288 are cultivators while 886 are agricultural labourers.

Geography

The Thirukkattuthurai village is 3 kilometers north-west from the town Velayuthampalayam which is located 11°4'48"N 78°0'1"E at average elevation of 125 meters (410 feet).

Climate

The highest temperature is in early May to early June usually about 34 °C, though it usually exceeds 38 °C for a few days most years. Average daily temperature during January is around 23 °C, though the temperature rarely falls below 17 °C. The average annual rainfall is about 725 mm. It gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from late September to mid November.

Education

The schools in Thirukkattuthurai panchayat & major schools of nearby Panchayats are:

Rural-Primary :

Panchayat Union Elementary School, Karaipalayam [Thirukkattuthurai Panchayat]

Panchayat Union Elementary School, Kattipalayam [Thirukkattuthurai]

Panchayat Union Elementary School, Thirukkaduthura [Thirukkattuthurai]

Rangasamy Aided Primary School, Nadaiyanur [Thirukkattuthurai]

Rural - Higher secondary :

Rangasamy Goundar Higher Secondary School, Nadayanur [Thirukkattuthurai]

Urban - Primary :

Mathy Nursery Primary School, Velayuthampalayam [Punjaipugalur Panchayat]

Urban - Secondary :

Krishna Matric School, Velayuthampalayam [Punjaipugalur]

Urban - Higher Secondary :

Government (B) Higher Secondary School, Pugalur [Punjaipugalur]

Government (G) Higher Secondary School, Pugalur [Punjaipugalur]

T N P L Matric Higher Secondary School, Kagithapuram [TNPL pugalur Panchayat]

In recent days because of increased awareness the kids go to nearby TNPL Matric School, Pugalur (accredited with Five Star Status by Bharathidasan University, Trichy) and Pugalur Boys and Girls High School for better education of course including Rangasamy Gounder Higher secondary School.

M. Kumarasamy College of Engineering (MKCE), Thalavapalayam, 639 113, is a landmark on the National High way No.7, located on the Karur – Salem route. It is located 9 kilometers away from Thirukkattuthurai. The college is affiliated to the Anna University, Chennai and also approved by the All India Council of Technical Education, New Delhi. It is the major engineering college close to this village. This village panchayat has recently produced many engineering graduates being employed by big multinational companies. Kandaswami Kandar's College, Paramathi Velur is the Arts & Science college situated 6 km from this village. But this college comes under Nammakkal district.

Economy

The main dominant form of employment is in agriculture. The main crops grown are Sugarcane, paddy, plantain, yuca or manioc (Maravalli kizhangu), groundnut and Corn. In recent days coconut trees have become more popular. Many people are also working in TNPL Company. Some go to Karur to work in textile industry. Farmers Market (ulavar santhai) is in Velayuthampalayam (3 km) where farmers used to sell their agricultural commodities during morning time and also during every Thursday evening vendors in and around Velayuthampalayam sell domestic commodities in Velayuthampalaym Market near to municipality building.

Major household departmental stores nearby are New colombu stores, Navaladi stores and Pugali super market in Velayuthampalayam.

Governance

The area is governed by Directorate of Village panchayat which has President, Vice-President, 1 councilor (per ward) and 9 members (for three wards). They are the elected representatives of the village. Elections are conducted once in 5 years. Village Code of Thirukkattuthurai Village Panchayat is 12.

Banking & other Facilities

The village panchayat has also one public library in Nadayanur. Water from Cauvery River is pumped through motor (maintained by the village) to agriculture fields of the village. Village Ration shops are in Thirukkattuthurai and Aalamarathumeydu from where pulses, fuel, domestic commodities are bought by village people. The playgrounds and sports material to that is established through the Rural Development Department for the village panchayat. In this village panchayat there are two banks Tamil Nadu co-operative Society in Aalamarathumeydu and Indian overseas bank in Nadayanur.

Other banks available are Indian Overseas Bank, Kandampalayam (2.5 km), Bank Of India, Velayuthampalayam (3 km), State Bank of India, Pugalur branch in Kagithapuram (4.5 km).

Healthcare

There is Government General Hospital at the footsteps of Pugali Malai in Velayuthampalayam. There are two main private hospitals on the Karur-Velur highway which has inpatient services. There are many small clinics run by several doctors. The medical services are well supported by clustered medical stores in the junction of velayuthampalayam. For major medical and surgical services, the public go to one of the places (Paramathy Velur, Karur, Erode, Coimbatore, and Trichy).

Entertainment & Festivals

Most of the town residents have access to almost all Television channels. One has to travel to 'Karur' (21 km) or 'Paramathi Velur' (4 km) to watch a movie in theatre.

There are 3 Theatres in Paramathi Velur:- Abirami theatre, Ganesa theatre and Siva theatre. In Karur there are 10 theatre and its details can be found later.

The Thirukkattuthurai village has Pillaiyar temple, Maariyamman temple and Maruthaiveeran temple (Dalits). Pookuli festival of Maariyamman temple - twice in a year during December, April month (walk of devotees over red hot wooden piece) will be there in Thirukkattuthurai and devotees in and around this village will get together.

Pugali Malai

The temple in Pugalur situated north west of Karur dedicated to Lord Murugan on a small hill at Velayuthanpalayam and there are many inscriptions about Chera since Karur is the administrative capital of Chera Dynasty. It is situated 3 km from Thirukkattuthurai. Every year during the first week of February month Thaipusam is celebrated in this temple. During which devotees take Kavadi to this temple and at that night Theru (Temple Cart) with Lord Muruga in it is moved around the hill by people with the help of Chain.

Kodumudi Temple

Sthala Puranam (Mythology)

A well known divine story of the temple starts with the combat between Aathisesha and Vaayu (God of lie and element 'air'). This war pulses the holy Meru (Divine hill) and makes one Apex into five pieces, after this war the five pieces of the apex changes into five Swayambulinga Sivasthalas. These five sthalas are considered as five types of precious stones as follows:

Emerald - Thirueengoimalai (nearer to Musiri) Red - Thiruvannarmalai Blue - Kuttraalam Manickam - Sivaaya Malai Diamond - Kodumudi

Obligations for marriages, child birth, covers a maximum part of prarthana, nexly people those suffering from physical and mental diseases are strongly believing this sthala for their remedy. Festivals in this temple are in Chithirai, Aadi,Aavani, Aipasi,Karthikai, Markazhi,Thai, Maasi,Panguni of Tamil months. In addition to Aadipperukku where lighted lamps are set afloat in the river Cauvery.

Kunchitapaada Natarajar has both his feet on the ground, in contrast to the raised left foot and the lion faced pillars testify to Pallava contributions.

Transport

The town has numerous modes of transport such as the Private Mini Bus. Government run buses and private buses are adequate in Aalamarathumeydu (1.6 km) and Velayuthampalayam (3 km) from Thirukkattuthurai. Most of the people commute by bi-cycles or two wheeler motorcycles.

The nearest airport are in Trichy (90 km) and Madurai (156 km). Major Airport are located at Coimbatore (112 km). The nearest major sea port is at Cochin (259 km), Thoothukudi (365 km) and Chennai (353 km).

Nearby Railway Station

The nearby town Pugalur (Code: PGR) has a railway station which is well connected to Erode, Coimbatore, Trichy, Chennai, Madurai, Tuticorin, Palakad, Thrisur, Ernakulum, Bangalore and Mysore. Both passenger trains and express trains pass through this station. This railway station is 5 km from Thirukkattuthurai.

Totally 10 trains stops & passes through Pugalur railway station. They are

Communication

BSNL, Aircel, Airtel, Reliance, Vodafone, Tata DoCoMo are the communication providers to this town. The well penetrated landline connections are provided by BSNL again. The availability of internet is mostly dial-up connection. Now BSNL has provided broadband internet connection. Post office nearby is Nadayanur Branch post office 2.5 km.Others are Velayuthampalayam Sub post office 3 km and other Sub post office at TNPL Kagithapuram. Nearby Head post office is in Paramathy Velur (Nammakkal District) 4 km from Thirukkattuthurai.

Paper

Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd is promoted by the Government of Tamil Nadu with loan assistance from the World Bank. Today TNPL is the largest producer of bagasse (sugarcane waste from Sugar mills) based paper in the world and the 2nd largest paper producer in Asia. TNPL produces 230,000 tons of Printing & writing paper and consumes 1 million tones of bagasse every year. It is located 4.5 kilometers away from this village.

Sugar

EID Parry India(pvt) Ltd has a sugar factory in Pugalur, about 8 kilometers away from this village. It has a capacity of 4000 TCD per year. It also has a 22 MW co-generation Power plant, with TNPL.

Polling Station

Panchayat Union Primary School, Thirukkattuthurai North facing remains as the polling station for this village and covers areas including Aalamarathumeydu, Karapalayam, Nadayanur and Kattipalayam.

Tourist Spot

Nearby tourist spot is Kolli hills in Namakkal district around 52 km from Thirukkattuthurai.Kolli Hills is famous for its herbals and this place is untouched by commercial tourism.

It is very beautiful place which is a part of Eastern Ghats. Semmedu is headquarters of Kolli hills. It is about 1300m in height with 70 hair pin bends. Spots must be visited in Kolli hills are Vasaloorpatty Boat House in Solakkadu, Botanical Garden in Semmedu,Masila Falls also called as Akasa Gangai which forms river Aiyaru, Arappaleeshwarar temple and Melkalingam Ettukaiamman Koil.And don't forget to get Jackfruit and pineapple.

Accommodations in Kolli hills are 1. Nallathambi Resorts at highest point of hill 2. Arrow Mansion near semmedu bus stand 3. Wild Orchid Camp (earlier Kolli hills resort) near petrol bunk 4. PA Holiday Inn, semmedu