PERAMBALUR

 District Profile 

Perambalur district is a centrally located inland district of Tamilnadu, spread over 3690.07 sq.kms, which was trifurcated from the erstwhile composite Tiruchirappalli district and was formed on 1 November 1995. The district is bounded by Cuddalore district in the North, Tiruchirappalli district in the South, Thanjavur in the East and Namakkal and Tiruchirappalli districts in the West.

The total Geographical area of the district is 369007 ha. and net sown area and gross sown area are 216422 ha. and 237136 ha. respectively. The net area under irrigation is 71624 ha. The total population of the district as per 2001 census is 11,81,029 of which 5,88,441 are males and 5,92,588 are females. The sex ratio is 1007 with the birth rate at 21.6 and the death rate at 7.7. The density of population of the district per sq.k.m is 281 persons as against the state average of 429 persons.

The district for administrative purpose has been divided into six Taluks (Perambalur, Kunnam, Veppanthattai, Ariyalur, Sendurai and Jayakondam) which is further sub-divided into ten blocks viz. Perambalur, Veppanthattai, Veppur, Alathur, Ariyalur, Thirumanur, Sendurai, Jayakondam, Andimadam and T.Palur) comprising of 345 Villages, 322 Village Panchayats and nine Town Panchayats.

The district lies in the Southern plateau & hill zone of Agro-climate regional planning with characteristics of semi arid climate. The soil is predominantly red loamy and black soil. The normal rainfall of the district is 908 mm which is less than 946.9 mm, the normal rainfall of the State. The precipitation during northeast monsoon, southwest monsoon and remaining winter & hot weather period account for 52 percent, 34 percent and 14 percent of annual rainfall respectively.

Cauvery is the major river flowing in the region and the composite district has a canal system covering just 47 Kms stretch and ayacut of 11610 ha. The Ground water resource through tubewells and wells contribute nearly 68% of irrigated area command. The major crops grown in the district are paddy, groundnut, sugarcane and millets. Cashew is the major plantation crop.

There are a total of 47 PHCs in the district of which 37 are additional PHCs, 7 are block and 3 are 24 hour PHCs. The number of primary schools, middle schools, high schools and higher secondary schools are 722, 118, 82, and 67 respectively.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram

The great monument at Gangaikondacholapuram, the Second Brihadisvara Gangaikkondacholesvara temple rears its head nobly and bespeaks the imperial dignity of the capital that Rajendra (1012-44), the son of Rajaraja, established after his victorious march to east India up to the river Ganga. The capital itself has disappeared: even the place where the emperor dwelt does not exist except in ruins marked by brick debris about 1.5 km away from the temple, at a place known as Ulkottai, where a mound even now called Maligaimedu, ‘palace-mound’, supplies bricks to the villages.

At the temple itself a ruined gopura greets the visitor: it is in the inner compound-wall of the temple, the outer and largest wall, with its gopuras, having been despoiled long ago. On entering through the gopura, one sees, beyond the bali-pitha a huge bull, which, unlike its counterpart at Thanjavur, is not monolithic.

The temple is 54.86 m high and in arrangement follows its Thanjavur predecessor. But while the latter is tall and stately, with its contour straight and severe , suggestive of strength, the present one is shorter and its contour more graceful and delicate and somewhat feminine in its lack of angularity.

Ranjankudi  ( Lat. 11.21’ N. Long.78.57’ E. )  is  located  17 K.Ms.  North   of Perambalur. The Fort was built by a Jagirdar under Nawab of Carnatic in 17th century A.D. The Fort walls  are built with neatly cut stone blocks. There are three  fortification walls at different heights and the bottom most is the main rampart.  It  is oblong  on  plan with semi circular bastions and encircled by a moat  fed  by a  tank  on  the  Southern  side.  The fort  contains  a palace, residential buildings, underground chambers, mosque and flag mast. The  fort was   the  scene  of  the  battle  of   Valikondah  between  the  English  and Mohammad  Ali  on  one  side and Chanda Sahib and the French on the other side in 1751 AD. This fort is under protection of the Archaeological survey.

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