Azhagiapandiapuram

Azhagiapandiapuram

Athiyanur
Azhagiapandiapuram Athiyanur
Village
	Azhagiapandiapuram
	Nature of Azhagiapandiapuram
	Nickname: Azhagai
	Motto: Satyameva Jayate
	Anthem: Jana gana Mana
	Azhagiapandiapuram Azhagiyapandipuram, Tamil Nadu
	Coordinates: 8°18′29″N 77°26′19″E / 8.308100°N 77.438600°E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Kanniyakumari
Revenue division	Nagercoil
Tehsil	Thovalai
Revenue block	Azhagiapandiapuram
Named for	beautiful land of Pandia Dynasty
Government
• Type	Town Panchayat
• Body	Azhgiapandiapuram Town Panchayat
• Prime minister	Narendra Modi
Area
• Total	10.24 km2 (3.95 sq mi)
Elevation	70 m (230 ft)
Highest elevation (Panchagiri Peak)	253 m (830 ft)
Lowest elevation	36 m (118 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	12,183
• Density	1,194.4/km2 (3,093/sq mi)
Demonym	Azhaiyandrumkaran
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	TN - 74
Website	townpanchayat.in/azhagiapandipuram

Azhagiapandiapuram is a second grade town panchayat in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located at the centre of Pazhayar valley. It is one of the four town panchayat's in Thovalai taluk.^[1]

Location and Significance

Azhagiapandiapuram village

The town spans an area of around 10.24 km² with Ettamadai, Kesavanputhoor, Melkarai, Perunthalaikadu, Kurathiyarai, Thomaiyarpuram and Palkulam as its sub-villages. The places situated in the vicinity of the town include Asambu Reserve Forest to the North, Derisanamcope and Thittuvilai to the south, and Kadukkarai and Kattuputhoor to the East, Chiramadam to Southwest, Gnalam to west and Arumanallur to Northwest.

Azhagiapandiapuram is located 70 km Southeast of the Trivandrum Metropolitan Region and 15 km to the North of Nagercoil the nearest city. Azhagiapandiapuram is 32 km away from the commercial towns of Marthandam and it is 35 km to the Northwest of Tourism hub Kanyakumari.

Demographics

Azhagiapandiapuram

as of 2011^[update] India census,^[2] Azhagiapandiapuram had a population of 11,392. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50% in which female population is just more than male population. Azhagiapandiapuram has an average literacy rate of 83.71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 85.02% and female literacy of 82.40%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 4.50% and 0.15% of the population respectively. The town had a total of 3146 households.

History

The Ay clan was one of the major hill-chiefs of early historic south India.^[3]^{[page needed]} Members of the Ay family – of the Podiyil Hills (the Aykudi) – were related to the early historic Cheras of central Kerala.^{[citation needed]} Towards the close of the early historic period, Pandya supremacy might have extended to the Ay territory (through it is likely that the Ay gained their independence during the Kalabhra period).

A number of Ay chiefs such as Andiran, Titiyan and Atiyan are mentioned in the early Tamil poems.^{[citation needed]}

Ay Andiran is praised by early Tamil poets such as Mudamochiyar, Odakizhar, and Kiranar in Purananuru^{[citation needed]} He is mentioned in the Purananuru as the "Lord of Podiyil Mala" in southern Western Ghats. He is said to have defeated the Kongu chiefs and pursued them to the Arabian Sea. He was an elder contemporary of the Chera chief Antuvan Cheral.^[3]^{[page needed]}
Ay Titiyan (the Podiyil Chelvan) is praised by authors Paranar and Bhuta Pandya (the Pandya chief) in Akananuru. It seems that Ay Titiyan was a vassal of the Pandya ruler Bhuta Pandya.^{[citation needed]}^[3]^{[page needed]}
Ay Atiyan, successor to Ay Titiyan, is mentioned by authors Paranar and Madurai Kanakkayanar in Akananuru. Paranar and Kanakkayanar also mention Podiyil Mala, the Ay base, as the property of Pachupun Pandya (Azhakiya Pandya), the successor to Bhuta Pandya.^{[citation needed]}
An Ay ruler took part in the famous battle of Talai-yalankanam, in which the Pandya chief Nedum Chezhiyan defeated several of his enemies.^[3]^{[page needed]}

Etymology

The name Azhagiapandiapuram is derived from the name of the Pandya chieftain Azhagiapandian, who ruled this region in the sangam period.

Administration

Panchayat office

Azhagiapandiapuram is a town panchayat located in Kanyakumari district. It has 15 wards in the panchayat. It comes under Bhoothapandy Police limit of Nagercoil subdivision. It has forest range office, which is one of the five forest range offices in Kanyakumari district.^[4]

Areas of interest

Ettamadai is a trade centre in Azhagiyapandipuram town panchayat. Holy family church in Ettamadai is guarded by a hill and the hills has views from the top. Ulakai aruvi(Ulakkai falls) is another tourist spot. Azhgiyapandipuram village is surrounded by Western ghats on all sides except south.

List of villages

Azhagiapandiapuram firka is one of the 18 firkas in Kaniyakumari district and it is one of the 3 firkas in Thovalai taluk. List of villages comes under Azhagiapandiapuram firka.^[4]

Derisanamcope
Gnalam
Arumanallur
Thadikkarankonam
Kattuputhur
Ananthapuram (Kadukkarai)
Thidal

Festivals

There are at least eleven temples in the village. The major festivals celebrated are:


PLACE OF WORSHIP	FESTIVAL NAME	DAYS	MONTH
Arulmigu Veeravanangai Amman Temple^[5]	Kalivoottu Thiruvizha	3 Days	March
Holy Family Church	Thirukudumba Thiruvizha	10 Days	January
Kasi Vishwanathar Temple	Theppa Thiruvizha	5 Days	January

References

^ Prethesa Mercy, S; Selva Smiley, C (1 December 2019). "A Study on Economic Conditions of Jasmine Flower Cultivators at Thovalai Village in Thovalai Taluk of Kanyakumari District". Shanlax International Journal of Economics. 8 (1): 17–20. doi:10.34293/economics.v8i1.864. ISSN 2582-0192.
^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Sreedhara Menon, A. (2007). A survey of Kerala history. Kerala State, India: D C Books. ISBN 978-81-264-1578-6. OCLC 426093919.
^ ^a ^b "Revenue Administration". Kanniyakumari District, Government of TamilNadu, India. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
^ "Azhagiapandipuram Town Panchayat-". www.townpanchayat.in. Retrieved 26 April 2021.

[1] Prethesa Mercy, S; Selva Smiley, C (1 December 2019). "A Study on Economic Conditions of Jasmine Flower Cultivators at Thovalai Village in Thovalai Taluk of Kanyakumari District". Shanlax International Journal of Economics. 8 (1): 17–20. doi:10.34293/economics.v8i1.864. ISSN 2582-0192.

[2] "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.

[Sreedhara_Menon_2007-3] Sreedhara Menon, A. (2007). A survey of Kerala history. Kerala State, India: D C Books. ISBN 978-81-264-1578-6. OCLC 426093919.

[Rev_Adm-4] "Revenue Administration". Kanniyakumari District, Government of TamilNadu, India. Retrieved 26 April 2021.

[5] "Azhagiapandipuram Town Panchayat-". www.townpanchayat.in. Retrieved 26 April 2021.

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