Paramakudi: PARAMAKUDI

Paramakudi is a town, a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The river Vaigai flows through Paramakudi on its way to the Bay of Bengal.

Demographics and location

As of 2001 India censusParamakudi had a population of 82,239. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Paramakudi has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: Male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 68%. In Paramakudi, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. It is the highest populated town in the district and second largest town in the district of Ramanathapuram.

The nearest towns include Ilaiyangudi, Ramanathapuram, and Sivagangai. The town is at the junction of three districts: Ramnathapuram, Sivagangai and Virudunagar. Paramakudi is 74 km east of Madurai, on route to Rameswaram.

History

Historically the area was ruled by the Pandyan Dynasty this is not the head quarters of any king but was ruled by Pandiyas and later by the King Sethupathi of Ramanathapuram. According to the ancient epic Ramayana, Lord Rama started his battle against Ravana at Sethu Canal, which is 45 minutes travel from here.

Paramakudi consists of two formerly separate settlements, Paramakudi and Emaneswaran, which merged to form the present municipal town in 1964.

Temples and churches

Paramakudi's famous temples are Perumal Temple (which hosts a Chitra festival), Meenakshi Amman Temple and Muthalamman Temple. Other temples include Varadharaja Perumaal (Emaneswaram), Sri Hanuman, Eswaran, Subramaniya Swami, Draupadi Amman, Panchamuga Anjaneyar, Machadi Karruppan, Siddhi Vinayagar and Murugan, and Sathuraga Nayaki Amman.

Alangara Matha's Church, Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), Church of South India (CSI), Christian Believers Assembly (Brethren), Apostalic Fellowship Tabernacle (AFT) Church, Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Mission, Maranatha Church, Fr. Berkman’s Church, Roman Catholic Church are some of the other local churches. Paramakudi also has seven mosques, including one near the city centre, which features a minaret about 120 feet tall.

Education

In the town, there is one arts college run by the government, which offers an MBA program, and two evening colleges (Madurai Kamaraj and Alagappa) in nearby Karaikudi. Sri Muthalamman Polytechnic College offers diploma courses. For higher studies, the students are supposed to go to other towns and districts. Two government schools and four aided schools offer secondary and higher secondary education. The engineering college is Ganapathy Chettiar College of Engineering.

There are four matriculation schools and five secondary high schools.
PARAMAKUDI PHOTOS