Tamil Nadu
(2001 est. pop. 62.1 million). Spread over an area of 130,058 square kilometers, the state of Tamil Nadu is located on the southeastern side of the Indian peninsula. Bounded by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean in the east and the south respectively, the state has more than 1,000 kilometers of coastline. To its north and west lie the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. Apart from the coastal plain in the east, the state contains the range of Western Ghats, a mass of hilly regions in the north and the west averaging 1,220 meters above sea level. All the rivers in the state are rain-fed and flow eastward from the Western Ghats. The most prominent river, Kaveri (Cauvery), is 760 kilometers long.
Tamil Nadu has a 6,000-year history, predating the Aryan entry into India. The Dravidian culture associated with the state was concentrated in the south after the Aryans settled in north India in the third millennium BCE. Tamil Nadu was formerly a part of the Dravida country ruled by three significant dynasties, Chola, Pandya, and Chera from the fourth century BCE. The end of this rule in the thirteenth century saw these territories annexed by the rising Vijayanagar empire in the south. Later, the area was divided into a number of small kingdoms. The English arrived in Madras in 1639 as representatives of the East India Company. Most of south India, including Tamil Nadu, came under British rule. After Indian independence and under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, the erstwhile Madras province was divided into the states of Madras, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala on the basis of language. Tamil-speaking Madras state changed its name to Tamil Nadu on 14 January 1969. The state capital changed its name from Madras to Chennai in 1996. The state legislature has one house— the Legislative Assembly—with 235 seats. Fifty-seven members from the state are elected to the national parliament—18 for the upper house (Rajya Sabha) and 29 for the lower house (Lok Sabha). The state is divided into twenty-nine administrative districts.
The backbone of Tamil Nadu's economy is agriculture. Rice and sugarcane are major crops, giving highest yields nationally. Tea and coffee plantations are a major source of revenue. The state government encourages small, medium, and large-scale industries through corporations set up for the purpose. In recent years, the state has seen a spurt in industrial investment growth, particularly in key sectors such as power and information technology. The state excels in the production of cotton, sugar, leather, and petrochemicals.
The cultural life of Tamil Nadu is a repository of rich forms and traditions. The dance style of Bharatanatyam and the practice of Carnatic music, important elements of Indian cultural ensemble, trace their origins to this state. Tamilians are great lovers of food, music, and films. Pongal, celebrated in the month of January to mark the time of harvest, is the major festival of the state.
Further Reading
Krishna, Nanditha, and V. K. Rajamani. (1992) Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu. Ahmedabad, India: Mapin International.
This is the complete article, containing 504 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
