165-407: Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai (15 September 1909 – 3 February 1969), popularly known as Anna , also known as Perarignar Anna ( Anna, the scholar or Elder Brother ), was an Indian politician who served as the fourth and last Chief Minister of Madras State from 1967 until 1969 and first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for 20 days (after Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu ) before his death. He
330-777: A banana leaf , and using clean fingers of the right hand to take the food into the mouth. After the meal, the fingers are washed; the easily degradable banana leaf is discarded or becomes fodder for cattle. Eating on banana leaves is a custom thousands of years old, imparts a unique flavor to the food, and is considered healthy. Idli , dosa , uthappam , pongal , and paniyaram are popular breakfast dishes in Tamil Nadu. Palani Panchamirtham , Ooty varkey , Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai , Manapparai Murukku and Srivilliputhur Palkova are unique foods that have been recognised as Geographical Indications . Tamil Nadu has an independent literary tradition dating back over 2500 years from
495-516: A tank called the kalyani or pushkarni . The gopuram is a monumental tower, usually ornate at the entrance of the temple forms a prominent feature of koils and Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. They are topped by the kalasam , a bulbous stone finial and function as gateways through the walls that surround the temple complex. The gopuram's origins can be traced back to the Pallavas who built
660-551: A book on ethics by Thiruvalluvar , is amongst the most popular works of Tamil literature. In the early medieval period, Vaishnava and Shaiva literature became prominent following the Bhakti movement in the sixth century CE with hymns composed by the Alvars and the Nayanars . In the following years, Tamil literature again flourished with notable works including Ramavataram , written in
825-512: A commemorative stamp was released to mark the Tamil conference, Annadurai expressed his dissatisfaction that the stamp contained Hindi when it was for Tamil. Annadurai also issued an order for the removal of the pictures of gods and religious symbols from public offices and buildings. He proceeded on a world tour as an invitee of the Yale University 's Chubb Fellowship Programme and was also a guest of
990-629: A confederacy of Deccan sultanates . Later, the Nayaks , who were the military governors in the Vijaynagara Empire, took control of the region amongst whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were the most prominent. They introduced the palayakkararar system and re-constructed some of the well-known temples in Tamil Nadu including the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai. In the 18th century,
1155-430: A fee of ₹ 12,000, a considerable sum at that time (worth ₹ 1 crore in 2015 prices) Apart from his stories, the names of some of Annadurai's works were used as film titles for Panathottam (1963), Valiba virundhu (1967), Kumarikottam (1971), Rajapart Rangadurai (1973), Needhi devan mayakkam (1982). A scene from the film Thangarathinam (1960) shows real footage of Annadurai and other DMK leaders speaking at
1320-599: A large urban settlement, with the earliest artefact dated to 580 BCE, during the time of urbanization in the Indo-Gangetic plain . Further epigraphical inscriptions found at Adichanallur use Tamil Brahmi , a rudimentary script dated to 5th century BCE. Potsherds uncovered from Keeladi indicate a script which might be a transition between the Indus Valley script and Tamil Brahmi script used later. The Sangam period lasted for about eight centuries, from 500 BCE to 300 CE with
1485-821: A legislative council having 56 members. The first legislative assembly under this act was constituted in July 1937. The legislative council was a permanent body, with a third of its members retiring every 3 years and having the power to decide on bills passed by the assembly. In 1939, the Governor-General of India declared India's entry into World War II without consulting the Imperial Legislative Council . The Indian National Congress protested by asking all its elected representatives to resign from governments. Then it came back to power in 1946 after new provincial elections. (Birth–Death) Madras State ,
1650-786: A marine national park and Guindy , an urban national park within Chennai. Tamil Nadu has 18 wildlife sanctuaries . Tamil Nadu is home to one of the largest populations of endangered Bengal tigers and Indian elephants in India. There are five declared elephant sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu as per Project Elephant –Agasthyamalai, Anamalai , Coimbatore , Nilgiris and Srivilliputtur . Tamil Nadu participates in Project Tiger and has five declared tiger reserves –Anamalai, Kalakkad-Mundanthurai , Mudumalai , Sathyamangalam and Megamalai. There are seventeen declared bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. There
1815-555: A member of parliament to the upper house ( Rajya Sabha ). In 1967, the Congress lost nine states to opposition parties, but it was only in Madras state that a single non-Congress party majority was achieved. The electoral victory of 1967 is also reputed to an electoral fusion among the non- Congress parties to avoid a split in the Opposition votes. Rajagopalachari , a former senior leader of
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#17328699488741980-539: A modest secretariat with a single secretary for the Public Department in 1670 to six departments overseen by a chief secretary by 1920. The Indian Councils Act 1861 set up the Madras Legislative Council as an advisory body, without powers, through which the colonial administration obtained advice and assistance from able and willing Indian business leaders. But membership was selected (not elected) and
2145-513: A number of temples including the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai. In the 13th and 14th centuries, there were repeated attacks from Delhi Sultanate . The Vijayanagara kingdom was founded in 1336 CE . The Vijayanagara empire eventually conquered the entire Tamil country by c. 1370 and ruled for almost two centuries until its defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by
2310-408: A part of a Tamil meal. Coconut and spices are used extensively in Tamil cuisine. The region has a rich cuisine involving both traditional non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes made of rice, legumes , and lentils with its distinct aroma and flavour achieved by the blending of flavourings and spices. The traditional way of eating a meal involves being seated on the floor, having the food served on
2475-778: A port named São Tomé near present-day Mylapore in Madras. In 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat and the Danes had their establishment in Tharangambadi . On 20 August 1639, Francis Day of the British East India Company met with the Vijayanager emperor Peda Venkata Raya and obtained a grant for land on the Coromandel coast for their trading activities. A year later,
2640-544: A premier institution in science and technology was named after him. DMK's current head office built in 1987 is named after him as Anna Arivalayam. One of the major roads in Chennai was named in his honour, Anna Salai —it was previously called Mount Road , and a statue of Annadurai now stands there. The central government issued a commemorative coin of ₹ 5 denomination to mark the centenary celebrations of him on 15 September 2009 in Chennai . Jawaharlal Nehru hailed him as one of
2805-584: A region of low seismic hazard with the exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate hazard zone; as per the 2002 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) map, Tamil Nadu falls in Zones II and III. The volcanic basalt beds of the Deccan plateau were laid down in the massive Deccan Traps eruption, which occurred towards the end of the Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago. Layer after layer
2970-469: A republic with its own constitution in 1950, the constitution had given special status to the Hindi language, which was to gain official status after 15 years in 1965. This move was regarded with anxiety by students in Tamil Nadu. Speaking of making Hindi as official language of India, Annadurai said It is claimed that Hindi should be the common language because it is spoken by the majority. Why should we then claim
3135-600: A school teacher, then moved into the political scene of the Madras Presidency as a journalist. He edited several political journals and enrolled as a member of the Dravidar Kazhagam . As an ardent follower of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy , he rose in stature as a prominent member of the party. Due to differences looming with Periyar, on issues of separate independent state of Dravida Nadu and union with India, he crossed swords with his political mentor. The friction between
3300-404: A significant expatriate population. As of 2011 , the state had 3.49 million immigrants. Distribution of languages in Tamil Nadu (2011) Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu, while English serves as the additional official language. Tamil is one of the oldest languages and was the first to be recognized as a classical language of India . As per the 2011 census, Tamil is spoken as
3465-529: A social approach and its content were debatable, such as "Arya Mayai" (Aryan Illusion) in which he highlighted the view point of bringing an equal living society regardless of any caste dominance and especially drawing similarities which existed by then of the upper- caste Brahmin (Aryan) people. He was fined INR 700 for sedition and was also sent to prison. Some of his well-known works are his books Annavin Sattasabai Sorpolivukal (Anna's speeches at
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#17328699488743630-400: A student. The couple had no children of their own, so they later adopted and raised Rajamani's grandchildren. He attended Pachaiyappa's High School, but left school to work as a clerk in the town's Municipal office to assist with the family finances. In 1934, he graduated with a B.A. degree from Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai . He then earned an MA degree in economics and politics from
3795-544: A term of three years and consisted of 132 Members of which 34 were nominated by the Governor and the rest were elected. The Government of India Act 1935 established a bicameral legislature with the creation of a new legislative council with 54 to 56 members in July 1937. The first legislature of Madras state under the Constitution of India was constituted on 1 March 1952 after the 1952 elections . The number of seats post
3960-627: A type of silk sari made in the Kanchipuram region in Tamil Nadu and these saris are worn as bridal and special occasion saris by most women in South India. It has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2005–2006. Kovai Cora is a type of cotton sari made in the Coimbatore. Rice is the diet staple and is served with sambar , rasam , and poriyal as
4125-632: Is M. K. Stalin of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam since 7 May 2021. The Madras Presidency , headquartered in Fort St. George, India , was a presidency of India that comprised present day Tamil Nadu, the Malabar region of North Kerala , the coastal and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh , and the Bellary , Dakshina Kannada , and Udupi districts of Karnataka . It was established in 1653 to be
4290-552: Is a classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu and is one of the oldest dances of India. Other regional folk dances include Karakattam , Kavadi , Koodiyattam , Oyilattam , Paraiattam and Puravaiattam . The dance, clothing, and sculptures of Tamil Nadu exemplify the beauty of the body and motherhood. Koothu is an ancient folk art, where artists tell stories from the epics accompanied by dance and music. The ancient Tamil country had its own system of music called Tamil Pannisai described by Sangam literature such as
4455-752: Is at Kanyakumari where the Indian Ocean meets the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats run south along the western boundary with the highest peak at Doddabetta (2,636 m (8,648 ft)) in the Nilgiri Hills . The Eastern Ghats run parallel to the Bay of Bengal along the eastern coast and the strip of land between them forms the Coromandel region. They are a discontinuous range of mountains intersected by Kaveri river . Both mountain ranges meet at
4620-541: Is bound by the Indian states of Kerala , Karnataka , and Andhra Pradesh , and the union territory of Puducherry . It shares an international maritime border with the Northern Province of Sri Lanka at Pamban Island . The Palk Strait and the chain of low sandbars and islands known as Rama's Bridge separate the region from Sri Lanka , which lies off the southeastern coast. The southernmost tip of mainland India
4785-507: Is found in western Tamil Nadu and parts of the southern coast. Alluvial soil is found in the fertile Kaveri delta region, with laterite soil found in pockets, and saline soil across the coast where the evaporation is high. The region has a tropical climate and depends on monsoons for rainfall. Tamil Nadu is divided into seven agro-climatic zones: northeast, northwest, west, southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly, and Kaveri delta. A tropical wet and dry climate prevails over most of
4950-560: Is not suitable for agriculture. The southwest monsoon from June to September accounts for most of the rainfall in the region. The Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon hits the Western Ghats from Kerala and moves northward along the Konkan coast , with precipitation on the western region of the state. The lofty Western Ghats prevent the winds from reaching the Deccan Plateau; hence,
5115-1353: Is one conservation reserve at Tiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur district . There are two zoos recognised by the Central Zoo Authority of India namely Arignar Anna Zoological Park and Madras Crocodile Bank Trust , both located in Chennai . The state has other smaller zoos run by local administrative bodies such as Coimbatore Zoo in Coimbatore , Amirthi Zoological Park in Vellore , Kurumpampatti Wildlife Park in Salem , Yercaud Deer Park in Yercaud , Mukkombu Deer Park in Tiruchirapalli and Ooty Deer Park in Nilgiris . There are five crocodile farms located at Amaravati in Coimbatore district , Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district , Kurumbapatti in Salem district , Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai and Sathanur in Tiruvannamalai district . Threatened and endangered species found in
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5280-451: Is one of the most urbanized states in the country with more than 48.4 per cent of the population living in urban areas. As per the 2011 census, the sex ratio was 996 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 943. The sex ratio at birth was recorded as 954 during the fourth National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in 2015–16 which reduced further to 878 in the fifth NFHS in 2019–21, ranking third worst amongst states. As per
5445-516: Is responsible for maintaining law and order in the state. As of 2023 , it consists of more than 132,000 police personnel, headed by a Director General of Police . Women form 17.6% of the police force and specifically handle violence against women through 222 special all-women police stations. As of 2023 , the state has 1854 police stations, the highest in the country, including 47 railway and 243 traffic police stations. The traffic police under different district administrations are responsible for
5610-420: Is the distinct style of rock architecture in Tamil Nadu. In Dravidian architecture, the temples consisted of porches or mantapas preceding the door leading to the sanctum, gate-pyramids or gopurams in quadrangular enclosures that surround the temple, and pillared halls used for many purposes. These features are the invariable accompaniments of these temples. Besides these, a South Indian temple usually has
5775-856: Is the tenth-largest state in India. Located on the south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula , Tamil Nadu is straddled by the Western Ghats and Deccan Plateau in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Eastern Coastal Plains lining the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait to the south-east, and the Laccadive Sea at the southern cape of the peninsula. Politically, Tamil Nadu
5940-579: Is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff, as according to Indian philosophy, the navel is considered as the source of life and creativity. Ancient Tamil poetry such as the Cilappadhikaram , describes women in exquisite drapery or sari. Women wear colourful silk saris on special occasions such as marriages. The men wear a dhoti , a 4.5 metres (15 ft) long, white rectangular piece of non-stitched cloth often bordered in brightly coloured stripes. It
6105-400: Is usually wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist. A colourful lungi with typical batik patterns is the most common form of male attire in the countryside. People in urban areas generally wear tailored clothing, and western dress is popular. Western-style school uniforms are worn by both boys and girls in schools, even in rural areas. The Kanchipuram silk sari is
6270-641: The Velir chiefs. The rulers patronized multiple religions including vedic religion , Buddhism and Jainism and sponsored some of the earliest Tamil literature with the oldest surviving work being Tolkāppiyam , a book of Tamil grammar. The kingdoms had significant diplomatic and trade contacts with other kingdoms to the north and with the Romans . Much of the commerce from the Romans and Han China were facilitated via seaports including Muziris and Korkai with spices being
6435-542: The Anti-Secessionist Amendment ) banned any party with sectarian principles from participating in elections. When this amendment was presented in the Parliament of India , Annadurai was one of its members. He vehemently debated against the amendment, but eventually could not stop it from being passed. Faced with the new constitutional changes, Annadurai and his DMK left the call for an independent Tamil homeland on
6600-530: The Chingelput and Salem districts. (Birth–Death) During the term of the fourth assembly on 18 July 1967, the house unanimously adopted and recommended that steps be taken by the state government to secure the necessary amendment to the Constitution of India to change the name of Madras State to Tamil Nadu . Accordingly, the Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1968 (Central Act 53 of 1968)
6765-582: The Dravidian languages and preserves many features of Proto-Dravidian , though modern-day spoken Tamil in Tamil Nadu freely uses loanwords from other languages such as Sanskrit and English. Korean , Japanese , French , Mandarin Chinese , German and Spanish are spoken by foreign expatriates in the state. The LGBT rights in Tamil Nadu are among the most progressive in India . In 2008, Tamil Nadu set up
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6930-563: The Independence of India in 1947, the Madras Presidency became Madras state , comprising present-day Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Kerala . Andhra state was split from the state in 1953 and the state was further re-organized when states were redrawn linguistically in 1956 into the current shape. On 14 January 1969, Madras state was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning "Tamil country". In 1965, agitations against
7095-554: The Indian state of Tamil Nadu . In accordance with the Constitution of India , the governor is a state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister . Following elections to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly , the state's governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government . The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to
7260-588: The Indian Ocean . Rajaraja brought in administrative reforms including the reorganisation of Tamil country into individual administrative units. Under his son Rajendra Chola I , the Chola empire reached its zenith and stretched as far as Bengal in the north and across the Indian Ocean. The Cholas built many temples in the Dravidian style with the most notable being the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, one of
7425-520: The Indian Parliament . The Madras High Court was established on 26 June 1862 and is the highest judicial authority of the state with control over all the civil and criminal courts in the state. It is headed by a Chief Justice and has a bench at Madurai since 2004. The Tamil Nadu Police , established as Madras state police in 1859, operates under the Home ministry of the Government of Tamil Nadu and
7590-563: The Justice party in 1935. The Justice party was formed by non- Brahmin elites in 1917. The Justice party originated with the Madras United League which was initially started as a work group that helped non-Brahmin students in Madras with accommodation and later grew into a political party under the efforts of leaders like C. Natesa Mudaliar , P. Theagaraya Chetty and T. M. Nair . The party
7755-605: The Laccadive Sea at the southern cape of the peninsula, with the river Kaveri bisecting the state. Politically, Tamil Nadu is bound by the Indian states of Kerala , Karnataka , and Andhra Pradesh , and encloses a part of the union territory of Puducherry . It shares an international maritime border with the Northern Province of Sri Lanka at Pamban Island . Archaeological evidence points to Tamil Nadu being inhabited for more than 400 millennia, first by hominids and then by modern humans . The state has more than 5,500 years of continuous cultural history. Historically ,
7920-495: The Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council . On 14 May 1986, the state government passed a resolution to abolish the legislative council in the state, which was then moved and adopted by the house. On 1 November 1986, Tamil Nadu became a state with a unicameral legislature, and since then, several times, the state government has taken steps to reconstitute the legislative council, but they have failed for so long. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Council has not been constituted in
8085-445: The Mughal empire administered the region through the Nawab of the Carnatic with his seat at Arcot , who defeated the Madurai Nayaks. The Marathas attacked several times and defeated the Nawab after the Siege of Trichinopoly (1751–1752) . This led to a short-lived Thanjavur Maratha kingdom . Europeans started to establish trade centres from the 16th century along the eastern coast. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built
8250-417: The Nilgiri mountains which run in a crescent approximately along the borders of Tamil Nadu with northern Kerala and Karnataka, extending to the relatively low-lying hills of the Eastern Ghats on the western portion of the Tamil Nadu–Andhra Pradesh border. The Deccan plateau is the elevated region bound by the mountain ranges and the plateau slopes gently from west to east resulting in major rivers arising in
8415-750: The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in the Nilgiri Hills , the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve in the Agastya Mala - Cardamom Hills and Gulf of Mannar coral reefs. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 10,500 km (4,100 sq mi) of ocean, islands and the adjoining coastline including coral reefs , salt marshes and mangroves. It is home to endangered aquatic species, including dolphins , dugongs , whales and sea cucumbers . Bird sanctuaries, including Thattekad , Kadalundi , Vedanthangal , Ranganathittu , Kumarakom , Neelapattu , and Pulicat , are home to numerous migratory and local birds. Protected areas cover an area of 3,305 km (1,276 sq mi), constituting 2.54% of
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#17328699488748580-433: The Ryotwari system resulted in two severe famines in the Madras Presidency, the Great Famine of 1876–78 and the Indian famine of 1896–97 which killed millions and the migration of many Tamils as bonded laborers to other British countries eventually forming the present Tamil diaspora . The Indian Independence movement gathered momentum in the early 20th century with the formation of the Indian National Congress , which
8745-463: The Silappatikaram . A Pallava inscription dated to the 7th century CE has one of the earliest surviving examples of Indian music in notation. There are many traditional instruments from the region dating back to the Sangam period such as parai , tharai , yazh and murasu . Nadaswaram , a reed instrument that is often accompanied by the thavil , a type of drum instrument , are the major musical instruments used in temples and weddings. Melam
8910-414: The Sino-Indian War in 1962, Annadurai dropped the claim for an independent Dravida Nadu. Various protests against the ruling Congress government took him to prison on several occasions; the last of which was during the Madras anti-Hindi agitation of 1965. The agitation itself helped Annadurai to gain popular support for his party. His party won a landslide victory in the 1967 state elections. His cabinet
9075-420: The Tamilakam region was inhabited by Tamil-speaking Dravidian people , who were ruled by several regimes over centuries such as the Sangam era triumvirate of the Cheras , Cholas and Pandyas , the Pallavas (3rd–9th century CE), and the later Vijayanagara Empire (14th–17th century CE). European colonization began with establishing trade ports in the 17th century, with the British controlling much of
9240-405: The Tirāviṭa camutāya cīrtirutta mānāṭu (Dravidian Community Reform Conference) held in Palani on 17 September 1960. A group of protagonists in the film are seen attending the conference. The group is shown as belonging to a reformist organisation named Thirukkural Munnanik Kazhagam ( Tamil : திருக்குறள் முன்னணிக் கழகம் ). Its acronym in Tamil is an allusion to the DMK (திமுக). In a scene from
9405-536: The University of Madras , is the first among the dictionaries published in any Indian language. The 19th century gave rise to the Tamil Renaissance and writings and poems by authors such as Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai , U.V. Swaminatha Iyer , Ramalinga Swamigal , Maraimalai Adigal , and Bharathidasan . During the Indian Independence Movement , many Tamil poets and writers sought to provoke national spirit, social equity and secularist thoughts, notably Subramania Bharati and Bharathidasan. Dravidian architecture
9570-462: The Vellar estuary in the north and Coleroon estuary in the south with mangrove forests. The Pichavaram mangrove forests is one of the largest mangrove forests in India covering 45 km (17 sq mi) and supports the existence of rare varieties of economically important shells, fishes and migrant birds. The state has five National Parks covering 307.84 km (118.86 sq mi)– Anamalai , Mudumalai, Mukurthi , Gulf of Mannar ,
9735-405: The chief minister who has the de facto executive authority. The Indian Councils Act 1861 established the Madras Presidency legislative council with four to eight members but was a mere advisory body to the governor of the presidency. The strength was increased to twenty in 1892 and fifty in 1909 . Madras legislative council was set-up in 1921 by the Government of India Act 1919 with
9900-434: The imposition of Hindi and in support of continuing English as a medium of communication arose which eventually led to English being retained as an official language of India alongside Hindi. After independence, the economy of Tamil Nadu conformed to a socialist framework, with strict governmental control over private sector participation, foreign trade , and foreign direct investment . After experiencing fluctuations in
10065-403: The poverty line as per the Multidimensional Poverty Index , one of the lowest rates amongst Indian states. The capital of Chennai is the most populous urban agglomeration in the state with more than 8.6 million residents, followed by Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Tiruppur , respectively. The state is home to a diverse population of ethno-religious communities. According to
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#173286994887410230-437: The 12th century CE by Kambar . After a lull in the intermediate years due to various invasions and instability, the Tamil literature recovered in the 14th century CE, with the notable work being Tiruppukal by Arunagirinathar . In 1578, the Portuguese published a Tamil book in old Tamil script named Thambiraan Vanakkam , thus making Tamil the first Indian language to be printed and published. Tamil Lexicon , published by
10395-433: The 15th Republic Day of India and also the day the Constitution, which in essence enshrined Hindi as the official language of India, came into practice, as a day of mourning. This move was opposed by the then Chief Minister of Madras State, Bhakthavatchalam , as blasphemous. Hence Annadurai, who by then had been trying to shake off the secessionist image of his party, declared 24 January as a day of mourning. He also replaced
10560-406: The 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region and established the Madras Presidency with Madras as the capital. After the defeat of Mysore in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 and the British victory in the second Polygar war in 1801, the British consolidated most of southern India into what was later known as the Madras Presidency . On 10 July 1806, the Vellore mutiny , which
10725-440: The 2011 census, Hinduism is followed by 87.6% of the population. Christians form the largest religious minority in the state with 6.1% of the population; Muslims form 5.9% of the population. Tamils form a majority of the population with minorities including Telugus , Marwaris , Gujaratis , Parsis , Sindhis , Odias , Kannadigas , Anglo-Indians , Bengalis , Punjabis , and Malayalees . The state also has
10890-432: The 2011 census, Literacy rate was 80.1%, higher than the national average of 73%. The literacy rate was estimated to be 82.9% as per the 2017 National Statistical Commission (NSC) survey. As of 2011 , there were about 23.17 million households with 7.42 million children under the age of six. A total of 14.4 million (20%) belonged to Scheduled Castes (SC) and 0.8 million (1.1%) to Scheduled tribes (ST). As of 2017 ,
11055-489: The 3rd century BCE. The available literature from the Sangam period was categorised and compiled into two categories based roughly on chronology: the Patiṉeṇmēlkaṇakku consisting of Eṭṭuttokai and the Pattupattu , and the Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku . The existent Tamil grammar is largely based on the 13th-century grammar book Naṉṉūl based on the Tolkāppiyam. Tamil grammar consists of five parts, namely eḻuttu , sol , poruḷ , yāppu , aṇi . Tirukkural ,
11220-516: The British era followed the style. By the early 20th century, art deco made its entry in the urban landscape. After Indian Independence, Tamil architecture witnessed a rise in Modernism with the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns. Tamil Nadu is a major centre for music, art and dance in India. Chennai is called the cultural capital of South India. In the Sangam era, art forms were classified into: iyal (poetry), isai (music) and nadakam (drama). Bharatanatyam
11385-448: The Congress government in Madras Presidency headed by C. Rajagopalachari (popularly known as Rajaji) proposed the use of Hindi language as a compulsory language in schools. This move was opposed by Tamil leaders. Annadurai, along with other Tamil scholars including the poet Bharathidasan , held demonstrations. Annadurai participated in the first Anti Hindi imposition conference held in Kanchipuram on 27 February 1938. Two members of
11550-413: The Congress party, had by then left the Congress and launched the right-wing Swatantra Party . He played a vital role in bringing about the electoral fusion amongst the opposition parties to align against the Congress. At that time, his cabinet was the youngest in the country. Annadurai legalised self-respect marriages for the first time in the country. Such marriages were void of priests to preside over
11715-420: The Dravidar Kazhagam. He introduced movie media as a major organ for propaganda of Dravidian politics . In total Annadurai scripted six screen plays. His first movie Nallathambi (Good Brother, 1948) which starred N. S. Krishnan promoted cooperative farming and abolition of zamindari system . His novels such as Velaikaari (Servant Maid, 1949) and Or Iravu , which were later made into movies, carried
11880-580: The Madras Presidency leaving behind a predominantly Tamil Madras State . Giving in to realities, Annadurai and his DMK changed the call of independent Dravida Nadu for Dravidians to independent Tamil Nadu for Tamils . Annadurai felt that remaining in the Indian Union meant accepting linguistic domination and economic backwardness. Nevertheless, the Sino-Indian war brought about changes in the Indian constitution. The Sixteenth Amendment (most popularly known as
12045-547: The Sangam era. Early Tamil literature was composed in three successive poetic assemblies known as the Tamil Sangams , the earliest of which, according to legend, were held on a now vanished continent far to the south of India. This includes the oldest grammatical treatise, Tolkappiyam , and the epics Cilappatikaram and Manimekalai . The earliest epigraphic records found on rock edicts and hero stones date from around
12210-889: The State Department in the US in April–May 1968. He was awarded the Chubb Fellowship at Yale University. The same year he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Annamalai University . On 10 September 1968 Annadurai travelled to New York for medical treatment and he was operated for cancer in the gullet at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center . He returned to Chennai in November and continued to address several official functions against medical advice. His health deteriorated further and he died on 3 February 1969. His cancer
12375-633: The Tamil country was divided between the Pallavas and the Pandyas. The Pallavas were finally defeated by Chola prince Aditya I in the 9th century CE. The Cholas became the dominant kingdom in the 9th century under Vijayalaya Chola , who established Thanjavur as Chola's new capital with further expansions by subsequent rulers. In the 11th century CE, Rajaraja I expanded the Chola empire with conquests of entire Southern India and parts of present-day Sri Lanka and Maldives , and increased Chola influence across
12540-454: The Transgender welfare board and was the first to introduce a transgender welfare policy, wherein transgender people can avail free sex reassignment surgery in government hospitals. Chennai Rainbow Pride has been held in Chennai annually since 2009. In 2021, Tamil Nadu became the first Indian state to ban conversion therapy and forced sex-selective surgeries on intersex infants , following
12705-450: The Western Ghats and flowing east into the Bay of Bengal. The coastline of Tamil Nadu is 1,076 km (669 mi) long, and is the second longest state coastline in the country after Gujarat . There are coral reefs located in the Gulf of Mannar and Lakshadweep islands. Tamil Nadu's coastline was permanently altered by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Tamil Nadu falls mostly in
12870-889: The Western Ghats while tropical dry forests and scrub lands are common in the interior. The southern Western Ghats have rain forests located at high altitudes called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests . The Western Ghats eco-region is one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . There are about 2,000 species of wildlife that are native to Tamil Nadu, 5640 species of angiosperms (including 1,559 species of medicinal plants , 533 endemic species, 260 species of wild relatives of cultivated plants, 230 red-listed species), 64 species of gymnosperms (including four indigenous species and 60 introduced species) and 184 species of pteridophytes apart from bryophytes , lichen , fungi , algae , and bacteria . Common plant species include
13035-573: The agitation itself aided DMK to win the 1967 elections and Annadurai became the new Chief Minister of Madras State. Annadurai was known as one of the best Tamil orators during his time. He developed a style in Tamil public speaking using metaphors and pleasing alliterations, both in spoken and written language. Anna was also best known for his extempore speaking ability being very well affluent on rhetoric skills. He has published several novels, short stories and plays which incorporate political themes. He himself acted in some of his plays during his time in
13200-419: The assembly. Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits . Since 1952, Tamil Nadu has had 12 chief ministers, 13 including V. R. Nedunchezhiyan , who twice acted in the role. The longest-serving chief minister, M. Karunanidhi from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam held the office for over eighteen years in multiple tenures, while he
13365-408: The back burner. From then on Annadurai and his DMK aimed at achieving better co-operation between the southern states and claimed more autonomy for Tamil Nadu . On the party's position, Annadurai said To make the Dravidian state a separate state was our ideal. A situation has arisen where we can neither talk nor write about this ideal. Of course we can destroy the party by undertaking to violate
13530-399: The ceremony and thus did not need a Brahmin to carry out the wedding. Self-respect marriages were a brainchild of Periyar, who regarded the then conventional marriages as mere financial arrangements which often caused great debt through dowry . Self-Respect marriages, according to him, encouraged inter-caste marriages and caused arranged marriages to be replaced by love marriages. Annadurai
13695-538: The chief minister of the Madras Presidency. In 1944, Periyar transformed the Justice party into a social organisation, renaming the party Dravidar Kazhagam , and withdrew from electoral politics. After independence, the Indian National Congress dominated the political scene in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s and 1960s under the leadership of K. Kamaraj , who led the party after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru and ensured
13860-663: The company built Fort St. George , the first major English settlement in India, which became the nucleus of the British Raj in the region. By 1693, the French established trading posts at Pondichéry . In September 1746, the French captured Madras during the Battle of Madras . The British regained control of Madras in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and resisted a French siege attempt in 1759. The British and French competed to expand
14025-420: The decades immediately after Indian independence, the economy of Tamil Nadu consistently exceeded national average growth rates from the 1970s, due to reform-oriented economic policies. In the 2000s, the state has become one of the most urbanized states in the country with a higher Human Development Index compared to national average. Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 km (50,216 sq mi) and
14190-603: The directions of the Madras High ;Court. In 2019, the Madras High Court ruled that the term "bride" under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 includes trans-women, thereby legalizing marriage between a man and a transgender woman. Tamil women traditionally wear a sari , a garment that consists of a drape varying from 5 to 9 yards (4.6 to 8.2 m) in length and 2 to 4 feet (0.61 to 1.22 m) in breadth that
14355-524: The editor for Viduthalai ( Freedom in English) and was also associated with the Tamil weekly paper, Kudi Arasu . He started his own journal Dravida Nadu (named after the Dravida Nadu – an independent state that the party called for). In 1944, Periyar renamed the Justice party to Dravidar Kazhagam and gave up contesting in the elections. The Indian National Congress , which had been fighting for
14520-623: The era. Tamil classic Tirukkural by Valluvar , a collection of couplets is attributed to the same period. Around the 7th century CE, the Kalabhras were overthrown by the Pandyas and Cholas, who patronised Buddhism and Jainism before the revival of Saivism and Vaishnavism during the Bhakti movement . Though they existed previously, the period saw the rise of the Pallavas in the sixth century CE under Mahendravarman I , who ruled parts of South India with Kanchipuram as their capital. The Pallavas were noted for their patronage of architecture:
14685-511: The film Iru Kodugal (1969), District Collector Janaki ( Sowcar Janaki ), meets the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu . The Chief Minister is not seen directly. Instead, C.N.Annadurai's voice (as imitated by Sivagangai Sethurajan) is heard. Also, a pair of glasses on the table and a pen in the foreground are seen. The song sequence "Nee mannavana chinnavana" from the film Rudra Thandavam (1978) shows real footage of Annadurai's funeral. In
14850-415: The film Walter Vetrivel (1993), Vijayakumar played Viswanathan (Tamil Nadu Minister for Home Affairs as per the plot). The actor's countenance in the film strongly resembles Annadurai. In the film Iruvar (1997), Nassar played Ayya Veluthambi, a character whose role is reminiscent of Annadurai. Chief Minister of Madras State The chief minister of Tamil Nadu is the chief executive of
15015-437: The first Indian Governor General of India post independence, was from Tamil Nadu. The state has produced three Indian presidents, namely, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , R. Venkataraman , and APJ Abdul Kalam . As per the 2011 census , Tamil Nadu had a population of 72.1 million and is the seventh most populous state in India. The population is projected to be 76.8 million in 2023 and to grow to 78 million by 2036. Tamil Nadu
15180-532: The first language by 88.4% of the state's population, followed by Telugu (5.87%), Kannada (1.78%), Urdu (1.75%), Malayalam (1.01%) and other languages (1.24%) Various varieties of Tamil are spoken across regions such as Madras Bashai in northern Tamil Nadu, Kongu Tamil in Western Tamil Nadu , Madurai Tamil around Madurai and Nellai Tamil in South-eastern Tamil Nadu. It is part of
15345-587: The first series of Polygar wars. The Maruthu brothers along with Oomaithurai , the brother of Kattabomman, formed a coalition with Dheeran Chinnamalai and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja , which fought the British in the Second Polygar War. In the later 18th century, the Mysore kingdom captured parts of the region and engaged in constant fighting with the British which culminated in the four Anglo-Mysore Wars . By
15510-410: The foremost temples of the era built by Rajaraja, and Gangaikonda Cholapuram , built by Rajendra. The Pandyas again reigned supreme early in the 13th century under Maravarman Sundara I . They ruled from their capital of Madurai and expanded trade links with other maritime empires. During the 13th century, Marco Polo mentioned the Pandyas as the richest empire in existence. The Pandyas also built
15675-488: The gaining of independence as an overall achievement of India rather than solely that of Aryan North. Moreover, Periyar's decision on giving up participating in democratic elections was also opposed by Annadurai, in reaction to which he walked out of a party meeting in 1948. Periyar considered that candidates in elections must compromise their ideologies. Moreover, it was Periyar's idea that social reformation can be better achieved outside politics, through education and canvassing
15840-550: The geographic area and 15% of the 22,643 km (8,743 sq mi) recorded forest area of the state. Mudumalai National Park was established in 1940 and was the first modern wildlife sanctuary in South India. The protected areas are administered by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the government of India and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department . Pichavaram consists of a number of islands interspersing
16005-482: The great parliamentarians for speeches in Rajya Sabha . Selig Harrison, a US-based analyst of South Asian and East Asian politics and journalism commented, There is no doubt that this powerful orator is the single-most popular mass figure in the region The magazine India Today has listed Annadurai in its "Top 100 people who shaped India by thought, action, art, culture and spirit". In 2010, Anna Centenary Library
16170-570: The group of monuments in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram . The Cholas later expanded the same and by the Pandya rule in twelfth century, these gateways became a dominant feature of a temple's outer appearance. The state emblem also features the Lion Capital of Ashoka with an image of a Gopuram on the background. Vimanam are similar structures built over the garbhagriha or inner sanctum of
16335-868: The hallmarks of propaganda for Dravidian politics. On Velaikari , Annadurai said that the movie made it clear that greed and avarice of the rich did not pay in the long run.[...] Some of the elementary principles of socialism and stressed that we should depend upon our own labour for our progress and well being and not some unknown factor. Velaikari made direct references against the suppressive landlords who were traditionally allied with Jawaharlal Nehru and Gandhi . His movies had some elements of Dravidian political ideologies like anti-Brahminism and messages differing against Congress with detailed reasons and scenarios behind. Popular stage and cine actors who stood by Anna in early years were D. V. Narayanasamy , K. R. Ramasamy, N. S. Krishnan , S. S. Rajendran , Sivaji Ganesan and M. G. Ramachandran . Some of his books had
16500-760: The headquarters of the English settlements on the Coromandel Coast . The territory under the presidency comprised only Madrasapattinam and its surrounding regions. But, after the Anglo-French wars and the consequent alliance between the English East India Company and the Nawab of Arcot , it was expanded to comprise the region from the Northern Circars to Cape Comorin . The governance structure also evolved from
16665-430: The independence of India from colonial British rule, was dominated by Brahmins . Periyar assumed that independent India would bring South Indians , especially Tamils , under the dominance of Brahmins and North Indians . For these reasons Periyar called for 15 August 1947, the day of Indian independence, to be a day of mourning. Annadurai opposed this move and the schism between his supporters and Periyar widened. He saw
16830-499: The initial days of DMK. E. V. K. Sampath , who had earlier forfeited his inheritance from Periyar to join DMK, saw the call for Dravida Nadu as an unrealistic goal. Responding to Sampath's concern, Annadurai said We must contest more elections, win more seats and that way, win the confidence of the people; and when it is hot, we can strike and strike hard Sampath's opposition to using film stars made him cross swords with many other members of
16995-434: The inland peninsular region except for a semi-arid rain shadow east of the Western Ghats. Winter and early summer are long dry periods with temperatures averaging above 18 °C (64 °F); summer is exceedingly hot with temperatures in low-lying areas exceeding 50 °C (122 °F); and the rainy season lasts from June to September, with annual rainfall averaging between 750 and 1,500 mm (30 and 59 in) across
17160-437: The largest among the Indian states. The state has three biosphere reserves , mangrove forests, five National Parks , 18 wildlife sanctuaries and 17 bird sanctuaries . The Tamil film industry , nicknamed as Kollywood, plays an influential role in the state's popular culture. The name is derived from Tamil language with nadu meaning "land" and Tamil Nadu meaning "the land of Tamils". The origin and precise etymology of
17325-464: The leeward region (the region deprived of winds) receives very little rainfall. The Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon heads toward northeast India, picking up moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The Coramandel coast does not receive much rainfall from the southwest monsoon, due to the shape of the land. Northern Tamil Nadu receives most of its rains from the northeast monsoon . The northeast monsoon takes place from November to early March, when
17490-410: The longest surviving classical languages of the world. The capital and largest city is Chennai . Located on the south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula , Tamil Nadu is straddled by the Western Ghats and Deccan Plateau in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Eastern Coastal Plains lining the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait to the south-east,
17655-511: The main source of history during the period coming from the Sangam literature. Ancient Tamilakam was ruled by a triumvirate of monarchical states, Cheras , Cholas and Pandyas . The Cheras controlled the western part of Tamilkam, the Pandyas controlled the south, and the Cholas had their base in the Kaveri delta. The kings called Vendhar ruled over several tribes of Velala (peasants), headed by
17820-416: The masses, rather than governments. Eventually, when Periyar married Maniammai , who was 40 years younger than he, the personal differences between Annadurai and Periyar split their supporters. Annadurai launched his own party with his party fragment, along with E. V. K. Sampath (Periyar's nephew and until then considered his political heir). The new party was named Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam . DMK's presence
17985-521: The massive gopuram , ornate towers at the entrance of temples, originated with the Pallava architecture . They built the group of rock-cut monuments in Mahabalipuram and temples in Kanchipuram . Throughout their reign, the Pallavas remained in constant conflict with the Cholas and Pandyas. The Pandyas were revived by Kadungon towards the end of the 6th century CE and with the Cholas in obscurity in Uraiyur ,
18150-401: The most industrialised states, with the manufacturing sector accounting for nearly one-third of the state's GDP. With its diverse culture and architecture, long coastline, forests and mountains, Tamil Nadu is home to a number of ancient relics, historic buildings, religious sites, beaches , hill stations , forts , waterfalls and four World Heritage Sites . The state's tourism industry is
18315-628: The most prized goods along with pearls and silk . From 300 CE, the region was ruled by the Kalabhras , warriors belonging to the Vellalar community, who were once feudatories of the three ancient Tamil kingdoms. The Kalabhra era is referred to as the "dark period" of Tamil history, and information about it is generally inferred from any mentions in the literature and inscriptions that are dated many centuries after their era ended. The twin Tamil epics Silappatikaram and Manimekalai were written during
18480-678: The name Tamil Nadu to denote the region. Archaeological evidence points to the region being inhabited by hominids more than 400 millennia ago. Artifacts recovered in Adichanallur by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) indicate a continuous history from more than 3,800 years ago. Neolithic celts with the Indus script dated between 1500 and 2000 BCE indicate the use of the Harappan language . Excavations at Keezhadi have revealed
18645-418: The national parties usually aligning as junior partners to the major Dravidian parties, AIADMK and DMK. M. Karunanidhi became the leader of the DMK after Annadurai and J. Jayalalithaa succeeded as the leader of AIADMK after M. G. Ramachandran. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa dominated the state politics from the 1980s to early 2010s, serving as chief ministers combined for over 32 years. C. Rajagopalachari,
18810-531: The party. Eventually, with looming differences with Annadurai and other leaders on Dravida Nadu, Sampath left the DMK and formed his own party, the Tamil Nationalist Party , in 1961. In 1962, Annadurai said in the Rajya Sabha that Dravidians want the right of self-determination ... We want a separate country for southern India . However, the reorganisation of states in India on linguistic basis removed Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam speaking regions from
18975-582: The people of Tamil Nadu . Though secular to the core, he later described himself as a Hindu sans the sacred ash, a Christian minus the holy cross, and a Muslim without the prayer cap. Annadurai stated he would attack superstitions and religious exploitation but would never fight against the spiritual values of society. He once explained his stance towards God and religion as "I do not break coconuts for Pillaiyar , (a form of worship) neither do I break his idols." ( Nan Thengayum udaipathillai; Pillaiyarum Udaipathillai ) Annadurai's interest in politics made him join
19140-465: The precursor to the present-day state of Tamil Nadu, was created after India became a republic on 26 January 1950. It comprised present-day Tamil Nadu and parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Kerala . The first legislature of the Madras State to be elected on the basis of universal suffrage was constituted on 1 March 1952, after the general elections held in January 1952. The state
19305-496: The prohibition. But once the party itself is destroyed there will not be any scope for the ideal to exist or spread. That is why we had to give up the ideal. Hindi was first recommended to be an apt language for official purposes in India by a committee headed by Motilal Nehru in 1928. This move was opposed by people and politicians of Tamil Nadu, since they considered that it would make them second class citizens when compared to that of native Hindi speaking North Indians . In 1938,
19470-433: The protest, Thalamuthu and Natarajan, died as a consequence of police beating the same year. With overwhelming opposition, the government of Madras Presidency finally withdrew the order in 1940. he stated that "you learn English for world communication and learn Hindi for communication in India, it seems like big door for big cat and small door for small cat, why not let the small cat also enter in big door". When India became
19635-594: The re-organization in 1956 was 206, which was further increased to 234 in 1962. In 1986, the state moved to a unicameral legislature with the abolition of the Legislative Council by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council (Abolition) act, 1986. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is housed in the Fort St. George in Chennai. The state elects 39 members to the Lok Sabha and 18 to the Rajya Sabha of
19800-409: The region include the grizzled giant squirrel , grey slender loris , sloth bear , Nilgiri tahr , Nilgiri langur , lion-tailed macaque , and the Indian leopard . Chennai is the capital of the state and houses the state executive , legislative and head of judiciary . The administration of the state government functions through various secretariat departments. There are 43 departments of
19965-737: The region. Once the dry northeast monsoon begins in September, most precipitation in India falls in Tamil Nadu, leaving other states comparatively dry. A hot semi-arid climate predominates in the land east of the Western Ghats which includes inland south and south central parts of the state and gets between 400 and 750 millimetres (15.7 and 29.5 in) of rainfall annually, with hot summers and dry winters with temperatures around 20–24 °C (68–75 °F). The months between March and May are hot and dry, with mean monthly temperatures hovering around 32 °C (90 °F), with 320 millimetres (13 in) precipitation. Without artificial irrigation, this region
20130-608: The rest lacked even a plot. The provincial conference of the DMK was held at Tiruchirappalli in May 1956. Annadurai stepped down from the General Secretaryship of the party, and Nedunchezhian was elected to that position. It was at the Tiruchirappalli conference that the party decided to contest free India's second general elections which were to be held in 1957. The DMK secured 15 Assembly seats and two parliamentary seats. Anna
20295-713: The revitalization of the Indian National Congress party; he was responsible for the elevation of Lal Bahadur Shastri to the position of Prime Minister of the Republic of India following the death of Jawaharlal Nehru and of Indira Gandhi following the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri. C. Rajagopalachari served as the last Governor-General of the Union of India before becoming chief minister of undivided Madras State. There have been four instances of president's rule in Tamil Nadu, most recently in 1991. The current incumbent
20460-678: The same college. He worked as an English teacher in Pachaiyappa High School. Later he quit the teaching job and began involving himself in journalism and he served as an editor in few weekly magazine and then he indulged into politics. Though Annadurai was an atheist in his personal life as he took oath as the Chief Minister of the state in the 'name of conscience' rather than in the 'name of god', he proclaimed as "Only one race, Only one God" ( Ondre Kulam Oruvanae Devan ) from tamil work Thirumanthiram penned by Thirumoolar in order to unify
20625-611: The selection of Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi . C. N. Annadurai , a follower of Periyar, formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1949. The Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu led to the rise of Dravidian parties that formed Tamil Nadu's first government, in 1967 . In 1972, a split in the DMK resulted in the formation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) led by M. G. Ramachandran . Dravidian parties continue to dominate Tamil Nadu electoral politics with
20790-465: The slogan of the protests to Down with Hindi; Long live the Republic . Nevertheless, violence broke out on 26 January, initially in Madurai which within days spread throughout the state. Robert Hardgrave Jr, professor of humanities, government and Asian studies, suggests that the elements contributing to the riots were not instigated by DMK or Leftists or even the industrialists, as the Congress government of
20955-826: The state and the departments have further sub-divisions which may govern various undertakings and boards. The state is divided into 38 districts , each of which is administered by a District Collector , who is an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) appointed to the district by the Government of Tamil Nadu. For revenue administration, the districts are further subdivided into 87 revenue divisions administered by Revenue Divisional Officers (RDO) which comprise 310 taluks administered by Tahsildars . The taluks are divided into 1349 revenue blocks called Firkas which consist of 17,680 revenue villages. The local administration consists of 15 municipal corporations , 121 municipalities and 528 town panchayats in
21120-539: The state as a part of the Madras Presidency for two centuries. After the Indian Independence in 1947, the region became the Madras State of the Republic of India and was further re-organized when states were redrawn linguistically in 1956 into its current shape. The state was renamed as Tamil Nadu, meaning "Tamil Country", in 1969. Hence, culture , cuisine and architecture have seen multiple influences over
21285-484: The state had the lowest fertility rate in India with 1.6 children born for each woman, lower than required for sustaining the population. As of 2021 , the Human Development Index (HDI) for Tamil Nadu was 0.686, higher than that of India (0.633) but ranked medium. As of 2019 , the life expectancy at birth was 74 years, one of the highest amongst Indian states. As of 2023, 2.2% of the people live below
21450-476: The state legislative, 1960), Ilatchiya varalaru (History of Ideals, 1948), Valkkaip puyal (Storm of life, 1948) and Rankon rata (Radha from Rangon). His work Kambarasam criticises Ramayana of Kamban . His works of fiction such as Kapothipura kathal (Love in the city of Blind), Parvathy B.A., Kalinga rani (Queen of Kalinga ) and Pavayin payanam (Travels of a young lady) carried elements of political propaganda. At times when Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
21615-404: The state suggested, but were genuine frustrations and discontentment which lay beneath the surface of the people of the state. With violence surging, Annadurai asked the students to forfeit the protests, but some DMK leaders like Karunanidhi kept the agitations going. Nevertheless, Annadurai was arrested for instigating the agitation. Although the violence were not directly instigated by the DMK,
21780-483: The state till date. (Birth–Death) Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu ( / ˌ t æ m ɪ l ˈ n ɑː d uː / ; Tamil: [ˈtamiɻ ˈnaːɽɯ] , abbr. TN ) is the southernmost state of India . The tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population , Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people , who speak the Tamil language —the state's official language and one of
21945-510: The state tree: palmyra palm , eucalyptus , rubber, cinchona , clumping bamboos ( Bambusa arundinacea ), common teak , Anogeissus latifolia , Indian laurel , grewia , and blooming trees like Indian laburnum , ardisia , and solanaceae . Rare and unique plant life includes Combretum ovalifolium , ebony ( Diospyros nilagrica ), Habenaria rariflora (orchid), Alsophila , Impatiens elegans , Ranunculus reniformis , and royal fern . Important ecological regions of Tamil Nadu are
22110-553: The state. Sensing an uprising, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru assured in the Parliament that English would continue to be the official language of India, as long as non-Hindi speaking people desire. DMK gave up the plan of showing black flags and Annadurai appealed to the Union Government to bring about a constitutional amendment incorporating the assurance. With no constitutional amendment done, Annadurai declared 26 January 1965,
22275-405: The surface high-pressure system is strongest. The North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones occur throughout the year in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, bringing devastating winds and heavy rainfall. The annual rainfall of the state is about 945 mm (37.2 in) of which 48 per cent is through the northeast monsoon, and 52 per cent through the southwest monsoon. The state has only 3% of
22440-460: The temple but are usually smaller than the gopurams in the Dravidian architecture with a few exceptions including the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur . The Mugal influence in medieval times and the British influence later gave rise to a blend of Hindu , Islamic and Gothic revival styles, resulting in the distinct Indo-Saracenic architecture. Several buildings and institutions built during
22605-539: The tiger as our national animal instead of the rat which is so much more numerous? Or the peacock as our national bird when the crow is ubiquitous? . In view of continued threat to impose Hindi, the DMK held an open-air conference against Hindi imposition at Kodambakkam , Chennai in August 1960, which Annadurai presided over. He gave black flags to leading functionaries, to be shown to the President of India during his visit to
22770-814: The trade which led to Battle of Wandiwash in 1760 as part of the Seven Years' War . The Nawabs of the Carnatic surrendered much of their territory to the British East India Company in the north and bestowed tax revenue collection rights in the South, which led to constant conflicts with the Palaiyakkarars known as the Polygar Wars . Puli Thevar was one of the earliest opponents, joined later by Rani Velu Nachiyar of Sivagangai and Kattabomman of Panchalakurichi in
22935-496: The traffic management in the respective regions. The state is consistently ranked as one of the safest for women with a crime rate of 22 per 100,000 in 2018. Elections in India are conducted by the Election Commission of India , an independent body established in 1950. Politics in Tamil Nadu was dominated by national parties till the 1960s. Regional parties have ruled ever since. The Justice Party and Swaraj Party were
23100-409: The two finally erupted when Periyar married Maniammai , who was much younger than him. Angered by this action of Periyar, Annadurai with his supporters parted from Dravidar Kazhagam and launched his own party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The DMK initially followed the same ideologies as its parent, Dravidar Kazhagam. But with the evolution of national politics and the constitution of India after
23265-475: The two major parties in the erstwhile Madras Presidency. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Self-Respect Movement , spearheaded by Theagaroya Chetty and E. V. Ramaswamy (commonly known as Periyar), emerged in the Madras Presidency and led to the formation of the Justice party. The Justice Party eventually lost the 1937 elections to the Indian National Congress and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari became
23430-426: The urban areas, and 385 panchayat unions and 12,618 village panchayats , administered by Village Administrative Officers (VAO). Greater Chennai Corporation , established in 1688, is the second oldest in the world and Tamil Nadu was the first state to establish town panchayats as a new administrative unit. In accordance with the Constitution of India , the governor is a state's de jure head and appoints
23595-434: The water resources nationally and is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its water resources. Monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought . Forests occupy an area of 22,643 km (8,743 sq mi) constituting 17.4% of the geographic area. There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in Tamil Nadu, resulting from its varied climates and geography. Deciduous forests are found along
23760-559: The word Tamil is unclear with multiple theories attested to it. In the ancient Sangam literature , Tamilakam refers to the area of present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh . Tolkāppiyam (2nd to 1st century BCE) indicates the borders of Tamilakam as Tirumala and Kanniyakumari . The name Tamilakam is used in other Sangam era literature such as Puṟanāṉūṟu , Patiṟṟuppattu , Cilappatikaram , and Manimekalai . Cilappatikaram (5th to 6th century CE) and Ramavataram (12th century CE) mention
23925-409: The years and have developed diversely. As of December 2023 , Tamil Nadu had an economy with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹ 27.22 trillion (US$ 330 billion), making it the second-largest economy amongst the 28 states of India. It has the country's 9th-highest GSDP per capita of ₹ 315,220 (US$ 3,800) and ranks 11th in human development index . Tamil Nadu is also one of
24090-424: Was also the first to use subsidising of the price of rice for election victory. He promised one rupee a measure of rice, which he initially implemented once in government, but had to withdraw later. Subsidising rice costs are still used as an election promise in Tamil Nadu. It was Annadurai's government that renamed the Madras State to its present-day form declaring officially as Tamil Nadu. The name change itself
24255-432: Was attributed to his habit of chewing tobacco. His funeral holds the record for highest number of attendees, as registered with The Guinness Book of Records . An estimated 15 million people attended it. His remains were buried in the northern end of Marina Beach , which is now called Anna Memorial . After his electoral success with his DMK in 1967, the Congress has not yet returned to power in Tamil Nadu. His government
24420-673: Was based on an idea propagated by the members of the Theosophical Society movement after a Theosophical convention held in Madras in December 1884. Tamil Nadu was the base of various contributors to the Independence movement including V. O. Chidambaram Pillai , Subramaniya Siva and Bharatiyar . The Tamils formed a significant percentage of the members of the Indian National Army (INA), founded by Subhas Chandra Bose . After
24585-522: Was elected from his home constituency, Kanchipuram for the first time to the Madras Legislative Assembly. In that election, the DMK won 15 seats and Annadurai became the leader of the opposition in the state. In 1962, the DMK emerged as the major political party in the state outside the Congress, winning 50 seats in the Assembly. Although Annadurai himself lost the elections, he was nominated as
24750-543: Was established in Chennai in remembrance of Annadurai. A life-size statue of Annadurai was unveiled on 1 October 2002 in the Parliament House by then President of India , A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in his honour and the function was attended by notable politicians. On 31 July 2020, Alandur metro station in Chennai has been renamed as Arignar Anna Alandur Metro by Government of Tamil Nadu to honour him. Annadurai's first movie script, of his play Velaikkari, fetched him
24915-458: Was extensively using movies for its propaganda, censorship crippled the process. To evade censorships, DMK movies used Annadurai's popular nickname Anna , which also means elder brother in Tamil , as a pun. When praises were bestowed on the Anna on screen, the crowd would break into applause. Kannadasan has criticised Anna's works that apart from Sivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam and Needhi Devan Mayakkam ,
25080-483: Was first presented in the upper house ( Rajya Sabha ) of the Parliament of India by Bhupesh Gupta , a communist MP from West Bengal , but was then defeated. With Annadurai as chief minister, the state assembly succeeded in passing the bill renaming the states. Anna was instrumental in organising the World Tamil Conference under the aegies of UNESCO in 1967. Another major achievement of Annadurai's government
25245-411: Was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted many years and when the volcanoes became extinct, they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table. The predominant soils of Tamil Nadu are red loam , laterite , black , alluvial and saline . Red soil, with a higher iron content, occupies a larger portion of the state and all the inland districts. Black soil
25410-618: Was initially restricted to urban centres and its surrounding areas. But by appealing to the urban lower, lower middle and working classes, students, Dalits and lower castes, Annadurai was able to accelerate its growth and spread. He fought for the social justice of the lower castes and thus rapidly gained popular support. In 1953, Annadurai directed the DMK to undertake three protests: During his days in Dravida Kazhagam, Annadurai had supported Periyar's call for an independent Dravida Nadu. The claim for such an independent state stayed alive in
25575-436: Was named South Indian Liberal Federation (S. I. L. F.) – popularly known as Justice party . The party had been in power in Madras Presidency since self-governance was introduced in 1920, until it was defeated by the Indian National Congress in 1937. By the time Annadurai joined the Justice party, Periyar E. V. Ramasami was the party president. Annadurai served as the sub-editor of the Justice magazine. He later became
25740-408: Was named after him as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam . Annadurai was born in a Tamil Sengunthar family on 15 September 1909 in Conjeevaram , Madras Presidency , in a lower-middle-class family. His father Natarajan Mudaliar was a weaver and his mother was Bangaru Ammal, a temple servant. He was raised by her sister Rajamani Ammal. At the age of 21, he married Rani while he was still
25905-449: Was not representative of the masses. With the enactment of the Government of India Act 1919 , the first legislature was formed in 1920 after general elections . The term of the legislative council was three years. It had 132 members, of whom 34 were nominated by the governor and the rest were elected. Under the Government of India Act 1935 , a bicameral legislature was set up with a legislative assembly consisting of 215 members and
26070-404: Was passed by the Parliament of India and came into force on 14 January 1969. Consequently, the nomenclature "Madras Legislative Assembly" was changed to " Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly ". From 1967 onward, the strength of the assembly continued to remain at 234 plus a nominated member. From 1952 to 1986, the state had a parliamentary system of government with two democratically elected houses,
26235-446: Was split up along linguistic lines in 1953, carving out Andhra State . Under the States Reorganisation Act , 1956, the states of Kerala , and Mysore State were carved out of Madras State . Under the Andhra Pradesh and Madras Alteration of Boundaries Act , 1959, with effect from 1 April 1960, Tiruttani taluk and Pallipattu sub-taluk of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh were transferred to Madras in exchange for territories from
26400-440: Was the first in the country to be from a non-Congress party with full majority. When the DMK later split, with M. G. Ramachandran forming his own Dravidian party , the rebel fragment was named after Annadurai as Anna DMK. Anna Nagar , a residential neighbourhood in Chennai is named after him. Sri Lankan Tamil nationalist leaders and writers are considered to be influenced by Annadurai's chaste Tamil movement. Anna University ,
26565-429: Was the first instance of a large-scale mutiny by Indian sepoys against the British East India Company, took place in Vellore Fort . After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act 1858 , which transferred the governance of India from the East India Company to the British crown, forming the British Raj . Failure of the summer monsoons and administrative shortcomings of
26730-417: Was the first member of a Dravidian party to hold either post. He was well known for his oratorical skills and was an acclaimed writer in the Tamil language . He scripted and acted in several plays. Some of his plays were later made into movies. He was the first politician from the Dravidian parties to use Tamil cinema extensively for political propaganda. Born in a middle-class family, he first worked as
26895-495: Was the one who had the largest gap between two terms (nearly thirteen years). The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 's former general secretary J. Jayalalithaa has the second-longest tenure, and its founder M. G. Ramachandran , the first actor to become the chief minister in India has the third-longest tenure, while his wife V. N. Janaki Ramachandran has the shortest tenure (only 23 days). K. Kamaraj resigned his post of his own free will and devoted all of his energy to
27060-492: Was the youngest at that time in India. He legalised Self-Respect marriages , enforced a two-language policy (in preference to the three-language formula in other southern states), implemented subsidies for rice, and renamed Madras State to Tamil Nadu. However, he died of cancer just two years into office. His funeral had the highest attendance of any to that date . Several institutions and organisations are named after him. A splinter party launched by M. G. Ramachandran in 1972
27225-449: Was to introduce a two language policy over the then popular three language formula . The three language formula, which was implemented in the neighbouring states of Karnataka , Andhra Pradesh and Kerala , entitled students to study three languages: the regional language, English and Hindi. It was during the period of his Chief Ministership that the Second World Conference was conducted on a grand scale on 3 January 1968. Nevertheless, when
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