Tirunelveli

Tirunelveli 

Tirunelveli aka Nellai and known as Tinnevelly during British rule, is a city of India state Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters and the sixth-largest municipal corporation in the state .

The city is located on the west bank of the Thamirabarani River; its twin city Palayamkottai is on the east bank. It is believed to be an ancient settlement which has been ruled at different times by the Early Pandyas, the Medieval and Later Cholas, the later Pandyas, the Ma’bar and Tirunelveli sultanates, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, the Carnatic kingdom and the British.

The Polygar War, between Palaiyakkarars led by Veerapandiya Kattabomman and forces of the British East India Company, was waged from 1797 to 1801. It has a number of historical monuments, the Nellaiappar Temple being the most prominent.

Industries here include administrative services, agricultural trading, tourism, banking, agricultural machinery and educational services.

Today, the city is an educational hub of southern Tamil Nadu, with institutions such as Tirunelveli Medical College, the Veterinary College and Research Institution, Tirunelveli Law College and the Government College of Engineering.

It is administered by a municipal corporation, established in 1994 by the Municipal Corporation Act. It is well-connected by road and rail with the rest of Tamil Nadu.

• Nellaiappar Temple:

The temple devoted to Lord Shiva are found in the ancient texts of the Puranas. The gopuram of this temple is said to be built by Muluthukanda Rama Pandiyan.

The two temples were linked in 1647 AD by Thiru Vadamalaiappa Pillaiyan by building the chain Mandapam.

The temple is an exotic example of Dravidian architecture and the musical pillars are one of the amazing aspects of the design aesthetics of the temple.

• Sankaranarayanan Koil:

The 900 years old temple also known as Sankarankovil devoted to Lord Shiva. The main deity here is a combined form of Shiva and Vishnu.

The Gopuram of the temple is a massive dome which is 135 feet high and has 9 tiers.

The temple is best visited during the festival of Adi Tapas which is celebrated during the months of July and August.

• Papanasam:

This small town is one of the most popular picnic spots in Tirunelveli. It has large acres of lush green paddy fields that surround the town and the town is a home to 108 types of rare medicinal herbs of the world.

The dams, rivers and waterfalls here are considered to be major tourist attractions and are a home to several species of migratory birds.

The Manjolai Hills here are a must visit to experience amazing views of the surrounding landscapes.

• Kuttralam:

The Spa of Southern India, is located at the Western Ghats. A number of perennial rivers originate from this area making the town rich in vast array of flora and fauna.

The rejuvenating waterfalls located here attract a huge number of tourists each year and this place is best visited during the months between January till April.

The Shenbagadevi Amman Temple is a must visit and are located near the Shenbagadevi falls.

• Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:

It is the second largest protected reserve forest spread across an area of 895 square kilometers at an elevation of 1,800 meters above sea levels at the Western Ghats.

The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna including several species of endemic plants, fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

As the name suggests it is a major habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger.