Sengottai

Sengottai செங்கோட்டை
Town
Nickname(s): Senkottai Shencottah
Sengottai Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 8°58′24″N 77°14′47″E / 8.973333°N 77.246389°E / 8.973333; 77.246389Coordinates: 8°58′24″N 77°14′47″E / 8.973333°N 77.246389°E / 8.973333; 77.246389
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Tirunelveli
Government
• Type	Second Grade Municipality
• Body	Sengottai Municipality
• Municipal Chairman	Mohana Krishnan
Population (2011)
• Total	26,823
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	627809
Telephone code	04633
Sex ratio	1003 ♂/♀
Website	www.municipality.tn.go.in/Sengottai

(Tamil:செங்கோட்டை) Sengottai or Senkottai or Shencottah is a municipality in the Tirunelveli district, of Tamil Nadu, India. Spread over an area of 2.68 square kilometers with a population of over 26,838, the economy of the town revolves around the cultivation of rice.^[1] The word Sengottai means red fort in Tamil. There is fort like structure on the entrance of this town. Sengottai is also spelt as Chenkottai, and other similarly-pronounced variants, and is roughly 8 km from the Courtallam waterfalls. As of 2011, the town had a population of 26,823.

History

Sengottai was originally part of the Travancore Kingdom. In December 1851, the boundary between Tirunelveli and Travancore on the Sengottai side was clearly defined as proposed by General Cullen as early as 1846, and finally sanctioned by the Madras Government. Sengottai Municipality was constituted in 1921. In 1949, Sengottai was part of the newly formed state of Travancore-Cochin. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 came into effect from the 1 November 1956, and consequently, the Tamil-speaking area of Sengottai taluk of Quilon district were transferred from Travancore-Cochin to Madras State.^[2] Sengottai was reclassified from a Grade III municipality to a Grade II municipality as per G.O. No.85 dated 22 May 1998.^[3] Vanchinathan, popularly known as Vanchi, was an Indian Tamil independence activist from Sengottai. He is best remembered for having shot dead Ashe, the Collector of Tirunelveli and having later committed suicide in order to evade arrest.

Geography and Climate

The town is spread over an area of 2.68 km². The second largest gap in Western Ghats which is situated five kilometres from town is known by its name that is Shencottah Gap road rail lines pass through this gap which connect Shencottah with Punalur.

Demographics

According to 2011 census, Shenkottai had a population of 26,823 with a sex-ratio of 1,035 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.^[5] A total of 2,642 were under the age of six, constituting 1,327 males and 1,315 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 10.06% and 1.21% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 78.09%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.^[5] The town had a total of : 7146 households. There were a total of 10,736 workers, comprising 114 cultivators, 674 main agricultural labourers, 1,923 in house hold industries, 7,435 other workers, 590 marginal workers, 14 marginal cultivators, 60 marginal agricultural labourers, 105 marginal workers in household industries and 411 other marginal workers.^[6]

As per the religious census of 2011, Shenkottai had 76.98% Hindus, 21.19% Muslims, 1.77% Christians and 0.06% following other religions.^[7]

Culture

During the Tamil month of Maargazhi (corresponding to December through January), people in Sengottai sing bhajan before sunrise and draw special rangoli outside their houses every day. During the Month of January, Tamil month Thai Chariot festival is celebrated grandly. In that occasion Swamy Lord Siva, kulasekaranathar and Lord parvathi, Dharmasavathini and Lord Ganesha and murugan will come in separate wooden chariot respectively. In that festival approximately 25000 people will come together to pull the chariot. The car will run through four ratha veedhis and it will halt at its location. The "Thai poosam" festival will prolong for 10 days. Every vinayagar pooja celebration is very popular. "Soora Samharam" is another festival celebrated in Sengottai.

Transport

Sengottai is connected by road to most places in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Sengottai is directly connected with the City of Kollam via road and rail. The nearest airport is in Madurai, & Trivandrum roughly four hours by road and three hours by train. Round trip pothigai express connects Sengottai with Tamil Nadu capital city Chennai Egmore. Trivandrum International Airport is four hours by road. This road passes through the beautiful Western Ghats. Transport Corporation of Tamil Nadu, Tirunelveli & Madurai Branch Depots and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Express Service Depot serve Sengottai. In addition various private operators connect Sengottai with Madurai and Chennai. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation connects sengottai with Kollam Punalur Trivandrum and various other parts of Kerala.

References

External links

• Sengottai Municipality website

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