CHAPTER – II PROFILE OF SYNTHETIC GEM INDUSTRY IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI DISTRICT Profile of Tiruchirappalli District:16 Tiruchirappalli District is located along the Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu, India. The main town in Tiruchirappalli District is the city of Tiruchirappalli, also known as Trichy. During the British Raj, Tiruchirappalli was known as Trichinopoly, and was a district of the Madras Presidency; it was renamed upon India's declaration of independence in 1947.It is the Fourth largest municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu and also the Fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state. History: The city is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, by the Early Cholas, Early Pandyas, Pallavas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Delhi Sultanate, Madurai Sultanate, Vijayanagar Empire, Nayak Dynasty, the Carnatic state and the British. The archaeologically important town of Woraiyur which served as the capital of the Early Cholas is a suburb of Tiruchirappalli. The city has a number of historical monuments, Ranganathaswamy temple at SriRangam, the Rockfort and the Jambukeswarar temple at Thiruvanaikaval being the most prominent among them. Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, the seat of the pontiff of Vaishnavite, is built on an island amidst the waters of Kaveri and Kollidam rivers. 16. www.trichycorporation.gov.in 32 This temple with 21 gopurams (Temple Towers) was primarily built between fourteenth and eighteenth century. Tiruchirappalli is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Tamil Nadu, its earliest settlements dating back to the second millennium BC. Woraiyur, which served as the capital of the Early Cholas from the third century BC to the third century AD is identified by some with a suburb of present-day Tiruchirappalli. The city is mentioned as "Orthoura" by the historian, Ptolemy. The world's oldest surviving dam, the Kallanai, was built by Karikala Chola across the Kaveri River, about 24 kilometres (15 mi) from Woraiyur. Tiruchirappalli is an important industrial and educational hub of central Tamil Nadu. The factories of Ordnance Factories Board such as Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli and Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Golden Rock Railway Workshops are located in Tiruchirappalli. The National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institute of Management, Bharathidasan University and Anna University of Technology have their campuses in the city. Tiruchirappalli is internationally popular for a brand of cheroot known as the Trichinopoly cigar which was exported in large quantities to the United Kingdom in the 19th century. Tiruchy, especially Woraiyur, is popular for three things. One is Handloom Cotton Sarees, Second is Synthetic Gems and third is Cigars. Tiruchirappalli is administered by a municipal corporation established as per the Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation Act 1994. Tiruchirappalli is well-connected by road, rail and air. There are 33 passenger flight services to destinations in South-East Asia and the Middle East. Geography: Tiruchirappalli district lies at the heart of Tamilnadu. The district has an area of 4,404 square kilometers. It is bounded in the north by Salem district, in the northwest by Namakkal district, in the northeast by Perambalur district and Ariyalur district, in the east by Thanjavur District, in the southeast by Pudukkottai district, in the south by Madurai district and Sivagangai district, in the southwest by Dindigul district and, in the west by Karur district. Kaveri River flows through the length of the district and is the principal source of irrigation and water supply. Table – 2.1 Religions in Tiruchirappalli Religions Percent Hinduism 84.39% Christianity 9.02% Islam 6.46% Others 0.13% Total 100.00% According to the 2011 census Tiruchirappalli district has a population of 2,713,858, (Male: 1347863 and Female: 1365995) roughly equal to the nation of Kuwait or the US state of Nevada. This gives it a ranking of 146th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 602 inhabitants per square kilometer (1,560 /sq mi) .Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 12.22%. 34 Tiruchirappalli has a sex ratio of 1013 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 83.56%, higher than the state average. The population is predominantly Hindu, and there are sizeable numbers of Christians and Muslims. Sikhs and Jains are also present in smaller numbers. The most widely spoken language is Tamil, though there are also significantly large number of people speaking Telugu, Saurashtrian and Kannada. The standard dialect of Tamil spoken is the Central Tamil dialect. Saurashtrian is the mother tongue of the Patnūlkarars who migrated from Gujarat in the 16th century AD. There is also a substantial population of Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, most of who are housed in refugee camps on the outskirts of the city. Roman Catholics in Tiruchirappalli are affiliated to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tiruchirappalli while Protestants are affiliated to the Trichy–Tanjore Diocese of the Church of South India. As a separate division the Southern Railway is headquartered at Tiruchirappalli city. There is also a considerably strong Anglo-Indian population present in the city. Geographical Position: North Latitude Between: 10 to 11 30' East Longitude Between: 77 45' to 78 50' Climate: Tiruchirappalli is located at 10.8050°N 78.6856°E. The average elevation is 88 metres (289 ft). It is located almost at the geographic centre of the state of Tamil Nadu. The topology of Tiruchirappalli is almost flat with a few isolated hillocks rising above the surface, the highest of which is the Rockfort. The city is situated at the head of the Kaveri Delta, which commences 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of Tiruchirappalli where the Kaveri River branches into two streams forming the island of Sri Rangam. 35 The land immediately surrounding the Kaveri is made up of fertile alluvial soil deposited by the Kaveri and its tributary, the Kollidam. Further south, the surface is covered by poor-quality black soil. The alluvial soil is conducible for agriculture and crops such as ragi (finger millet) and cholam (maize) are cultivated. Northeast of Tiruchirappalli runs a belt of cretaceous rock known as the "Trichinopoly Group". Layers of Archaean rocks, granite and gneiss covered by a thin bed of conglomeratic laterite are found to the south-east of the city. Densely-populated industrial and residential areas have recently emerged in the northern part of the city. Residential areas also cover the southern edge of the city. The city is completely surrounded by agricultural fields. The older part of the city, situated within the fort, is unplanned and congested while the adjoining newer sections are better executed. Many of the old houses in Srirangam were constructed according to the shilpa sastras, the canonical texts of Hindu temple architecture. A Local Planning Authority for Tiruchirappalli was created on 5 April 1974 as per the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act of 1971 with the District Collector of Tiruchirappalli as Chairman and the Assistant Director of Town and Country Planning as its member secretary. The city gets its drinking water supply from the Kaveri River . Tiruchirappalli is hot and dry for at least eight months of the year. The hottest months are from March to July during which the city experiences frequent dust storms. During this period, the days are extremely warm and dry while evenings are rendered cooler due to the cold winds that blow from the south-east. Tiruchirappalli experiences a moderate climate from August to October, tempered by heavy rain and 36 thundershowers, and cool and balmy climate from November to February. Fog and dew are rare and occur only during the winter season. Art, society and culture: A resident of Tiruchirappalli is generally referred to as a Tiruchiite. The city formed a part of the traditional Chola heartland and has a number of exquisitely sculpted temples and forts. Situated at the edge of the Kaveri Delta, the culture of Tiruchirappalli is similar to the Brahminical culture prevalent elsewhere in the delta. With a substantial population of students and migrant industrial workers from different parts of India, Tiruchirappalli has a more cosmopolitan outlook than the surrounding countryside. Tiruchirappalli is home to many Carnatic musicians and film artistes. Pongal, Tamil New Year, Aadi Perukku, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Navarathri, the Srirangam car festival and Bakrid are some of the important festivals celebrated in Tiruchirappalli. The Gregorian New Year, Christmas, Deepavali and Holi are also celebrated with pomp and splendor. Jallikattu tournaments are occasionally held on the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli city. Textile weaving, leather-work and gem cutting are some of the important crafts practiced in Tiruchirappalli. Wooden idols of Hindu gods and goddesses are sold at the crafts emporium, Poompuhar, run by the Government of Tamil Nadu. Tiruchirappalli has a number of historical Hindu temples and fortresses. Most of the Hindu temples, including, the Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, the Nachiar Koil at Woraiyur, the Rockfort temple at Town, the Jambukeswarar Temple at Thiruvanaikaval, the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, the Erumbeeswarar Temple and the temples in Woraiyur, are built in the Dravidian style of architecture—the 37 Ranganathaswamy Temple and Jambukeswarar Temple were often being counted among the best examples of this style. The Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, is an important Vaishnavite pilgrimage center and is believed to house the mortal remains of the Vaishnavite saint and philosopher Ramanujacharya. The Rockfort, considered to be one of the symbols of Tiruchirappalli, is a fortress which stands atop a 273 foot high rock. The Jambukeswarar Temple at Thiruvanaikaval and the Erumbeeswarar Temple, both date from the time of the Medieval Cholas. The city's principal mosque is the Nadir Shah Mosque or Nathar Shah mosque which encloses the tomb of the 10th century Muslim saint Nadir Shah.