Kilakarai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kilakarai
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Town
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| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Ramanathapuram |
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 30,468 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
Kilakarai, Kilakkarai or Keelakarai is a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 38,355. Kilakarai is one of the Taluka in Ramanathapuram District. It is also called as Mini Singapore.
Contents
Early history
Kilakarai is a coastal town and a port, located in the southern Tamil Nadu. It was a flourishing seaport and a gateway to places as far as Madurai until the early 20th century. The famous pearl belt known as the Gulf of Mannar in the Bay of Bengal is dotted with small islands. The coastal line of Kilakarai is formed by a series of small bays and finest coral reefs sheltering the town from the perils of the ocean.
The prime occupations of the people were pearl, conch, sea trade and transport. The mid-20th century saw a decline in the occupations of the people of Kilakarai, with the beginnings of the surface transport the Merchant Navies faded away and Kilakarai aka Killikare ceased to be a harbour and port. The migration of the people after the decline of the marine trade and industry resulted in people exploring the other parts of the globe.
Modern day
Kilakarai is renowned for its communal harmony. The majority of the population there are Muslim with people of other faith such as Hindu, Christians living together. The town has a resemblance to Spanish Moorish architecture and is located about 60 km south west of the temple town of Rameswaram.
It has the oldest mosque in India known as the kadakarai palli. It has a unique pre-Islamic heritage of more than 200 years. The Kilakarai Muslims or Kilakarai Moors form 80% of the population of Kilakarai.
Kilakarai has a large expatriate (people who live outside their native country) population, and a high literacy rate. This has enabled the people of Kilakarai to span the globe and become active merchants in the Middle and Far East, US and European markets.
Images for kids
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View of the Kilakarai Lighthouse from the dock
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View from the dock at sunrise
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Interior of Odakarai Palli (masjid)
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Odakarai Palli (masjid) under conservation
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Masjid ul Jamiah
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Masjid ul Jamiah (3rd oldest masjid of Kilakarai)
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Masjid ul Jamiah
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Corridor in Masjid ul Jamiah
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Interior of Masjid ul Jamiah
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Interior of Palaiya Jumma Palli or The Old Jumma Masjid of Kilakarai, the oldest masjid of India
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Amir ul Muminin Abu Baker Siddiq Palli (masjid)
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Tombstone with Arabic & Tamil (Arwi) inscription (at The Old Jumma Masjid of Kilakarai)
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Kulangarai Appa Palli (masjid), East Street, Kilakkarai
See also
In Spanish: Kilakarai para niños
