Thiruvarur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thiruvarur Chola Nadu
Municipality
Devotees pulling the Chariot
Thiruvarur Location in Tamil Nadu
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Thiruvarur
Region	Cauvery Delta
Government
• Type	Selection Grade Municipality
• Body	Thiruvarur Municipality
Area
• Total	10.47 km2 (4.04 sq mi)
Elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population
• Total	58,301
• Density	5,568.4/km2 (14,422/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	610xxx
Telephone code	914366
Vehicle registration	TN:50
Website	www.thiruvarur.in

Thiruvarur (also spelled Tiruvarur) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the main office for the Thiruvarur district. This town is famous for its huge Thyagaraja temple chariot. This chariot is the largest in India, weighing 360 tonnes and standing 96 feet tall!

Thiruvarur is also very special because it is the birthplace of three famous musicians. These musicians, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri, are known as the Trinity of Carnatic music. They lived in the 18th century. The Thiruvarur Thiyagarajaa Swaamy temple is even older than the famous Tanjore big temple.

The town covers about 10.47 square kilometers and had a population of 58,301 people in 2011. It is part of the Cauvery delta region, where farming is the main job. Thiruvarur was one of the five main capitals of the ancient Chola empire. Many different rulers have governed the town over time, including the Cholas, Pandyas, and the British.

What's in a Name?

The old name for the town was Aaroor. You can find this name in old writings from the seventh century called Tevaram. It was also known as Śrīnagara in Sanskrit.

The word Thiru is often added to the names of temple cities that are highly respected in the Tevaram writings. That's why Arur became Thiruvarur. Another name for Thiruvarur is Kamalaalayasetra. This means "the holy place that is a home of lotuses." This name comes from the Kamalaalayam tank and the temple goddess, Kamalambigai.

A Look Back in Time: Thiruvarur's History

Thyagaraja Temple – a very important landmark and one of the biggest temples in Tamil Nadu

Local stories say that Thiruvarur was once the capital of a legendary Chola king named Manu Needhi Cholan. He was so fair that he punished his own son to give justice to a cow.

Thiruvarur was one of the five main capitals of the Chola empire. The town's history is closely linked to the Thyagarajaswamy temple. This temple is mentioned in ancient writings by important saints from the seventh and eighth centuries.

The temple's stone structure was first built by Aditya Chola I around 871–907 CE. It was later improved by Rajaraja Chola I and rebuilt with stone by Rajendra Chola I. Many kings left inscriptions at the temple. Some people believe that the Thyagarajaswamy temple inspired Rajaraja Chola to build the famous Brihadeeswarar Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thiruvarur became an important center for the Saivism religion during the rule of Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE). After the Chola empire fell, other kingdoms like the Nayaks and Marathas ruled the town. They continued to support the arts and culture.

In modern times, Thiruvarur is known as the birthplace of Carnatic music. This is because the three great musicians, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri, were born here.

Where is Thiruvarur?

Thiruvarur is located at 9°17′N 79°18′E / 9.28°N 79.3°E / 9.28; 79.3. The Sukumar river is to the north, and the Valaiyar river is to the south. The Odambokki river flows right through the middle of the town. The town is about 3 meters above sea level.

Thiruvarur is 300 km from Chennai. It is also close to other cities like Nagapattinam (24 km) and Thanjavur (56 km). The town gets about 1260 mm of rain each year. It has a tropical climate, especially from March to May. Because it's close to the sea, the air is often humid.

The land is mostly flat with rich alluvial soil. The Vennar and Vettar rivers, which are branches of the Cauvery river, flow near the town. These rivers help irrigate the farms. Paddy (rice) is the main crop grown here. Other crops include black gram, green gram, ground nuts, and gingely.

People of Thiruvarur

In 2011, Thiruvarur had 58,301 people. There were 1,053 females for every 1,000 males, which is higher than the national average. About 32% of the population belonged to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The town's average literacy rate was 82%, higher than the national average.

Most people in Thiruvarur are Hindus (84.38%). There are also Muslims (14.13%) and Christians (1.39%).

Many people in the town work. About 55% of the people are employed. Most of them work in farming or in jobs related to farming, like trading farm products.

Thiruvarur's Economy

Thiruvarur is in the Kaveri River basin, so farming is the main job here. More than 70% of the people work in agriculture. They grow Paddy (rice) in three different seasons throughout the year.

Besides farming, there are also industries that use farm products. These include modern rice mills, palm oil refineries, and businesses related to poultry and coir (coconut fiber). Large companies like Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and South India Edible Oil have operations here.

There are also many small businesses. These include car repair shops, hotels, hospitals, and places that fix boats and fishing nets. The town has a weekly market and a daily market where people buy vegetables and fish.

Many banks have branches in Thiruvarur. These include national banks like State Bank of India and Indian Bank, and private banks like ICICI Bank. They all have Automated teller machines (ATMs) around town.

Getting Around Thiruvarur

Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation

Thiruvarur has many roads, including three national highways. These highways connect Thiruvarur to other important cities like Viluppuram and Coimbatore.

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation runs about 300 bus services every day. These buses connect Thiruvarur to many cities in Tamil Nadu. There are also local town buses for getting around Thiruvarur and nearby villages. Long-distance buses connect the town to cities like Bangalore and Chennai.

The Thiruvarur Junction railway station is an important train hub. It connects to Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Thiruthuraipoondi. You can take passenger trains to many nearby towns. There are also daily express trains to Chennai and Ernakulam.

The closest airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, which is about 110 km away. The nearest seaport is in Nagapattinam, about 27 km from the town.

Schools and Services

Thiruvarur has many schools. There are three government high schools and 12 other schools in the town. The Central University of Tamil Nadu, which opened in 2009, offers college courses in arts and science. There are also other colleges and training institutes.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) provides electricity to Thiruvarur. The Thiruvarur Municipality supplies water from the Odambokki river. The town also has a system for collecting solid waste.

For communication, Thiruvarur is part of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) telecom circle. BSNL provides phone and internet services.

There are three government hospitals in Thiruvarur, including the main District Headquarters Government Hospital. There are also 11 private hospitals and many pharmacies to serve the town's healthcare needs.

Culture and Festivals

The Thyagaraja Temple: A Place of Worship

Worship of Lord Thyagaraja is associated with the Somaskanda depiction of Lord(s) Shiva, Skanda and Parvathi.

The ancient Thyagaraja Temple in Thiruvarur is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple covers a huge area of 20 acres. It has shrines for many gods and goddesses. The Kamalalayam temple tank is also very large, covering about 33 acres.

The temple is known for its unique chariot, which is the biggest in Tamil Nadu. People believe that Thyagaraja performed 364 miracles in Thiruvarur. The temple is also one of the "Saptha Vidangam" temples, meaning it has unique dance moves by Thyagaraja.

Music, Dance, and Stories

Thiruvarur has always been a place for important people in religion, arts, and science. An eighth-century saint named Sundarar said, "I am the slave of all those born in Thiruvarur." Two of the 63 important saints of the Saivite tradition were born here.

The town was a traditional center for music and dance. Old writings from the time of Rajaraja Chola mention many dancers connected to the temple.

Thiruvarur is famous for being the home of the Trinity of Carnatic music: Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Shyama Shastri. Muthuswami Dikshitar even sang praises of the temple gods. During the 17th century, many talented artists moved to Thiruvarur. This led to great developments in music and dance.

The temple uses a special musical instrument called Panchamuga Vadyam. It has five different decorated ends. Another unique instrument found only in Thiruvarur is a type of nadaswaram (a pipe instrument) called Barinayanam.

The Grand Chariot Festival

Thiruvarur temple chariot festival depicting the largest temple chariot in World

The annual chariot festival of the Thygarajaswamy temple is a huge event. It happens in April or May. The chariot is the largest of its kind in Tamil Nadu and the world. It weighs 360 tonnes and is 96 feet tall! During the festival, the chariot is pulled around the four main streets near the temple. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over Tamil Nadu come to watch.

After the chariot festival, there is a "Theppam," or float festival. The Carnatic music festival, held every year, also attracts many people.

Famous People from Thiruvarur

• Bakthavathsalam – A famous Mridangam player
• K. Balachander – A well-known Tamil film maker and director
• Muthuswami Dikshitar – A Carnatic classical composer and part of the Trinity of Carnatic music
• M. Karunanidhi – A former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
• Syama Sastri – A Carnatic classical composer and part of the Trinity of Carnatic music
• Rajan Somasundaram – A music composer who created the first music album based on ancient Sangam poetry
• Tyagaraja – A Carnatic classical composer and part of the Trinity of Carnatic music

See also

In Spanish: Tiruvarur para niños