Rajapalayam
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Rajapalayam (राजापलायम/राजपालयम) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the largest municipality in the Virudhunagar district. It is located on Ram Van Gaman Path.
Location
Rajapalayam is located on the Madurai to Quilon National Highway at a distance of 562 km south of the state capital Chennai.
The National Highway NH-744 from Madurai to Kollam passes through the town. State highway SH-41 (Rajapalayam-Sankarankovil-Tirunelveli) links the major parts of the extreme south of Tamil Nadu, including Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari.
The Rajapalayam railway station is in the Southern Railways zone/Madurai division of Indian Railways and falls on the Virudhunagar to Kollam line.
Geography
The mountains of the Western ghats are to the west of the town (12 km from the town), and the Sanjeevi hills are to the east. These moderate the climate, and several water catchment areas in the hills provide water for the town. Water is stored in the 6th mile water reservoir. There are several major lakes around the town, including Kondaneri, Karungulam, Pirandaikulam, and Sengulam. The soil in the area is classified by the government as red loam.[1]
Economy
The economy is primarily industrial with several mills for spinning and weaving. The town is known for its mango and the Rajapalayam breed of dogs.
The principal industry was initially agriculture. In 1936, Thiru P. A. C. Ramasamy Raja started the first cotton spinning mill, called Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. Later, more textile mills were started. Today, Rajapalayam is a major hub of the textile industry, famous for bandages, woven fabric, nightwear, and other products. The neighboring town of Chatrapatti (Virudhunagar Dist.) is a large player in producing surgical cotton gauze, and nearby Dhalavaipuram and Muhavoor manufacture women's nightwear.
External links
References
- ↑ Soil in Rajapalayam" (PDF). Virudhunagar district.