Kumbakonam | |
|---|---|
City Municipal corporation | |
 | |
| Nickname: Temple city | |
  Kumbakonam Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu Show map of Tamil Nadu Kumbakonam Kumbakonam (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:10°57′37″N79°23′04″E / 10.960200°N 79.384500°E /10.960200; 79.384500 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Thanjavur District |
| Region | Cauvery Delta |
| Government | |
| • Type | City Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Kumbakonam municipal corporation |
| • Corporation Mayor | Saravanan (INC) |
| Area | |
• Total | 42.95 km2 (16.58 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 53 m (174 ft) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 140,156 |
| • Density | 3,263/km2 (8,452/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 612001-6 |
| Telephone code | (91) 435 |
| Vehicle registration | TN 68 |
Kumbakonam (formerly spelt asCoombaconum orCombaconum),[1] orKudanthai, is a city municipal corporation in theThanjavur district in theIndian state ofTamil Nadu. It is located 40 km (25 mi) fromThanjavur and 282 km (175 mi) fromChennai and is the headquarters of theKumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district. It is the second largest city in the district afterThanjavur. The city is bounded by two rivers, theKaveri River to the north andArasalar River to the south. Kumbakonam is known as a "Temple City" due to the prevalence of a number oftemples here and is noted for itsMahamaham festival, which happens once in 12 years, attracting people from all over the country.
Kumbakonam dates back to theSangam period and was ruled by theEarly Cholas,Pallavas,Mutharaiyar dynasty,Medieval Cholas,Later Cholas,Pandyas, theVijayanagara Empire,Madurai Nayaks,Thanjavur Nayaks and theThanjavur Marathas. It rose to be a prominent town between the seventh and ninth centuries AD, when it served as a capital of the Medieval Cholas. The city reached the zenith of its prosperity during theBritish Raj when it was a prominent centre of European education and Hindu culture; and it acquired the cultural name, the "Cambridge ofSouth India". In 1866, Kumbakonam was officially constituted as a municipality, which today comprises 48 wards, making it the second largest local civil body in Thanjavur district. It became a municipal corporation on 24 August 2021.
The name "Kumbakonam", roughly translated in English as the "Pot's Corner",[2] is believed to be anallusion to the mythical pot (kumbha) of theHindu godBrahma that contained the seed of all living beings on earth. Thekumbha is believed to have been displaced by apralaya (dissolution of the universe) and ultimately came to rest at the spot where the town of Kumbakonam now stands. This event is now commemorated in theMahamaham festival held every 12 years. Kumbakonam is also known as Baskarashetram[3] and Kumbam[4] from time immemorial and as Kudanthai in ancient times.[5] Kumbakonam is also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India.[6] Kumbakonam was also formerly known by theTamil name of Kudamukku.[7] Kumbakonam is also identified with theSangam age settlement of Kudavayil.[8]
The region around Kumbakonam was inhabited as early as the Sangam Age (third century BC to third century AD). The present-day Kumbakonam is believed to be the site of the ancient town of Kudavayil where theEarly Chola kingKarikala held his court.[8] Some scholars identify Kumbakonam as the site of the fabled prison of Kudavayir-kottam where the Chera king Kanaikkal Irumporai was imprisoned by the Early Chola kingKocengannan.[9] Kumbakonam is identified with the town of Malaikūrram[10] which had served as theChola capital as early as the seventh century and with the town of Solamaligai which had also served as a Chola capital.[7] According to the Sinnamanur plates, Kumbakonam was the site of a battle between thePallava kingSri Vallabha and the thenPandya king in 859[11][12] and between the Pandya king Srimara Pandya and a confederacy of the Cholas andGangas.[7]
Kumbakonam came into the limelight during the rule of theMedieval Cholas who ruled from the ninth century to the twelfth century. The town ofPazhaiyaarai, 8 km (5.0 mi) from Kumbakonam was the capital of the Chola Empire in the ninth century.[13]
Following the decline of the Chola kingdom, Kumbakonam was conquered by the Pandyas in 1290.[14] Following the demise of the Pandya kingdom in the 14th century, Kumbakonam was conquered by theVijayanagar Empire.[14]Krishnadevaraya (1509–29), the emperor ofVijayanagara visited the town in 1524 and is believed to have bathed in the famousMahamaham tank during the Mahamaham festival.[14] Kumbakonam was ruled by theMadurai Nayaks and theThanjavur Nayaks from 1535 to 1673 when it fell to theMarathas.[15] Each of these dynasties had a considerable impact on thedemographics andculture of the region.[16][17][18][19][20] When the Vijayanagar Empire fell in 1565, there was a mass influx of poets, musicians and cultural artists from the kingdom.[20][21]
According to the chronicles of the Hindu monastic institution, theKanchi matha, thematha was temporarily transferred to Kumbakonam in the 1780s following an invasion ofKanchipuram byHyder Ali ofMysore.[4][22][23][24] WhenTipu Sultan invaded the east coast of South India in 1784, Kumbakonam bore the brunt of his invasion.[15][25] The produce fell sharply and the economy collapsed.[15][25] Kumbakonam did not recover from the calamity until the beginning of the 19th century.[25]Kumbakonam was eventually ceded to theBritish East India Company in 1799 by the Thanjavur Maratha rulerSerfoji II (1777–1832)[15] and reached the zenith of its prosperity in the late 19th and early 20th century[26] when it emerged as an important center ofBrahminism,[27]Hindu religion and European education in theMadras Presidency.[15] The opening of theSuez Canal in 1869 fostered trade contacts with the United Kingdom.[15] In 1877, railway lines were completed linking Kumbakonam with the ports ofMadras,Tuticorin andNagapattinam.[15] The Tanjore district court was established in Kumbakonam in 1806 and functioned from 1806 to 1863.[28]
Kumbakonam continued to grow even afterIndia's independence though it fell behind the nearby town of Thanjavur in terms of population and administrative importance.[29] Thepopulation growth rate began to fall sharply after 1981.[26] This decline has been attributed to limited land area and lack of industrial potential.[26] However the peripheral areas of Kumbakonam population increased as evident from the successive census data. During the Mahamaham festival of 1992, there was a majorstampede in which 48 people were killed and 74 were injured.[30][31] On 16 July 2004, adevastating fire accident in the Sri Krishna school killed 94 children.[32][33]
Kumbakonam is located at10°58′N79°25′E / 10.97°N 79.42°E /10.97; 79.42.[34] It is situated 273 km (170 mi) south ofChennai,[35] 96 km (60 mi) east ofTiruchirappalli, about 40 km (25 mi) north-east ofThanjavur.,[36] and about 35 km (22 mi) south-west ofMayiladuthurai. It lies in the region called the "Olddelta" which comprises the north-western taluks of Thanjavur district that have been naturally irrigated by the waters of the Cauvery and its tributaries for centuries in contrast to the "New Delta" comprising the southern taluks that were brought under irrigation by the construction of theGrand Anicut canal and the Vadavar canal in 1934.[37][38] It has an average elevation of 26 metres (85 ft).[39] The town is bounded by two rivers, theCauvery River on the north andArasalar River on the south.[7]
Although the Cauvery delta is usually hot, the climate of Kumbakonam and other surrounding towns is generally healthy[40] and moderate.[41] Kumbakonam is cooler than Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu.[42] The maximum temperature in summer is about 40 °C (104 °F) while the minimum temperature is about 20 °C (68 °F).[43] Kumbakonam receives an annual rainfall of 114.78 cm (45.19 in) every year.[44] The region is covered with mainlyalluvial orblack soil which is conducive forrice cultivation.[37] Other crops grown in Kumbakonam includemulberry,cereals andsugarcane.[45][46]
The town of Kumbakonam is surrounded by extensive paddy fields. Methods of irrigation were considerably improved following the opening of theMettur Dam in 1934.[15][37] Thefauna of the Cauvery Delta is limited tocattle andgoats.[45] The town is situated at the western flank of the Kumbakonam-Shiyaliridge which runs along the Kollidam river[47] basin separating theAriyalur-Puducherry depression from theNagapattinamdepression.[48][49] This granular ridge projects further eastwards penetrating the Puducherry depression and forms a hard layer ofcretaceous rock underneath thesedimentarytopsoil.[49][50]
| Religion | Percent(%) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hindu | 86.07% | |||
| Muslim | 9.57% | |||
| Christian | 3.99% | |||
| Sikh | 0.0% | |||
| Buddhist | 0.0% | |||
| Jain | 0.23% | |||
| Other | 0.13% | |||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 44,444 | — |
| 1881 | 50,098 | +12.7% |
| 1891 | 54,307 | +8.4% |
| 1901 | 59,673 | +9.9% |
| 1911 | 64,647 | +8.3% |
| 1921 | 60,700 | −6.1% |
| 1931 | 62,317 | +2.7% |
| 1941 | 67,008 | +7.5% |
| 1951 | 91,648 | +36.8% |
| 1961 | 92,581 | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 113,130 | +22.2% |
| 1981 | 132,832 | +17.4% |
| 1991 | 139,449 | +5.0% |
| 2001 | 140,021 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 140,056 | +0.0% |
| Sources: | ||
According to2011 census, Kumbakonam had a population of 140,156 with a sex-ratio of 1,021 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[52] A total of 12,791 were under the age of six, constituting 6,495 males and 6,296 females. The average literacy of the town was 83.21%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[52] There were a total of 9,519 workers, comprising 32 cultivators, 83 main agricultural labourers, 1,206 in household industries, 7,169 other workers, 1,029 marginal workers, 24 marginal cultivators, 45 marginal agricultural labourers, 212 marginal workers in household industries and 0 other marginal workers.[53]
Kumbakonam has a strong Hindu majority, but it also has sizeable Muslim and Christian populations.[54] Among Hindus,Vanniyars,Kallars,[16][55]Brahmins[56][57] andDalits[54][58] are the numerically dominant Tamil-speaking groups.[56] Brahmins are more numerous and affluent in Kumbakonam than in other parts of Tamil Nadu.[27][57][59] There are also large populations ofMoopanars,[16]Konars[55] andNadars.[55] Amongst Muslims, theTamil Muslims are dominant. Most of the Muslims areRowthers.[54] The majority of Muslims in Kumbakonam are involved in commerce or maritime trade.[60] Kumbakonam also has a large population ofProtestantChristians largely due to the efforts of the German missionaryChristian Friedrich Schwarz.[54] The Catholics in Kumbakonam are mainly affiliated to theRoman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam which was separated from the Archdiocese of Pondicherry in 1899.[61][62]
The population of Kumbakonam is predominantly Tamil-speaking. The commonly used dialects is theCentral Tamil dialect.[63] There are significant minorities speakingThanjavur Marathi,[64]Saurashtra and other regional languages as their mother tongue.[16][65][66]
Residential areas make up 32.09% of the town's total area while commercial enterprises and industrial units make up 2.75% and 1.21%, respectively.[67] The non-urban portion of the town constitutes about 44.72% of the total area.[67] Kumbakonam has a total of 45slums with a population of 49,117.[68]
As per the religious census of 2011, Kumbakonam had 86.07%Hindus, 9.57%Muslims, 3.99%Christians, 0.%Sikhs, 0.%Buddhists, 0.23%Jains, 0.13% following other religions and 0.% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.[69]
| Municipality corporation officials | |
|---|---|
| Mayor | K.Saravanan(Congress)[70] |
| Corporation Commissioner | M.Senthil Murugan[71][72] |
| Deputy Mayor | Tamilazhagan(DMK)[73] |
| Elected members | |
| Member of Legislative Assembly | G. Anbalagan[74] |
| Member of Parliament | R. Sudha[75] |
The Kumbakonam municipality was officially constituted in the year 1866.[15][76] Initially, the municipality exercised its jurisdiction over an area of 7.68 km2 (2.97 sq mi) and its affairs were administered by a town-level committee or municipal committee.[76] Later it was constituted special-grade municipality[77] and currently, exercises its authority over an area of 12.58 km2 (4.86 sq mi)[76] out of the town's total area of 64.02 km2 (24.72 sq mi).[67] It comprises 48 wards[76] and is the biggest municipality in Thanjavur district.[26] The town was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation on 24 August 2021, with an administration authority area of 42.9 km2 (16.6 sq mi).[78]
The functions of the municipality are devolved into six departments: General, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, Town planning and the Computer Wing.[79] All these departments are under the control of a Municipal Commissioner who is the supreme executive head.[79] The legislative powers are vested in a body of 48 members, one each from each of the 48 wards.[76] The legislative body is headed by an elected chairperson who is assisted by a deputy chairperson.[80]
Kumbakonam is a part of theKumbakonam Legislative Assembly constituency and elects a member to theTamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once every five years.[81][82] Despite being a hub of militantCommunism in the 1950s,[15] Kumbakonam voted for theIndian National Congress in the first five state elections held between 1952 and 1977.[82][83][84][85][86][87][88] TheDravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the elections in 1977[88] and between 1977 and 1989, the seat was alternatively held by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam,All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or the Indian National Congress.[88][89][90] Since 1989, barring an interregnum of five years between 1991 and 1996,[91] the seat has been held byKo. Si. Mani of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[92][93][94][95] Kumbakonam was a part of theKumbakonam Lok Sabha constituency from 1952 until 1977, when the constituency was disbanded.[82][96] The assembly segments in the erstwhile Kumbakonam Lok Sabha constituency were included in theMayiladuthurai Lok Sabha constituency and have remained so ever since.[81]
Law and order in Kumbakonam in maintained by the Thanjavur subdivision of theTamil Nadu Police headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).[97] There are four police stations in the town, one of them being an all-women police station.[98] There are special units like prohibition enforcement, district crime, social justice and human rights, district crime records and special branch that operate at the district level police division headed by a Superintendent of Police (SP).[97] Suburban localities are under the jurisdiction of Swamimalai, Patteswarm, Nachiyarkovil, Tiruvidamarudhur, Thiruneelakudi police stations. Recently, the government has established one police station at Cholapuram by reorganizing Kumbakonam Taluk, Swamimalai and Thirupanandal Police station.
The important products of Kumbakonam include brass, bronze, copper and pewter vessels, silk and cotton cloths, sugar,indigo and pottery.[28] Kumbakonam is considered to be the chief commercial centre for the Thanjavur region. In 1991, around 30% of the population was engaged in economic activity.[99] Rice production is an important activity in Kumbakonam.[99] Of 194 industrial units in Kumbakonam, 57 are rice and flour mills.[99] Kumbakonam is also a leading producer ofbetel leaves andnuts; the betel leaves produced in Kumbakonam are ranked amongst the best in the world in terms of quality.[99] The A. R. R. Agencies, a leading manufacturer of arecanut slices has its factory in Kumbakonam.[100] The main administrative offices of T. S. R. & Co., a cosmetic company, are also based in Kumbakonam.[101] Kumbakonam is also famous for its metal works.[99] The Tamil Nadu Handicraft Development Corporation had been established in the nearby town of Swamimalai in order to train bronze artisans.[99] Kumbakonam is an important silk-weaving centre and more than 5,000 families were employed either directly or indirectly in silk weaving.[99] Silk weaved in Kumbakonam is regarded as one of the finest in the subcontinent.[102] They are largely used in the manufacture ofThirubuvanam silk sarees.[99] Kumbakonam was also an important salt-manufacturing area during British rule.[103] The town lends its name to theKumbakonam Degree Coffee, a blend ofcoffee prepared using undiluted pure milk.[104] In recent times, Kumbakonam has emerged as an important manufacturer of fertilizers.[15]
Apart from manufacturing, tourism is also a major source of income for the town. Many lodges and resorts from budget to high-end categories are functioning in Kumbakonam. The Hindu temples[105][106] and colonial-era buildings have been recognised for their tourism potential.[107] The 12th-century Airavatesvara Temple in the town of Darasuram near Kumbakonam is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.[108] Kumbakonam is also frequented by art collectors interested in handloom cloth and other curios.[109] Banks such as theAxis Bank,Bank of Baroda,[110]IDBI Bank,State Bank of India,[110]Tamilnad Mercantile Bank,[110]Canara Bank,[110]Indian Bank,[110]Indian Overseas Bank,[110]Bank of India,[110]Union Bank of India,[110]Corporation Bank,[110]Lakshmi Vilas Bank,[110]ICICI Bank,[111]ING Vysya Bank,[112]Karur Vysya Bank,[110]Punjab National Bank,[110]Syndicate Bank[110] andVijaya Bank have their branches in Kumbakonam. TheCity Union Bank was founded in Kumbakonam in 1904 as the Kumbakonam Bank Limited and it is headquartered in the town.[113]
Electricity supply to Kumbakonam is regulated and distributed by the Kumbakonam circle ofTamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). Power Substations are existing viz. Kumabakonam Urban 33/11 kV SS at Rajan Thottam, Kumbakonam Township (Nagariyam) 110 kV at Needamangalm Road, 110 kV SS at Sakottai and Patteswaram 230/110 kV. Water supply is provided by the Kumbakonam municipality from Cauvery river and Coleroon river; the distribution is managed through head works located at Valayapettai and Kudithangi, supplying 3,265 kl (863,000 US gal) of water to the town.[114] About 18 t (40,000 lb) of solid waste is collected from the town everyday; 53% domestic wastes and 32% commercial wastes.[115] The collected wastes are dumped in yards outside the town and segregated to produce organic manure.[115] Kumbakonam municipality has partial underground drainage connectivity and the municipality is implementing the underground drainage to the uncovered areas.[116] The major sewerage system for disposal of sullage is through septic tanks and public conveniences.[116] Roadside drains carry untreated sewage out of the town to let out raw into the sea or accumulate in a low-lying area.[116]
Kumbakonam comes under the Cauvery River Delta Area (CRDA) of theBharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India's state-owned telecom and internet services provider.[117] Apart from telecom, BSNL also providesbroadband internet service.[117] Kumbakonam hosts the district headquarters hospital, Thanjavur District at Kumbakonam and Coronation Municipal Hospital, Melakaveri Urban Primary Health Centre, 34 private hospitals & clinics and numerous medical shops catering to the healthcare need of the town.[118]
Kumbakonam is known for itstemples andmathas (monasteries). There are around 188 Hindu temples within the municipal limits of Kumbakonam.[26] Apart from these, there several thousand temples around the town thereby giving the town the sobriquets "Temple Town" and "City of temples".[119]
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is considered to be the oldestShaiva (the sect of the godShiva) shrine in the town, believed to be constructed by the Cholas in the seventh century.[120] TheNageswaraswamy Temple has a separate shrine for the Sun godSurya who is believed to have worshipped Shiva at this place.[121] Adi Kumbeswarar temple, Nageswaraswamy temple andKasi Viswanathar temple are Shiva temples in the town revered in theTevaram, a Tamil Shaiva canonical work of the seventh to the eighth century.[122] Kumbakonam has one of the few temples dedicated to the godBrahma.[123]
Sarangapani temple is the largestVaishnava (the sect of the godVishnu) shrine present in Kumbakonam. The present structure of the temple having a twelve-storey high tower was constructed by Nayak kings in the 15th century. It is one of the "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12Alvar saint-poets.[124][125] TheRamaswamy temple, which has scenes from the Hindu epicRamayana depicted on its walls, was constructed byGovinda Dikshitar, the minister of successive Nayak rulers,Achuthappa Nayak (1560–1614) andRaghunatha Nayak (1600–34).[126][127] He added a commercial corridor between the temple and the olderChakrapani temple, which in modern times is called Chinna Kadai Veethi, a commercial street in the town.[128] Pilgrims from all parts of India take a holy dip once every 12 years during theMahamaham festival in theMahamaham tank.[26][120][127] Over 40 lakh pilgrims participated in the festival during the 2016 event which is also known as the Southern Kumbha mela.[30] Govinda Dikshitar constructed the sixteenmandapams (shrines) and stone steps around this tank.[127][129] Kumbakonam is one of the few places in India that still predominantly follow theVadakalai tradition, in Vishnu temples in and around Kumbakonam.[130]
Kumbakonam also has a number ofmathas. The Sri Sankara matha of Kanchipuram was moved to Kumbakonam during the reign ofPratap Singh[22] (1739–63) and remained in Kumbakonam until the 1960s. There are also twoVellalar mathas in the nearby towns ofDharmapuram andThiruppanandal[131] and a Raghavendra matha in Kumbakonam.[132] There is also a branch of the VaishnavaAhobila mutt in Kumbakonam, who administers Thirupulamboothangudi and Aadanur ,having influence in Thirunaraiyur, Thirukudanthai, and Thiruvinnagar.[133]
TheThenupuriswarar Temple atPatteeswaram, theOppiliappan Kovil and theSwamimalai Murugan temple are located in the vicinity of Kumbakonam.[134] TheAiravatesvara Temple in Darasuram locality of Kumbakonam built byRajaraja Chola II (1146–73) during 12th century is aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site, along with theBrihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur and the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple atGangaikonda Cholapuram that are collectively referred as the Great Living Chola Temples.[108]
Kumbakonam is connected by road and rail. The National highwayNH-36 connectsVikravandi -Manamadurai, passes through this town. Thenearest international airport is at Tiruchirapalli, which is 91 km (57 mi) from Kumbakonam.[135] The nearest seaport is located atNagapattinam which is about 50 km (31 mi) away. The town has around 141 km (88 mi) of roads, 544 municipal roads[76] making up 122.29 km (75.99 mi).[136] There are also around 18.71 km (11.63 mi) ofstate highways running through Kumbakonam.[136] Over 87% of the municipal roads are paved.[136] There are regular government and private bus services toChennai,Thanjavur,Mannargudi,Tiruchirapalli,Chidambaram,Thiruvarur,Mayiladuthurai,Nagapattinam,Coimbatore,Tiruppur,Palani, Thoothukudi,Rameswaram,Tiruchendur, Salem, Edapaddi, Vellore, Kumuli, Cumbum,Karaikudi,Pudukkottai, Neyveli,Madurai,Sivagangai,Thiruthuraipoondi,Pattukkottai,Muthupet,Puducherry, andTirunelveli.[76] TheKarnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and State Express Transport Corporation (Tamil Nadu)(SETC) operates daily services fromBengaluru andmysuru to Kumbakonam.[137] On 1 March 1972, the Cholan Roadways Corporation was established by theGovernment of Tamil Nadu[138] with its headquarters in Kumbakonam in order to improve transportation facilities in the districts of central Tamil Nadu.[139] The organisation acquired the fleets of buses earlier owned by private operators – Sri Ramavilas Service, Raman and Raman Limited and Sathi Vilas.[138] On 1 July 1997, the organization was renamed Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Kumbakonam and presently forms division no. 1 of theTamil Nadu State Transport Corporation.[138][139] The corporation runs a reconditioning unit and a tyre re-threading unit in Kumbakonam.[139]
Kumbakonam is connected by rail with towns and cities in South India. TheMysore–Mayiladuthurai Express connects Kumbakonam with Mysuru and Bengaluru. There are regular express trains that connect Kumbakonam with major cities in the state likeChennai,Coimbatore,Madurai andTiruchirapalli.[140] There are passenger trains that connect Kumbakonam withThanjavur,Tiruchirapalli,Chidambaram andMayiladuthurai.[140] The upgrading ofNH 36 from two-lane to four-line is under progress, which upon completion will greatly reduce to time of travel to Thanjavur and Chennai.[141]
The traditional modes of transportation arebullock carts. It is recorded that as late as the 1950s, landlords and rich farmers travelled mostly by bullock carts except for rare long journeys which they undertook by buses or motor vehicles.[142] Kumbakonam has an efficient local bus transportation system. The town bus stand is located just opposite theArignar Anna Bus Stand where the long-distance buses are stationed. There are occasionalferries that transport people and goods across the Cauvery.[143] Till the beginning of the 20th century, students of the Government Arts College used to cross the Cauvery oncoracle ferries to attend college.[143] Since the construction of a bridge in 1944,[144] the practice of transporting men and goods by coracles has greatly diminished.[143]
TheRaja Veda Padasala, established by Govinda Dikshitar during 1542 in Kumbakonam, teaches Sanskrit vedic scriptures in specialised fields ofRig Veda,Yajur Veda,Sama Veda,Agamas andSastras.[127][145][146][147][148] Kumbakonam emerged as an important centre of education in the late 19th century and was known as the "Cambridge of South India".[39] The Government Arts College, established in Kumbakonam in 1867, is one of the oldest educational institutions in the Madras Presidency.[149] It began as a provincial school on 19 October 1854, before being upgraded to a government college in 1867.[149][150] It was affiliated to theMadras University in 1877.[28] One of the early principals of the college wasWilliam Archer Porter, aCambridgeWrangler, who, along withT. Gopala Rao, was instrumental in its elevation to a government college.[149] He is also credited with framing the college's acclaimed educational policy.[151] In 1881, it became a full-fledged college and high school courses ceased to be taught.[151] Notable faculty members includedU. V. Swaminatha Iyer (1855–1942)[152] while the Indian mathematicianSrinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) who studied from 1904 until 1906 when he dropped out andV. S. Srinivasa Sastri (1869–1946), an Indian politician and administrator, are its notable alumni.[149] The Government Arts College for Women was started in 1963[153][154] and had a total strength of 2,597 pupils in February 2006.[155] The college offers various undergraduate courses and one post-graduate course and is affiliated to theBharathidasan University.[155] Other colleges in Kumbakonam include Idhya Colleges of Arts and Sciences,Annai College of Arts and Science, Annai Engineering College, Mass College, Sankara Arts college, PRIST University Kumbakonam Campus, Government College Of Fine Arts andArasu Engineering College, KSK Engineering college, As Slam Engineering college at nearby Thirumanglakudi.[156] TheShanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy has a satellite campus based in Kumbakonam where disciplines of Engineering(electronics and communication Engineering & computer science Engineering), arts and sciences are taught.[156]
The Native High School, founded in 1876,[157] and theTown Higher Secondary School, one of whose students was Srinivasa Ramanujan, were some of the oldest schools in the Madras Presidency.[158] At present, there a total of 36 government and private schools in Kumbakonam.[156]
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