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Tenkasi தென்காசி is a town and a municipality in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats near the Courtallam Waterfalls.Tenkasi is also famous for saaral (சாரல் drizzling). During May-August every year, people enjoy saaral in Tenkasi.The main tourist attraction of Tenkasi is Courtallam, with exotic waterfalls and healing spas.Tenkasi is at the footsteps of Thirikooda Malai (Thiri koodal means the joining of three - convergence of three mountains) - a picturesque place.
[edit] Geography
Tenkasi is located at 
8°58′N 77°18′E / 8.97°N 77.3°E / 8.97; 77.3[1]. It has an average elevation of 143 metres (469 ft).
[edit] Transport
Tenkasi has two bus termini and a railway station. There are daily trains such as the Pothigai Express from Chennai to Tenkasi, now it runs up to Shencottah (Sengottai). People of Tenkasi have been consistently demading for overnight train to Coimbatore via Dindigul but Southern Railways neglected this demand for more than 8 years.
A metre gauge railway belonging to the Southern Railway goes from Quilon through Tenkasi to ppTiruchendur]], while a broad gauge branch comes from the mainline junction at Virudunagar. The narrow gauges lines are to be converted to broad gauge under Unigauge.
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census[2], Tenkasi had a population of 62,828. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. The average literacy rate is 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 67%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit] Residential localities
With the ever-growing population, the town has been expanded to include new residential localities:
[edit] Business
Tenkasi is a place where most of the people were agriculturists and their commercial activity is much related to agriculture.Tenaksi is the gateway of Tamil Nadu to southern townships of Kerala. Buses to Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram are operated from here.
[edit] Temple
Tenkasi (South Kasi) is famous for its Ulagamman Temple and its Shiva Temple. The Ulagamman temple was built by Parakrama Pandian, but was shattered by lightning. In the 1990s, the temple was restored with much financial assistance of Sivanthi Adithan and others, and it was given a fresh coat of paint again in 2006 by the same philanthropists. However, the first few feet from the ground has not been painted as that part appears to have survived the lightning. The gopuram or the entry gateway remains among the highest in southern Tamil Nadu. The main deity here is Kasi Viswanathar (Shiva). This temple has three Sannidhis [a unique aspect] - Sivan, Amman and Murugan Sannidhis. This temple has beautiful sculptures and also has musical stone pillars, that emit notes of different pitch when tapped with fingers. The entrance is really grand, with heavy steps. One could view the majestic Temple Gopuram even while entering the town. The Gopuram of the temple welcomes pilgrims with a pleasant cool breeze straight from the nearby Thirikooda Malai.
Tenkasi has the other magnificent Kulasekaranathar Temple, which has been in a closed state for ages. There is also a temple pond in middle of the town, adjoining the Kannimaramman Temple. There are a row of houses along the Kannimariamman Temple, famous among them being the Justice and Advocate villas.
[edit] Shopping and Entertainment
Tenkasi is the main shopping & entertainment hub for the villages around tenkasi and for the tourists coming for courtallam falls in season. The main shopping items available here are textiles, building materials, jewels, groceries, vegetables, etc. There are cinema halls for entertainment.
Bhagyalakshmi groups run 4 theatres in Tenkasi. The biggest & popular textile showroom in tenkasi is Bombay Stores which celebrated its 75th anniversary recently other textile showrooms includes ALN, Haji Mustafa, India Silk House and K S A emporium.
[edit] Schools
Tenkasi also boast of many well reputed schools. There are good number of schools in Tenkasi and Courtallam
- ICI Govt Boys Hr Sec School
- TPS Govt Boys Hr Sec School,Pavoorchatram
- Avvaiyar Govt Girls Hr Sec School,Pavoorchatram
- St.Micheals Girls Higher secondary School
- Thirumathi Manjammal Girls Hr Sec School
- CMS Mac Whitter Middle School
- Ponnambalam Middle School
- Kalaivani Vidyalaya, Melagaram
- Nehru Nursery and Primary School
- Nehru Higher Secondary School
- Mela Muttharamman Primary School
- Surya Nursery and Primary School
- Thomson Primary School
- Kattu Bava Middle School
- Ramaswany Pillai Higher Secondary school,Ilanji
- M.M.Higher Secondary School, Idaikal
- M.K.V. Kandasamy Nadar Matric School
- A G Matriculation School
- Emmanuel Matriculation Higher Sec School, melagaram
- Bharath Montessori Matriculation Higher sec School, Coutrallam
- Hilton Matriculation Higher sec School,Old Coutrallam
- Seventh Day Adventist Matriculation School
- Parasakthi Higher Secondary School, Coutrallam
- Sri Prasakthi Vidhayala, Coutrallam
- R C High school
- Tiruvalluvar Primary school
- AG Hr sec school
- Hameediya school
- Musthabia school
- Oxford metriculation school
- Milton Nursery And Primary School
- Deva Nursery And Primary School
- subash matriculation school
[edit] Colleges
- Sri Ram Nallamani Yadava College of Education, Tenkasi
- Al - Hidhaya Women's Teacher Training Institute, Tenkasi
- Arulmigu Senthil Andavar Polytechnic College, Tenkasi
- S. Chattanatha Karayalar College of Pharmacy, Tenkasi
- Sri Parasakthi College for Women,[3] Courtrallam
- MSPVL Polytechnic College, Pavoorchatram
[edit] Famous Personalites
- Honourable Mr.M.Arunachalam Former Union Cabinet Minister & Seven Times M.P Of Tenkasi,
- Famous poet, Thirikooda Rasappa Kavirayar ,Rasigamani T.K.C (T.K.Chidambaranatha Mudaliyar),Mr.S.Machendranathan IAS.
- Tenkasi has 16 Jummah Masjids in different location including Masjid Rahman and Masjid Thowqeeth (run by JAQH - Jamiyathu Ahlil Quran val Hadeed - movement for follower of Quran & Sunnah) all the Masjids conducting lot of social welfare program such, Anti- interest movement, Anti-dowry conference, education aids and awareness, free medical camps etc...
- There are many churches in Tenkasi. The Roman Catholic Church is located near the Tenkasi Depot and a number of Protestant churches all around the town.
[edit] Politics
Tenkasi assembly constituency is part of Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency).[4]
