Cuddalore
Cuddalore is a large and developing town in Tamil Nadu state of south India. It is located south of Pondicherry on the Bay of Bengal. It is the administrative headquarters of Cuddalore District.
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Cuddalore town
The town has three large divisions, the Old Town, the New Town (Thirupadirippuliyur), and Manjakuppam. The Gedilam River flows through the town and separates the Old Town and Thirupadiripuliyur from the rest of the town. The Old Town has been a seaport since ancient times; Cuddalore traded with the Roman Empire some 2000 year ago. Archeological evidence of these ancient trade relationships can be found in Cuddalore Government Museum. Cuddalore was the first town in South India which came under the direct European control. The Dutch were the first to conquer it, followed by Portugal, France and later Britain. The British built Fort St. David in Cuddalore near Devanampattinam. Cuddalore has some very well respected schools, the most popular among them being St. Josephs & St. Mary's.
Cuddalore is known for its temples. The most famous is the temple of Shiva, one of the three prime deities of Hinduism. The incarnation of Shiva at Cuddalore is called Padaleeshwarar. The temple is located in Thiruppadirippuliyur. Chidambaram, a city which is known for dance and temples, is only 43 km away from Cuddalore.
Cuddalore's magnificent beaches are becoming a tourist attraction, including the well-known Silver Beach. The boat house near the beach is known for its beauty.
Famous people
Many well-known writers of Tamil literature, such as Jayakanthan and Pudhumaipithan, were born in Cuddalore. Veeramani, one of the leaders of Dravidar Kazhagam, was also born here. Vethathiri Maharishi, a spiritual and social worker from Tamil Nadu, started to preach to his disciples from Cuddalore.
Cuddalore District
Cuddalore District has an area of 3,564 km². It is bounded on the north by Villupuram District, on the east by the Bay of Bengal, on the south by Nagapattinam District, and on the east by Perambalur District.
The 2004 tsunami and its aftermath
Tsunami waves that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake near Sumatra hit the eastern coast of India on December 26 2004 by 08:32 in the morning. Cuddalore was heavily affected by the waves. 572 bodies have been recovered and many are still missing. Several fishing hamlets have simply disappeared. Silver Beach and the historically important Cuddalore Port were devastated. Fort St. David survived without damage.
Cuddalore, was more accessible from major cities like Chennai and Bangalore and got good relief supplies relatively early. The management of relief operations in the district was handled by the local authorities and villagers themselves. Some more remote villages became inaccessible due to a bridge breaking apart, leaving rescued villagers very anxious about their homes.
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Categories: Cities and towns in Tamil Nadu | Districts of Tamil Nadu