Tamil Nadu — Culture,
Heritage & Language
Dravidian temples, Bharatanatyam, Chola heritage
Introduction
Tamil Nadu is the heartland of Dravidian civilization, with temple towns like Madurai, Thanjavur and Chidambaram, the classical art of Bharatanatyam and a Tamil literary tradition older than two millennia.
Quick Facts
Capital
Chennai
Largest City
Chennai
Official Language
Tamil
Formation Date
26 January 1950
Area
130,058 sq km
Population
77,000,000+
Region
South
Type
State
Language
Tamil — among the world's oldest living classical languages — is official. English is widely used in business and education.
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Traditional Dress
Men wear veshti (dhoti) with angavastram and shirt; women wear Kanjeevaram silk sarees in pattu-pavadai or madisaru styles for ceremonies.
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Festivals
Pongal — the four-day harvest festival — is Tamil Nadu's signature celebration; Thai Pongal, Jallikattu, Natyanjali, Chithirai, Karthigai Deepam and Mahamaham are also key.
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Cuisine
Idli, Dosa, Sambhar, Rasam, Chettinad cuisine, Pongal, Kothu Parotta, Filter Coffee, Payasam and Madurai's Jigarthanda.
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Literature
Sangam poetry, Thiruvalluvar's Tirukkural, Subramania Bharati, Bharathidasan, Kalki Krishnamurthy, Akilan and Jayakanthan.
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Art Forms
Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, Tanjore painting, bronze Chola sculpture, Karagattam, Therukoothu street theatre and Kanjeevaram weaving.
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Historical Importance
Cradle of Sangam-era Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas; later the Pallavas of Mahabalipuram; medieval Chola maritime empire; site of the Dravidian self-respect movement.
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Districts & Cities
AriyalurChengalpattuChennaiChidambaramCoimbatoreCuddaloreDharmapuriDindigulErodeKallakurichiKanchipuramKanyakumariKarurKodaikanalKrishnagiriMaduraiMahabalipuramMayiladuthuraiNagapattinamNagercoilNamakkalNilgirisOotyPerambalurPudukkottaiRamanathapuramRameswaramRanipetSalemSivagangaTenkasiThanjavurTheniThoothukudiTiruchirappalliTirunelveliTirupatturTiruppurTiruvallurTiruvannamalaiTiruvarurVelloreViluppuramVirudhunagarYercaud