Manamadurai

Manamadurai is a Municipality Town in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Manamadurai falls under Manamadurai Legislative assembly.

Upgradation of Manamadurai town Panchayat to Municipality
The Tamilnadu Government Department of Municipal Administration and Metro Water Supply Additional Chief Secretary Shiv das Meena issued an ordinance for the Promotion of Manamadurai Selection grade town Panchayat to Manamadurai Municipality on 16 October 2021.

Geography
Manamadurai is located at 9.7°N, 78.48°W. It has an average elevation of 121 m. The Vaigai river flows from north to south through Manamadurai and divides the town into Eastern bank and Western bank.

Demographics
As of 2011 India Census, Total number of households in Manamadurai is 52,131. Manamadurai has a total population of 2,07,223. In which 50.39% (1,04,428) are Males and 49.61% (1,02,795) are Females. In which children below the age of 12 is 22,403. Literacy rate is 69.99% (1,45,052)

Manamadurai falls under Manamadurai State assembly constituency and Sivaganga Loksabha constituency.

Geographical Indication
This town is famous for manufacturing Ghatam musical instruments, clay pots, clay horses, and other clay items. The Manamadurai Pottery Works Cottage Industrial Co-operative Society applied for Geographical Indication for Manamadurai Pottery on 28/07/2016. The Geographical Indications Registry Of India under World Trade organizations Act, issued the Certificate of Geographical Indication for Manamadurai Pottery officially on 31/03/2023 on the journal numbered 166 and certificate number 446.

The Chithirai Thiruvizha
As Similar to Madurai's Chithirai Thiruvizha and Meenakshi Tirukalyanam, Manamadurai people too celebrate the Chithirai Thiruvizha and Aananthavalli Tirukkalyanam.

The 'Chithirai Thiruvizha' festival is celebrated every year in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May) for 15 days. The festival commences by Hoisting the Holy flag in the Temple's sacred flagpole and this ritual is called Kodiyettram. This is a festival without caste and Religion Discrimination celebrated by all people in and around manamadurai together in the River banks. As the thiruvizha begins, the Aananthavalli ascends the throne as Queen of Manamadurai in a Ritual called "Pattabishekam". After pattabishekam, she parades around the town in different Vahanams namely Simma Vaahanam, Mayil Vaahanam, Rishaba vaahanam, Garuda Vaahanam, Nandhi Vaahanam and finally Kamadhenu Vaahanam for 8 days. then, she marries her destinied Husband Somanatha. Lord Shiva Incarnates as Somanatha, a common man. Aananthavalli falls in love with him. they both get married in a ritual called Aananthavalli Somanatha Tirukkalyanam and the next day, they are paraded around the Car streets(Therodum Veedhi) in the huge Chariot hauled by People with help of ropes tied to chariot called "Vadam". This ritual is called Thirutherottam. The festival crowd reaches the peak during the Azhagar Uprising on the Vaigai River on the 13th day of Chithirai. It happens to commemorate that, Veera Azhagar's Sister Aanandhavalli marries Somanatha without the presence of her brother Azhagar as he delayed to the marriage. He arrives lately and uprises into the Vaigai River In his golden horse on the 14th day of Chithra. The Aananthavalli and Somanatha gets praised by him on the river banks. The next day is the Full moon of chithira, also called Chithra Pournami, all the local people of Manamadurai gather in the river banks at night to celebrate "Nila Soru" - The moonlight feast. people who can't able to come to river banks celebrate it on their home terraces. The street food vendors in and around manamadurai Gather here and make their stalls. Amusement Rides, Circus, Family Games, Bike Stunt Amusements, and fireworks display, and toy shops and fruit vendors make this festival unforgettable. The whole people in and around Manamadurai eagerly wait for the festival. The amusement rides were temporarily setted up on the river banks. And temporary stalls were made and Tax were collected from the vendors by Contractors. As the Tamilnadu Government usually opens the vaigai dam for the Madurai's Chithirai Thiruvizha, Sivaganga district collector usually issues an ordinance to close the Viraganoor Barrage dam, So the River water never reaches Manamadurai and the Thiruvizha won't be spoiled by River water. But during 2022 and 2023 festival, the Government failed to close the Viraganoor Barrage dam and ruined the Manamadurai's Festival leaving the river banks messy and floody.

Other Festivals
The annual urus (Santhanakoodu) festival marking the martyrdom day of the Panch shuhadas is commemorated on the 17th of the Islamic month of Jamadil Awwal every Hijri year. Other prominent Hindu Festivals include The Dhayapuram Mariyamman Thiruvizha, Burma Colony Santhana Mariyamman Thiruvizha, A.Vilakulam Niraigulathu Ayyanar Thiruvizha, Thayamangalam Muthumaari Amman thiruvizha, Prathyangira Devi Sahasra Sandi Maha Yagnam, Sri Veera Azhagar Temple's Vaikuntha Ekadesi Sorga Vaasal Opening ceremony, Maha Shivaratri at Aananthavalli Somanathar Temple, Vaikasi Visakam at Valividu Murugan Temple.

Road
The Manamadurai Integrated Bus terminus is situated at Western bank of the town on Cochin - Dhanushkodi interstate Highway (Asian Highway;AH-45). It was formerly a two lane road. Later, during 2017, a new fourway road was built from Viraganoor Ring road(Madurai) with bypasses for every town and truck lay-by for every 5 kilometers and a petrol bulk every 4 kilometers throughout the highway.Initially it would take two hours to go to madurai from Manamadurai. Now, this road makes it possible in 30 minutes.There are many TNSTC and TNSETC buses operated From various cities to Manamadurai.

Rail
The Manamadurai Junction railway station is situated in southern part of the town at the Western Bank at 500 metres from the bus terminus. It is a major stopping for all the trains running between Rameshwaram - Madurai, Rameswaram - Chennai and Virudhunagar - Karaikudi. The railway junction in manamadurai connects with Virudhunagar railway junction in south west, Madurai railway junction in north west, and "the holy temple city" Rameswaram railway terminus in south east and Karaikudi railway junction in north east. The daily thrice operating Passenger train via Manamadurai connects the main cities of virudhunagar and Tiruchirapalli via  Sivaganga,Kallal,  karaikudi, Chettinad devakkottai road, Thirumayam, Pudukkottai,Vellanur,keeranur. A daily thrice passenger train runs between Madurai to Rameswaram via Tiruppuvanam, thiruppachethi, Manamadurai, paramakkudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, pamban and also makes its way on our nation's one of the greatest heritage site The Pamban Railway Bridge. The railway line between Manamadurai and Rameswaram became the country's first green train corridor.

Rameswaram - manamadurai - Madurai line and Virudhunagar - Manamadurai - Tiruchirapalli line's Electrification works are completed smoothly and trains are hauled by electric locomotives at an average speed of 110 km/h.

Airports
Manamadurai doesn't have its own Airport. Some of the airports near Manamadurai are

Madurai International Airport (57 kms )

Tiruchirapalli International airport(143 kms.),

Tuticorin Domestic Airport (160 kms.)

Colleges

 * M.A.Krishnaswamy College of Arts and Science for Women,N.Pudukottai., Manamadurai
 * Matha School of Nursing, Annavasal post, Manamadurai
 * Matha College of Arts and Science, Kilangattur, Manamadurai
 * Matha Teacher Training Institute
 * Matha College of Physiotherapy
 * Matha ITI
 * Amirtha Nursing College
 * Matha College of Teacher Education
 * Seikalathur Kamatchi Amman Polytechnic College,Seikalathur,Manamadurai

Computer institutions

 * Apollo Computer Education LTD, Gundurayar st.,
 * CSC Computer Education LTD, near Ananthavalli Amman Kovil St.

Schools

 * Baba Matriculation School, 1A, Mettu St.
 * Baba Nursery & Primary school, 183-B, Adhanoor Road
 * CSI Darling Selvabai David School for the Hearing impaired, near Gandhi silai
 * CSI Govt aided High School, near Travellers Banglow
 * Govt. Elementary school, Burma colony
 * Good Will Matriculation School, Bye Pass Road
 * Good will matriculation Higher Secondary school, M. Karisalkulam, Manamadurai
 * Goodwill International Play School, near Old bus stand
 * Govt. Girls Higher Secondary School, near Travellers Banglow, Anbu Nagar
 * Kannar Theru Elementary School, Alagar kovil Theru
 * Muthu Ameena Muslim (M.A.M) Nursery & Primary School, 113/7, Kannar Street
 * O.V.C Nursery and Primary school
 * O.V.C Higher Secondary School,Manamadurai
 * R.C. St. Cesilia's middle school, near Old bus stand
 * R.C High School, Near old bus stand
 * Ralay Nursery and Primary school, Moongiloorani
 * St. Mary's higher secondary school, RajaKambeeram
 * Seventh Day Adventist Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sipcot
 * Seventh Day adventist Nursery and Primary School, Pappamadai, Muthanenthal post
 * Venkateswara International school CBSE
 * NPS Public School, Dhayapuram
 * St. Joseph Nursery and primary school, Manamadurai.
 * St. Joseph Matric Higher secondary School, Kilangattur, Manamadurai.
 * Govt. Higher secondary school, Moongiloorani.
 * Govt. Higher secondary school, Melapasalai.

Manamadurai has its own Government Industrial training institute (ITI) and a Government arts & science college was proposed on the 2022 TN govt Financial Budget, and soon the location would be fixed and start the construction.

Places of Interest
The tourism industry is one of the major revenue generators for Manamadurai. There are various places of interest.

Anandavalli Samedha Somanadhaswamy Temple


This Temple is the Actual Resemblance of Thirukoshtiyur Anandhavalli samedha Somanathaswamy Temple attached with Sowmya Narayana Perumal Temple. The Manamadurai Temple is the Sister Temple of it. The both temples are separated by a distance of 30 kilometres.

Arulmigu Somanathar temple is an ancient Shiva temple consorted with Devi Anandavalli, which also houses the Maha Samadhi of the great saint Sadasiva Brahmendra. The temple is located on the west bank of the Vaigai river. This Temple comes under the Control and Maintenance of Sivagangai Samasthan Devasthan Board on the supervision of Sri Madhuraandhagi Naachiyar, the Present Queen of Sivaganga Estate (Sivagangai Samasthanam)

Shri Aanandhavalli Thirukalayanam festival is celebrated every year in this temple. The festival resembles the celebration done in Madurai Meenakshi amman temple. But Thirukalyanam will take place in the early morning in Madurai and late morning in Manamadurai.the Chithirai Tiruvizha takes place as similar in Madurai

Thayamangalam Muthumari Amman Temple
Thayamangalam is a village in Ilayayankudi Panchayat Union, Sivagangai District , Tamil Nadu.The village is 68 km from Madurai and 18 kilometres from Manamadurai. The famous Muthumariamman Temple is located here. The town is known as Thayamangalam because of this famous Amman temple. People of various communities live there. There is a Sri Lankan refugee camp here.In this temple, every year from the 15th day of the Tamil month of Panguni, a festival is held for 10 days. Chariots are the most important event in this 10-day festival. the local people haul the chariot around the temple on which Muthumariamman sits.Special buses are run from Madurai, Paramakudi , Sivagangai , Manamadurai and Ramanathapuram during the festival

Sacred Heart Shrine, Idaikattur


The Sacred Heart shrine is located on the outskirts of Manamadurai at a village named Idaikattur. It was built in Gothic style. It was built in 1886. It was an actual replica of Reims Cathedral, France.

Prithyangira Devi Temple


Panchabhutheswaram, also known as Vedhiyanendal vilakku, 5 km from Manamadurai, is on old ramanathapuram road, the route in which Lord Rama went to Sri Lanka to confront Ravanan. This place is known for its hard cut-rock (granite) temple dedicated to Shri Maha Panchamukha Prathyangira Devi. It houses the big deity of shri Maha Panchamukha Prathyangira Devi. There are two more sannidhies for Lakshmi Ganapathi and Sornagarshna Bhairavar. Kumbhabhishekham was performed on 24 June 2010. Sahasra Sandi Maha Yagnam was also performed from 25 June 2010 to 29 June 2010. It has come in a total area of about 5.5 acre. Soon within the temple premises, ten more sannidhies are going to come for Dasamaha Vidya. Non-stop annadharmam right from 2000 since inception. Every Amavasai, people were various parts of Tamil Nadu and other states visit the temple.

The Holy Paanch peer (Anjanamar) Five Shuhadaas Dargah


The Holy Paanch peer (Anjanamar) Five Shuhadaas Dargah is located near Kannar street, Manamadurai in Sivaganga District. The Panchpeer durgah is at Kannar road, on the Manamadurai-Ilayangudi State Highway. The Graves of Five Martyrs who came with Badusha Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed of Ervadi is found here.

Parthibanur Dam
This dam was built across Vaigai River, located near Vediyanendhal in a village called Enathikottai which comes under Parthibanur panchayat of Ramanathapuram district but it is nearest to Manamadurai. And hence, treated as a tourist spot of Manamadurai. The annual tourist visit had a massive increase in recent years. It has 25 shutters and controlled by Ramanathapuram Water Resources management department. It becomes usually crowded whenever Tamilnadu Government opens Vaigai River for Periodic irrigation. It seems to be best spot for photography and swimming.

Panickanendhal Barrage Dam
This barrage dam was also built across Vaigai River but comes under the Sivaganga district. It is located in Aathanoor Village of Keelapasalai Panchayat. Whenever Tamilnadu Government opens the Vaigai River for Periodic irrigation, the dam becomes well sourced for tourists and the local people who take bath and swim in the river.

Also see this

 * Manamadurai block
 * Manamadurai taluk
 * Manamadurai Assembly
 * Manamadurai Railway Junction
 * Madurai