Arni
Arani
Selection Grade Municipality
Nickname: 
Silk & Rice City
Arni is located in Tamil Nadu
Arni
Arni
Arani, Tamil Nadu
Arni is located in India
Arni
Arni
Arni (India)
Coordinates: 12°40′17″N 79°16′54″E / 12.671300°N 79.281800°E / 12.671300; 79.281800
country India
StateTamilnadu
DistrictTiruvannamalai
RegionTondai Nadu
Establishedc. 1st millennium CE
Named forSilk & Rice
Government
 • Lok Sabha constituencyArni (Lok Sabha constituency)
 • Member of Lok Sabha constituencyMr. M.k Vishnu Prasad
 • Member of Legislative AssemblyMr. Sevoor. Ramachandran
 • District CollectorMr.murugesh IAS
Area
[1]
 • Selection Grade Municipality13.64 km2 (5.27 sq mi)
 • Rankselection grade municipality
Elevation
171 m (561 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Selection Grade Municipality63,671
 • Rank30
 • Metro
92,375
Language
 • Official LanguageTamil
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (Indian tuning time)
Postal code
632301, 632314, 632316 , 632317, 632318
Phone numbers in India04173
Vehicle registrationTN 97
WebsiteArani Municipality

Arani, officially spelled as Arni[2][3][4] and also known as Periya arani, is a major commercial, industrial and cultural hub and also a divisional headquarter in the Tiruvanamalai district of Tamil Nadu, India. The town is the second largest urban center next to the district headquarters, Tiruvannamalai, and is administered by a selection grade municipality. Arni is home to silk weaving, spinning mills and agricultural industries. Famous Arni silk and a paddy variety named Arni Ponni, known for its rich aroma, originates from Arni. The town is often nicknamed as The Silk City. Arni also has a rich cultural heritage as it is a major center of Tamil Jainism.

History

Pallavas were the first to rule Arni and were followed by Rashtrakutas in 968. The Chola period, including the reigns of Kulothunga Chola II (1070–1122) and Rajadhiraja Chola II (1166–1178), witnessed more developments in administration including formation of feudatories. Inscriptions also reveal several grants and donations made by Cholas to temples in the form of villages.[5]

In 1640 Jagir of Arani was granted to Vedaji Bhaskar Pant, a Marathi Brahmin. The Jagir was continuously headed by the descendants of Bhaskar Pant till the Zamindari Abolition Bill was passed in 1948.[6]

Poosi Malai Kuppam is 12 kilometres (7 mi) away from Arani. Raja Thirumala IV Rao Sahib built a sophisticated bungalow for his lover, an Anglo-Indian lady, there. During the Nawab period, there was a struggle between the British, French and Nawab Hyder Ali. The British captured Arani. There is also a palace near the town, now used by the agriculture department.

Freedom Movement

Mahatma Gandhi visited Arni twice, once in 1932 and the second time in 1934. During his second visit he was accompanied by Dr Rajendra Prasad. Gandhi's visits aimed at boosting Harijan upliftment and the movement for the boycott of Simon Commission. He visited Dr V Hariharan, an eminent physician and freedom fighter of Arni, at his residence and held extensive consultations with him, as the latter was already actively involved in the upliftment of the impoverished weaver community of Arni.

Fort

There is a fort area in the heart of the town. It houses the forest department, sub jail, registration office, police station, women's police station, and agricultural office.

A monument situated in the parade ground of the fort commemorates Col. Robert Kelly, who was surveying the Arani area. Kelly was killed in a duel on 29 September 1790 by his junior officer Capt. Urban Vigors, who in his chagrin erected the monument.[7]

Battle of Arani

The Battle of Arnee (or Battle of Arani) took place at Arani on 3 December 1751 during the Second Carnatic War. A British-led force under the command of Robert Clive defeated and routed a much larger Franco-Indian force under the command of Raza Sahib. The French troops were guarding a convoy of treasure. Clive took up a position in swampy ground, crossed by a causeway in which the convoy was forced to pass. The French were thrown into disorder and forced to retreat, but night saved them from total destruction. The treasure, however, was captured.

After independence

Arani was constituted as a third-grade municipality in the year 1951. As per G.O. No. 564, on the 2nd of February 1951, it was classified as Second Grade Municipality. The population of the town was then 24,567 people. The entire area of Arani Revenue village was included within the jurisdiction of the municipality. As of 2007 from the 9th of May 1983 onwards, as per G.O. No. 851 Arani is classified as first grade municipality. The population of the town was then 63,741 people. From 2008 onwards as per G.O No- 1067, Classified as Selection Grade Municipality, the population of the town was then 92,375 people.[8]

Geography

Arni is located at 12°40′N 79°17′E / 12.67°N 79.28°E / 12.67; 79.28[9] on the banks of the Kamandala Naaga river. It has an average elevation of 151 metres (495 ft).

Demographics

Religious census
Religion Percent(%)
Hindu
 
 89.16%
Muslim
 
 7.30%
Christian
 
 1.8%
Sikh
 
 0.01%
Buddhist
 
 0.01%
Jain
 
 1.43%
Other
 
 0.19%
No religion
 
 0.0%
Linguistic census
Linguistic groups Percent(%)
Tamil
 
 71.57%
Telugu
 
 13.07%
Urdu
 
 12.39%
Kannada
 
 1.01%
Creole
 
 0.4%
Other
 
 0.51%

According to 2011 census, Arni town with 33 wards had a population of 63,671 with a sex-ratio of 1,036 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929, but extended town including all the sub urban area had a population of 92,375.[10] A total of 6,346 people were under the age of six, constituting 3,200 males and 3,146 females. The average literacy of the town was 76.9%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[10] The town had a total of 14889 households. There were a total of 23,298 workers, comprising 153 cultivators, 343 main agricultural labourers, 2,185 in household industries, 17,919 other workers, 2,698 marginal workers, 33 marginal cultivators, 100 marginal agricultural labourers, 224 marginal workers in household industries and 2,341 other marginal workers.[11] As per the religious census of 2011, Arani (M) had 89.16% Hindus, 7.39% Muslims, 1.8% Christians, 0.01% Sikhs, 0.01% Buddhists, 1.43% Jains, 0.19% following other religions and 0.0% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.[12]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19019,299—    
191113,394+44.0%
192114,286+6.7%
193117,446+22.1%
194119,668+12.7%
195124,567+24.9%
196131,351+27.6%
198138,668+23.3%
199154,881+41.9%
200160,888+10.9%
201192,375+51.7%
Sources:

Administration & politics

Municipality officials
ChairmanAC Mani[16]
Commissioner[17]
Vice-chairmanPaari babu[18]
Elected members
Member of Legislative AssemblySevoor.S.Ramachandran[19]
Member of ParliamentM.K.Vishnuprasad Congress [20]

Municipality

The Arani municipality was established in 1931 when India was a colony of the United Kingdom. It was promoted to a second-grade municipal municipality in 1954, first-grade in 1989, and selection grade in 2008. The municipality has 33 wards and there is an elected councillor for each of those wards. The functions of the municipality are devolved into six departments: General Administration/Personnel, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, City Planning and Information Technology (IT). All these departments are under the control of a Municipal Commissioner who is the executive head. The legislative powers are vested in a body of 33 members, one each from the 33 wards. The legislative body is headed by an elected chairperson assisted by a deputy chairperson.

Regional Transport Office

Arani is the newly created regional transport office in Thiruvannamalai district. Until 2018, the Thiruvannamalai code was operated by TN 25 as the Sub Transport Office. Subsequently, with the efforts of the Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs, Sevoor Ramachandran, created a new Regional Transport Office code, TN 97.[21] The headquarters of the Regional Transport Office is Arani. It consists of the taluks of Arani, Polur, Chetpet, Jamunamarattur, Cheyyar, Vembakkam, Vandavasi and Kalasapakkam.

Revenue division

Arani revenue code is a newly developed district in Thiruvannamalai district.[22] The Revenue Division was funded by the efforts of the Hindu Religious Affairs Minister, Mr Sevur Ramachandran. It was opened in April 2016 by Palanisamy. The Arani Revenue Division consists of the taluks of Arani, Polur, Chettupattu, Kalasapakkam and Jamunamathur. In addition to this, the Arani Revenue Division is one of the highest earners in the Thiruvannamalai district.

State Assembly constituency

Arani block is one of the 234 assembly seats in Tamilnadu. Arani municipality is subject to the Arni (state assembly constituency) and Arni (Lok Sabha constituency). In the legislative elections held in 2016, it belongs to the AIDMK. Arani was the winner of Sevoor Ramachandran.

Lok Shaba constituency

Arani Loksabha constituency

Economy

Major revenue is generated from certain businessss: rice production and silk saree weaving. There are more than 300 rice mills to produce rice called "Arni Ponni" from paddies. The town also has a large communities of silk weavers who specialize in making silk sarees. Hand looms are most frequently used for weaving, although recently some have turned to mechanized methods such as power looms. Arani is the town with the most revenue in Tiruvannamalai District. Though the town is not well known outside Tamil Nadu, a large quantity of India's silk apparels is produced by the people of Arani.[23]

Transport

Road

Arani is well connected to major cities by road: in 2018 NHAI and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari proposed an Eight Lane Green Corridor Express Highway from Chennai to Salem which would connect through Arani. The distance is 277.3 km from Chennai to Salem but this project has been facing opposition from locals including farmers over fears of losing their farmland. Many environmentalists were also against this project because it has been proposed to go through the reserve forest and water bodies.

A bypass of Chennai (Arcot) Road, Chennai Road and Cuddalore Road is being completed.

Bus

Arani is 126 km (78 mi) from Chennai, 38 kilometres (24 mi) from Vellore and 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Tiruvannamalai. There are two bus stops in the town and the TNSTC operates a daily service to major cities in southern Tamil Nadu. Arani to Chennai has a bus every 10 minutes from 02:15 am to 10:45 pm. The major inter-city bus routes to towns has predominant bus services to Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram and Villupuram, Bangalore, Salem, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Trichy, Thanjavur, Tiruvallur, Tirutani, Tirupathi, Puduchery, Thoothukudi, Chidambaram, Tindivanam, Nagapattinam, Madurai, Cuddalore and other cities. The SETC and TNSTC operates long-distance buses routes to the important cities.

Train

The Tindivanam–Nagari route from the city is planned by the central government to connect trains via Arani. Also Katpadi–Villupuram was planned by the central government to connect trains via Arani in 1886. However, this railway station has been shifted to Kalambur on the Arani–Thiruvannamalai road. The railway station is the Arani railway station. It is located on the Arani–Thiruvannamalai road about 10 km (6.2 mi) away. However, it is the nearest railway station to Arani, 10 km (6.2 mi) away. The station is the third largest railway station in the district, apart from the Thiruvannamalai town and the Arani Railway Junction station. It opened for public use in 1889. The railway station is well connected to cities like Bangalore, Svandpur, Vellore, Katpadi, Kolkata Howrah, Tirupati, Cuddalore, Pondicherry, Mannargudi, Mayavaram, Kumbakonam, Trichy, Dindigul, Madurai, Chennai Central, Arakkonam and Tiruvallur.

Education

University of Engineering College,Arani

Arani is a separate Education District in Tiruvannamalai District. There are two engineering colleges in Arani: University College of Engineering of Anna University[24] and A.C.S Engineering College. Polytechnic Colleges and ITI Colleges also located in Arani.

The Govt. Boys High School, Govt. Girls High School, Subramaniya Sastri High School and more private higher secondary schools are located in Arani. The affiliated body of AISECT under MCIT GoI: M/S MTECH Business Solutions (IT Training Division), is present in Arani.

References

  1. ↑ "District Census Handbook : Tiruvannamalai" (PDF). Census of India. p. 30. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Arni Parliamentary Constituency | Tiruvannamalai District, Govt. of Tamil Nadu | India". Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Welcome to University College of Engineering Arni". www.aucearni.in. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "LocatePostOffices". www.indiapost.gov.in. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  5. ↑ D. Madhavan. "Experts stress the need to preserve Arni's architectural heritage". Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  6. ↑ M T Saju. "British Era palace falling apart in Arni". Times of India. Retrieved 4 July 2016. It was Maratha king Shahji (Shivaji's father) who handed over Arni with 100 villages to his commander Vedaji Bhaskar Punt in AD 1640
  7. ↑ HF Murland (1922). Baillie-Ki-Paltan: Being a History of the 2nd Battalion, Madras Pioneers 1759-1930. Naval and Military Press, Uckfield. p 80.
  8. ↑ Arani Municipality population
  9. ↑ "Falling Rain Genomics – Arani".
  10. 1 2 "Census Info 2011 Final population totals". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "Census Info 2011 Final population totals – Arani". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "Population By Religious Community – Tamil Nadu" (XLS). Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Population Details". arani municipality. 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  14. ↑ "Census Info 2011 Final population totals – Arani". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Census Info 2011 Final population totals – Arani". Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  16. ↑ "Chairman of municipality". Arani municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "Commissioner of municipality". Arani municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  18. ↑ "Vice Chairman of municipality". Arani municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  19. ↑ "MLA of Arani". Government of Tamil Nadu. 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  20. ↑ "Seventeenth Loksabha, Member of the Parliament". Parliament of India. 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  21. ↑
  22. ↑
  23. ↑ Elisabetta Basile (2013). Capitalist Development in India's Informal Economy. Routledge. p. 159. ISBN 978-1135039592.
  24. ↑ "College Website". University College.
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