| Tambaram | |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Chengalpattu |
| Subdivision Type2: | Metro |
| Subdivision Name1: | Tamil Nadu |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Coordinates: | 12.9249°N 80.1°W |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chennai Metropolitan Area##Location in Tamil Nadu##Location in India##Location in Asia##Location on Earth |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | India Chennai#Tamil Nadu#India#Asia#Earth |
| Area Code: | +91-044 |
| Population Total: | 722982 |
| Population Rank: | Tamil Nadu: 6th India: 65th |
| Postal Code: | 600043-600048, 600059, 600063, 600064, 600070, 600073, 600075, 600117, 600126 |
| Postal Code Type: | PINs |
| Utc Offset: | +5:30 |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Governing Body: | Tambaram City Municipal Corporation |
| Elevation Ft: | 108 |
| Elevation M: | 43 |
| Area Total Km2: | 87.64 |
| Seat Type: | Climate |
| Seat: | Tropical climate |
| Parts Type: | Sub-group |
| Parts: | Savanna climate with a Dry Winter (Aw) |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Government Type: | Elected Council–Appointed Commissioner |
| Leader Title: | Commissioner |
| Leader Name: | R. Alagumeena IAS |
| Leader Title1: | Mayor |
| Leader Name1: | K. Vasanthakumari (DMK) |
| Leader Title2: | Deputy Mayor |
| Leader Name2: | G. Kamaraj (DMK) |
| Leader Title3: | National representation (MP) |
| Leader Name3: | T.R. Baalu (DMK) |
| Leader Title4: | State representation (MLAs) |
| Leader Name4: | I. Karunanithi (DMK) S.R. Raja (DMK) |
| Established Title1: | Town incorporated |
| Established Date1: | 1951 |
| Established Title2: | City incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 3 November 2021[1] |
| Registration Plate Type: | Vehicle Registration |
| Population Est: | 960887 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2021GDP (PPP) = $ 26 Billion |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [2] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Tamil |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Additional official |
| Demographics1 Info2: | English |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Law enforcement |
| Blank Info Sec2: | Tambaram City Police |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Urban planning agency |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority |
| Image Blank Emblem: | Emblem of Tambaram City Municipal Corporation.png |
| Blank Emblem Type: | Emblem |
Tambaram is a city located within the Chennai Metropolitan Area in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The city is governed by Tambaram City Municipal Corporation.
Tambaram is an ancient town referred to as Taamapuram in an inscription of the 13th century. The word was inscribed on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum at Marundeeswarar temple in Tirukachur village, near Chengalpattu.[3]
The earliest mention of Tambaram dates back to the 13th century when the word 'Taamapuram' was inscribed on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum at Marundeeswarar temple in Tirukachur village, near Chengalpattu.[3]
The oldest locality in the city is Pallavapuram which is considered one of the oldest inhabited places in South Asia.[4] Pallavapuram is most commonly known today as Pallavaram.[5]
On 13 May 1863, Robert Bruce Foote, a British geologist with the Geological Survey of India (GSI), discovered a hand axe belonging to the Lower Palaeolithic Age at Pallavaram (Pallavapuram).[6] [7] Since then, several Stone Age artefacts have been discovered. Most of these artefacts are currently lodged in the Egmore museum.
See main article: Pallava dynasty. The oldest locality in the city, Pallavapuram, existed during the reign of Pallava king Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE). The Pallavas have left titles in early Pallava script at the cave temple in Pallavaram neighbourhood, which dates back to 600 CE. The remains of a cave shrine constructed by the Pallava ruler have been found at Asthana-E-Moula Ali Dargah.[8]
See main article: Chola dynasty. During the reign of Later Cholas, from ninth to twelfth century CE, the region was called Churathur Nadu. Churathur Nadu was named after Thiruchuram, the present-day Trisulam. The Churathur Nadu extended from Tambaram in the south to Adambakkam and Alandur in the north. The region included the areas of Pammal, Pallavaram, and Thiruneermalai.[9] [10]
During the Carnatic wars in the late 17th century, the city was an entrenchment camp for the British East India Company. During the 17th century, Pallavaram neighborhood of the city remained dependent upon the Portuguese colony of San Thome. Later, the British established a cantonment at Pallavaram, supplementary to the one at St. Thomas Mount.
A wireless station was established in the early years of the 20th century. The Madras Aerodrome was opened at Pallavaram in 1929.
In the 1951 census, Tambaram was classified as a Town Panchayat for the first time. In 1964, Tambaram Town Panchayat was incorporated as a Grade III Municipality by annexing the Village Panchayats of Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur.|87.02%| style="padding-right:0.25em;" |—|8.14%| style="padding-right:0.25em;" |—|2.37%| style="padding-right:0.25em;" |—|2.10%| style="padding-right:0.25em;" |—|1.44%| style="padding-right:0.25em;" |—|0.77%| style="padding-right:0.25em;" |—|- | colspan="13" style="text-align: left; border-top:1px solid black;" |Source: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India|}
| Religion | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Hindus | Christians | Muslims | Jains | Sikhs | Buddhist | |||||||
| % | % | % | % | % | % | ||||||||
| 2011 | 82.97% | — | 10.23% | — | 6.47% | — | 0.19% | — | 0.05% | — | 0.03% | — | |
| Source: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India | |||||||||||||
When established, Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was estimated to earn 3 billion in revenue approximately through local bodies connected to it.[11]
See main article: Madras Export Processing Zone.
Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) is a special economic zone located on GST Road, 6km (04miles) south of Chennai International Airport. It is one of the seven export processing zones in the country set up by the central government.[12] It was established in 1984 to promote foreign direct investment, enhance foreign exchange earnings, and create greater employment opportunities in the region.[13]
The zone is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries and caters to the needs of units within the SEZ, in addition to monitoring the functions of 100-percent export-oriented units (EOUs) located in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.[14] The zone is headed by a development commissioner.
Spread over an area of 265 acres (109 hectares), MEPZ SEZ is a multi-product zone housing 117 functional units.[15] In addition, another 27 units are under various stages of implementation. The zone employs over 26,000 people. In the manufacturing front, there are 110 SME units in the zone. MEPZ's manufacturing sector employs nearly 20,000 people. IT companies housed in the zone include Cognizant Technology Solutions, Computer Sciences Corporation, CSS and HTC Global Services among others. About 50 container trucks arrive at and leave the zone every day.[16]
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See main article: Dhenupureeswarar Temple (Madambakkam). Dhenupureeswarar Temple is also known as Dhenupurisvara, and Thiripureeswarar temple. These names are colloquial name of Hindu deity Shiva. The temple is located in the area of Madambakkam and it was built during the reign of Parantaka Chola II (r. 962–980 CE).[17]
The garbhagriha, which is Sanskrit equivalent of sanctum sanctorum,[18] houses the primary deity Dhenupureeswara in linga form. The main garbhagriha is apsidal in shape and this is a characteristic feature of Shiva Temples built during Chola Period.[19] This type of garbhagriha are known as gajaprishta vimana, where "gajaprishta" literally means "back of an elephant" in Samskrit.[20] This type of vimana here is a separate south-facing garbhagriha for the Dhenupureeswarar's Consort Goddess Dhenukambal adjacent to the main garbhagriha.
The temple is one of the 163 megalithic sites in the state of Tamil Nadu.[21] The temple has been declared a monument of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (amendment and validation) 2010 Act.[22] The temple has been conserved and restored by Archaeological Survey of India.[23]
The Tambaram Railway Station serves as one of the four primary terminals of the Indian Railways in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The other three terminals are Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore, Chennai Beach. The inter-state railway service is provided by Southern Railway of Indian Railways. The inter-city railway service is provided by Chennai Suburban Railway operated by Indian Railways.
See main article: Tambaram railway station and Southern Railway zone. Similar to Chennai Egmore Station, Tambaram Railway Station provides access to destinations primarily within Tamil Nadu; however, it also handles a few interstate trains.
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See main article: Chennai Suburban Railway and South Line, Chennai Suburban. The Chennai Suburban Railway is a commuter rail system in the Chennai Metropolitan Area, operated by the Indian Railways. Every day, 160 train services are operated between Chennai Beach and Tambaram, 70 between Tambaram and Chengalpet and 16 between Tambaram and Kancheepuram.[24]
The City is served by the South Line of Chennai Suburban Railway which runs between Chennai Beach to Chengalpattu. The South Line connects Tambaram with seven major interchange stations out of the eight in Chennai Suburban Railway Network.
The longest circular train in India runs through Tambaram, connecting the City with Chennai Beach, Egmore, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Takkolam, Arakkonam Junction, Tiruvallur, Avadi, Ambattur, Vyasarpadi Jeeva, Washermanpet and Royapuram.