Archive for category Namakal
Muslims had planned to forcefully enter the mosque inside the fort and perform prayers.
Security was tightened at the fort here on Tuesday following rumours that a group of Muslims had planned to forcefully enter the mosque inside the fort and perform prayers.
The mosque in the fort has remained closed along with the Jalagandeswar temple since the British rule. The practice was followed even after the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) started preserving it as a monument.
After strong protests were staged by locals, the temple was opened for worship in the year 1981.
Muslim leaders, under the leadership of Abdul Samath, had informed the then Collector in writing that several unwanted issues might arise if the mosque was declared open for worship, due to which it remains closed even today.
It has been a long pending demand of Muslims over the past few years to permit them to offer prayers there but was turned down.
In 2008, thousands of members of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam tried to forcibly take over the mosque but were stopped by the timely intervention of the police, who sent them back before an outbreak.
Over the last few days, rumours have been rife that Muslims were planning to take over the mosque and offer prayers there on New Year’s eve, following which security was tightened at the fort. Meanwhile, other rumours began spreading that they had planned to prepone their plan fearing tight security to prevent them from entering the mosque on that day. About 150 police personnel were deployed in and around the fort from Tuesday morning.
The police checked persons individually before they were permitted to enter and leave the fort.
Important government offices and Thiruvalluvar University are located inside the fort.
Trace its 230-year history and connect with its ethos
Posted by ganesh in Entertainment, Namakal, Public, exicipition, programme on December 30th, 2009
The Gen-Next of the erstwhile Alampatty residents converged at their ancestral village on Tuesday from many parts of the globe and India, to trace its 230-year history and connect with its ethos.
This tiny village, 18 kms from Namakkal, is an open-air museum full of delights for a heritage buff. It still sports some historical palaces built in Chettinad style.
“The history of Alampatty begins with a family settling at the place in 1780 and starting farm activity there.
Over the years, the family expanded the village. In 70 years, the villagers mastered an uncanny sense of business,” says Dr A Prabakaran, director of Public Action Rukmani Arunachalam Aaranidhi (a private trust), who has researched the history of Allampatty and the roots of its early residents.
As the villagers gained proficiency in both Tamil and English, the British recruited some of them to manage tea estates in Sri Lanka.
Later, four more people followed them as kankaniyars, he added.
The erstwhile go-getters returned to the village to build mansions (called Aranmanais or palaces) in the Chettinad style. Teak from Burma, tiles from Kozhikode and architects from Chettinad were brought to build these so-called palaces. Till date, these structures are a major attraction for visitors.
Tracing this rich history and indulging in nostalgia was the objective of the younger generation’s meeting on Tuesday. Over 70 participants from Colombo, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and other cities took part in the discussion.
“Many volunteered to contribute for the village’s development and chart out an action plan to make Alampatty regain its prosperity. From America to Australia, from Britain to Botswana, 1172 Alampatty folks are doing well. Public Action wants to connect all of them through technology and regenerate the village’s fame and rich culture,” he said.
The trust presented the Alampatti Thirumagan award to ASM Kandaswamy.
He was the first graduate from the village. He received his BA (Hons) from the Loyola College, Chennai in 1943. Eighty-eight-yearold Kandaswamy recalled his school, which was built by Veera Kanganiyar in 1932, and inaugurated by C Rajagopalachari and Kavignar Ramalingam Pillai.
Buoyed by the grand success of the meet this year, the trust will be organising similar meets every year.
Unveiling a long list of ambitious programmes for Alampatty, Dr Prabakaran said a museum of ‘made in Alampatty’ products and a directory of the village folks across the world will be compiled before the next meet on December 26, 2010.
“More than ten people have come forward to donate a cow each for the farmhouse which will give milk and dairy products for the nutritious growth of the children currently residing in the village. Alampatty festival will be held in Chicago, Colombo, London, Kuwait, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli and Salem. Genealogical mapping of the village folks will also be undertaken,”
Body of man murdered in London brought to Tamil Nadu
The body of a 23-year-old man from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, who was allegedly murdered by his colleagues in a petrol bunk in London, was brought here today by an Indian Airlines flight.
Jacob Ravibalan, an office-bearer of World Tamil Organisation in London, accompanied the body of Saravanakumar.
According to Ravibalan, Saravanakumar, who did his MBA and was working in a petrol bunk in Cryodon, was beaten to death by his colleagues,when he refused to part with a Blackberry Cell Phone handset, on the day of Diwali festival in October last.
Though many requests were made to both British and Indian governments, no help was forthcoming to bring the body to Namakkal, he alleged and said the Organisation was able to bring it after 45 days.
The body has been taken to Namakkal by Saravanakumar’s brother-in-law and some relatives,police said.
Collector says Over 7 lakh saplings planted in different parts of Namakkal district till date, says Collector
Over 7 lakh tree saplings were planted in different parts of Namakkal district till date as part of the massive sapling plantation project of the district administration, Collector U. Sagayam said.
Objective
Inaugurating a sapling plantation programme in Mohanur block here on Tuesday, the Collector said that the administration had decided to plant about 1 crore saplings in the district.
The primary objective of the project was to make people realise the need for protecting the environment and develop a better understanding with the nature.
Green cover
The increase in the green cover would help the people in a number of ways.
People should realise their responsibility to protect the Mother Nature.
They should join hands and volunteer to increase the green cover. Every family in the district should plant saplings in their homes, he stressed.
Students, members of voluntary organisations, self-help groups, elected representatives and officials were roped in for the implementation of the project.
Saplings were being planted on the government lands, educational institutions and roadsides, he said.
Mr. Sagayam wanted the younger generation to come forward to promote the programme.
Cooperation
All sections of the society should cooperate with the district administration for the successful implementation of the project, he said.
Over 750 school and college students participated in the function and planted saplings.
Engineering students told to become entrepreneurs in Namakkal
Registrar of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, D. Gunasekaran speaking at the inauguration of Excel College of Engineering and Technology and Excel College of Architecture and Planning at Komarapalayam in Namakkal district on Monday. —
NAMAKKAL:
Engineering and technology students should come forward to become entrepreneurs, Registrar of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, D. Gunasekaran said.
Inaugurating the Excel College of Engineering and Technology and Excel College of Architecture and Planning near Komarapalayam on Monday, he said that the country needs a large number of entrepreneurs to sustain its growth. Instead of searching for jobs, students should become entrepreneurs and provide jobs to others. This would fuel the economy of the country.
Students should start working towards the goal of becoming entrepreneurs from their college days. The educational institutions should also give more thrust on the entrepreneurship development activities.
Mr. Gunasekaran said that the Central Government had asked the IITs to prepare a programme to make quality learning resources from the IITs accessible to all engineering and technology institutions in the country. A plan had already been prepared for the implementation of the programme. This would facilitate students and teachers from all over the country to get access to the resources via Internet and videoconferencing.
Mr. Gunasekaran asked the students to take advantage of the information and communication technologies to update their knowledge. The usage of ICT should be increased among students and teachers, he said.
He also stressed on the importance of women’s education.
“Educating a woman has a multiplier effect in society as it leads to educating the entire family,” he said.
Honorary Chairman of the colleges A.K. Natesan said that the management would provide all necessary facilities to the students and conduct more programmes to develop their technical and communication skills.
College Principal D. Devakumar, faculty members and students were present.
Two-day Valvil Ori festival begins in Namakal
NAMAKKAL:
The State Government will continue to initiate efforts for the development of people in Kolli Hills and to promote tourism activities, State Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day Valvil Ori festival and a flower show in Kolli Hills on Sunday.
The minister also inaugurated the newly-established botanical garden, Rose Garden, Children’s park, and various facilities created for the tourists. He laid the foundation stone for various development works to be carried out in Kolli Hills at a cost of Rs. 3.60 crore.
The minister said a number of programmes were being implemented for the welfare of the tribal people in the State.
People should take advantage of these programmes to enhance their quality of life.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare S. Gandhiselvan and Deputy Speaker of State Assembly V.P. Duraisamy also spoke.
Welfare assistance to the tune of Rs. 90 lakh was distributed in the function.
Cotton farmers block traffic on the Tiruchengode road demanding an increase in the cotton prices in Namakkal
NAMAKKAL:
Cotton farmers blocked the traffic on the Tiruchengode road here on Thursday demanding an increase in the cotton prices.
Farmers, who brought the cotton to the Namakkal Agricultural Producers Co-operative Marketing Society for auctioning, claimed that their produce was offered very low price in the auction. Police rushed to the spot and pacified the agitators. Traffic was affected for a short period.
Petrol bombs seized, two arrested in namakkal
Namakkal:
Two persons were arrested here on Sunday for making petrol bombs.
According to police, based on an information, a team of officials led by Namakkal Inspector Dakshinamurthy, searched the house of Anbazhagan (37), an Independent councillor of Namakkal Municipality.
They found two persons, Baskar and Raghuvaran of Meetu Street, making bombs.
The police arrested both of them and seized 31 petrol bombs from a vacant land near Anbazahgan’s house.
Anbazhagan is absconding. Further investigations are on.
Annual festival at Kolli Hills in August on namakkal district
NAMAKKAL:
The annual Valvil Ori festival will be held at Kolli Hills on August 2 and 3.
Announcing this at a meeting held here recently, Collector U. Sagayam said the district administration would make elaborate arrangements for the festival and efforts would be carried out to attract more tourists to the hills this year.
The administration would operate special buses to connect the newly-established botanical garden and viewpoints with other tourist attractions.
The botanical garden and the viewpoints would be opened for the public during the festival. Folk dances and an exhibition would be held as a part of the festival. A total of 20 special buses would be operated to Kolli Hills.
The administration also banned the tourists from carrying liquor to the hills during the festival.
Interviews conducted in namakal district on collecter u.sagayam
NAMAKKAL: The district administration conducted interviews for the candidates who have applied for assistance to take up micro and small industries under the Prime Minister’s Employment generation scheme here recently.
Collector U. Sagayam interviewed a total of 119 candidates who submitted their applications through the District Industries Centre.
A number of candidates sought assistance for starting vermin-compost plants, restaurants, garment manufacturing units and cattle feed production plants.
The government would provide up to 35 percent as subsidy through the District Industries Centre (DIC).
The selection committee comprised DIC General Manager Raju, Mahalir Thittam Project Officer Logeshwari, Assistant Director (Khadi) Kamaraj, Lead District Manager Suresh and elected presentations of local administration.
Priority
The Collector said the administration would give priority for the physically challenged persons.
The candidates who were selected for assistance should repay the loans promptly, he stressed.
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