About

Kilakarai, Kilakkarai or Keelakarai is a municipality

Municipality

A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...

 in Ramanathapuram district

Ramanathapuram District

Ramanathapuram District is an administrative district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Ramanathapuram is the district headquarters. Ramanthapuram District has an area of 4123 km²...

 in the India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n state

States and territories of India

India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...

 of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

.

Kilakarai is an ancient coastal town and a port, located in the southern Tamil Nadu. It was a flourishing sea port and a gateway to places as far as Madurai till the early 20th century . The famous pearl belt known as the Gulf of Mannar

Gulf of Mannar

The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka. A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam's Bridge, also called Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island, separates the...

 in the Bay of Bengal is dotted with small islands Appa Tivu, Nallatanni Tivu, Shuli Tivu,Uppu Tanni Tivu, Talari Tivu and Musal Tivu. The coastal line of Kilakarai is formed by series of small bays and finest coral reefs sheltering the town from the perils of the ocean.

The prime occupations of the people were pearl, conch, Sea trade and transport. Mid 20th century saw a decline in the occupations of the people of Kilakarai, with the advent of the surface transport the Merchant Navies faded away and Kilakarai aka Killikare ceased to be a harbour and port. The cultured pearl industry choked the once robust pearl trade or Muthu Salabam. The Conch and Coral industries declined due to new regulations and restrictions.

Kilakarai is renowned for its Communal Harmony. The majority of the population here is Muslim with people of other faith Hindu, Christians living together. The communal harmony that always existed is best exemplified by the famous Rameswaram and Jumma Masjid (Vallal Seethakathi is interred here) at Kilakarai, while the architecture is the same the workforce was provided by the erstwhile ruler of Ramnad and most of the materials for both the edifice were supplied by the Kilakarai merchant navies. The town is reminiscent of Spanish Moorish architecture is close to the temple town of Rameswaram.

It has one of the oldest Mosque in Tamil Nadu and has unique Islamic heritage more than 1,000 year old.

The migration of the people after the decline of the marine trade and industry resulted in people exploring the other parts of the globe. Kilakarai has a large expatriate population and a very highest literary rate. This enable the people of Kilakarai now span the globe and are active merchants in the Gulf, far east, Us and European markets. The younger generation is now gainfully employed a departure from its predominant merchant/trader mindset.

Hameedia High School founded in 1940s besides the 300 year old Arabic Madrasa Aroosiya Thaika, was a catalyst to more graduates from Kilakarai. With the arrival of Mohamed Sathak Engineering College and then the TBAK Women's College the number of graduates from this traditional town has seen a steady rise.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Kilakarai had a population of 30,472. Males constitute 46% of the population and females 54%. Kilakarai has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 75%. In Kilakarai, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Educational institutions

Hameedia Matriculation Higher Secondary School is the first school in Kilakarai , which was founded in the 1940s next to the 300 year old Madrasa Aroosiya Thaika.Other schools include Islamiah Higher Secondary School, Hyrathun Jalalia Higher Secondary School, Mohaitheenia Matriculation School, Sathakathun Jaria Middle School, Theenia Matriculation School, Mathumia High School, and Nadar Matriculation School.

The main collages are Mohamed Sathak Engineering College and the Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for women.Other colleges include Syed Hameedha Arts & Science College, Syed Hameedha Arabic College, Mohamed Sathak Polytechnic College, Mohamed Sathak I.T.I (Industrial Training Institute), and Kilakarai Bukhari Aalim Arabic College. An IAS coaching centre is going to be established in Kilakarai.

External links

• ttp://keelakaraitimes.blogspot.com/