Sankarankovil

Sanknarankovil is home to the Sankara Nayanar temple, which was built by Ugra Pandiyan BC 900 and houses the deity by the name Sankara Narayanan, which is half Shiva and the other half Vishnu. According to folklore, the devotees of Hari (Vishnu) and Shiva once quarreled with each other to determine which god was more powerful, until Shiva appeared as Sankaranarayanar to show his devotees that Hari and Shiva were one and the same. Thus, it is held sacred by Saivites and those Hindus who believe that Shiva and Vishnu are a single deity. Srivaishnavites of Tamil Nadu who worship Vishnu only do not accept this and hence reject the temple. The deities of the temple are Sri Sankareswarar, Gomathi Amman and Sri Sankara Narayanar. Sankarankovil is also said to be home to the deity named Avudai Ambal.

In older times, the city was called as Sankaranayinarkoil. It is also noted for the "Adi Thabasu" festival.

The general belief is that the Holy Sand "Puttrumann" (Puttru = Ant Hill, Mann = Sand) that one gets from this temple is capable of curing all the diseases. Devotees believe that Sankarankovil's Nagachunai (sacred tank) have been dug by serpent kings named Paduman and Sangam which has a miraculous power to heal those who bath there. Once, a "Devan" (Angel) called "Manikkeerivan" was cursed by the goddess Parvathi. Because of which, he had to come to earth and work as gardener in a beautiful garden. One day while he was clearing a snake pit, the snake tail was also cut. He found a Sivalingam next to the snake. He went and informed about this to his king "Ugra Pandiyan". The king considered it to be the god's wish to stay there and constructed the temple and a city around it.

The snake pit (Ant Hill) is called "Vanmeekam" (Tamil: வன்மீகம்). Hence the deity Sri Sankaralingar is also called "Vanmeeganadhar" (Tamil: வன்மீகநாதர்)

Sankaranarayanar koil, Sankarankoil, Tenkasi district

The town is known in Tamil Nadu for its sheep-based Sankarankovil Biryani (சங்கரன்கோவில் பிரியாணி).

In 2018, the Government announced that Sankarankovil will be a new educational district.

The city has several educational institutions:

• A.V Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• AVK International Residential School, Sankarankovil
• AVK Memorial Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• VEL'S Public School, Sankarankovil
• Sri Vaiyapuri Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• St . Joseph Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Sri Gomathi Ambal Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Sri Mahalakshmi Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Annai Velankanni ( AV ) Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Annai Theresa Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Mahathma Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Angel Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Sankaranarayana Play School, Sankarankovil
• Mahathma Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Gomathi Sankar Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Sankaranarayanar Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Siva Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Sri Ramachandra Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• 36 Grama Senaithalaivar Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• 24 Manai Thelungu Chettiyar Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Sengunthar Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Seventh Day Adventist Matriculation School, Sankarankovil
• SNR Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Sri Gomathi Ambal Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Sri Gomathi Ambal Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Vaniga Vysya Sangam Higher Secondary School, Sankarankovil
• Jaya Matha Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Royal City Modern English School, Sankarankovil
• Vivekanandha Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• A.P.C Veerabaghu Nursery and Primary School, Sankarankovil
• Imam Ghazali Oriental Matriculation School, Sankarankovil

Sankarankovil (State Assembly Constituency) is a part of Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency).[2]

Elections contested:

According to 2011 census, Sankarankoil had a population of 70, 574 with a sex-ratio of 1,012 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[3] A total of 5,660 were under the age of six, constituting 2,867 males and 2,793 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 22.47% and .3% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 74.9%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[3] The town had a total of 14536 households. There were a total of 24,064 workers, comprising 493 cultivators, 2,003 main agricultural labourers, 2,245 in house hold industries, 17,190 other workers, 2,133 marginal workers, 34 marginal cultivators, 247 marginal agricultural labourers, 413 marginal workers in household industries and 1,439 other marginal workers.[4]

Sankarankovil includes many localities, including Karivalamvandha Nallur, Gomathi Nagar, Gomathiyapuram Nagar, Ramasamiapuram, Sangupuram Nagar, Lakshmiyapuram Nagar, Vadukkupudhur, Therkku Sankarankovil, NGO Colony, Ezhil Nagar, and Mullai Nagar.

Sankarankovil RTO was opened by chief minister Ms. J. Jayalalitha Jayaram via video conference.

• Vaiko (founder of MDMK)
• Karuppasamy (minister in ADMK government, up to 22 October 2011)
• S. Thangavelu (ex state minister, member of parliament (R.S.) [D.M.K])
• S. Muthuselvi (ADMK politician)
• Vivek (actor)
• S. J. Surya (actor)
• Devaneya Pavanar (writer)
• Nandha Kumar IAS (Ex Vellore district collector) Sathirakondan
• VM Rajalakshmi (minister in ADMK government from 2016 onwards) YB
• SURESH PSR (writer) & (Politician) Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Mr.P.Durairaj EX.MLA(1967 and 1980)

There are many industries in Sankarankovil. Apart from agri business, this town is well known for its textiles. Nearly 4000 powerlooms are directly involved in producing various kinds of textile products like terry towels, cotton saris, lungies, handkerchiefs, vinayakar towels, etc. The produced products are marketed all over India directly. Subbulapuram, a village 14 km away from the city Sankarankovil, is popularly known as "Terry City", as ter towls8 fro Sankarankovilare manufactured there. Perumbathur, a village 6 km away from Sankarankovil, is popularly known as "Flower City"; jasmine flowers are grown there.From Sankarankoil 7 km near by Sathirakondan Village produces more no of flowers and Paddy every year