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Vellore district is bounded on the north by the Chittoor
district (Andhra
Pradesh ) and a portion of Tiruvallur district and on the south by
the Tiruvannamalai district. On the west are the districts of Dharmapuri
and Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) while
Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur and
Tiruvannamalai districts are in its eastern boundary. Vellore district is
in the inland region and is of irregular shape. Headquarters of this
district is Vellore.
The City Of Vellore
Vellore city lies along the Palar River, southwest of
Chennai. Vellore is
now pursuing with activity as a commercial, administrative and medical
center. Vellore is renowned for a Christian Medical College and Hospital,
which attracts patients and research scholars from all corners. The people
who come here from all over India for medical care gives this humble town
a cosmopolitan feel. For tourists, it is noteworthy only for the
Vijayanagar fort and its temple, which are in an excellent state of
preservation and worth visiting.
The History Of Vellore
The area constituting the present Vellore district is said to have formed
part of the 'Tondai-mandalam region', known in early South Indian history.
The region has witnessed many thrilling fights for supremacy between the
local chieftains and rulers on one hand and the French and English
invaders on the other.
From the earliest times for which evidence is available the district
formed part of the Pallava kingdom during the close of the 9th century AD.
Kanchipuram in Chengalpattu district was then the capital of the Pallavas.
In the succeeding periods, the district came under the rule of Cholas, the
Rashtrakutas, the Thanjavur ruler, Rajaraja and the Hindu rulers of
Vijayanagar. The last ruling kings of the Vijayanagar dynasty were
overthrown by the Muslim rulers of Deccan. The decisive battle of
Talikotta in 1565 brought the region under the sway of the Sultans of
Bijapur and Golconda.
During the 18th century, several battles have taken place between the
English, the French and Mughals in the district. In 1781, the Nawab had
assigned the revenues of the Carnatic to the East India Company and North
Arcot then came under their management. It was then ruled by the British,
which lasted for nearly 150 years and ended in 1947 when India attained
Independence.
Vellore
Fort
The Vellore Fort is perhaps the most beautiful specimen of military
architecture in South India and it is still in a good state of
preservation. Sinna Bomma Reddi a vessel chieftain under the Vijayanagar
king, Sada Sriranga Maharaja, built this historical fort in the 16th
century. It was the scene of many historic sieges and battles.
To the right of the fort, there are 3 churches, cemetery of dead British
Soldiers in Sepoy Mutiny and a museum containing sculptures and hero
stones dating back to the Pallava and Chola times.
Jalakanteshwara Temple
Jalakanteshwara temple is situated within the Vellore fort. It has some
beautiful sculptures on the ceiling and some richly, carved pillars and
monoliths. The carving of roofs and pillars are wonderful examples of
Vijayanagar type of sculptural architecture. The Gopuram of the temple,
which is 30 m high and seven storied is superb.
Government Museum
Situated adjacent to the main bus stand in the Lakshmanaswamy Town hall,
the Government Museum is a multi purpose museum maintained by the
Department of Museums of Tamil Nadu Government. It treasures ancient and
present day articles relating to Anthropology, Art and Archaeology,
Botany, Geology, Numismatics, Pre-history, Zoology, etc.
Muthu Mandapam (Pearl Palace)
Muthu Mandapam is a memorial built around the tombstone of Vikramraja
Singh, the last candy Tamil ruler. Situated on the bed of Palar River, it
is just one km north of Vellore town at a walking distance.
C.M.C. Hospital
If Vellore attracts a floating population of 5000 every day, it is
because of the world famous Christian Missionary Medical College and
Hospital founded in the early part of the century by a dedicated American
Medical Missionary, Dr. Ida Scudder. The one room clinic founded in 1890
has grown in size and stature treating thousands of both inpatients and
out patients in all branches of medicine and surgery. Besides a world
famous Cancer ward and Neurological ward, it has a Mental Hospital and a
College of Nursing.
Thiruvannamalai
The temple town of Thiruvannamalai, 85-km south of Vellore, is an
important Shaivite town. Though Hindus seek god in the form idol, it is
also their strong belief that god is also in the form of Light or Flame.
These symbolic ideals are represented in Thiruvannamalai. The sculptures
in the pillars and the idol lingam are very huge and enticing that they
make one wonder at the artistic spirit of those artisans. The Deepam
Festival in the month of Karthigai (November) is very popular and it
attracts devotees in large numbers.
Amirthi Forest
24-km south of Vellore is the panoramic Amirithi forest rich in its
variety of flora and fauna. A half of this jungle is cleared to serve as a
tourist spot while the other half is developed as a wildlife sanctuary.
Javadu Hills
Jamanamarathur, 40-km from Polur, is the main village in Javadu hills,
which is famous for its sandalwood and fruit bearing trees. Its altitude
varies from 300 to 1,000m.
Jalagampaari
Falls
Jalagampaari waterfalls situated 17-km from Tirupattur in Vellore
district, is a fine picnic spot. There is a Murugan temple beside the
waterfalls, where the deity is in the form of VEL (a kind of spear). The
Murugan temple attracts tourists throughout the year.
Elagiri Hills
An isolated, attractive picnic spot in the Eastern Ghats is the Elagiri
Hills, at an elevation of about 1000 metres. A salubrious climate; scenic
surroundings and a quaint Murugan temple are some of the attractions of
this place. These hills are an ideal location for a weekend where one
could organize one day or two days' trekking.
Virinjipuram
This magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is famous for its
devotees who throng here with ardent belief that a dream on the last
Sunday of Karthigai month will reveal of their fortune of being blessed
with an offspring. The Lion-faced Simmakulam tank is considered to be very
sacred.
Ambur, an important town in Vaniyambadi Taluk (also spelt as Taluka) of Vellore district is noted for its leather tanneries. Karigiri is a small village, 10-12 km off Vellore is known for its production of glazed pottery. Gudiyattam is an important centre for handlooms in the district.
Air: The nearest airport is at
Chennai, 122-km
away.
Rail: Vellore's main railway station is five km north at Katpadi.
This is the junction of the broad-gauge line from
Bangalore to
Chennai, and meter
gauge line from Tirupati
to Madurai (which runs via
Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Chidambaram,
Thanjavur and
Tiruchapalli). The smaller
cantonment station is for meter gauge and is in the south of the town
(2-km).
Road: Vellore is well connected by road with
Chennai,
Tiruchirappalli,
Madurai Tiruvannamalai, Madurai,
Bangalore,
Tirupati,
Thanjavur,
Ooty,
Kanchipuram and other
important towns. Taxis and auto rickshaws are available for local
transportation.
Varied accommodation options from luxurious to reasonable standards are available at the hotels and lodges in Vellore.
CMC Hospital
Sankari Hospital
Meenakshi Hospital
Saratha Nursing Home
AndhraBank
StateBank of India
CanaraBank
Bank of India
Area: 11.65-sq-kms
Population: 17,5,061 (1991 Census)
Altitude: 204 above sea level
Latitude: N 12° 30' to 13° 10'
Longitude: E 78° 28' to 79° 42'
Climate: Tropical
Temperature Range (deg C):
Summer - Max 39.0ºC, Min 29.5ºC
Winter-Max: 27.3ºC, Min: 17.0ºC
Rainfall: 1053 (average)
Clothing: Light Cottons
Best Season: Throughout the year
Languages Spoken: Tamil, Telugu and English.
STD Code: 0416
Chennai
- 122-km
Dharampuri - 137-km
Kanchipuram - 61-km
Tiruttani - 31-km
Tiruvallur - 87-km
Tiruvalmalai - 76-km