Theni District

Theni District (தேனி மாவட்டம்) is a district of Tamil Nadu state in South India. The city of Theni is the district headquarters. The district is divided into two natural divisions: The hilly areas constituted by parts of the three taluks Periyakulam, Uthamapalayam and Andipatti with thick vegetation and perennial streams from the hills on the western side and Cumbum valley which lies in Uthamapalayam taluk.

History:

Theni District was formed by the bifurcation from erstwhile Madurai District as per G.O. Ms. No. 679 Revenue Department Dated July 07, 1996. Consequent to the bifurcation, one new Revenue Division with headquarters at Uthamapalayam and two new Taluks at Theni and Bodinayakanur were also created with effect from January 1, 1997. Theni Municipal town was only a firka headquarters until December 31, 1996. Consequent to the formation of the new District, Theni Municipal Town was upgraded as the Taluk and District headquarters on January 01, 1997.

The region covered by present day Theni District was scarcely populated before 1900s. In 1886 Mullaperiyar dam project brings some part of water from Periyaar River downhill to Cumbum Valley and merge into Mullai river. This project helped more peple to settle down in Cumbum Valley. Also to be noted that Theni is itself a small and less-known town by 1900s. After the Mulllai-Periyaar merger project lots of poeple from nearby dry arid regions settled in Cumbum-Valley (present day Theni District). So there was influx of people by 1890s to 1920s. Bodi and Allinagaram are famous places at that age. Later Theni developed in rapid pace due to lots of business activities.

District(s)     Theni
Subdistrict     Periyakulam, Theni, Andipatti, Uthamapalayam, Bodinayakanur
'     July 07, 1996
Headquarters     Theni
Largest city     Theni

Collector & District Magistrate     P. Muthuveerran IAS
Legislature (seats)                        elected (5)

 Education:

Secondary Schools-

   1. Pachayappa Hindu Nadar Higher Secondary School,Kamatchipuram,Theni(Dt.).,
   2. Palaniappa Memorial Higher Secondary School,Palani chetti patti,Theni.,
   3. Seventh Day Adventist Matric.Hr.Sec.School.
   4. Presentation Convent Girls Higher Secondary School.Theni.
   5. Gayatri Matriculation higher Secondary school, Chinnamanur
   6. Hajee Karutha Rowther Higher Secondary School, Uthamapalayam
   7. KPPEP AYYA Matriculation Hr.Sec School THENI
   8. ZKM higher Secondary School, Bodi. (Oldest and the largest school in the district)
   9. Pankajam girls higher secondary school, Bodi.
  10. ThirumalapuramNadar higher secondary school, Bodi.
  11. Nadar saraswathi girls higher secondary school, Theni
  12. Santiniketan matric school, (pc patti) Theni.
  13. Theni Kammavar Sangam Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Theni
  14. CNMS sivakami Mat Hr Sec School Chinnamanur
  15. Pachaiyappa Hindu Nadar Higher Secondary School, Kamatchipuram
  16. N S K Ponniah Gounder Higher Secondary School (NSKP), Gudalur
  17. Cardamom Planters union Higher secondary school, Cumbum
  18. Amala Annai Higher Secondary school T.Sindala cherry
  19. Sri ALV high school,C.Pudupatti
  20. Sri V.V.Higher secondary School, [(Venkatachalapuram)]
  21. Pachaiyappa High school, uppukkottai
  22. Sri NAMMS matric school, Cumbum
  23. St.Aloysius higher secondary school, Royappanpatti
  24. S U M higher secondary school, Royappanpatti
  25. G R V higher secondary school, Mayladumparai
  26. Sharon matriculation School, Cumbum
  27. TMHNU Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Muthuthevanpatty, Theni
  28. Sri MPM high school, [Cumbum]
  29. Nagmaniammal Memorial Matriculation Higher Secondary School, [Cumbum]
  30. Al Azhar Matriculation Higher Secondary School, [Cumbum]
  31. The Little Kingdom School , Theni
  32. The Little kingdom Senior School , Theni
  33. Govt.Boys Higher Secondary School, Andipatti
  34. Govt.Girls Higher Secondary School, Andipatti
  35. Kama Dharma High School, Govindanagaram
  36. Govt.Higher Secondary School, Vadugapatti

Government Aided Arts and Science Colleges-

   1. Cardamom Planters Association College, Bodinayakanur
   2. Hajee Karutha Rowther Howdia College, Uthamapalayam
   3. Jayaraj Annpackiam College for Women, Periyakulam
   4. Madurai Kamaraj University College, Andipatti

Self-financing Colleges-

   1. Jayaraj Chella Durai College , Nalla Karuppan Patty, Periyakulam East
   2. Nadar Saraswathi College of Arts and Science, Theni
   3. Sri Adi Chunchanagiri Women's College, Cumbum
   4. Theni College of Arts and Science, Veerapandi, Theni
   5. Jeyavenkatesh Arts and Science College, Keppurengan patti

Engineering Colleges-

   1. Odaiyappa College of Engineering and Technology, Theni
   2. Bharath Niketan Engineering College, Andipatti
   3. Thangam-Muthu Polytechnic, Nalla karuppan patty, Periyakulam
   4. Theni kammavar sangam engineering college, theni

Medical College-

   1. Theni Government Medical College and Hospital, Theni

Agricultural College-

   1. Horticultural College and Research Institute, Nalla Karrupan patty, Periyakulam.

Forest College-

   1. Government Forest Training College, Vaigai Dam, Theni.
   2. victoria memry gov.boys.higher sec.school, periyakulam. Victoria memry gov.girl.higher sec.school, periyakulam.

 Tourism:

Cumbum, Uthamapalayam and Theni are charming towns in the district. Resounding cascades, silver-lined clouds resting a top billiard green hill tops, sheer rock faces and temples of antiquity distinguish these places. These unique places warm the soul and provide the much-needed balm to the mind. Places of interest-

   1. Vaigai Dam (~20 km from Theni)
   2. Suruli falls (~50 km from Theni)
   3. Meghamalai Hill (~67 km from Theni)
   4. Bodi Mettu Hill (~45 km from Theni)
   5. Kumbakarai Falls (~24 km from Theni)
   6. Sothuparai Dam (~24 km from Theni)
   7. Shanmuganathi Dam (~50 km from Theni)

Temples:
   1. Kalatheeswarar Gnanamman Temple, Uthamapalayam(~30 km from Theni)
   2. Veerapandi Gowmariamman Temple (~8 km from Theni)
   3. Kuchanur Saneeswarar Temple (~25 km from Theni)Kutchanur Saneeswaran Temple History in Tamil
   4. Chinnamanur Sivagamiamman Temple (~26 km from Theni)
   5. Theertha thotti Subramanya Temple (~16 km from Theni)
   6. Periyakulam Balasubramanya Temple (~16 km from Theni)
   7. Devadanapatti Kamatchi Amman Temple (~35 km from Theni)
   8. Kamatchipuram Sri Pathira Kaliyamman Temple (~20 km from Theni)
   9. Mavoothu Vellappar Temple (~25 km from Theni)
  10. Suruli Vellapar Temple (~50 km from Theni)
  11. Karuppuswami Temple (~40 km from theni)
  12. Mallingar Swamy Temple, Mallingapuram(~40 km from Theni)
  13. Bagavathi Amman Temple, Vadugapatti(~18 km from Theni)
  14. Bodinayakanur Paramashivan Koil South Thiruvannamalai (`22 km from Theni)[6]

Churches:
   1. Hanumanthanpatty Holy Spirit Church, Hanumanthanpatty.
   2. Uthamapalayam St.Vinnarasi Church
   3. Rayappan patti Pani (snow) Maya Matha Church
   4. Chinnamanur Bethel Church India, PTR Channel Road , Annamalai Nagar .
   5. T.Sindala CherySacred Heart Church ,T.Sindala Chery(KOVIL SINDALA CHERY).

Mosques:
   1. Periya Palli vasal, Uthamapalayam
   2. Shabi pallivasal,Uthamapalayam
   3. Haji harutha rowther matharasha pallivasal,Uthamapalayam
   4. Noorul huda palivasal,Uthamapalayam
   5. vaaver palli vasal[cumbum]
   6. kaattu palli vasal[cumbum]
   7. pallivasal in kuchanur


    Revenue Divisions                                  2

    Taluks                                                   5

    Blocks                                                  8

    Corporation & Municipalities                6

    Town Panchayats                                22

    Revenue Villages                                113

    Panchayat Villages                             130