Tourism Place in Namakkal

Namakkal is an administrative district, which is located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The district shares its boundaries with Salem district in the north and Karur district in the south. From the east, this district is bounded by Attur taluk of Salem district and from the west by Erode district. The district is divided into four sub-divisions, namely Tiruchengode, Namakkal, Rasipuram and Velur. Headquarters of this district is based at Namakkal, which is the first ISO 14001-2004 certified municipality in Asia for environmental management.

As per the inscriptions found on the north-western and southern walls of the abandoned temple on the hill, the district was known as Thiruvaraikkal in the ancient times. During that time, Namakkal was a part of Salem and was ruled by Atikula King, Gunasila. Later, Hoysalas took control over the region and ruled there till the 14th century. With the end of Hoysalas Empire, Vijayanagara Empire conquered the region and ruled over it till 1565.

In 1623, the region came under the administrative control of Madurai Nayaks. It was during the reign of Ramchandra Nayak that the Namakkal Fort was constructed. After Madurai Nayaks, the area was successively ruled by Muslim Sultans of Bijapur and Golkonda, Mysore kings and then the Marathas. Later in 1750, the area came into hands of Hyder Ali, who was succeeded by Tipu Sultan.

On 25 July, 1996, Namakkal district was separated from Salem district. It officially started functioning independently from 1 January 1997. In August 2009, this district was ranked second in the comprehensive Economic Environment index ranking of districts in Tamil Nadu by the Institute for Financial Management and Research.

Most of the people in the district are engaged in agriculture. Besides, the district is also known for body building industry for trucks, trailers, tankers and rig unit. Poultry and dairy industries are also prominent in the district. Major attraction of the district is Namakkal Rock Fort, which was built by the Cholas in the 9th century.

Two rock–cut cave temples and 18 feet tall Hanuman statue carved out of a single stone at the Hanuman Temple are the other major attractions of the district. Nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli Airport, which serves the flights from destinations like Chennai, Mumbai, Colombo and Singapore, among others. Salem Junction Railway Station is the most convenient railhead for reaching the district.

Namakkal Bus Station, which is served by buses operated by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, is the major bus station serving the district. The best time to visit Namakkal is during the post monsoon season, which extends from November through January.