Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

Salem  is a city inSalem district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located about 160 kilometres (100 mi) northeast of Coimbatore, 186 kilometres (116 mi) southeast of Bangalore and about 340 kilometres (210 mi) southwest of the state capital, Chennai. Salem is the sixth largest city in Tamil Nadu by population and covers 91.34 km2 (35.27 sq mi).

Cheralam, Shalya, Kurukshetra, Sayilam and Sailam are found on inscriptions referring to the country around the hills: Nagarmalai in the north, Jeragamalai in the south, Kanjamalai in the west and Godumalai in the east. Salem is claimed as the birthplace of the Tamil Avvaiyar poets. It and the surrounding hilly regions were part of the Chera dynasty, and the city was ruled by kings known as the Kurunila Mannargal. Salem was later ruled by Gatti Mudalis, Poligars who built temples and forts in and around the city.

During the early 18th century, after the Mysore-Madurai war, the region was ruled by Hyder Ali. Salem was taken from Hyder Ali by a Colonel Wood at the beginning of 1768, and recaptured by Ali in late 1772. Under Robert Clive it was occupied by a detachment of a regiment stationed at Sankagiri Durg, remaining a military station until 1861. Salem and Sankagiri were the sites of battles between Kongu Nadu soldiers led by Dheeran Chinnamalai and the British. Chinnamalai was hanged in the Sankagiri fort, which became the British army headquarters. According to volume five of Edgar Thurston's Castes and Tribes of Southern India, the Chola Nadu region was ruled by a series of twenty-eight kings before being conquered by the Cholas of Tanjore.

Salem is located at 11.669437°N 78.140865°E, at an average elevation of 278 m (912 ft). The city is surrounded by hills: Nagaramalai on the north, Jarugumalai on the south, Kanjamalai on the west, Godumalai on the east and the Shevaroy Hills on the northeast. Kariyaperumal Hill is in southwestern Salem. The Thirumanimutharu River flows through the city, dividing it in two. The fort area is the oldest part of Salem.

The city's climate is dry, except during the monsoon season. January and February are generally pleasant; the dry summer begins in March, with the year's highest temperatures during May. The weather becomes more temperate in June and July, and August is cloudy but still dry. The northeast monsoon occurs from September to November, and December is clear and pleasant.

Salem is the headquarters of Salem district. The town was constituted as a municipality in 1867, and was upgraded to a special-grade municipality in 1979 and to a municipal corporation on 1 April 1994. The Salem municipal corporation has 60 wards, each with an elected councillor. The functions of the municipal corporation are divided into six departments: general administration and personnel, engineering, revenue, public health, city planning and information technology (IT). All six departments are governed by a municipal commissioner. Legislative power is vested in the 60-member council, headed by an elected chairperson and assisted by a deputy chairperson.

Law and order is maintained by the Salem city subdivision of the Tamil Nadu Police, headed by a Deputy superintendent. Special units include prohibition enforcement, district crime, social justice and human rights, district crime records and a district-level special branch headed by a superintendent of police.

Salem is a part of the Salem North, Salem West and Salem South assembly constituencies delineated in 2008. The city elects the three members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once every five years. Present MLAs are R. Mohan Raj (Salem North) from Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam, M. K. Selvaraju (Salem West) and G. Venkatachalam (Salem South) from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Until 2008, the city was part of the Salem I and Salem II assembly constituencies. Since 1977, the ADMK party won the Salem I assembly seat five times (1977, 1980, 1984, 2001 and 2006); Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won twice (1989 and 1996), and the Indian National Congress (INC) won in 1991.[21] Since 1977, the ADMK won the Salem II assembly seat three times (1980, 1984 and 1991) and the DMK also won three times (1989, 1996 and 2006); the Janata Party (JP) won in 1977 and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) won in 2001.

The city is part of the Salem Lok Sabha constituency consisting of six assembly constituencies: Omalur, Salem North, Salem South, Salem West, Veerapandi and Edappadi. Since 1952, the Salem parliament seat was held by the Indian National Congress eight times (1952, 1957, 1962, 1984, 1989, 1991 and 2004), by the ADMK four times (1977, 1991, 2009 and 2014), by DMK three times (1967, 1971 and 1980), and once each by an independent (1998) and the Tamil Maanila Congress (1996). The current Member of Parliament from the constituency is V. Pannerselvam from the ADMK.

Economy

The area also houses a number of sago factories for the production starch. In Salem district, 34,000 hectares (130 sq mi) of land are devoted to cassava and 650 industrial units are engaged in tapioca processing. In 1981, the Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Co-operative Society (SAGOSERVE) was established to promote the sago industry and nearly 80 percent of the national demand for sago and starch is met by SAGOSERVE. In and around Salem cassava yields are 25–30 tons per hectare, one of the highest in the world; the national average is 19 tons per hectare, and the world average is 10 tons.

The Salem Steel Plant, a unit of the Steel Authority of India, produces cold-rolled stainless steel and a hot-rolled stainless-carbon steel alloy. The plant is being expanded and modernised, with plans for steel-melting and continuous-casting facilities.  The Southern Iron and Steel Company (part of JSW Steel) have their first integrated steel plant in Salem for the production of TMT corrosion-resistant bars and alloy steels. The Salem region is rich in mineral ores, with some of the largest magnesite and bauxite deposits in India. Public and private magnesite factories include Burn Standard and Company, Dalmia Magnesites and Tata Refractories.

The Leigh Bazaar is the region's largest market for agricultural products. The Tamil Nadu government and the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu are planning a 160-acre (65 ha) IT park in the city.The Steel Authority of India is planning a 250-acre (100 ha) steel special economic zone in its Salem plant, and an electrical and electronics industrial estate is in the Suramangalam area of the city.

Religious places

Salem has a number of Hindu temples. The Kottai Mariamman Temple, dedicated to the goddess Mariamman, has an annual five-day festival during the Tamizh month of Aadi (mid-July to mid-August). The temple's gopuram is made up of seven tiers. Sugavaneshwarar Temple is dedicated to Shiva, and according to mythology the sage Sugha Brahmarishi worshiped here. Arunagirinadhar sang a song about Muruga in the temple, which was built during the 13th century by Mamannan Sundara Pandiyan.[50] Kottai Perumal Temple, Skandhashram, Kothandaramar Temple and Sithar Koil are also in Salem. Oothumali Murugan Temple, Pandurangan Hill Temple, Kumaragiri Hill Murugan Temple and Kariperumal Karadu Hill Temple are in the hills in Salem. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has built a temple in Karuppur, near the city.

Jama Masjid, on the southern bank of the Thirumanimutharu River in the heart of the city, is Salem's oldest mosque. It was reportedly built by the Mysore ruler Tippu Sulthan, who is said to have prayed here. The masjid inam granted to the mosque in 1862 was confirmed by the British with a special resolution in 1880. Christ Church is located on Fort Road and the church was consecrated in 1875.The other popular churches in and around the city includes Lechler Memorial Church, the oldest church in Salem, was built in 1856 by a German missionary in Fort Salem. Infant Jesus Church near Four Roads, the Calvary Assembly of God Church on the Bangalore highway in Mamangam and Reformed Baptist Church in the Yercaud foothills are other churches in the city.

Transport

Road

Salem has six arterial roads: Omalur Road, Cherry Road, Saradha College Road, Junction Main Road, Gugai Main Road and Attur Road. Three National Highways originate in or pass through: NH 7 (Varanasi – Kanyakumari), NH 47 (Salem – Kanyakumari via Coimbatore, Kochi and Kollam) and NH 68 (Salem – Ulundurpet).

Salem is the headquarters of the Salem division of TNSTC. The city has two major bus stations: the MGR Integrated Bus Terminus in Meyyanoor and the Town Bus Station (Old Bus Stand) in the town area. Intercity and interstate routes and private buses originate at the Central Bus Stand, and local buses originate at the Old Bus Stand. The Anna Flyover is the oldest in the city, and the Trumpet Interchange was built in the realignment of NH 47 to ease traffic towards Coimbatore.

Railway junction

Salem Junction is located in Suramangalam, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the city. In 2005, the Railway Board approved the creation of a Salem railway division from Palakkad and Tiruchirapalli divisions. It is the fourth-largest of the six Southern Railway zone divisions.

Salem memes – Salem Railway Junction has been rated as the most clean station among the divisional headquarters railway stations and also the ninth cleanest railway station in the entire country, according to a recent survey report.

The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) recently conducted a survey of major railway stations for cleanliness ranking. The TNS India Private Limited was involved in conducting the survey, which was commissioned by the Environment and Housekeeping Management Directorate, Railway Board, New Delhi.

Air

Salem Airport (IATA SXV, ICAO VOSM) is located on the Salem-Bangalore Highway (NH 7) in Kaamalapuram about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the city. Airports Authority of India (AAI) opened the airport in 1993 for commercial operations. Kingfisher Airlines flew from Chennai but ended its service in 2012 due to low occupancy. The nearest major airports are Tiruchirappalli (152 km) and Coimbatore (159 km).

Education

Salem has several educational institutions with arts and science colleges affiliated to Periyar University founded in 1997. The Government College of Engineering was founded in 1966

Schools

·         ARISE N SHINE INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOL

Address: 15, Bharathi Street, Subramanaia Nagar, Near Sona College, Suramangalam , Salem – 636005

·         SRI ARAVIND NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Address: Valasaiyur Main Road , Sukkampatti, Opposite Government School, Salem - 636122

·         Also find Sri Aravind Nursery And Primary School' in Schools etc.

·         BALA BHARATHI MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Maravaneri , Hasthampatti, Near ING Vysya Bank, Salem - 636007

               

·         ASCON ACADEMY

Address: 80, KPR Complex, Cherry Road, Opposite Forest Office, Hasthampatti , Salem - 636007

·         Also find Ascon Academy' in Schools etc.

·         SRI SWAMY MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: 4/1, Masinayakanpatty, Near IDBI Bank, Ayodhiyapattinam , Salem - 636103

·         Also find Sri Swamy Matriculation School' in Schools etc.

               

·         DHANALAKSHMI VIDHYALAYA

Address: 6/3-C, Soundamman Kovil Street, Opposite Ammapet Police Station, Ammapet , Salem - 636003

·         BALA GURUKULAM MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: 118-H-1 , Ammapet, Near Srinivasa Theatre, Salem – 636003

·         WISDOM GATES MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Velagoundanoor Pachanampatty Post, Omalur Main Road, Salem - 636455

               

·         VIVEKANANDA BALAMANDIR MATRIC SCHOOL

Address: Nainampatty, Attayampatti, Salem - 637501

               

·         VAIGAI MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Muthampatty, Valapady, Salem Main Road, Salem – 636115

·         S R K MATRIC HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Thiruvagoundanur Bye Pass, Kandhampatty, Suramangalam, Membala Nagar, Salem – 636005

·         DIAMOND RAYS MATRIC HR SEC SCHOOL

·         Address: No 46/1, Near Mkb Agency, Kondalampatty Byepass Road, Salem – 636010

·         SUBHA SCHOOL

Address: -108, Annamalai Nagar, Chinnathiruppathi, Salem - 636008

·         ST THOMAS MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: No 5, Near Kitchilipalayam, Kurumenkadu, Sanniyasigundu Main Road, Salem - 636015

·         ST BASIL MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Chinna Tirupathi Post, Mahendrapuri, Kannankurichi, Salem - 636008

·         SRI VIVEKANANDA PATASALAI MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: 188/1a, Near Sakthi Kailash College, North Ammapet, Sathiya Nagar, Salem - 636003

·         SRI VIDYAMANDHIR HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Patthampatty, Salem - 637501

·         SRI VIDHYA BHARATI MATRIC HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 6-A, Neikarapatty, Kondalampatti, Salem - 636010

·         SRI VASAVI MATRIC HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 35, Near Paul Market, Shevapet, Agraharam Street, Salem - 636002

·         SRI SARADHA BALAMANDIR BOYS MATRIC HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 11/19-A, Near Kiruba Hospital, Hastampatt, Rajaji Road, Salem - 636007

·         SRI SAKTHI VIKAAS MATRICULATION SCHOOL BELUR

Address: Valapadi Taluk, Thumbal Main Road, Salem - 636104

·         SRI RAGHAVENDRA MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Mecheri, Salem – 636451

·         SREE JOTHI VIDHYALAYA MATRIC HR SEC SCHOOL SURAMAG

Address: Near Railway Junction, Suramangalam, Kandampatty Bye Pass Road, Salem - 636005

 SOWRASHTRA VIDHYALAYA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Address: No 5, Near Blind School, Shevapet, Adiraman Nandavanam Street, Salem - 636002

·         SJV MATRIC HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: No 5, Kandhampatti, Suramangalam, Thiruvagoundanoor Bye Pass Road, Salem - 636005

·         SHRI SWAMY MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: No 4/1, Masinayakanpatty, Ayodhyapattinam, Salem - 636103

·         SENGUNTHAR MATRICULATION HIGHER SEC SCHOOL

Address: Sanniyasikundu, Kurumenkadu, Kumaran Nagar , Salem - 636015

·         S S R M HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Karumbalai, Karuppur, Salem - 636012

·         S R K MATRIC HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Thiruvagoundanur Bye Pass, Kandhampatty, Suramangalam, Membala Nagar, Salem -           636005

·         ROYAL PARK MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Kumaragiri, Chennai-Attur Bye Pass Road, Kurumenkadu, Salem - 636015

·         RASI MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Echampadi, Mallikarai, Rasipuram Road, Salem - 636107

·         PALSSEN VIKAS NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Address: Munsif Thottam, Sivathapuram, Salem – 636307

·         P V MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: Opposite To Krishnappa Theatre, Sivathapuram, Siddar Koil Main Road, Salem - 636307

·         NOTRE DAME OF HOLY CROSS SCHOOL

Address: Gundukallur, Odayapatti, Salem - 636140

·         NATIONAL MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Dharmapuri Main Road, Omalur, Salem - 636455

·         MUTHAMIZHI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Sheep Farm P O , Attur Thaluk, Thalaivasal, Salem - 636112

 MUNICIPAL BOYS HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 7, Thiru V Kalyanasundaranar Main Road, Ammapettai Bazaar, Marimuthu Street, Salem - 636003

·         MODERN MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Subramania Nagar, Suramangalam, Thiyagabrammam Street, Salem - 636005

·         LITTLE FLOWER MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Nattakarai, Thalaivasal, Salem - 636112

·         LEF EDEN GARDEN MATRIC SCHOOL

Address: 374, Cherry Road, Hastampatti, Salem - 636007

·         JOTHI MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL KAMARA

Address: No 5, Ammapet, K N Colony, Kamarajar Colony, Salem - 636014

·         JAYARANI ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL

Address: No 295, Nethimedu, Shevapet, Salem – 636002

·         JAY MATRIC HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: No 6/273, Allikuttai Post , Ammapettai Bazaar, Gandhi Nagar, Salem - 636003

·         JAIVINS ACADEMY

Address: 193, Ammampalayam P.O, Attur, Amman Nagar, Salem - 636141

·         INDIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTRE

Address: No 289/47-B, Vasanthapuram, S P Building Backside, Kannankurichi, Yercaud Main Road, Salem - 636008

·         HOLY MOTHER MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Near Thammampatti Keerippatti , Melkanavi, Atur Bazaar, Salem - 636102

·         HOLY CHILDREN NURSERY & PRIMARY SCHOOL

Address: Odayapatti, Salem - 636140

·         HELIKX SPECIAL LEARNING SCHOOL

Address: No 104/362, Thiruvagoundanoor Bye Pass, Suramangalam Main Road, Salem - 636005

·         GUGAI GIRLS HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 6a, Near New Bus Stand, Salem - 636006

·         GOLDEN SPARK MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: Opposite To Arabic College & Manipal Hospital, Karuppur, Bangalore Main Road, Salem - 636012

·         GOKULNATHA HINDU MAHAJANA HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Near Salem General Hospital, Agraharam, Bretts Road, Salem - 636001

·         GMV PRIMARY SCHOOL

Address: No 37, Near Venus Building, Shevapet, Sambalingam Moorthy Street, Salem – 636002

·         G R SCHOOL

Address: Muthunaickenpatty, Omalur, Salem - 636304

·         DHAARUS SALAAM MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Azad Nagar, Suramangalam, Salem - 636005

·         CORPORATION GIRLS HR SEC SCHOOL AMMAPET

Address: No 54/2, Cuddalore Main Road, Ammapettai Bazaar, Salem - 636003

·         CHRISTOPHER MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Panamarathupatti, Salem - 636204

·         CHANAKYA NURSERY & PRIMARY SCHOOL

Address: No F-12, Opposite To Kannankurichi Police Station, Kannankurichi, Salem - 636008

·         AKSHARA PRE SCHOOL

Address: No 179, Greenlands Alagapuram, Fair Lands, Pudur Rajarajan Nagar, Salem - 636016

 VEDHHA VIKASS HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Poolampatti Main Road, Edappadi, Salem - 637101

·         VEDHHA VIKASS HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Santhiyur, Mullur, Salem Namakal Main Road, Salem - 636203

ST JOHNS MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Near Michael Church, Fair Lands , Salem - 636016

·         ST JOSEPH MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 7, Near K S Theatre, Sangagiri Main Road, Salem – 636006

·         A R MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: No 5/196, Near Gokul Tiles, Alagapuram, Five Road , Salem – 636004

·         DIAMOND RAYS MATRIC HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 46/1, Near Mkb Agency, Kondalampatty Byepass Road, Salem - 636010

·         SRI SARADHA VIDYALAYA GIRLS HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Sarada College Road, Fair Lands, Salem – 636016

·         AMUDAM PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Address: No 41/2, Velu Nagar , Near Tagadapatti Gate, 2nd Street, Salem – 636006

·         ANDERSON MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 19/1a, Opposite To Iti, Hastampatti, Yercaud Main Road, Salem – 636007

·         BHARATHI VIDYALAYA HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 53, Maravaneri, Hastampatti, Salem – 636007

·         CSI GOOD SHEPERD MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: Fort, Behind Canara Bank, Salem – 636001

·         HOLY CROSS MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: No 11, Kamarajar Nagar Colony , Near Ammapet Bazaar, Ammapettai Bazar, Salem – 636003

·         HOLY FLOWER MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: No 8a, Opposite To New Bus Stand, Fair Lands, Adwaitha Ashram Road, Salem – 636016

·         LITTLE FLOWER MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: No 23, Near Four Roads, Hastampatti, Omalur Main Road, Salem - 636007

·         GOLDEN GATES MATRICULATION HR SEC SCHOOL

Address: Yercaud Foot Hills, Ayyan Thiru Maligai, Salem – 636008

·         BHARATHI VIDYA MANDIR MATRICULATION SCHOOL

Address: Sitheri Post Attur Taluk, Aragalur, Salem – 636101

·         SENTHIL PUBLIC SCHOOL

Address: Behind Thambi Modern Spinning Mills, Jagirammapalayam, Salem – 636004

·         NEW INDIA MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Ramamoorthy Nagar, Salem – 636354

·         SRI GAYATHRI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Address: Steel Plant Way, Chethanur, Salem - 636302

Engineering colleges

·         Government College of Engineering,Salem

·         Sona College of Technology, Salem

·         Vinayaka Missions University, Salem

·         Knowledge Institute of Technology,Salem