Tirunelveli
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Tirunelveli (Tamil: திருநெல்வேலி, Tirunelveli; [ tiɾɯnelʋe ː li], also Thirunelveli, formerly anglicised Tinnevelly or Tinnevelli ) is a city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu with around 475,000 inhabitants ( 2011 census ). It is the capital of the district of the same name.
Tirunelveli is situated on the left bank of the Thamirabarani, only around 75 kilometers north of Cape Comorin, the southernmost point of the Indian mainland, and 560 km southwest of Chennai. On the right bank of the river, the twin city Palayamkottai is located.
The city's history dates back to the time of the early Pandya and Chola. In the 16th century, the city was expanded by the Nayaks of Madurai who ruled until the 18th century about it. From that time ownership of numerous Hindu temples, many of which are dedicated to the deity Shiva. Between 1542 and 1545 the Spanish- Portuguese missionary Francis Xavier worked in the city.
Tirunelveli is now a regional commercial and industrial center with cotton, food (especially sugar ), tobacco and jewelery industry and a large cement plant and numerous auto repair shops. Since 1990, the city is also the seat of a University ( Manonmaniam Sundaranar University).