About Coimbatore

Kovai (a)Coimbatore is the second largest city of TamilNadu and one of the fastest growing cities in India. Located at the foot of Nilgiris also called as Poor man’s Ooty. It is also famous for its exports of goods such as textiles, electric motors, pumps, automobile spares, iron steel and aluminium castings .There are more than 25,000 small, medium, large and tiny industries and textile mills. No wonder it is rightly called the “Manchester of South India”.

Kongunad, the capital of a cluster of villages, was captured by Karikala Cholan, the legendary Chola King, before it passed through the hands of several Hindu dynasties and kingdoms. It includes the Rastrskutas, Chalukyas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar, Madurai and Mysore kings, before finally passing into the hands of the British who gave its present name – Coimbatore. Natural elements play an important part in the Coimbatore’s landscape. A part of the western ghats that forms the city’s skyline.

Coimbatore existed even prior to the 2nd or 3rd century AD, ruled by Karikalan, the first of the early Cholas. Among its other great rulers were Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Pandyas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara kings. When Kongunad fell to the British along with the rest of the state, its name was changed to Coimbatore and it is by this name that it is known today, except in Tamil, in which it is called Kovai.

Geography:

Coimbatore is located at 11.0° N 76.97° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 380 metres (1246 feet).

People and Culture:

Coimbatorians are famous for their hospitality. Its a multi cultural society with tamil people being the maximum followed by Kannada, Telegu and Malayalam. Gujarathis and Rajasthanis are also in large number.The major food is rice and vegetarian based spicy south Indian dishes. Most of the restaurants serve generally consists of boiled rice, idly, dosa, pongal etc. North Indian foods like chappathi, roti, biriyani, naan are also available in most restaurants and eateries. Coimbatore also has few Chinese restaurants, continental food restaurants and fast food restaurants.

Coimbatore has been a major center for higher education from the early 18th century. Coimbatore has an Agricultural University, several Government and private engineering colleges, two medical colleges and a number of science and arts colleges. The most famous is the Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Kumaraguru College of Technology and PSG College of Technology whose annual Design Data Book is said to be the engineering industry’s bible.
Shopping areas in Coimbatore:

Some of the main places to shop in Coimbatore are: –

1) Big Bazaar, Oppanakkara Street
2) Raja Street, Ranga Gownder Street
3) Sukravar Pettai (for Handloom Saris)
4) Poompuhar – Handicrafts Emporium
5) Co-optex
6) Khadikrafts
7) TANSI Sales Centre