Tamil Nadu 

(/ˌtæmɪl ˈnɑːduː/; Tamil: [ˈtamiɻ ˈnaːɽɯ] ( listen), abbr. TN) is the

southernmost state of India. The tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by
population, Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language—one of the
longest surviving classical languages in the world—is widely spoken in the state and serves as
its official language. The capital and largest city is Chennai.
Located on the south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula, Tamil Nadu is defined by the
lush Western Ghats and the semi-arid Deccan Plateau in the west, the discontinuous Eastern
Ghats in the north, the fertile Eastern Coastal Plains lining the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf
of Mannar and the Palk Strait to the south-east, the Laccadive Sea at the southern cape of the
peninsula—Kanyakumari, and the river Kaveri bisecting the state. Politically, Tamil Nadu is
bound by the Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, and the union
territory of Puducherry, as well as an international maritime border with the Northern
Province of Sri Lanka at Pamban Island.
Historically, Tamil Nadu had been continuously inhabited by modern humans from 15,000 BC.
The at-large Tamilakam region dominated by the Tamil-speaking population was under several
regimes over centuries, such as the Sangam era (300 BC–AD 300) rulers of the Chera, Chola,
and Pandya clans, the Pallava dynasty (3rd–9th century), and the later Vijayanagara
Empire (14th–17th century), all of which shaped the state's cuisine, culture,
and architecture. European colonization began with establishing trade ports in the 17th century,
with the British controlling much of South India as the Madras Presidency, an administrative
province of British India. After the Indian Independence in 1947, the region became the Madras
State of the Republic of India, and in 1956, the state borders were redrawn linguistically by
the States Reorganisation Act (1956) into the current shape. The state was renamed as Tamil
Nadu, meaning "Tamil Country", in 1969.
As the most urbanised state of India, Tamil Nadu boasts an economy with gross state domestic
product (GSDP) of ₹24.85 lakh crore (US$310 billion), marking the second-largest economy
amongst the 28 states of India. It has the country's 9th-highest GSDP per
capita of ₹225,106 (US$2,800),[7] and ranks 11th in human development index.[5] Tamil Nadu is
also one of the most industrialised states, with the manufacturing sector accounting for more
than one-third of the state's GDP.[8] Home to a number of ancient relics, historic buildings,
religious pilgrimage spots, hill stations, forts, and three World Heritage Sites, Tamil Nadu's
tourism industry is the largest among the Indian states. 15% of Tamil Nadu's forests
are protected areas, hosting diverse wildlife. The Tamil film industry, nicknamed as Kollywood,
plays an influential role in the state's popular culture.

History
Main article: History of Tamil Nadu

Prehistory
Archaeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in the
Indian peninsula.[9] In Attirampakkam near Chennai, archaeologists from the Sharma Centre for
Heritage Education excavated ancient stone tools which suggest that a hominid population
existed in the Tamil Nadu region somewhere around 1,000 years before homo sapiens arrived
from Africa.[10][11] A Neolithic stone celt (a hand-held axe) with the Indus script on it was discovered
at Sembian-Kandiyur near Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu. According to epigraphist Iravatham
Mahadevan, this was the first datable artefact bearing the Indus script to be found in Tamil Nadu.
According to Mahadevan, the find was evidence of the use of the Harappan language, and
therefore that the "Neolithic people of the Tamil country spoke a Harappan language". The date
of the celt was estimated at between 1500 BCE and 2000 BCE.[12][13][14] In Adichanallur, 24 km
(15 mi) from Tirunelveli, archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed
169 clay urns containing human skulls, skeletons, bones, husks, grains of rice, charred rice,
and celts of the Neolithic period, 3,800 years ago.[15] The ASI archaeologists have proposed that
the script used at that site, Tamil Brahmi, is "very rudimentary" and date it somewhere between
the 5th century BCE and 3rd century BCE.[16][17] About 60 per cent of the total epigraphical
inscriptions found by the ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu, and most of these are in the Tamil
language.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] In Keezhadi near Madurai, excavations have revealed a large urban
settlement dating to the 6th century BCE, during the time of urbanisation in the Gangetic plain.
During this dig, some potsherds were uncovered with a script similar to Indus script, leading
some to conclude it was a transition between the Indus Valley script and Tamil Brahmi script
used in the Sangam period.[26]

Sangam period (500 BCE–300 CE)

Main articles: Sangam period, Tamilakam, and Sangam landscape

Keeladi, a Sangam Era Excavation Site, Sangam period[27]

The early history of the people and rulers of Tamil Nadu is a topic in Tamil literary sources known
as Sangam literature. Numismatic, archaeological and literary sources corroborate that the
Sangam period lasted for about eight centuries, from 500 BCE to 300 CE. The recent
excavations in Alagankulam archaeological site suggests that Alagankulam is one of the
important trade centers or port cities of the Sangam Era.[28]
Ancient Tamil Nadu contained three monarchical states, headed by kings called Vendhar and
several tribal chieftaincies, headed by the chiefs called by the general denomination Vel or Velir.
Still lower at the local level there were clan chiefs called kizhar or mannar.[29] The kings were
known as the Moovendar, the three crowned kings, and were the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas.
The Cheras controlled the western part of Tamilkam, what is today western Tamil Nadu and
Kerala. The Pandyas controlled the south, what is today southern Tamil Nadu. The Cholas had
their base in the Kaveri delta and controlled what is today northern Tamil Nadu. Although these
dynasties were never conquered by outside powers, there were still significant diplomatic
contacts between them and kingdoms to the north. They were mentioned on the pillars of
Ashoka.[30]
These rulers sponsored some of the earliest Tamil literature. The oldest Sangam work we have
knowledge of is the Tolkappiyam, a book of Tamil grammar. Most Sangam literature dealt with
themes of love and war. In these poems, a glimpse of Tamil society at the time can be glimpsed.
The land was fertile, and people pursued different occupations depending on what regions they
were in. Their gods included figures such as Seyyon and Kotravai, who were worshipped at
different places.[31] The rulers patronised Buddhism and Jainism, and starting in the CE period
references to Vedic customs begin to grow.[32]
Significant trade was also undertaken with the outside world. Much commerce from the Romans
and Han China converged in the Tamil region, and the seaports of Muziris and Korkai were very
popular destinations.[33] One of the most prized goods from Tamilkam was spices such as black
pepper, but other spices, pearls and silk were also widely traded there.[34]
Starting in 300, however, there was a significant drop in Sangam literature. Some have attributed
this to the Kalabhras, a dynasty which conquered much of Tamilkam during that time. Historians
have speculated these rulers were antagonistic towards the astika schools which were dominant
in later centuries, which is why later texts always portray their rule in a bad light, if at all.[35] During
their rule, Samanar traditions greatly impacted literature written during this time. Literacy was
widespread and epics such as the Cilappatikaram were written. The most prominent of these
works is the Tirukkuṟaḷ written by Valluvar, a collection of couplets covering all aspects of life
from ethics to love. This text is still treated with great reverence by those in the present-day.
[36]
 Around the 7th century CE, the Kalabhras were overthrown by the Pandyas and Cholas,[37] who
continued to patronise Buddhists and Jains before the Saiva and Vaishnava revivalism in
the Bhakti movement