Life in Southern Plateaus of India

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is bounded by the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Indian Ocean to the south. It has both hills and coastal plains. Kanyakumari, the southernmost point of mainland India, is located here. The Kaveri is an important river here. The common varieties of trees found here are sal, rosewood, teak and sandalwood. Important occupations include fishing, farming and mining. Being on the coast, fishing is an important occupation. Farming of rice, sugarcane, groundnut and cotton is practised in its fertile plains; while its hilly areas are used for tea and coffee plantations. Tamil Nadu This state is rich in mineral resources, such as mica, iron ore and limestone. It has developed a large number of industries, such as computer parts, automobiles, chemicals and fertilizers. The well-known cottage industries of Tamil Nadu include firecrackers, silk and khadi sarees. The silk sarees of Kanchipuram and Madurai are popular the world over. Its film industry is called Kollywood. The people of Tamil Nadu devotedly adhere to customs and traditions. Rice is their staple diet. Idly, dosa, sambar, upma and vada are most popular dishes. The classical dance form, Bharatnatyam, is popular here. Pongal and other festivals are celebrated with fanfare. Bharatanatyam Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is a sea[1]port. Other important cities include Coimbatore, Madurai etc. It is famous for its holy places such as the Shiva Temple at Tiruchirapalli, the Rameshwaram Temple at Kanyakumari etc. Two hill stations located here are Udhagamandalam (Ooty) and Kodaikanal.