Kongu Nadu

Why in news?

• A list of new Union Cabinet ministers issued by the BJP recently triggered a debate in political circles in Tamil Nadu, as well as on social media, by referring to ‘Kongu Nadu’, the informal name for a region in the western part of the state.

About Kongu Nadu

• Kongu Nadu, also called Kongu Mandalam and Kongu belt, is a geographical region comprising present day parts of south-western Tamil Nadu, southeastern Karnataka and eastern Kerala.
• In the ancient Tamilakam, it was the seat of the Chera kings, bounded on the east by Tondai Nadu, on the south-east by Chola Nadu and on the south by Pandya Nadu regions.
• In the present state of Tamil Nadu, the term is informally used to refer to a region that includes the districts of Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Karur, Namakkal and Salem, as well as Oddanchatram and Vedasandur in Dindgul district, and Pappireddipatti in Dharmapuri district.
• The Western Ghats Mountain range passes through the region with major rivers Kaveri, Bhavani, Amaravati and Noyyal flowing through the region. Palghat Gap, a mountain pass connects the neighboring state of Kerala to the region.
• Kongu Tamil (Kongalam or Kongapp echu) is the dialect of Tamil language that is spoken in Kongu Nadu.
• The region includes prominent businesses and industrial hubs at Namakkal, Salem, Tirupur and Coimbatore.

Prelims Question

Consider the following statements  regarding Kongu Nadu, recently in news:
1.It  mostly comprises Eastern Districts of Tamil Nadu.
2.It was the strong hold of Chola Kings in Sangam period.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question