India’s southernmost Tamilnadu state is habitated with India’s oldest civilizations, the Dravidians, who pretty much escaped the Mughal influence that permeated so much of the cultural development in the north. Ruled predominantly by the powerful Chola, Pallava, and Pandyan dynasties, Dravidian culture flourished for more than a thousand years, developing a unique political and social hierarchy. Green and lush Coimbatore located in the western part of Tamilnadu is one of the best Indian industrial cities due to its climate and availability of resources. It is also turned out to be the gateway to some of the region’s best attractions, like near by Ooty and Kodaikanal which are one the best tourist places of India.
The people of Coimbatore are known for their hospitality, well educated and are very polite. The city is a multicultural society with large Tamil speaking community.
As the city shares its boundary with Kerala and Karnataka, a large number of Kerlaites and Kannada speaking people are also present. Apart from those, many other people like Badagas, Rajasthanis and Gujaratis are also found in large number. Most of the people are here because of the growth in industrial sector and availability of high class education.
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.
Cinema, shopping and carting are popular recreational activities. There is a golf club on the Pollachi Highway at Chettipalayam. The Kari Motor Speedway is a racing heaven for auto sport enthusiasts. The Kasturi Srinivasan Cultural Center exhibits rare arts and also has a textile museum. The G.D.Naidu Industrial exhibition at Avinashi Road is of great interest.
The city of Coimbatore was constituted as Municipality in the year 1866. Subsequently from 1981 it was constituted as a City Municipal Corporation. It has a population of 11 Lakhs (2001 census) and an extent of 105.5Sq. Km., the city is divided into 72 wards and these wards are grouped into four Zonal Ward Committees.
Basic amenities like road, water and drainage system are well maintained by the City Municipal Corporation. The Corporation is maintaining 66 km length of Concrete roads, 580km of metal and other roads. The National and State Highway department is maintaining 72km roads in side the Corporation limit.
There are 11 allopathic Dispensaries, 3 Ayurveda and 2 Siddha Dispensaries and 20 Urban Health Posts and 2 Maternity Center catering free service to the poor. In all the above dispensaries Minor ailments are treated with qualified Medical Officers and Para Medical Staff. Medicines are supplied to the needy patients free of cost in these Dispensaries free. Leprosy eradication is done in these centers by identifying affected person and free course of medicine supplied to these patients.
