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History
The Tamilians believe that they are descended from the dark-skinned Indus Valley Dravidians and perhaps pushed southwards to escape the invading Aryans.
The hundreds of stone-carved grand temples that dot the landscape were built by the hugely powerful dynasties that ruled this area. The three most powerful families that vied for glory in the 1st to 13th centuries AD were the Cholas, the Pallavas and the Pandyas.
After falling briefly to Muslim invaders from the north, the south was re-stabilized as the Vijayanagar Empire who set up a glorious capital city in Hampi, present day Karnataka. Their generals were equally enterprising however and broke away from the rulers to establish their own dynasty. The Nayaks of Madurai did so much for temple architecture and the preservation of ancient carvings and sculptures that to date some visitors can identify with Marco Polo’s exclamation that this was "the most splendid province in the world".
More recently, the Europeans arrived at these shores first to trade and then to rule. Relics of a colonial legacy abound in French Pondicherry, Madras’ Fort St. George, and St. Mary’s Church.
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Economy
Agriculture is the mainstay of Tamil Nadu’s economy. The state produces sugarcane, groundnut, oilseeds, tea, spices, potato, cotton and bananas. It’s one of India’s most industrialised states with a booming industry in leather and textiles, both which India exports. Other industries include sugar, petrochemicals, railway rolling stock, engineering equipment and high precision tools.
The main industrial centre is the capital Chennai (formerly Madras), and the cities of Madurai (textiles) and Coimbatore. Chennai is an important port.
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