Sivakasi

Sivakasi is a city and municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town is known for its fire cracker, match box and printing industries. The industries in Sivakasi employ over 25,000 people with an estimated turn over of ₹20 billion (US$260 million).

Sivakasi was established in the 15th century during the reign of the Pandya king Harikesari Parakkirama Pandian. The town was a part of Madurai empire and has been ruled at various times by the Later Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, Carnatic kingdom and the British Raj. The Sivakasi riots of 1899 took place during the British Raj here. Sivakasi has a dry weather, making it suitable for dry crops like cotton, chillies and millets. Badhrkali Amman temple is one of the most prominent landmarks of the town.

Population

According to the 2011 census of India, Sivakasi had a population of 71,040 with a sex-ratio of 1,009 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.