Virajpet

The town of Virajpet also spelled as Virajapete is the second town of the district of Kodagu, in Karnataka. It is the main town of the Virajpet taluka, south of the district, in the Kerala-Karnataka border. The name is an abbreviation of Virarajendrapete after the former ruler of Kodagu, Virarajendra.

Virajpet

Virajendrapete
town
Virajpet
Location in Karnataka, India
Virajpet
Virajpet (India)
Coordinates: 12.2°N 75.8°E / 12.2; 75.8
Country India
StateKarnataka
DistrictKodagu
Established1792
Founded byDodda Virarajendra
Government
 • BodyVirajpet Town Panchayat
 • PresidentT. R. Sushmitha
 • Vice-PresidentK. B. Harshavardhan
Area
 • Total8.26 km2 (3.19 sq mi)
Elevation
909 m (2,982 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total17,246
 • Density2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialKannada[2]
 • RegionalKodava, Are Bhashe, Tulu, Malayalam
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
571 218
Telephone code08274
ISO 3166 codeIN-KA
Vehicle registrationKA-12
Websitewww.virajpettown.mrc.gov.in

History

The name "Virajpet" is a shorter version of previous name "Virarajendrapet", named after the Haleri King Dodda Virarajendra who founded the town in 1792.[3] He founded the town to commemorate his meeting with General Robert Abercromby, his ally against Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, in 1791. It was the headquarters of Yedenalknad taluk.[4]

Demographics

Virajpet town has a population of 17,246 as per the 2011 Census of India. The number of males was 8,724 and females 8,522, thus a gender ration of 977 females to 1,000 males.[5] Virajpet's literacy rate is 93.12 per cent[5]—significantly higher than the national average of 74.04 per cent. The rate among males was 94.75 per cent and 91.46 per cent in females. 1,641 in number, 9.52 per cent of the population fall in the under-6 age group.[5]

Civic administration
Virajpet Town officials[6]
President T. R. Sushmitha
Vice-President K. B. Harshavardhan

The Virajpet Town Panchayat is the municipality in charge of the civic and infrastructural assets of the town. Virajpet has a town area of 8.26 km2 (3.19 sq mi).[1] The municipal council consists of 18 elected representatives, called councillors, one from each of the 18 wards (localities) of the town.[7] A councillor from the majority party is selected as a President.

For elections to the Lok Sabha, Virajpet falls under the Mysore constituency. Prior to revision of the constituencies by the Delimitation commission in 2008, the town came under Mangalore constituency.[8] For elections to the State Legislative Assembly, the town falls under the constituency that, apart from the town, includes the surrounding villages, and sends one member to the assembly.

Transportation

The nearest railway stations are Thalassery and Kannur in Kerala, at a distance of 80 km each. Hassan and Mysore are other nearest Railway stations in Karnataka, at a distance of 138 km and 105 km respectively.

The nearest airports are Kannur International Airport in Kerala and Mangalore International Airport. Kannur International Airport is at a distance of 59 km from Virajpet and Mangalore International Airport is at a distance of 172 km from Virajpet. Iritty in Kerala is the nearest town and it is about 41 km away from here. There are frequent bus services operated by Kerala RTC as well as Karnataka RTC.

See also

References
  1. "Virajpet Town Panchayat About Us". virajpettown.mrc.gov.in. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. "THE KARNATAKA OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1963" (PDF). Government of Karnataka. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  3. "A melting pot of cultures". Deccan Herald. 19 December 2011. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  4. Rice, Lewis (1878). "History of Coorg". Mysore and Coorg, A Gazetteer compiled for the Government, Volume 3, Coorg. Bangalore: Mysore Government Press. p. 423.
  5. "Virajpet Population Census 2011". census2011.co.in. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  6. "Council Members". Virajpet Town Panchayat. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  7. "Delimitation of Wards" (PDF). virajpettown.mrc.gov.in. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  8. "Kodagu voters end up in Mysore". Business Standard. 22 April 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
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