Elangakurichy is a traditional village in Tiruchirappalli district, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and it is located near Vaiyampatty, Manapparai and Tovarankurichchi. It is located almost at the geographic centre of the state, at a distance of 57 kilometres south-west of Tiruchirappalli and 53 kilometres north-east of Dindigul on national highway NH 45.
Etymology
Elangakurichy is believed to have been named sing a pure Tamil word (Elangakurichy = ilanga + Kurinji) which means 'grace or beauty of a mountainous area'. The first word ilanga means 'characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution', suggesting taste, ease, and wealth. The second word Kurinji means 'Mountainous region'.
Geography and Climate of village
Geography
Elangakurichy is located at Coordinates: 10°29'41"N, 78°20'4"E. It has an average elevation of 179 metres (564 feet). Elangakurichy covers and it is located near the Puthur hills as its southern border. To the northern side of the village is Azad Road; to the eastern side is Kavalkarapatti and to the western side is Vaiyampatti. Elangakurichy is a parent village to Iyan-rettiapatti and to Puthur. In contrast to Elangakurichy's mixed urban and rural atmosphere, the vast majority of the village is dominated by farms, forests, a pond and mountains.
Climate
The climate of Elangakurichy is tropical with little variation in summer and winter temperatures. While April–August is the hottest summer period, with the temperature rising to 38 °C, November–February is the coolest winter period with temperatures hovering around 22 °C, making the climate quite pleasant. Elangakurichy gets all its rain from the North-east Monsoons between October and December but recently rainy season is changing in entire tamilnadu due to global warming plus western ghats . Western ghats (located in Kerala ) absorb all the rainfall cyclones from bay of Bengal as well as Arabian sea . This is one of the main reason Tamilnadu not getting proper rainfall.
Demographics
According to the Census of India 2011, Elangakurichy had a population of 4214. Males constitute 49.55% of the population and females 50.45%.Female population is more due to non registry of NRI's.
According to the voter list of the Tamil nadu state government, 2011, over (76.15%) were muslims and the remaining 23.85% were Hindus.
Elangakurichy had an average literacy rate of 71.76%, lower than the national average of 74.04%; male literacy was 77.9%, and female literacy was 66.05%.
The village human sex ratio is 1009 females per 1,000 males. In 2001 census, female sex ratio is less than male. The main reason for increase in female sex ratio is non-inclusion of Non residents Indian (NRI) who went abroad for works. The real female sex ratio is dropped to 906 per 1000 males. Due to decreased female ratio, grooms are forced to search a bride outside the village circle.
Culture
Elangakurichy has multi-generational patriarchal joint families, although nuclear families are becoming common in the 21st century. An overwhelming number of villagers have their marriages arranged by their parents and other respected family members, with the consent of the bride and groom. Marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce rate is extremely low. Child marriage is not practiced in Elangakurichy.
Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as the sari and for women, and the vesti and for men; in addition, stitched clothes such as for women and European-style trousers and shirts for men, are also popular.
Cuisine
The staple foods in the village are rice and rice products. Early morning, after arising from sleep, they will drink dairy products like fresh milk, or tea with milk. They will eat a breakfast such as Idly, Dosai, appam, uthappam, Pal vilanga, Veg Thikkadi, Mutton Thikkadi, Idiyappam, Parotta paniyaram or puri. For lunch—normally rice with many of the vegetable curries and non-vegetable curries and poriyal ( boiled vegetable with chilly powder) too. Anam means a masal or mixture of food with water. Different type of are (chicken or mutton masal), (fish masal), , , (vegetable masal), (mutton masal with extra pepper), ≤ (mutton with turmeric), , , , . For dinner, villagers usually cook extra food similar to lunch and if there is any need, they will cook (a type of thin crisp pancake).
Special Food
Nowhere in Tamilnadu will cook pavakkai with meat. Only elangakurichy villagers are cooking pavakkai Anam with meat.