Coimbatore, sometimes shortened as Kovai (IPA: [koːʋaj] ), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbatore is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu after Chennai in terms of population and the 16th largest urban agglomeration in India as per the census 2011. It is the administrative capital of Coimbatore District and is administered by the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation which was established in 1981.
The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during the Sangam period between the 1st and the 4th centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the west coast and Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore was located along the ancient trade route Rajakesari Peruvazhi that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu in South India. The medieval Cholas conquered the Kongu Nadu in the 10th century CE. The region was ruled by Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century followed by the Nayaks who introduced the Palayakkarar system under which Kongu Nadu region was divided into 24 Palayams. In the later part of the 18th century, the Coimbatore region came under the Kingdom of Mysore and following the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Anglo-Mysore Wars, the British East India Company annexed Coimbatore to the Madras Presidency in 1799. The Coimbatore region played a prominent role in the Second Poligar War (1801) when it was the area of operations of Dheeran Chinnamalai.
In 1804, Coimbatore was established as the capital of the newly formed Coimbatore district and in 1866, it was accorded municipality status with Robert Stanes as its chairman. The city experienced a textile boom in the early 19th century due to the decline of the cotton industry in Mumbai. Post Independence, Coimbatore has seen rapid growth due to industrialisation and is one of the largest exporters of jewellery, wet grinders, poultry and auto components; the "Coimbatore Wet Grinder" and the "Kovai Cora Cotton" are recognised as Geographical Indications by the Government of India. Being a hub of textile industry in South India, the city is referred to as the "Manchester of South India".
Coimbatore was ranked the best emerging city in India by India Today in the 2014 annual survey, fourth among Indian cities in investment climate by Confederation of Indian Industry and 17th among the top global outsourcing cities by Tholons. Coimbatore has been selected as one of the Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT by Government of India. Coimbatore regularly features among the top ten best cities to live in India and is amongst the safest cities in India for women according to National Crime Records Bureau report in 2015.
When visiting Coimbatore, taste the Food & Siruvani Water. Coimbatore is an ideal stop to rest while on the way to Ooty, Bangalore or Kerala. Sample the best of South Indian Idlis, Dosas, Vada, Chutney and vegetarian rice meal from the Annapoorna Chain of Veg Restaurants, Shree Anandhaas Chain of Veg Restaurants, Aaryaas Veg Restaurant and non-vegetarian food from Kovai Biriyani Hotel, Angannan's, Anjappar, Sampoorna, Rayappas and Thalappas restaurants. Try Krishna Sweets, too, the sweets chain started in this town. Western coffee pubs and fast food outlets Subway, Domino's, Pizza Hut, Baskin Robbins, Marry Brown, Barista, Cafe Coffee Day, and Boomerang are present, too.
Liquor cannot be found in the department stores or malls. It is regulated by the state government of Tamil Nadu and available through retail outlets controlled by state-owned body TASMAC and in some star hotels and bars. These shops usually close around 22:00, and it is hard to find an overnight party house in the city.
Siruvani water in Coimbatore is considered one of the tastiest natural unprocessed waters on the planet.
ATMs are available throughout the city, with most concentrated in the commercial areas like R.S.Puram, Trichy Road and Avanashi Road.
Shopping in Coimbatore is concentrated in the areas of RS Puram, Cross-Cut Road and the Town Hall Area (Oppanakara St, Big Bazaar St, Raja St). Coimbatore, known as the Manchester of South India, is famous for textiles. Shops sell Kanchivaram, Benares and designer sarees at Cross-Cut Road. Coimbatore is also known for its numerous jewellery stores situated along Cross-Cut Road and Town Hall Area. Lee, Arrow, United Colors of Benetton, Levi’s, Reebok, Adidas, Puma, Crocodile, etc. have retail outlets in D.B. Road. There are several huge textile showrooms in the city (RmKV, Pothys, The Chennai Silks, Shree Devi Textiles, Sri Ganapathy silks, Kalyan Sarees, PSR Silks) that sell ethnic wear for the whole family.
Brookefields Mall in Brooke Bond Road is the biggest shopping mall in Coimbatore has branded shops for cloths, apparels, foot wears, eateries (including KFC), cloth showrooms (RmKV), etc. It has a six-screen multiplex cinema.
Nilgiris is South India’s leading chain of retail stores. They have an outlets in R.S. Puram and at Trichy Road. They stock most of the up-market food items like frozen and tinned foods, offering a wide range of grocery, general merchandise and personal-care products. They also offer Gouda, Colby, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Havarti, Feta, Haloumi and Camembert cheeses made by Acres Wild Cheesemaking Farm, which is in Coonoor.
Sri Krishna Sweets specializes in Indian sweets and is famous for its Mysurpa (a sweet made from lentil flour and ghee).
The city has six major arterial roads and three National Highways, NH-47 (Kanyakumari-Salem), NH-67 (Nagapattinam-Ooty) and NH-209 (Bangalore-Dindigul) passing through the city. The city has a civil airport at Peelamedu and an Air Force base at Sulur. Broad-gauge trains connect it to all parts of India. A bypass tollway was built to avoid unnecessary traffic into the city.
Getting around Coimbatore is easy. There are public transport buses, auto rickshaws and plenty of taxis available. The minimum charge for cabs is ₹40 and ₹16/₹12 per kilometre for different operators. Public transport is available through buses operated by the state-owned TNSTC and other private operators.
Coimbatore, also known as Kovai is known for its various industries, engineering goods, textile mills, educational institutions, health care facilities, pleasant weather, friendly culture and hospitality. There is a significant minority of people of North and West Indian origin in Coimbatore, making it cosmopolitan. The Tamil spoken here is called Kongu Tamil. Other languages spoken include English, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. The citizens are friendly and courteous. It has pleasant, moderate weather throughout the year, with the exception of summer, and so, is similar to a resort town. It is an information-technology hub with new initiatives from the state government. Coimbatore is an orthodox city. It has developed in terms of wealth, however the general populace is still down to earth. People here don't have a flashy lifestyle. Most of all the Coimbatoreans are known for the respect displayed in language towards everyone.
