{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2018}} <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities for details --> {{Infobox settlement | name = Ayodhyapattinam | native_name = | native_name_lang = | other_name = | nickname = | settlement_type = Panchayat town | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | pushpin_map = India Tamil Nadu | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu, India | coordinates = {{coord|11|40|18|N|78|14|21|E|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = India | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Tamil Nadu | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Salem | established_title = <!-- Established --> | established_date = | founder = | named_for = | government_type = | governing_body = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_rank = | area_total_km2 = 9.6 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 328 | population_total = 11517 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_footnotes = | demographics_type1 = Languages | demographics1_title1 = Official | demographics1_info1 = Tamil | timezone1 = IST | utc_offset1 = +5:30 | postal_code_type = <!-- PIN --> | postal_code = | registration_plate = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Ayodhyapattinam''' is a panchayat town in Vazhapadi taluk of Salem district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the 31 panchayat towns in the district. Spread across an area of {{cvt|9.6|km2}}, it had a population of 11,517 individuals as per the 2011 census. The panchayat was named after the city of Ayodhya.
== Etymology == The panchayat was named after the city of Ayodhya.<ref>{{cite web|date=15 May 2017|title=Ayothipattinam Ramar temple pattabishekam|url=https://www.maalaimalar.com/devotional/worship/2017/05/15120640/1085335/ayothiyapattinam-ramar-temple-pattabhishekam.vpf|access-date=21 September 2024|work=Maalaimalar|lang=ta}}</ref> The word "Ayodhya" is a regularly formed derivation of the Sanskrit verb ''yudh'', "to fight, to wage war".<ref>{{cite web |title=yudh – KST (Online Sanskrit Dictionary) |url=https://kosha.sanskrit.today/word/en/yudh?q=yudh |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405025128/https://kosha.sanskrit.today/word/en/yudh?q=yudh |archive-date=5 April 2023 |access-date=11 June 2022 |work=Kosha}}</ref>{{sfn|Kunal|2016|p=2}} This meaning is attested by the ''Atharvaveda'', which uses it to refer to the unconquerable city of gods.{{sfn|Bakker|1982|p=103}}
== Geography and administration == Ayodhyapattinam is located in Vazhapadi taluk of Salem district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cra.tn.gov.in/tn_gvillages.pdf|title=Villages of Tamil Nadu|work=Government of Tamil Nadu|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> Spread across an area of {{cvt|9.6|km2}},<ref name="Pop">{{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/india/tamilnadu/salem/3340833000__ayothiapattinam/|title=Ayodhyapattinam|work=Citypopulation.de|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> it is one of the 31 panchayat towns in the district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tn.gov.in/dtp/townpanchayats.pdf|title=Town panchayats in Tamil Nadu|work=Government of Tamil Nadu|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> The town panchayat is headed by a chairperson, who is elected by the members, who are chosen through direct elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://knowindia.india.gov.in/profile/local-government.php|title=Local Government|publisher=Government of India|access-date=1 January 2023|page=1|archive-date=4 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004071216/https://knowindia.india.gov.in/profile/local-government.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The town forms part of the Yercaud Assembly constituency that elects its member to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and the Salem Lok Sabha constituency that elects its member to the Parliament of India.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/pitched-battle-on-the-cards/article8571920.ece|title=Pitched battle on the cards|work=The Hindu|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.elections.tn.gov.in/web/pslist/english/Salam_eng.pdf|title=Polling stations in Salem district|work=Election Commission of India|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
==Demographics== As per the 2011 census, Ayodhyapattinam had a population of 11,541 individuals across 2,982 households.<ref name="Census">{{cite report|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/api/tables/data/2011/PC11_PCA-TV/255?_source=dt&labels=indicator&state=33&district=608&subdistrict=5742&town_village=803470&geo_level=4&format=csv|title=Geo level data: Census of India 2011|access-date=1 June 2025|publisher=Census Commission of India}}</ref> The population saw a marginal increase compared to the previous census in 2001 when 9,941 inhabitants were registered. The population consisted of 5,726 males and 5,791 females.<ref name="Pop"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=16 June 2004|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=1 June 2008|publisher=Census Commission of India}}</ref> About 1,002 individuals were below the age of six years.<ref name="Census"/> About 12.8% of the population belonged to scheduled castes. The entire population is classified as urban. The town has an average literacy rate of 79%.<ref name="Pop"/><ref name="Census"/>
About 46.5% of the eligible population were employed, of which majority were involved in agriculture and allied activities.<ref name="Pop"/><ref name="Census"/> Hinduism was the majority religion which was followed by 97.2% of the population, with Christianity (1.7%) and Islam (0.7%) being minor religions.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11392/download/14505/DDW33C-01%20MDDS.XLS|title=Religion: Census of India 2011|access-date=1 June 2025|publisher=Census Commission of India}}</ref> Kodandaramaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. The temple is said to have been consecrated by Bharadvaja and later expanded by the Adhiyaman kings. The Gopura of the temple was built by the Madurai Nayaks.<ref name="Temple">{{cite web|url=https://www.india.com/travel/articles/sri-kodandapani-ramar-temple-in-tamil-nadu-7-interesting-facts-you-should-know-this-ram-navami-3230278/|title=Sri Kodandapani Ramar temple in Tamil Nadu: 7 interesting facts you should know this Ram Navami|work=India.com|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> As per Hindu mythology, Rama, while returning from Lanka after defeating Ravana, stayed in the Bharadvaja ashram which was located here along with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Bharadvaja wanted to see the pattabisheka of Rama and Rama gave a darshan to the Bharadvaja, and he consecrated the idol of Rama.<ref name="Temple"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
===Bibliography=== * {{cite journal |last=Bakker |first=Hans T. |author-link=Hans T. Bakker |year=1982 |title=The rise of Ayodhya as a place of pilgrimage |url=https://archive.org/details/AyodhyaAsPageOfPilgrimageHTBakker_201801/page/n0 |journal=Indo-Iranian Journal |volume=24 |number=2 |pages=103–126 |doi=10.1163/000000082790081267 |s2cid=161957449 }} * {{cite book |last=Kunal |first=Kishore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gKKaDAAAQBAJ |title=Ayodhya Revisited |publisher=Ocean |year=2016 |isbn=978-81-8430-357-5 |author-link=Kishore Kunal}}
Category:Cities and towns in Salem district