Current Time in Dindigul, India

Dindigul is a city in the interior of Tamil Nadu in southern India, lying between Madurai and Tiruchirappalli at the foot of the Sirumalai hills and within reach of the Palani range. The name is usually explained as a combination of two Tamil words meaning pillow and rock, a description of the great bare granite dome that rises abruptly from the plain in the middle of the town. The climate is hot and dry for much of the year, tempered by the northeast monsoon in the autumn months.

Around two hundred and twenty thousand people live in the city, which serves as the headquarters of a district known for agriculture and small industry. Dindigul has a distinctive economic identity built on three specialities. It is one of the leading centres of lock manufacturing in India, with hundreds of small workshops producing hand crafted padlocks that have been granted a geographical indication. It is a major hub of leather tanning and export. And it is famous throughout Tamil Nadu for its biryani, made with the small grained seeraga samba rice and a distinctive blend of spices, a dish that has spread from local eating houses to restaurants across the country.

The rock fort that dominates the town was built in the early seventeenth century by Muthu Krishnappa Nayak of Madurai, and it changed hands repeatedly over the following two hundred years, passing to the rulers of Mysore under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan before falling to the British. A steep climb leads past bastions and rock cut steps to the Abirami Amman temple at the summit and to a panorama over the town and the surrounding hills. Below the fort stands the Begumpur mosque, associated with the Mysore period, and the old town preserves a network of narrow market streets.

Dindigul district contains several places of pilgrimage and interest. The Kottai Mariamman temple and the Church of Our Lady of Dolours reflect the mixed religious life of the area, while the Sirumalai hills, a short drive away, are known for their cool air, coffee estates and a small local variety of banana. The celebrated hill station of Kodaikanal lies about two hours away by road, and Dindigul serves as an important gateway for travellers heading up into the Palani hills, as well as for pilgrims visiting the Murugan temple at Palani itself.

Rail and road connections are good, with the city on the main line between Madurai and Chennai and close to major highways. Local buses and shared vehicles serve the town and district.

Education has a long tradition here. The Gandhigram Rural Institute, founded nearby in the 1950s as an experiment in rural higher education inspired by Gandhian ideals, is now a deemed university, and there are several arts, science and engineering colleges.

Dindigul is popular with visitors for its fort, its markets, its food and its role as the doorway to the hills of western Tamil Nadu.