Udangudi is a Panchayat town in Toothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a small village in Tamil Nadu, India situated near Tiruchendur. The village was once known for Vetrilai (betal leaves) and Karupatti.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Udangudi had a population of 19,347. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Udangudi has an average literacy rate of 78%, very much higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78.25%, and female literacy is 77.85%.

There is a famous church called St. Mark's Church which was established by Rev. Gollab . the name udagudi means "drink together" which traces the history of the village that everybody there will always drink liquor at the central point of the village. Udangudi in British rule had railway line connected up to Tiruchendur. This railway line was laid primarily to take advantage of collecting the Palm Juice extraction going around Udangudi and British established a Jaggery Factory near Kulasekaran pattinam for export market. Unfortunately the factory became non-operational which resulted in non-usage of this railway line. The entire town is an example of secularism with population of Muslims, Christians, and Hindus distributed in equal proportions and the entire people live in harmony. T.D.T.A.HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL is the oldest school from which most people got educated. One more school Sri. Ramakrishna chidampareshwarer.Hr. Sec.School(sri.R.K.C) is also there.

Centre for Karuppatti

Years back Udangudi and its suburbs had a lot of Palmyrah groves, where the main occupation was to extract Palm Juice and prepare Karuppukatti or KarpagaKatti (Palm Jaggery, presumably karuppukatti is a transformed form for "Karumbukatti- sugar(cane)piece). More than a century back this centre was the place which catered to the Palm Jaggery requirements to the demands of South India and also Palm Jaggery requirements to several other countries where it was exported.

The name Udankudi might have been derived from two tamil words. "Udai" means the thorny firewood tree (Accacia Sp) which is abundant in that area. "Kudi" refers to a village or a human settlement. The two words when joined together its pronounced as "Undangudi".

Temples

There are several temples for Mutharamman, Suadali Madan and Ayyanar temples around Udangudi. Some of the famous Ayyanar temples are Alli Oothu Kal Aal Ayyanar, Pon vandu Ayyanar, Arunjunai Katha ayyanr located around Udangudi. In addition to that, Perumal koil of perumal sannathi street, and vennimalai aiyyan sastha koil are popular temple in udangudi.

References

Sri vettivel sasth(Ayyanar)in between Amarapuram and Sirunadarkudieruppu. The temple maintain by Yadava Caste people who are in Udangudi Kaattuvathattu Street. More people coming from Nanguneri, Thiruchendur, Bombay, Panagudi etc for prayer. The most powerful god Petchiamman Peedam also available and two years ones they are celebrating KODAI (thiruvizha). In the temple compound a tree available for more then 150 years old and no one knows the name of the tree, but, people calls as Atthi. Tree will produce flower but not seeds, leafs are small people are getting the leafs to their home and kept in pooja place.