Royapuram is a locality in the northern part of the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is best known for its beach, and for Royapuram Railway Station. The station is the first railway station of South India, opening in 1856, and is today the oldest surviving railway station of the Indian subcontinent.[1]

Royapuram
neighbourhood
Royapuram fishing harbour
Royapuram fishing harbour
Royapuram is located in Chennai
Royapuram
Royapuram
Royapuram is located in Tamil Nadu
Royapuram
Royapuram
Royapuram is located in India
Royapuram
Royapuram
Coordinates: 13°06′15″N 80°17′37″E / 13.10403°N 80.29366°E / 13.10403; 80.29366
CountryIndia
StateTamil Nadu
DistrictChennai
MetroChennai
Languages
 • OfficialTamil
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
600 013
Vehicle registrationTN-04

History

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The region existed as a well known settlement during the Chola times, but the name Royapuram is derived from a Tamil appellation for St. Peter, Royappa, in connection with St. Peter's Church in the area.[2] The region was originally called Rayarapuram named after the Rayar Kings who rules down South. It is also believed that the British / Anglo Indians settled in this locality were called Rayars, which lent the name Rayarpuram.[3]

From the 14th century, the erstwhile Vijayanagara Rulers[4] controlled this region till the Madras land grant to Francis Day.[5][6]

 
Royapuram Railway Station, opened in 1856

Royapuram Railway Station was the first railway station constructed in South India and second railway line in South Asia. The first train service commenced in 1856 from here to Arcot, the then capital of the Carnatic region.[7]

Politics

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Royapuram vote
by alliance in assembly elections
Year All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)
2006 53.3% 50,647 39.1% 37,144
2001 56.8% 44,465 39.3% 30,753
1996 35.4% 27,485 57.8% 44,893
1991 59.0% 46,218 37.8% 29,565
1989* 8.0% 6,532 46.0% 37,742
1984 50.3% 40,727 48.7% 39,432
1980 49.1% 36,455 50.3% 37,390
1977 31.3% 22,626 33.5% 24,217

State assembly politics

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Lok Sabha politics

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Royapuram assembly constituency is part of Chennai North (Lok Sabha constituency).[8]

References

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  1. ^ "The train to Royapuram". Mint. 25 May 2012. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ Muthiah, S. (11 September 2011). "Madras miscellany". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  3. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (6 July 2022). "Watch | Inside India's oldest, surviving railway station". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 July 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ Krishnamachari, Suganthy (21 August 2014). "Madras is not alien". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  5. ^ "District profile - Chennai district administration- official website". Chennai.tn.nic.in. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  6. ^ C S Srinivasachari (1939). History of the City of Madras. pp. 63–69.
  7. ^ "The South's first station". The Hindu. Chennai. 26 February 2003. Archived from the original on 2 July 2003. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  8. ^ "List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Tamil Nadu. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2008.