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Coimbatore was populated with Kamma Naidus and Gounders. With their hardwork, they grew Cotton in the Black Cotton Soil. Since the cotton growth was high, the British started the first Cotton Mill 1888.
Due to location of Coimbatore opposite the western ghat in Palghat, the climate of Coimbatore is cool around the year and best suited for cotton growing and cotton spinning.
The development of Hydro Electricity from Pykara falls in the 1930's led to the installation of pumps and increased cotton cultivation in Coimbatore. Due to availability of cotton in large quantity, many cotton mills were started then.
This gave rise to starting of engineering industries to produce spares for the cotton mills and then the machinery, followed by production of pumps & motors. Due to these then the city was called Manchester of South India and Detroit of South India etc.
The term Kongu means honey or nectar of flowers. The Kongu country had vast stretches of forests. It was believed to be rich in honey or nectar of flowers and hence it came to be known as the Kongu. The people who lived in that part of the Tamil country were called as Kongars.
The ancient Kongu country extended upto River Kaveri in Mysore. The people of this region identified themselves by either wearing garlands of distinct flowers or by having the totem of an animal or a bird. They especially wore garlands of Kongam flowers (Cochlo spermum Gossypium).
The ancient Kongunadu comprised of the Southern Mysore region. The Kongu country had distinct physical features. After the Kongar occupied the modern Coimbatore region the Kongu country extended upto the parts of the present Kerala The upland parts of the Kongu country had general elevations of over 3000 feet.
The general slope of this region was towards south - east as indicated by the course of the rivers Kaveri and Kabini. It was the rain shadow region and the climate was highly variable in character. This difference in rainfall was reflected in the vegetation.
The forest region of Kongunadu belonged to the deciduous forest classification.
The only fertile and alluvial plain of the ancient Kongu was the central part of the plateau where the river Kaveri and Kabini flow. This part was called as Punnadu - the land of water.
The Kongu country consisted of a mass of hills on the east between 3000 and 3700 feet high. The Anamalai hills formed the southern boundry of the Kongu country.
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