Thoothukudi district, Administrative district in coastal Tamil Nadu, India
Thoothukudi is an administrative district on the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu, stretching across flat, saline coastal plains marked by fishing villages and salt pans. The V.O. Chidambaranar Port forms the economic center, while Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli border it to the west and south.
The area has been a center of pearl diving trade for centuries, with the ancient port of Korkai trading with Arabia and Asia. The current district formed in 1986 from the division of Tirunelveli district while maintaining its role as a maritime trading hub.
The district centers on salt production, where vast evaporation ponds shape the coastal landscape and the daily work of fishers and salt workers define life here. Craft traditions of pearl diving and fishing remain visible in everyday labor and local markets today.
The best way to explore the region is by car or public buses along National Highways 45B and 7A, which connect major cities. Coastal areas are best visited during the dry season when roads are in better condition.
The salt pans dominate the entire region, creating a shimmering white landscape and salt-laden air that permeates daily life in ways visitors rarely expect. This industry shapes the visual identity and work rhythms of the entire area so thoroughly that locals see the salt harvest as central to who they are.
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