Located in the foothills of the NIlgiri, Coimbatore is an industrial city of Tamil Nadu. This important little city has 816,321 inhabitants as of 2001. An important textile and manufacturing centre, Coimbatore has been referred to as the 'Manchester of South India'. The city's history dates back to 2nd century AD, when it was a tribal village called Kongunad. It was when the British invaded India that its name of Kongunad was changed to its present name: Coimbatore. Rich soils made this city flourish in the agriculture industry, with cotton at the top of the market. Nowadays there are over a hundred cotton mills located in Coimbatore, making this strong economy very welcoming to migrants moving here for employment.
To make a city flourish, education should be a top-priority, set at the highest of standards-- a known fact in Coimbatore, a motivated city. With many specialty colleges throughout Coimbatore, engineering, arts & science law, nursing and medical education have all made this city popular for Indian students. Outside of the city limits are several spectacular waterfalls. The Siruvani is a tour company that takes you into its mineral-rich waterfalls, which holds some of the best drinking water in India. With a moderate winter and a beautiful long summer, Coimbatore is a place of fresh breeze and festivals. The Indian calendar is a lengthy list of festivals, and if you're here at the right time, Southern India can have a festival happening on each day. An experience that brings many foreigners to this part of India is the practice of "Asanas", or also known as "Yoga". It is an ancient past time of the Indian people, used not only for physical exercise, but more importantly for uniting mind, body and soul-- to reach a peaceful balance in life. A notable characteristic of the people of Coimbatore, as it's uniquely smoother and less chaotic than other Indian cities.