Known as the town of three industries which are, Fire works and Printing, Sivakasi was named as Mini Japan by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Best known for its firework industry and offset printing machines of which it has the second largest number in the world, only next to Guthenburg in Germany, Sivakasi is the highest excise duties, sales tax paying industrial town in India.
When Hindus just hear the very name 'Kasi', it evokes religious sentiments with them. Kasi is a place where every devout Hindu is expected to visit once in his lifetime. Apart from that there are two other Kasi's in Tamil Nadu -Tenkasi (meaning the Southern Kaasi) located near Courtallam, close to Kerala and Sivakasi (Kassi of Siva) located at South of Madurai. It is interesting to note how Sivakasi came to be called so. The king, Ankesari Parakrama Pandyan ruled the southern region of Madurai, with his capital at Tenkasi. He wished to establish a Shiva temple at Tenkasi and he had planned to visit Kasi Varanasi to worship Lord Shiva there and bring a Linga from there.
