The earliest references to Manimangalam in the outskirts of Tambaram are in relation to a battle fought between the Western Chalukya ruler Pulakesin II and the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I. The Rajagopala Perumal Temple is one of three Vishnu temples in the town and was constructed by the Medieval Cholas. The earliest inscriptions mentioning the temple are by Rajendra Chola I and have been dated to 1056 CE. Rajendra Chola I refers to the temple as Kamakoti-Vinnagar and Thiruvaykulam. Originally a camp for the British East India Company in the late 17th century during the Carnatic wars, Tambaram has its origins in a village of the same name which lay on the outskirts of Chennai city.
Demographics
According to 2011 census, Tambaram had a population of 174,787 with a sex-ratio of 963 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 17,535 were under the age of six, constituting 8,869 males and 8,666 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 15.16% and 0.92% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the city was 82.98%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The city had a total of 44,432 households. There were a total of 69,728 workers, comprising 305 cultivators, 385 main agricultural labourers, 663 in house hold industries, 62,011 other workers, 6,364 marginal workers, 143 marginal cultivators, 262 marginal agricultural labourers, 214 marginal workers in household industries and 5,745 other marginal workers. As per the religious census of 2011, Tambaram had 80.41% Hindus, 6.54% Muslims, 12.25% Christians, 0.09% Sikhs, 0.06% Buddhists, 0.4% Jains, 0.24% following other religions and 0.02% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.
Transport
Rail
The Chennai suburban railway network operates a suburban railway service from Chennai Beach to Tambaram. These lines were electrified as early as November 1931. Southern Railway has set up a coach terminal at Tambaram with pit lines for maintenance, stabling lines and additional platforms.
Road
Tambaram is part of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus network, with a bus shelter located outside the Tambaram Railway Station. A new bus terminus in Tambaram has been under construction since December 2010, when of land was allocated to the Metropolitan Transport Corporation to set up a bus terminus. Estimated to cost 56.7 million, it was originally scheduled to be completed by February 2012. When it is completed, the MTC is planning to use the new terminus to operate buses especially to fast-growing suburbs around Tambaram, like Mannivakkam and Ponmar. The second phase of the work is proposed to construct eight more bus shelters. A new flyover was completed in August 2011 connecting Velachery main Road, Tambaram–Mudichur Road and GST Road over the railway track.
Governance
Prior to 1964, Tambaram was a small panchayat. In 1964 it was constituted as a Grade III Municipality comprising the Village Panchayats of Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur. Due to rapid development and growth of the town commercially and residentially, the Municipality is now classified as a 'Selection Grade Municipality'. The extent of the municipality is 20.72 km2. The revenue villages under this municipality are Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur. The number of households is 26,333, the number of notified slums is 17 and the number of unnotified slums is 7. The Tambaram range comprises forest lands in Nanmangalam, Madurapakkam, Tambaram, Pulikoradu, Kumili, Vandalur, Onnamancherry, Erumaiyur, Vattampakkam and Vadakupattu. In 2009, Tambaram taluk was trifurcated into Tambaram, Sholinganallur and Alandur taluks. Clubbing all the three taluks, a new revenue division with Tambaram as headquarters was formed.
Tambaram municipality have a common under ground drainage system. A 1060 million UGD project has been commissioned but the residents' welfare associations has raised objections to sewage pumping station in the park in Amal Nagar, filing petitions at the Madras High Court.
Parks
With the opening of several parks such as Gandhi park in East Tambaram, muthurangam park in West Tambaram,Thirupur Kumaran park in Selaiyur and Krishna Nagar park and the creating of parks at Burma Colony and Bharathi Nagar, the number of parks within the municipality limits has increased to about 18. The park at Ganesh Nagar is currently being upgraded with a tiled footpath, a fountain, concrete seating arrangements, play equipment for children, lighting facilities, water taps and a garden with herbal plants. The Gandhi Park in East Tambaram underwent similar renovation and was opened to public in 2015.
Libraries
Tambaram has two major public libraries, the East Tambaram branch and West Tambaram branch.
