Sunday, September 30, 2007

My Village



Have you ever wandered under the shadow of Sal trees,where the wind carries the scent of wild flowers,where silence is broken only by the rustling leavesand the enchanting twitter innumerable birds...
Where you have enough peace to discover your place in the overall plan of Mother Nature.The Nature Village offers an ideal retreat to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature.


And that’s my small beautiful village..........SUNDARAPANDIPURAM. My village Sundarapandiapuram is a panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Sundarapandiapuram had a population of 7705. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Sundarapandiapuram has an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 56%. In Sundarapandiapuram, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
I can say my personality shaped during the formative years, here. It taught me the way of living a simple life irrespective of the money I have. It taught me to love nature. Our nature walks are conducted in breathtaking locales and allow one the chance to get away from the mundane life and enjoy the serenity of nature. The peace and quiet of the nature walks in the picturesque locales allows us to rejuvenate yourself. The soothing experience is well worth the effort and the can be quite a meditative experience. The walks allow you a chance to introspect and truly make you feel one with nature. This experience is heightened by the wealth of bird and animal life that are found near the village... Step into a new world where you will discover lush green fields with a spurt of fresh, cool air on your face in our village The natives of this fertile state practice agriculture as their chief profession, relish a carefree walk along the astonishing lakes, witness the picturesque landscapes, and indulge yourself in the culture, traditions and vivid rituals of the villages the colors of life -joy, greenery, peace, hospitability and a vibrant environment one can get a sense of the regal lifestyle and be treated in a royal manner.
Our unique nature walk lets you appreciate the full beauty of nature as our experienced naturalists tell you all the intriguing aspects of the area that you wish to discover. The walks not only help one relax in the sylvan surroundings, but also help identify the role of different plant and animal species for an all round interpretation of harmony of nature. Give your self a break where you literally stop by the wayside to smell the flowers. The hospitable village folk leave no stone unturned to bring a gleeful smile on your face. Travel the countryside and enjoy the sights with your family in a traditional bullock cart…that’s were you can really enjoy the journey. There's nothing quite as healthy and exciting as a bicycle ride through the countryside breathing in its fresh, bracing air........
Games from the Memory Chest Spinning the top - (the bey blade as we knew it!), gilli danda, marbles, hop is a whole host of games that we have forgotten how to play! Re kindles your memories and brings those old joys to life again. you can also learn and indulge in traditional arts and crafts like pottery, rangoli, garland making, basket weaving and moreâ.
Indoor games from the traditional Indian folk games like Pallankuzhi, to board games like Chess, Draughts, dominoes, caroms, ludo and more, you have an array of ways to have a great time indoors.
The entrance is typically decorated with Kolam (designs made by hand with rice powder). This tradition of drawing Kolam is a part of an age-old system. The Kolam supposedly provides food for ants and birds. Drawing big type of kolams before temple and home is a wonderful experience.
The ornaments, which are most common to this part of south India are the oddiyaanam (gold waist belt), vanki (armlet) and jimiki (eardrop The necklace of mangoes, the maangaamaalai, stunning in appearance, consists of stone-studded gold mangoes strung together with a huge pendant of encrusted peacocks. The basic jewel for a married woman is the thaali or mangalasuthra-the marriage talisman. First tied on string and then replaced by a gold chain, the important part of the thaali is the pendant, whose design is determined by the community to which the woman belongs. Besides gold chains of various designs, the gold-coin necklace, the kaasumaalai, is typical of my village.

Tirunelveli District, the penultimate southern most district of Tamil Nad, is described as a microcosm of the State. The district has diverse geographical and physical features such as lofty mountains and low plains, rivers and cascades, seacoast and thick inland forest, sandy soils and fertile alluvium, a variety of flora, fauna, and protected wild life.
The glory of Tirunelveli District is the pride of Tamils. The crawling clouds on the Western Ghats, the picturesque Pothigai hills and the Courtallam water falls are the special features which make Tirunelveli unique. The district consists of all the five geographical divisions referred to in Tamil literature. The Western Ghats form the Kurinji (Mountainous) region; the Kalakkadu and Mundanthurai forests form the Mullai (Forest) region; the lands watered by the Tamiraparani and other rivers fall under Marudham (Paddy fields); the Radhapuram sea coast is its Neithal land (coastal) and the teri land forms the Palai (desert) region. The district is dotted with centres of natural beauty, pilgrimage, architectural eminence and memorials to great warriors of Indian independence

Origin of Tamiraparani

The Tamiraparani originates from the peak of the Periya Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats above Papanasam in the Ambasamudram taluk..

The meaning and origin of the name Tamiraparani is reasoned out differentlythe meaning of the name Tamiraparani in itself is sufficiently clear, but its application in this connection is far from being self-evident. Tamara means, red, parani means parana, a tree which has leaves. Tamiraparani might, therefore mean a tree with red leaves, but, this is a strange derivation for, the name of a river and the ideas naturally suggest itself that some events or legends capable of explaining the name lies beyond........
Tenkasi is a big town in Tirunelveli District of TamilNadu. Its situated near the foothills of the Western Ghats. The famous Water Falls Coutrallam gains much popularity to the town. Tenkasi is noted for its Ulagamman Temple and its Shiva Temple. The Ulagamman temple was built by Parakrama Pandian, but was shattered by lightning. Sivanthi Adithan and others re-instated it. Now it was repainted by the same for new look
The plan, architecture and sculpture of the Visvanatha temple stand as tangible proof of the genius and skill of the later Pandya artists. They had not only preserved the ancient traditions but had added new innovative features as revealed by the Maha gopuram, the monolithic pillar sculptures and the musical pillars found in the Bali Mandapam is a gem by itself. , an awe-inspiring figure and the rare and elegant mani festation of Krishna as Madana gopalan, playing the flute and charming the world like Madana.The two sets of musical pillars found in the Tenkasi temple are another notable feature. The temple has a collection of exquisite bronzes which include the image of Parakrama Pandyan, the builder of the temple and a very impressive Kankalamurti. They prove that the artists of this region were experts in making icons also. Tenkasi (south kasi) is also famous for (saral) drizzling. May-August is a right time to enjoy the drizzling climate in Tenkasi.
Beside all this tourist favorite Coutrallam water falls is near to that district.

COURTALLAM
Kuttralam - a famous waterfall in South Tamilnadu. The river Tamaraparini rises in the Podhigai hills and flows across the rocks, becoming the Kuttralam, before flowing through the plains and emptying at the Bay Of Bengal. It is a famous health resort. Every year June to September we can enjoy the falls season. It contains lot of herbs were you would feel like having deertham of kovil....
In all, there are 4 major sections of the Kuttralam waterfall area. Kuttralam - a famous waterfall in South Tamilnadu It is an excellent health resort. The picturesque surroundings with the backdrops of cloud capped spurs of the Western Ghats lend an unusual charm to the falls. The rapturous scene of the falls gets heightened by the cool breeze that wafts during seasonal months (June to September) along with intermittent drizzle and sunlight. There are eight places where water pours down torrentially with varying velocity and force according to the height of the precipice. They are Main Falls, Five Falls, the Shenbhaga Falls, the Tiger Falls, old Courtallam Falls, Honey Falls, Orchard falls and Sitraruvi.
Visitors to this place like to have bath in these falls from dawn to dusk. One can have bath at anytime in a day and one would not get sneezing or cold as the water is said to possess medicinal qualities of the herbal plants grown in this mountain. Those suffering from rheumatic joints, chronic headache, and nerve disorder get cured by a lengthy stay at Courtallam.

And Near Ambasamudram sivasailam is my husband's place. SIVASAILAM and nandi is very famous with mythological evidence.
Here morning starts with fresh bath, thick filter coffee were we can enter a different world…is one of the best hot drinks that we can drink, then praying god for the day ahead. To see the sanidhi of the temple with diyas and fresh flowers seen near the god. This view is like a feast to our eyes. It seems as god has come in front of us n he is giving showers of blessings. But nowadays not only me, but even my kids and all young generation are missing this village life….

25 comments:

Rajeev S said...

when i read your post, it took me back to my childhood days... the village life, ofcourse not in the beautiful tirunalveli dist.. but near the venice of the east, Alappuzha... There is lot to write when i think of my childhood, especially the innocence of village life, which is a rare commodity these days of globalization...

the post brought out right from the real statistics to the virtual feel of sundarapandipuram, the way you saw it..

Anonymous said...

good work.. Sundarapandiapuram is god's own village...

Anonymous said...

Hey, would mind telling who is your father? Since I'm from SPPuram would like to know more about you

Anonymous said...

Good details about SP Puram and be proud to be native of the village from North street. More details may be compiled!!! Hope from my name and street guess who I am???

Shyam said...

This is Shyam writing from sppuram. I am with subamani mama(my dad) reading this blog and he is very happy to see the details. Keep in touch.

Wandering Monk said...

Happy to read about SP Puram. I am Aruhn, son of Lakshmi, called SRL, who is the daughter of RamaIyer / Gomathi. My aunty is Mrs. Loga, and uncle Mr.Narayanan. The home was in the teppakulam street.I have spent countless holidays there in SP Puram as a kid, love the place.. Cant forget the Calm of Rajagopalaswami Temple, Amman Koil its paintings, chatram, teppam / ter festivals.. the simplicity and freshness of people, arasa mara kaatu near teppakulam..my grand parents..so on..Curious to know if the same old SP Puram is still intact...

Anusha said...

Very nice... I am a total stranger to this lovely place.. However, am keen on buying property and settling down here.. Can anyone help me out??

Ramamurthy said...

Dear Anusha,

I too like you a stranger to Sundarapandiyapuram till couple of months of back when I went to celebrate Diwali with my in-laws. Jayshree has literally painted the beautiful Sundarapandiyapuram in her note. The village is very beautiful with lot of green wherever you see. People are very good and helpful. I too have plans to settle down in a village like Sundarapandiyapuram. The only problem is the medical facility. For any emergency, you need to run to Tenkasi and then to Tirunelveli for any major illness. The place is very good for post-retirement.

Any how best of luck for your decision to buy a house in Sundarapandiapuram.

Ramamurthy Ramasubramanian
Ahmedabad

Unknown said...

Hi,My grandfather Sankar Iyer and Grandma Lakshmi[known as Azhagu,'cos she was so beautiful] hail from SPPuram.My dad used to be known as Tanjore Tower Talkies Subramaniam.I read your blog with lots of nostalgia and basically wanted to coonect with people who are related/know our family.Do write to me at ramachandrans4321@gamil.com

Balaji said...

I am Balaji from Mada street. Hope you know me...Good to see the blog...SPPuram is a heaven on earth...

Unknown said...

YEGNASAMY RAJAGOPALAN
I am Rajagopalan(Raju), s/o Sri
S.S. Yegnasamy and Smt. Meenakshi Yegnasamy, grand son of Sri S.Subbiah Deekshethar & Smt. Gomathi. Very proud to be the one of the villagers of this beautiful place. Good place for calm living and natural environment is healthy to live. Very happy to read others views.
Regards,
Y.Rajagopalan

sundar alias S.subramanian said...

I am sundar(Radio mama's Son) and very happy to see our place details in the web and brings back the good old memories. emails may be dropped in suboo_s@yahoo.com

Prajeeth Prasadan said...

Teachere i enjoyed your post :)

Raja said...

MY TOWN...MY PRIDE........

raja said...

May the grace of goddess MUPPUDATHI AMMAN to all......RAJA , SUNDARA PANDIA PURAM....

Anonymous said...

Nice...u have presented your town very beautifully...hey u know anyone named nisha alias gomathi granddaughter of gomathi nayagam pillai retired chief justice.i was her friend but lost contact.

Sridhar Krishnan said...

hello,

this is sridhar (s/o of Gopalakrishnan, Mumbai) from sannidhi street

feel proud to be hailing from this village which i try to visit atleast once in a year

wld be happy to receive your mails at ksridhar9@yahoo.com

A.V.K said...

Hi,

This is Vidhya - granddaughter of Sanka mama and pichi mami, daughter of vegacham inNorth
street. I ve been hunting to find ppl from our hometown. It was a pleasure reading your blog. Lemme know, if we have any dedicated page for our folks. I was a regular visitor until school...then it became occasional. Born and brought up in Delhi, am settled in dubai now.

Love
Vidhya

Anonymous said...

Hi Jaisree,
Again, Raju s/o of Sri Yegnasamy mama, brother of Raji. Very nice to read the profile of our native place presented in the web. In fact, you husband Sailam and me are colleagues in B.Com at Sri Paramakalyani College, Alwarkurichi. I am at present In Bangkok, Thailand. Please let me have your mail id so that I can contact Sailam. Where is your brother Kannan?
Regards,
Y. Raju
Bangkok

malleswaram maaveeran said...

its oldtimers ruling the roost now in sp puram be it dharmaraja mama, pachumama, ambi mama and may more mamas of mamas and itsthe old timers who are energetic and fired up to perform.

malleswaram maaveeran said...

its oldtimers ruling the roost now in sp puram be it dharmaraja mama, pachumama, ambi mama and may more mamas of mamas and itsthe old timers who are energetic and fired up to perform. people talk a lot abt fdi in retail and im proud to say its pachumama who ventured into retail in sppuram in early 1960 andif permitted i will call him father of retail revolution in sppuram

malleswaram maaveeran said...

Maleeswaram in bangalore has in more ways resembles sppuram in manyways whether its people , temples, climate and malleswaram blends modernity with a rural ambience and having visited sppuram manytimes asd a native i do love malleswaram a lot andone must feelheavenly when yu take a walk in malleswaram playground, or having benne masala in ctr and the divinity of venugpolaswamy temple. adding to the charm of malleswaram is hotel krishna bhavan , mantri mall, its serene climate, its lanes and by lanes, railway station.

please contact me for anyinformation on malleswaram

vahri said...

Thank you for your blog,after reading that my family decoded to a vacation tour to your village.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jaisree, nice blog. Brings back very old memories. I was raised there in my younger years. Gomathi (Koma) is my mother, my paati is ammakutti and my mama is narayana mama. I think i remember you, you were younger than me. We used to visit SP Puram from Madras every summer holidays and had the best time of our lives. I now live in Sydney. Well done!
mahalaksmi (maha)

N BLOCK WATER said...

The old glory of sp puram is lost fully commercialised the village is and no cows now but cars no trees now but concrete roads no tradiational agraharam look anymore but visually
irritating multistoried flats like houses everywhere. courteous people not many but people who talk business in whatever they do is plenty. spend 20 years there but no charm anymore