Thirunanthikarai

In the moment of tour on Kanyakumari District we went to Kanyakumari, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Mathoor Thottipalam, Thirparappu water falls and Pechipparai. On the way of Pechiparai we came to know about the village Thirunanthikarai (Thirunandikarai). So we planned to visit that village.

Thirunanthikarai (Tamil: திருனந்திகரை, Malayalam: തിരുനന്തികര)  is small village which is located in between the town Kulasekharam and Pechipparai. When we entered, there a pond was ready to invite us with fresh and cool air with full of water andlotus and lily flowers. Many small fishes were swimming in the pond. There are different kinds of trees like rubbers, coconut, banana, mango, jackfruit, gua surrounded the pond and different types of birds are waiting on the trees to catch the fish. Really it was pleasant to see. To know more about this pond and village we met two grand fathers one Mr. Madhavan Pillai and Mr. Madhavan Nair. With smiling face they said that the name of the pond is Nedunkulam. Water level of neighbouring wells are depending this pond. One of the water sources of this pond is the channel which is coming from the Pechipparai Dam. When we looked around we could see another one remarkable thing that the village is bordered with rocks.

Thirunanthikarai Nedunkulam

We asked the persons to say more about the village. They continued, here is a famous Lord Siva temple, peedavilai mutharamman temple nearby a vaishnava temple and a church also. In the junction, there is a library named as Netaji Memorial Library. We went to the library and there are many newspapers, magazines and books in Tamil, Malayalam and English languages. Children, middle age people even old people are engaged in reading. We understood that the people of this village are not illiterate. In the library we met Mr. Sasikumar who is the member of Tamil Nadu Science Forum.

Netaji Memorial Library

 We received more information from him. He accompanied us to another one hall there it was written as “Kurinchi Kalai Kuzhu (Kurinchi Arts Club)”. Inside the room different types of materials like chalanga, thapppu, kol stick, kumbakodam such type of folk art materials. We asked him that why did you given the name Kurinchi for this arts club. He answered that in olden days the land of Tamil Nadu was divided in to five parts like Kurinchi, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal and Palai. Among this the meaning of the Kurinchi is “the land which is surrounded with rocks”. Since our village is surrounded with rocks we selected this name. Again he continued about the Arts Club. During the holidays the children used to come here and some creative activities will be going on like creating drama, discussions, quiz competition, craft works, folk arts and modern games and olden games. Among the children they are trying to develop other extra curricular activities and stay back the olden cultures also with the help of other people. There is a Mutharamman temple. During the festival season they are giving the cultural programmes as Kurinchi Show from the year 1993 onwards. Really they are doing a great service for the society. By that time some children came there, Mr. Sasikumar introduced them. With Mr. Sasikumar and group we started to come around the village.

Greetings by Kurinji Club

Rubber Plantations

First we planned to visit the Peedavila Mutharamman Temple. On the way of the temple both sides are covered with rubber trees. They told the main occupation of this village is tapping. Few years back many kinds of trees were there. Since the people are getting more gain from the rubber they have cut most of other trees and planting rubber. By getting the fresh air we reached near the temple. It is a small and beautiful temple which situated in the middle of the village. Near by that there is Vaishnava temple also. Both temples are just like the neighbours. After few distance there is a church. Actually there we could see the unity of the people.

Peedavila Mutharamman Temple

Now it’s time for lunch. Our stomach started to disturb us. They have arranged food for us in a house. We went to that house. There we met Mr. Murugan and Mrs. Vasantha Murugan. He is a musician (Harmonist) also he is running a classical music class in his house and going for outdoor music programs also. Both they treated us happily. Mrs.Vasantha Murugan served the tasty village food for us. We took rest for few minutes in his house and enjoyed the music class of Mr. Murugan.

Thirunanthikarai Canal - water from Pechipparai dam

Thirunanthikarai Canal - water from Pechipparai dam

Thirunanthikarai Canal - water from Pechipparai dam

Around 3’o clock with the same group again we started our journey to visit Lord Siva Temple which is 500 metres away from the junction. We started travel on the main road which is reaching to Pechiparai. Across the road we saw the channel which is taking water from Pechiparai Dam to different areas of Kanyakumari District. Bank of the channel there are many houses. According to Mr. Sasikumar around 2000 houses are there in the village. From the road we turned left to the Siva Temple. Now we are in the ground of Siva Temple. Wow! What a beautiful place! There Mr. Sasikumar introduced two persons who are working in the temple Mr. Velu Kutty and Mr. Neelambaran. From those persons we got more information about the temple. Among the 12 Sivalaya Temples this is the 4th temple. This temple is built by King Rajarajachola. Temple is made by stones. The temple is based on Kerala architecture. There is pond (theertha kulam) near by the temple to take water for pooja and a nandavam (garden) with varieties of plants and trees, flowers and fruits. Mr. Velukutty and Mr. Neelambaran told the history of the temple. There is a statue of a bull which is placed in front Lord Siva. But here the people believe that the bull came from the rock (which is nearby the temple) to this temple and itself took place in front of the Lord Siva. The sign of bull’s rope still there on the rock. When it came to this temple it was so small, now it’s very big. So people believe that the bull is growing day by day. These are the beliefs of the people. For this bull in their language they used to say ‘Nanthi’, because of this reason village has been named as Thiru-nanthi-karai. During the time of Sivarathri, every year from the day of Sivarathri to continuously 10 days the festival is going on here with different cultural programmes.

Entrance of Thirunanthikarai Siva Temple - 4th Sivalayam

Thirunanthikarai Siva Temple

Thirunanthikarai Siva Temple

Then we moved to Rock-cut cave temple is near by Siva Temple. Means the temple is made by making hole in the rock. On the way of rock cut temple both the sides are covered with rubber trees. Now we are under the rock. It is a very huge rock. We thought we cannot climb on the rock. But what a surprise! Some people are standing on the top of the rock. We asked Mr. Sasikumar that how they could go there. He smiled and told there is slope way at right side of this rock to climb. We followed Mr. Sasikumar. We struggled a lot till reach the top of the rock. We felt tired. Others they ran through that way. After reaching the top of the rock what a surprise? We got the fresh and cool air. We felt that we are in the sea shore. From the top of this rock we could find many rocks around this. All those rocks were filled with trees, plants, grasses etc., but in this rock we couldn’t find even a grass anywhere. Here is a stream we drank the tasty water. From here if we look down we cannot see the village but we can enjoy the thick greenish leaves and branches of trees which is look like the roof of the village. We have ever seen like that.

Entrance to Thirunanthikarai Rock-cut Temple

Thirunanthikarai Rock-cut Temple

Board inserted by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

We stayed there for a long time. By showing another one rock they told that recently the farmers of this village found there is a sculpture of the great Tamil Poet Thiruvalluvar. The history says that Thiruvalluvar born here in this village. So the research is going on here about that. We relaxed for a long time in the pleasant and fresh situation. Some monkeys accompanied with us to entertain. Then we came back to the rock-cut temple. Since it is controlled by Archaeological Survey of India, we didn’t get the permission to take the photos inside.

way to rock top temple

steps to rock top temple

rock top temple

view from top of rock

After few hours we went back to the village and we visited the Thirunanthikarai Government High School. Schools are quite common everywhere. But this school has a speciality. You may think what will be the speciality? Yes, our former ISRO Chairman Dr. G. Madhavan Nair got his primary education from this school. And his Tharavadu also near by the school only. Most of the children of this village are studying here. The famous tourist places such as Pechiparai Dam, Thirparappu water falls, Mathoor Thotti Palam (one of the Asia’s biggest aqueduct), Thiruvattar Adhikesava Temple (same like Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram), Chitharal Rock-cut Temple are located around this village. In fact Thirunanthikarai is an interesting and amazing.

Location:
Nearby Kulasekharam, Kanyakumari Dist, Tamilnadu


How to reach:
Trivandrum to Marthandam - 39KM (NH47 Trivandrum - Kanyakumari)
Marthandam to Thirunanthikarai - 15KM (Marthandam - Pechipparai Highway)