Tirunelveli – the land enclosed by a fence by Lord Shiva to protect his devotee’s paddy from heavy rains!

One of the greenest regions in Tamil Nadu and beautiful too.

I found myself here recently for the third time in 8 months. I had done a solo temple tour (Divya Desam circuit) in July last year. And then a short family trip to the region in early Jan to experience the Margazhi flavour. And when my friends suggested visiting Tiruchendur in early March, I was on board.

Tiruchendur is one of the six primary abodes of Murugan (Arupadai Veedu). Getting a second chance to visit in as many months was no small opportunity! My friends had excellent contact with a family staying in a village close to Tenkasi which is near Tirunelveli. And that made all the difference! What started out as a simple temple tour transformed into a divine experience. Thanks to the entire itinerary being charted out by our uncle in the village. So, we got to do the best tour, visiting important temples, and exploring the area with a bit of ‘fun’ that added an extra zing to the travel.

Tirunelveli region is one of the best-kept secrets of Tamil Nadu. Lush greenery fed by the perennial Tambaraparani River. The tail of the western ghats rolling around. All things natural and beautiful. And blending with the high level of spirituality abounding here. Towards Kerala, the region has several Shiva temples. While the region towards the Bay of Bengal has many Vishnu temples (is a large Divya Desam cluster). And the area is home to major temples like Tiruchendur, Nellaiappar, Nava Tirupatis, and so on.

The copper-infused waters of the Tambaraparani (hence the name) are therapeutic. Originating in the nearby Podhigai hills, it flows down collecting along the way the essence of herbs growing in the hills.

We were fortunate to get under the several waterfalls in this region – pure cool water is a rare treat for city-people like us! Our driver Kannan was also keen we breathe in the herb-infused fresh air while navigating the hills.

We got to hear the local version of politics and governance. People here are well-informed and clear about what’s happening in the country. They also make a good case study for harmony in religious diversity and co-existence. Tasting local cuisine is a must when you travel. We tasted the famed sodhi, the ever-popular halwa and other snacks. Even idli-vada-dosa from small carts here tasted so good!

Whether it is to do with its water or air, Tirunelveli has over the years thrown up several entrepreneurs. Groups such as the TVS, AVT, Simpsons Amalgamations, Hotel chains like Saravana Bhavan and many others have their roots here. Tenkasi-based Zoho’s founder Vembu is venerated locally. Most houses in the surrounding villages have a family member working in Zoho, we were told!

One thing that stood out was the spiritual and religious orientation of the people. But what is even more profound is their faith in an ancient sage. Agastya came to the south several thousand years ago on Shiva’s request to maintain the earth’s equilibrium. Earth had tilted north as all Gods, devas and other beings had assembled at Mount Kailash for Shiva and Parvathi’s wedding. The Podhigai hills were where the sage came to. The locals believe that the ancient sage still lives in these hills, access to which is not easy. We met a local who had endured a three-day hike to visit this holy spot. He told us that the experience at the top is unique and ethereal and definitely worth the tough trek.

What made our trip so memorable was that we got to enjoy the local flavour in different ways. What started as a pilgrimage tour went beyond that. So, the next time you plan a family temple trip, set aside some time to get to know the region. Visit local sights, eat local cuisine, and have friendly conversations with the locals. It would be an enlightening experience, especially for the younger generation. They will find it a more effective and practical way of getting to know more about our culture and diversity.

And here are the trip details!

We had a cleansing start to the trip. In the pure herb-medicated waters of the Kuttralam Waterfalls (all three). We followed that up by worship of Shiva in the adjoining Kuttraleeshwarar temple and the nearby Chitra Sabai. Not on the popular circuit, the beauty and specialty of this extraordinary Chitra Sabai are indescribable. One needs to visit to see for themselves. There are no vigrahas here, only paintings.

After visiting the Kasi Vishwanathar Temple at Tenkasi and peeking at the nearby Zoho office from outside, we headed home for a break. In the evening, our host accompanied us to the local Sivasailam River for a dip. It was like time travel! Men and women washing clothes on the banks, while kids were freaking out in the water supervised by indulgent adults. What pure unadulterated fun they were having which no mobile or video game can compete with!! To complete the picture, there was a nice Shiva temple too nearby.

We then headed to the Nitya Kalyani Temple. Subramania Bharathiar, the renowned Tamil poet was a frequent visitor here. Chinnanchiru kiliye, Kaani nilam vendum, Odi vilayadu paapa – are some popular compositions he has sung here. The Friday temple closing ritual was a treat to watch – a divine experience much cherished.

Our second day played out likewise. We started with a visit to Agastiyar Falls in the nearby Papanasam area. The entire region is dotted with small mountains in the Western Ghat range, enhancing its natural beauty. Our driver Kannan then took us to a spot in the Tambaraparani frequented by locals. Here we got an entirely different experience of a river dip! After frolicking for over an hour, we got out of the water to visit the Papanasam Shiva temple and the Athalanallur Gajendramoksham Temple.

Soon we bid goodbye to our lovely and caring hosts. Thanks to them we enjoyed an authentic village agraharam stay. We then drove to Tirunelveli early in the evening for a darshan of Nellaiappar. The plan was to go from there to Tiruchendur. Huge crowds thronged Nelliappar Temple since it was Sani Pradosham day. Pradosham is the day Shiva consumed the poison churned out from the ocean. And it happened on a Saturday, hence Sani Pradosham is very auspicious. We were fortunate to have excellent darshans of Nelliappar and Ganthimathi Ambal in their large individual complexes. Together they make up the sprawling Nelliappar Temple complex in Tirunelveli.

The sculptures in this temple are large and beautiful, displaying a high degree of craftsmanship. Not to also be missed are the Nadanasabai where Shiva performed a cosmic dance and the musical pillars. My friends’ rendering of Thirupugazh in front of the closed Murugan Sannidhi here earned us an unexpected entry. The temple staff spontaneously opened the sannidhi doors specially for us for a close darshan. God does take care of his devotees!

Late in the evening, we drove towards Tiruchendur, stopping on the way at Krishnapuram, a Vishnu temple well-known for its superb sculptures. The level of detailing in the larger-than-life-sized sculptures was amazing. Unfortunately, there was no local resource that could provide more information.

We reached Tiruchendur, our final destination, late night. On the way we saw several groups of devotees walking to the temple from far-off places, taking up the challenge with utter devotion. That day was the important eighth day of the Maasi Makam festival which was to conclude in two days hence. We did not realise the importance of this mega festival at Tiruchendur when we planned our trip. Which was a boon. For, we would have postponed our trip fearing the huge crowds in this very important temple for Murugan, the Tamil God. And missed out being a part of this event.

Managing to find some food at that late hour, we then rushed immediately to the town area. To get a glimpse of the Utsavar Murthy going around the temple town as part of the ongoing rituals. All tiredness and aches vanished when we finally got a glimpse of Tiruchendur Murugan. He looked majestic, dressed in green finery with leaf garlands adorning him. The 8^th-day decoration is in green and temple staff as well as informed devotees also dress up in green.

We then headed back to our hotel to sleep a bit and prepare for the main temple darshan the next morning. Swirling crowds welcomed us at the temple complex the next morning. Unbelievable rush at the Tiruchendur beach where entire families, young and old, were thronging the sands at that early hour.

We returned with strong memories of wonderful and powerful temples, and the beauty of this southern tip of India. What we also saw was simple living but experienced astounding level of hospitality and warmth. Lessons for city folks for sure…

All the images are provided by the author.