My Village Home in Kallidaikurichi, Tamil Nadu
It has been a little over a year since I moved my base from Bangalore to my ancestral village of Kallidaikurichi in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. I still have my house in Bangalore, but I spend more time in my village home than in my city home.
Kallidaikurichi is the village of my paternal grandmother and it holds a special place in my heart right from my childhood days. I have always been visiting often, especially after my dad’s passing, but it was last year when I started spending a significant amount of time here. The plan was to take care of my grandmother and renovate our ancestral home. I got the opportunity to spend time with my grandmother and take care of her before she moved on at the rich age of 98. Thankfully, my grandmother got to see most of the completed renovation work and I was very thrilled to see the genuine happiness in her eyes. The home is named ‘Akhilandeswari’ in remembrance of my grandmother.
This village home of mine in Kallidaikurichi in India’s deep south is surrounded by the Western Ghat mountains on three sides. There is a Kannadigan canal behind my home and further north is the Thamirabharani river. It is located in the beautiful agraharams that are surrounded by temples on all sides. To my south is the Adi Varaha Perumal temple. To my west is the Ramachandra, Sringeri Sharadamba and Chidambareswarar temples. To my east is the Murugan and Ayyappa temples and to my north is the big Shiva temple on the opposite bank of the Thamirabharani river in Ambasamudram. Royal Enfield, India Cements, Oriental Bank of Commerce and many other notable brands were born in this village. In its hey days, it was a thriving Brahmin settlement and even till date, it is one of the more well maintained agraharams of Tamil Nadu. Such is its popularity that a lot of movies are shot here.
Just 10 kilometers from my village home is the forest check post of the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, one of the more pristine and lesser known tiger reserves of India. And because of this proximity to the Western Ghats, you are never too far away from waterfalls, dams, mountain vistas and wildlife. In fact, monkeys, langurs, peacocks, more than 50 species of birds, many species of reptiles and oodles of butterflies can be spotted right from the terrace of my village home.
Agriculture is the main source of income for the people living here. Paddy and banana are the main crops here, though a lot of people grow tuber vegetables and brinjal too.
The above picture is in essence the view that I see every day, the culture that I embrace every day and the bright and warm sunshine that bathes the village every day. Yes, this tropical village can get seriously warm at times, but its lush nature, peaceful surroundings, rich culture and friendly people more than compensate for the high temperatures.
Do drop by home for a cup of coffee if you happen to be in the vicinity! And do stay tuned for more photos and more village experiences.
