SRI VILLIPPUTHUR

 SRI VILLIPPUTHUR

The name is too well known for Tamils and pretty well known for a major chunk of Telugu speaking population from Andhra, who regard ANDAL – a God-incarnate in their Vaishnavite tradition too. Incidentally, the very temple in this town is a monument to the memory of ANDAL , the daughter of no less a devout vaishnavite- Sri. Periyaazhvaar. 

There are devotees who earnestly believe that Sri. ANDAL is as much an Aazhvar herself , being such a devout admirer of Sri. Rangamannar –a vaishnavite God. There is no separate sanctum in the templeay Srivilliputhur to Andaal, as she is in inseparable devotion to the Lord. The place is quite vibrant with traditions of perpetuating a certain vaishnavite order with the sole intent of keeping alive the glories of the celestial pair –Sri Andal-Rengamannar. The place is about 75 kilometers from Madurai in a South-Westerly direction on the way to Rajapalayam. Practically, every vaishnavite temple has an exclusive shrine for Andal and this tradition stands testimony to the divine glory of Sri Andal. It is only natural that several trade houses/ business institutions in and around Srivilliputhur are named after Andal , with the faith that the divine blessings of Andal would help them survive and sustain the trade to progressive expansion and bountiful prosperity. Any write up has to show a certain degree of reverence to the chosen theme and it is just one way of offering due respects the presiding deity –Sri. Andal

Being a small town, the place is frequented by devotees from villages around keeping the place –abuzz , with awe and respect.

In terms of climate, the area is relatively dry with sparse rains and the land mass has several hillocks of near barren rocks and a thin cover of green plants.

The place is well known for its milk delicacy –the pal kova    which is derivative of deep frying of milk to expel the water content to consolidate the milk protein. With right quantum of   sugar /sweet   additive, the product is a delight; the formidable requirement of making ‘palkova’- is the volume of fresh milk that has to be gently warmed up over flame, so as to evaporate the liquid fraction , leaving behind the milk protein, The stuff has typical taste and flavour.

That a dry land mass as this town –SRIVILLIPUTHUR  delivers loads of cow milk is a phenomenon- standing in proof of Andaal’s famous reference to VAANGA KUDAM NIRAIKUM VALLAL, PERUM PASUKKAL’ - a well-known couplet in her Divine Tamil  poem collection “Thiruppavai” .It gloriously refers to cows as 'vallal- a term that means mega donors; in this case they deliver milkin profuse quantity.    It can be broadly explained as singing the honour of those cows that liberally yield milk in large pots as a daily routine.

There is a clear blessing of milk flow in this tiny town.

Besides, a number of handloom weavers make cotton fabric –towels –big and small, dhothies, hand kerchief and similar material that are not branded. Though not branded they cannot be branded inferior and are reasonably priced. In all, a peaceful town to visit.

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