Thiruchendur

Thiruchendur (திருசெந்தூர்) Thirucheer Alaiwai (திருச்சீர் அலைவாய்)
—  town  —
Thiruchendur (திருசெந்தூர்) Location of Thiruchendur (திருசெந்தூர்) in Tamil Nadu and India
Coordinates	8°29′00″N 78°07′00″E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District(s)	Thoothukudi
Nearest city	Thoothukudi
Parliamentary constituency	Thoothukudi Formerly with Tiruchendur
Assembly constituency	Tiruchendur
Population	29,330 (2001)
Sex ratio	1000 : 1018.58 ♂/♀
Literacy	79%
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 3 metres (9.8 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 628215 • Telephone • +04639 • Vehicle • TN69
Website	www.tiruchendhur.com

Thiruchendur (Tamil: திருச்செந்தூர்), also known as Thirucheer Alaiwai (Tamil: திருச்சீர் அலைவாய்), is a panchayat town at the southern tip of India, in Thoothukudi district in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Geography

Thiruchendur is located at the south tip of India, on the Indian Ocean. Arid theri forests are located in various suburban villages surrounding the town. These red soil forests are densely planted with palm trees, cashew plantations, and other crops typical of the region.

Some 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Thiruchendur is the town of Arumuganeri, the location of the Darangadara Chemical Works.

Demographics

As of the 2001 Indian census, Tiruchendur had a population of 29,330. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Tiruchendur has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 76%. In Tiruchendur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Transportation

The town is well connected by rail and road. The nearby Tuticorin Airport 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Tuticorin, 55 km (34 mi) from Tirunelveli, and 171 km (106 mi) from Madurai. Currently Kingfisher Red Airline operates one inbound and outbound flight to Chennai. There are bus connections to Aruppukootai, Ettiyapuram, Tuticorin, and Tirunelveli. The town is connected to Tirunelveli by a broad-gauge train track, with a train station at Thiruchendur. A seaport is located at Tuticorin, 40 km away.

Schools

• Arulmigu Senthil Aadvan Government Boys High Secondary School
• Anitha Kumaran Matriculation School, Thanda Pathu
• Kanchi Sankara Matriculation School, West Tiruchendur
• Kayalpatinam Arumuganeri Higher Secondary School
• Kamalavathi Higher Secondary School,Sahupuram
• Central Higher Secondary School, Kayalpantnam
• Hindu Middle&higher school,Poochikadu.(NVN,KDSINGH,NITI,TANAM)

Colleges

• Dr. Sivanthi Aditanar College of Engineering, Tiruchendur
• Aditanar College of Arts and Science, Tiruchendur
• Govindammal Aditanar College for Women, Tiruchendur
• Dr. Sivanthi Aditanar College of Education, Tiruchendur
• Dr. Sivanthi Aditanar Teacher Training Institute, Tiruchendur
• Dr. Sivanthi Aditanar College of Physical Education, Tiruchendur

Religious-historic belief

Door of Gopuram

An epic composed in the seventeenth century and known as Kapadapuram relates that Muruga killed Surapadman, a demon, in this place. Soorasamharam, a reenactment of the deed, is performed here, and Skanda Sashti is also celebrated in commemoration of the same event. Muruga created the Naazhi Kinaru using his spear.

Recovering the idol of Lord Arumuga stolen by Dutch pirates

Peacock at the temple

Dutch pirates landed in Veerapandian Pattinam, near Thiruchendur, and captured the Portuguese church and the Thiruchendur temple in 1649. When the Dutch were ordered to leave the temple by Madurai Nayak King, they broke the granite statues and took away the Panchaloka idol of Arumuga Peruman to their ship. Suddenly, there was a heavy storm and rain. Afraid of this sudden development, the pirates tied the idol to a rope and dropped it into the sea. The storm immediately stopped.

Devotees in the town worried about the loss of the idol. Senthilandavan appeared in a dream to Vadamaliyappa Pillai, an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga, and revealed the place in the sea where the idol had been abandoned. Vadamlaiyappa Pillai informed Athitha Nadan, who was a major sponsor of various services in the Thiruchendur temple. On Friday, 29 Thai, in the Kollam year 829 (1653 A.D.), Vadamlaiyappa Pillai and Athitha Nadan, aided by some Parthavar fishermen, travelled in a boat to the spot. A lemon was floating in the sea, and a Garuda was flying overhead. They dived in and retrieved the idol.

Temples

Subramania Swami temple

Tiruchendur Murugan temple tower

The main entrance of the Muruga temple

The Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is the second of the Arupadai Vedu (six abodes) of Lord Muruga. Senthil Aandavar, with the Valli and Deivayanai temple, is popular here. The temple is managed by the government of Tamil Nadu. Inscriptions of King Ukkira Pandian and other kings are to be found in this temple. Arunagirinathar's Tiruppugazh and Nakkeerar's Tirumurugatruppadai are based on the Muruga here.

Other temples

• Sri Ponvandu Iyyanar temple, at the hamlet called Nainarpattu, near Udankudi
• A three-day Vaikasi is held the first week of the festival
• Sri Karkuvel Iyyanar temple, at the hamlet called Theri Kudiirruppu near Kayamozhi
• Arunsunai Kaatha Iyyanar and Sunai
• Aazhigudi Maradachan, ("heart attack") temple, and also a single stone, 20 ft, the ayyanar
• Nallur Thirunageshwaramudayar with the Aramvalartha Nayagi Sivan temple. An old temple, the Santhana Mariyamman temple, is also nearby. This Ambal is a fertility shrine.
• A thousand-year-old Sri Somanatha temple is situated at Authoor, 18 km from Thiruchendur.
• Kulasekaranpatinam, a village 13 km away, is known for its Dasara festival. The village has the only temple where Mutharamman is shown with his consort.
• Located about 10 km from Thiruchendur, the village of Melaputhukudi is considered a holy place because of its ancestral Ayyanar temple, which includes a thalamboo grove, which is popular as a picnic spot.
• A temple to Arunchunai Kattha Ayyanar Swami is located at a nearby natural spring called "Sunai".

Festivals and rituals

Brahmothsavam in the month of Magha (February – March), Vasanthothsavam for 10 days in Chaitra (April – May), Visaka Visakam for 12 days in Vaisakha (May – June) and Skandha Sashti in Asvini (October – November) are celebrated in the temple. There are two Maha Utsavams called Aavanipperunthirunaal and Maasipperunthirunaal conducted and celebrated during Simharavi, in the Tamil month of Aavani (August–September) and Kumbharavi, in the Tamil month of Maasi (January–February). These 12-day festivals occur twice every year.

Naazhi Kinaru (a sacred well) is located 100 m south of the temple. Devotees are allowed to bathe by scooping out the water with a vessel, and the water in the well never dries up. Despite the temple's being on the seashore, the water is not salty.

Kallar vettu (கள்ளர் வெட்டு) is an annual festival held at the Karkuvel Iyyanar temple.

Dahsara festival is a 10-day celebration held annually at Kulasekara Pattinam.

Masi Thiruvizha

Thiruchendur

Community participation is high for the 12-day Masi Thiruvizha festival at Thiruchendur. The Kayamozhi Athitha Nadarhal Arakattalai Mandahapadi committee organises functions on the sixth and seventh days of the festival.

On the tenth day of the festival, the presiding Lord of the Thiruchendur temple makes a special appearance in Thirunelveli Dakshinamara Nadar Sangam, in Sannidhi Street. Several lakh of people congregate for the Masi Thiruvizha. Several thousand devotees worship at the car festival of the Sri Subramaniawamy temple at Tiruchendur on Masi Magam day. The car festival, held at one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga, has been inaugurated by the Athitha Nadar clan for the past several centuries, including performing rituals like Pali-vidalai eridhal. Contributions for decorating the car during the festival are provided by the Athitha Nadars.

Ippasi Lord Subramaniya's marriage ritual

In the month of Ippasi, when the ritual for Lord Subramaniya's marriage is performed, Athitha Nadars perform the ritual for the groom side, offering Thirumangalyam and the wedding feast. The bride's side wedding feast is arranged by Nattathi Nadars the next day.

Politics

The Tiruchendur assembly constituency was part of the Tiruchendur (Lok Sabha constituency) until 2009. After dissolution of the Tiruchendur Loksabha constituency in May 2009, the constituency was aligned with the Tuticorin Loksabha constituency. The current MLA to Tamil Nadu assembly, elected by the General election 2011, is Anitha R. Radhakrishnan of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Before realignment, the Tiruchendur Lok Sabha constituency was composed of the following assembly segments:

• Cheranmadevi
• Nanguneri
• Radhapuram
• Sathankulam
• Tiruchendur
• Kanyakumari

The MP from this constituency last elected to the Parliament of India was V. Radhika Selvi of DMK; the election was held in 2004.

In 2004, the electorate consisted of 10,31,362 people, 4,95,753 men and 5,35,609 women.

External links

• Turtles in trouble
• Tiruchendur Nagara Viduthi
• Photos of Tiruchendur Nagara Viduthi
• Thiruchendur Murugan Kovil
• Chendur Murugan Kovil
• Tiruchendur Muruga