Agraharams

[pvraman]

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Dear Sri MSMANI,

Thanks for this thread.

I lived in Two agraharams. Upto my 6th standard in Watrap, near srivilliputur after that in Musiri till my 12th standard and then we shifted to Madurai (in a place where we had shops all around ). The watrap agraharam had three main streets (Called south st, north st, middle st), and one thalaikani street (a street lying like a pillow over the 3 main street). Like tilak in the forehead, there was a small but ennai vaasanai mikka, perumal Koil (with Madappalli 0f course!) in the middle street. In the same street, there was a bajanai madam, so the nadu theru vaasigal always walking with two inch taller as other street did not have any such temple or bajanai madam.

After the South street, there was a Sivan Koil. You can see many people used to go after 6 pm to that koil. My house was exactly opposite to the swarga vaasal gate. My Grand father used to sleep there, everyday on those padi kattu. (He was not allowing me!!). In the year 1973 itself, an Muslim family came near to the Bajanai madam in the middle street and one christian family took a house exactly behind the perumal koil in the nadu theru (Middle street). Each street had approx 300 houses with all subsect of brahmins (thickly populated). We sold our house to a NB, because no B was ready to buy that, infact the Very limited B's were struggling to maintain their own houses.

Because of the huge brahmin populations, the pandigai's were colourful.

We had nadar street, Mettu palayam streets and many other streets. We had podhu paal pannai. I never saw any fight as long as I was there. But when visited 10 years back, I saw big posters of Mr Krishna samy all over the main streets and handful of brahmins in those streets.

I also lived in Musiri near Trichy for 5 years. It had two streets with one perumal koil. Near to Aganda Kaveri. Sivan koil was also there near the second street. Approx. 200 families were there. There too all type of functions were celebrated in a lovely manner. Already 25 years passed. I do not know the present condition.

Thanks Sri MSMANI for this thread, I feel sad for our gen next who are deprived of a great setup.

Today I started a thread about Margazhi Bajanai, and then I read your post. I saw

Sri Raghi's comment in this thread and was very happy to know the similar remarks,


//The best time of the year was 'marghzhi' month. I loved the songs from the temple in the morning (I was so used to them, I took them for granted). During pongal period, girls drawing 'kolam' all across the street//

Great Great Great..

 

[SuryaKasyapa]

Can a sub forum added under this forum named " Nostalgia" to write on similar matters which many were lucky to enjoy, and now missing, and only heaving sighs in lost sense.

real nostalgia.

 

[kunjuppu]

Can a sub forum added under this forum named " Nostalgia" to write on similar matters which many were lucky to enjoy, and now missing, and only heaving sighs in lost sense.

real nostalgia.

i feel that a section in this forum be opened for agraharam experience.

this is a phase, i think, highly unlikely to be repeated.

not only do we need anecdotes, but also photos, and as many as possible.

this is purely from an anthropological view of preserving and remembering our heredity. this is recording history for posterity.

in no way, this is to emphasize exclusiveness, superiority or any jingoism.

it was a life once was, not now, and probably never to be repeated.

 

[sadasivam.sridharan]

I spent my childhood days upto my SSLC at Palani in a Brahmin dominated street called South Car Street.All the houses,joined side by side by a common wall, are mud wall constructions with bamboo reapers for reinforcement.Almost all houses tops were covered by Naattu Odu with an open mutram for each house mainly to receive the rain water in order that it does not fall in the neighbour's wall.There used to be some sort of camaraderie among the neighbours and all will join to do bhajanai at the Perumal koil on the Saturday nights.
Once there was a spurt of incidences of theft and the theft used to take place in some house or other almost daily.To contain the menace, all house hold male members formed small patrolling groups and each group was to keep awake in the night and walk around with torch,stick and a whistle.When this was going on, there was one particular house where the male member did not take any interest in this group activity and he was actually enjoying and having a good night's sleep as he was sure that the protection provided by the other people in the neighberhood would cover his house also.He was subtly told and advised to avoid his don't care attitude and join the security group.As this did not evoke any positive response even after repeated advises,one member of a group thought of a plan to teach him a lesson. The member in one of his night rounds, picked up a small stone and threw it from his mutram to the house of the person who was fast asleep. The sleeping man suddenly woke up on hearing the sound of the falling stone and came rushing out saying there is a thief in his house.The member who threw the stone pretending innocence,asked the man to be more vigilant.The next day the indifferent man was the first one to be seen to join other groups for going for rounds.
All involved in the above incidence are no more.But this has not gone out of my memory as it highlights selfish human nature.
S.Sridharan

 

[pvraman]

I fully agree with Sri Kunjuppu sir,

We are just letting it go a beautiful system within our lifetime. If it is "wikied" it will help our next gens.

Agraharam to Apartments... what a journey!

 

[suraju06]

Dear Sri suraj06 Ji,

The policy of this forum is if someone posts in Tamil, he/she would also provide translation in English or at least provide transileration. This is to make sure that such posts are understood by a portion of our members who do not know how to read Tamil. Sorry, we the moderators missed your first posting in Tamil, which should have elicited this same comment.

Tamil only postings will be removed, but I am letting this one go.

Regards,
KRS


தொடர்ந்து அக்ரகாரங்களிலிருந்த வீடுகளை பற்றி எழுதுகிறேன். எல்லா வீடுகளும் தொடர்ச்சியாக row houses ஆகவே இருந்தன. ஒரு வீடு என்பது வாசலில் இருந்து கொல்லை/புழக்கடை வரை குறைந்த பட்சம் 200௦௦ அடியாவது இருக்கும். தெருவிலிருந்து ஏறியவுடன் முதலில் திண்ணை இருக்கும். அதற்கடுத்ததாக இருப்பது கூடம் பின்னர் நடை, ரேழி, பாவுள், திருமடப்பள்ளி, தாழ்வாரம், முற்றம், கொட்டில், கிணற்றங்கரை,புழக்கடைத் தோட்டம் என்று நீண்டிருக்கும் வீட்டின் வாசலில் இருந்து யாராவது கூப்பிட்டால் திருமடப்பள்ளியிலோ கொட்டிலிலோ இருப்பவர்களுக்கு சாதாரணமாக காதில் விழாது. வீடு அவ்வளவு நீளம். ரேழியில் ஒரு ஊஞ்சலும் கூடத்தில் ஒரு ஊஞ்சலும் தொங்கும். பாவுள் என்பது store room. கொட்டிலில் ஒரு பரண்(attic) கூட இருக்கும். அதில் பசு காளை மாடுகளுக்குத்தேவையான பொருட்களெல்லாம் இருக்கும்.
எங்கள் வீட்டுக் கிணற்றங்கரையில் அடர்த்தியாக ஒரு வேப்பமரமும் மஞ்சனாத்தி மரமும் இருந்தன. கிணற்றை ஒட்டி கீரைப்பாத்திகள் உண்டு.துளசிச்செடிகளும் வளர்ப்பதுண்டு. எல்லா வீடுகளும் அச்சிலிட்டு வார்த்தமாதிரி இதே போலவே இருக்கும். வசதிக்கு தக்கவாறு நீளத்தில் மாற்றங்கள் இருக்கும். இனி அடுத்ததாக் வாழ்க்கை முறை பற்றி பதிவேன்.

Dear Sri KRS, thank you for the understanding shown. I will post this one in Tamil and then give a summary of all the three postings in English too.Thank you.
இனி எங்கள் அக்ரகாரத்துவாழ்க்கை முறை பற்றி பதிகிறேன்.அக்ரகாரத்தில் ஸ்மார்த்தர்கள் வைணவர்கள் என்று குடும்பங்கள் இருந்தாலும் ஒற்றுமைக்கு சற்றும் குறைவு இருந்ததில்லை."கூடாரவெள்ளஞ்சு" நெய் வழியும் சர்க்கரை பொங்கலும் திருவாதிரைக்களியும் தாராளமாக பகிர்ந்து உண்ணப்பட்டன.அவரவர் சம்பிரதாயங்களை அவரவர் பின்பற்றினாலும் வைக்கத்தஷ்டமியன்று ஊர்ச்சாப்பாடு நிச்சயம் உண்டு.எல்லாரும் பங்கெடுப்பதும் உண்டு.வாய்க்காலில் தண்ணீர் ஓடும் மாதங்களில் மட்டும் தினமும் மாலையில் அவரவர் வீட்டிலிருந்து மோர் சாதமும்,கீரை குழம்பும், வடுமாங்காயும் எடுத்துக்கொண்டு வாய்க்கால் கரைக்கு சாப்பிட செல்வதுண்டு.அதை ஒரு elaborate ritual போலச செய்து பேசி விளையாடி சாப்பிட்டுவிட்டு வருவோம். அறுவடைக்காலத்தில் களத்து மேட்டில் வைத்தே வந்த நெல்லில் கணக்கு பார்த்து இவ்வளவு நெல் Dhobi க்கு இவ்வளவு நெல் பூ கொண்டு வந்து கொடுக்கும் பண்டாரத்துக்கு, இவ்வளவு நெல் barber க்கு என்று கொடுத்துவிட்டு மீதத்தை தான் வீட்டுக்கு கொண்டு வருவார்கள். ஒருவரை ஒருவர் சார்ந்து நம்பிக்கையுடன் வாழ்ந்த காலம் அது.பெருமாள் கோயிலில் புரட்டாசி சனிக்கிழமைகள் மிக கோலாகலமாக நடக்கும்.அது போலவே ஸ்ரீஜயந்தியும்.சிவன் கோயிலில் நவராத்ரி விமரிசையாக நடக்கும். ஊரில் இரண்டு குடும்பங்கள் black smiths, மூன்று குடும்பங்கள் carpenters, இரண்டு குடும்பங்கள் gold smith இருந்தனர். வண்டி சக்கரங்களுக்கு பட்டை கட்டுவது தொடங்கி வீடு கட்ட தேவையான தாழ்ப்பாள், பூட்டு, எல்லாம் black smiths செய்து தருவர். அது போலவே மற்றவர்களும். அது ஒரு self sufficient கிராமம். நவராத்ரி சமயத்தில் ஒரு பசுவையும் கன்றுக்குட்டியையும் பிரதிமை செய்து அதற்கு தினமும் பூஜைகள் செய்து இளம் பெண்கள் மாலை வேளைகளில் கோலாட்டம் போடுவார்கள்.அதில் வயதானவர்களும் ஒரு enthusiasm வந்து விட்டால் கலந்து கொள்வார்கள். எனக்கு இப்போதுகூட நினைவிருக்கிறது எங்கள் எதிர்வீட்டு பாட்டி "கலி காலம் முத்திப்போச்சு, குடுமி முடிச்சும் போச்சு" என்று பாடிக்கொண்டு குதித்து குதித்து கோலாட்டம் போட்டது. கடைசி நாளன்று அந்த பிரதிமைகளை ஒரு பிரம்மச்சாரியின் தலைச்சுமையாக ஏற்றி கொண்டு மேள தாளத்துடன் எடுத்து சென்று நெல் வயலின் நடுவே வைத்து விட்டு வந்து விடுவார்கள். இப்படி எத்தனையோ சின்ன சின்ன கொண்டாட்டங்கள். ஒரு time machine மட்டும் இருந்தால் அதில் ஏறி அந்த இனிய நாட்களுக்கு சென்று வந்து விடுவேன்.

 

[rsrm]

Puliyurkurichy

QUOTE=msmani;26951]Dear Patron and members
-Having said that I have not mentioned about my village.
My village is Puliyurkurichy, on NH 47 in Kanyakumari district.There are two streets Double street and Single street. There were more than 100 brahmin families until late 70's, Now many families have migrated to cities. My parents still live here. There is a bhajanai madam and Sivan&Pillayar kovil. The villagers also regularly visit near by Bhagavati ( Melangodu)temple and Murugan temple. The surroundings of our village is extremely green and nice.
Thanks
Mani

Dear Sri Mani,

thanks for the postings on "Agraharam" and when I searched on "Melangodu" in the web, I got your posting on "Puliyurkurichy".

After several failed attmepts to find Family Deity for the last several years, with guidance from 2 atrologers (one of them is the Sri Swaminatha Sarma ji), I found the two deities at "Melangodu" - Sivan and Sembagavalli Amman (outside the Sivan temple) after confirmation from our elders that our native village is "Puliyurkurichy".

I am based at Chennai and find from your posting that your parents still live in that village. I was at Melangodu this week and offerred prayers at the Sivan as well as Amman (both Akka and Thangai) temples.

When I enquired at the temples for pujas to be performed by the Agraharam Brahmins, I was told that during the month Karthikai, on a Tue or Fri, Brahmins would take the avahanam of the amman (in a vaal) to the Ramar Madam in Double street, do the puja and return the same next day. Of late, I was told that only one family of the village who currently resides in Coimbatore performed this for the last few years and not as a collective puja.

I would like to connect to the families of this village and try to identify/particpate-in the establised practices of elders of the village.

Can u please help?

Appreciate a private message with your e-mail id so that we can share family details and personal info while we continue to share information about the agraharam on this forum.

Thanks and best regards
Ramesh

 

[msmani]

Dear Mr.Ramesh
Thanks for your message. I am very happy to note that my earlier post and information regarding my native place was useful in locating your Kuladevatha. This was one of the intentions of starting the thread.
Kind regards
Mani

 

[msmani]

Dear Friends
I would like to see more people sharing information reagrding their Gramam or village. I am this information may be very useful or vital for atleast few of our friends spread over the globe and trying to pick up their roots.!

Kind regards
Mani

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

I should admit I never had the taste of Agrharam since we have left Agrharam decades before I was born My Maternal side comes from Kanjam Palli near Coimbatore and my grand father was the First Indian Registrar Madras High court That means he should have migrated at least 150 years ago considering that he might have entered services at the age of 25 Again my father should have migrated after his graduation from St Joseph"s Trichy before he became the deputy Secretary Law during the British period

But after coming to Madurai I had the experience of Agrharam first time in my life in late seventies We had to go to Sundarapandia Puram a place about 7 Kms from Thenkasi to fix an alliance for my sisters daughter Now this place got into limelight after Maniratnams Roja which had few shoots taken here This real beauty unspoiled and unpolluted till date Sort of Bharathi Rajas type village This girl had just graduated and has to join the ministry of external affairs in Delhi soon. The preliminaries like ஜாதக பொருத்தம் etc have all been done already including பொண் பாக்கல் in Delhi itself as the boy was in Delhi and everything was agreeable between them. But the boys parents were living there in SP Puram Now the formal approval of them is needed because they should not feel that they are being by passed . They have not seen this girl at all So we (Me My wife My 1 year old son My sister & Her Husband and the Girl) started our journey by car.It was pouring that day forcing us stop in Rajapalyam for at least for 4 hours and this we utilized to visit Sakeena my wife"s school mate They were so hospitable they made arrangements for our Lunch in a jiffy and would not leave us till 4PM and only after some great snacks we moved on. Reached Tenkasi at about 6 PM. Since we had no experience in all this formalities we booked a room at Tenkasi (Rs 8) on that day and phoned up SP Puram Post office and asked them to send a messenger to call Shi Sankarama Iyer to take our call (Phones were குதரைக்கொம்பு )
Normally the custom was to see the Girl in her house. I told that the girl is also here and if he has objection she can also go to Sundara Pandia Puram with us I was really amazed with his reply அது எப்டி அவள lodgeலே உட்டுடூ வரதாவது பையன்தான் பாத்தாச்சே அவ எங்காத்து பொண்ணு இனிமே நீங்க ரூம காலி பண்ணிட்டு நேரா வந்து சேருங்கோ நமமாத்லேயே ராத்திரி தங்கி காத்தால களம்பலாம் வழக்கமில்லேனா பக்கத்தாத்லே ஜாக பண்ணலாமே So we had no option but to proceed to SP Puram and were there at 7.30PM My wife had made திரட்டிபால் etc in Madurai itself with flowers and fruits purchased near Tenkasi Bustand displayed in தாம்பாளம் entered his house to invite him for பொண் பாக்க, leaving the girl behind in the car The entire Agrharam was in festive mood and have made all arrangements in பக்கதாம் she was lodged there with sufficient time for wash and change of dress etc I never thought that this man will be so good at heart he said பய்யனுகும் பொண்ணுக்கும் பிடிச்சுட்டா எங்களுக்கு என்ன வேணும்? நாங்க பாக்கரதெல்லாம் வெட்டி சம்பரதாயம்தான் This was his greatness இன்னிக்கி நாள் நன்னா இருக்கு நம்மாத்ல நிச்யதார்தம் இன்னிக்கே பண்ணிடலாம் This we never expected I told him நாங்க பக்க்ஷணம் சீறு எதுவுமே கொண்டு வரலையே . He over ruled all this and we did the Nitchayadhartham that day itself after பொண்பாக்கல் in பக்கத்தாம with exchange தாம்பூலம் with a token amount of Rs. 100 as வரதஷ்ண All the families of that Agraharam joined in cooking about 100 of us enjoyed that great dinner with vadai Payasam and everything. We were put in the neighbor's house over night. Next morning after Iddli Chutney Sambar with enough கட்டுசாதம் for the road we left for Madurai spending about 1 hour in குத்தாலம் on the way back Jambu:car:

 

[sadasivam.sridharan]

I wonder whether the age old agraharam tradition and culture still exist in the villages.

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

I wonder whether the age old agraharam tradition and culture still exist in the villages.

I had been to this village 4 or 5 time though we have no roots in this place our link is only though சம்மந்தம். I will post about all my visit one by one and finally at the end of that you can have your opinion Jambu:clap2:

 

[sangom]

Talking of "agraharam" and life there, it is also necessary, for the sake of the knowledge of future generations, to say a few words about the decline of agraharams. The houses which originally were very spacious (about 30, 40 or even wider) got "divided" length-wise into halves on the first partition of the house property among sons, then into quarter of the width till the width shrunk to 8 or 10 feet and one could scarcely stretch oneself across the width of the house. Since the partitions were not always "pucca" construction, with some flimsy wall dividing two houses, there was a total lack of privacy; actually one joke in the olden days was that one could know how many dosas were prepared in the next house from the noise made when the batter is spread on the 'dosakkallu' which could be heard clearly!

Such cramped agraharam houses are now visible in my place Trivandrum, then in Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai etc.

When job opportunities for brahmins showed an uptrend in the sixties and seventies (of the last century), brahmins tended to prefer individual houses or flats to the agrahaarams for various reasons. One of the main changes, in my view, that happened as a result was that the hold of the brahmin society on individuals and families got very much diluted.

 

[nachi naga]

Thanks for the info.being born and brought up only in metro cities never knew agraharams,segregation,even caste untill late 70's,even nationalities untill late 80's....now a happy guy as grihasta ashrama life .

 

[kunjuppu]

folks,

the agraharam in kalpathi is now all apartments. dont know about others.

can folks who are able to, take pictures, of the streets, the temples, the interiors of the houses and as much details of as many agraharams and post them here.

this is for posteritity and museuem piece.

we can request praveen to open up a separate section so that agraharam related pix of artifacts are displayed.

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

I have about 25 photos of sudarapandiapuram in Picasa web album I dont kow how to paste the link. I will try and hope I will be successful and few photos of our village Alancheri near Sirkali In my 2nd installment I will post them Jambu

 

[jayamani]

I really miss the beautiful agraharams. whenever i visit kumbakonam on temple visit, one could find some houses but in depelted condition. when i was at varahur during last month, it was great to see such beautifully modelled houses in an agraharam. It was really something to cherish.

 

[SuryaKasyapa]

folks,

the agraharam in kalpathi is now all apartments. dont know about others.

.

About three months back I could visit Nooorani , in palghat.Though many of the houses have been repaired and made concrete, the atmosphere still has not changed much. From the entrance on a long view it still keeps the original agraharam appearance.

I felt lost in my nostalgic thoughts there for some time. Simultaneously I regretted , about all that we( ) have lost.

As suggested, at least let us freeze them in pictures for posterity.

Greetings

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

My 2nd visit to Sundarapandiapuram was unplanned and unscheduled . In early nineties two of us (Me and My friend) had been to குற்றாலம் for season hoping to return the same night around 10 PM by car After bath in various falls we left that place around 6.00 P.M. to back in Madurai by 10.00PM The road was blocked due to some Law and Order Problem Near Sivagiri 30 KM away from Tenkasi on Madurai Road (Time about 8.00PM) and the only road open to Madurai was Via Tirunelveli that is we have to go back to Tenkasi then Tirunelveli and onward to Madurai totalling about 200 KMs night driving I did not like that idea. Why not Gate crash into Sankarama Iyers house in SP Puram which is about 10 KM from Tenkasi?.I was not sure if had gone to Delhi or Bombay to visit his Children The situation was tense with polce firing , resulting in one death in Sivagiri. We turned back and reached Soundarpandiapuram saying Rama Namam all the while . Normally this should have been covered in about an hour but under that conditions prevaling it took us 2 and half hours. Around midnight we knocked on his door. Luckily they were there They were frightened to open the door with half open keeping them inside shouted யாரு நட்டநடு ராத்திரிலே? நான்தான் மதுரைலேந்து ஜம்பு மாதங்கி மாமா When he was fully convinced about my identity he opened the door fully and allowed us inside ! மாமி என்ன இப்படி திடீர் விஜயம் சாப்பாடெல்லாம் பண்ணியருப்பேனே . We explained the reason for sudden visit.With in 30 minutes She made Dosai Chutney and Rava Uppuma gave us a great dinner at Midnight.பம்பரமா பண்ணிநா But I am sorry to say that she passed away peacefully in Feb.2010 in Bombay Great soul !

 

[tbs]

hi folks,
agraharam life is always ever green....i born and brought up in agraharams....till my SSLC .....especially palakkad agraharams...
we moved many gramams....in ancestor gramam all are thayadis...
stereo type houses...kovil and kulams....every gramam celebrate
shastha preethis....famous kalpathy theru and noorani shastha
preethi....like kizhakkrncherry/vadakkenchey/puthucode gramams
not much changed....but many agraharams are occupied by
NB's,,,,,every family tried to move either bumbai or madirasi...
many youngesters moved to gulf....many palakkad brahmins
are called pattars..or palakkad iyer...even though many perumal kovils..
still i think no iyengar/vaishnavites in palakkad agraharams...
rezhi/adukkalai/nellu pathayams are still sweet memories...

regards
tbs

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

Agraharam

Picasa Web Albums - jambu - 2009_02_05 Su...

I tried to drag the link to my piccasa Web album If I am correct you will see the photos of Sundarapandiapura,ப்ரம்மோத்சவம் ஜம்பு I have checked it works Click,on the link look at the photos I will make a detailed posting later. Do do this correctly i had spent about an hour since I do it by trial & error with all sorts of experiments Jambu

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

Agraharam

Picasa Web Albums - jambu - 2009_02_06Adi...
of Rajagopalasamy temple of SP Puram
This is the பள்ளியறை Beautiful Jambu:dizzy:
This album has 8 photos 2 of SPPuram பள்ளியறை others are taken in Papanasam கீழஆமுர் All in Tirunelveli District

 

[Dr.T.N.Jambunathan]

Agraharam

My 3 4 5th visits were planned. All from our side My brothers (4) plus my family my sisters (3) and their families My cousins and there families around 50 people from all over (Delhi Madras Australia & US and Madurai) had stayed in this place for the Upanayam Of Sankarama Iyers பேரன் ( son of my niece Matahngi) We were all accommodated well with all comforts including cot Western toilets etc in various house of this agraharam It was a 2 days festival and we spent 2 days & 2 nights in this place we were picked up in Tenkasi station and dropped back Arrangements were made to go to குற்றாலம் திருநெல்வேலி . A bullock cart ride was arranged for children who never had that experience before The function was in the Singeri Sankara Madam that was rebuilt newly Food was excellent by any standards served hygienically on table The traditional Tirunelveli அதிரசம & மனேஹரம் were great The entire Brahmin community participated in those functions without any reservation.

Certain Observation There is no Ayyengar in this place yet the temple is for Rajagopalasamy They find it difficult to get Ayyengar வாத்தியார் specially for the 10 day Brahmotsavam Routine poojas they mange with Iyers There is another Sivan Koil which is exclusively the property of Dr. Sivramakrishn of Vannerpat Tirunelveli (His fathers Legacy) The Agrharam itself consist of two straight broad streets cutting at right angles like L At he point of inter section is the temple Till date no house is sold or rented to any Non Brahmin. Some people settle their after retirement or keep it locked

Another point of interest is that community was practicing family Planning for generation No one seems to have had more than 3 children for generation. They would even abort to limit the family was the rumour

In my 4 th and 5 th visit I see all the houses are cermic tiled with TV and Cd players washing machine micro and AC They don't need cars and hence they do not have . The Brahmotsavam is in the month of தை On all 10days சாமி புறப்பாடு .தெரு முழக்க கோலம் To cap it all there is no cooking in the homes It is community Kitchen Caters from Tirunelveli Kadayam and Ambasamudarm are enaged for 10 days and the Sringeri madam is converted to dining hall. No non brahmin is engaged for all this except for cleaning. The festival comes to grand finale with தெப்பம் . The entire cost is divided and borne by the community each one contributes between 10 and 20 thousand and the total amount spent may be around 1.4 Lakhs Strangely non brahmins of the village are not involved or participate in these festivals There is no bar for them to join but traditionally they do not participate in the temple activities . I have not seen them visiting this temple The temple has all felicities like generator reverse osmosis plat etc In short you are pampered with all that normally you do not associate with village!

Till now the traditions are well preserved. Now I see signs of cracking cropping up. Sankaramans Grand son (my niece's son) got married to a Jaiswal Girl in Kanpur on 3 June and we all attended the reception in Wood Lands Madras on 13 June and I met most of the people from Sundarapandiapuram there Jambu

Look in to the Albums(2) relating to Sundarapandiapuram concluded

 

[wrongan]

My dear Mani sir, My village is Nadukaveri in Thanjavur district on the right bank of Kudamurutti river a branch of Kaveri.
There is only one agraharam.Total house hold is more than one hundred.Number of houses is 82.Except 2 families ,one
kurukkal and sozhia all are hiranyakesia vadamal.Till 1990 there was no mingling of other caste in the Agraharam.
Presently about 6 houses are occupied by others and about 9 houses are in ruin.A speciality here is that we have statues
both in stone and metal for our Rishi Sathyashada.We all follow Sathyashada suthram.One of the 6 suthrams in Krishna
yajur vedham.The gruhya suthram created by the Rishi Hiranyakesi Sathya shada is Considered to be more eloborative.
Very near to Thiruvaiyaru all our children had musical lieneage.

 

[kahanam]

I live at Chennai. My father hailed from Kizha Ambur and my mother from Kallidaikkuruchi, both villages in Tirunelveli District near Ambasamudram. I have visitd the villages a few times only. The Agraharam has practically disappeared in Ambur, but continues to some extent in Kallidaikkurichi, where Sringeri and Kamakoti Mutts have Mathams in houses. Swami Sivasailapathi and Ambal Paramakalyani come for Vasantha Mandakappadi every Vaikasi month from nearby Sivasailam near Alwarkurichi for three days every year. The festival is held regularly with all solemnity and many attend regularly each year. Kallidaikkurichi remains a seat of Veda teaching, to some extent, even till this day.