Thirukkurungudi – One with Nature
Recently we (family) visited our native place Tirunelveli. We make it a point to visit the native place and the temple at least once a year.
During these visits we also make sure that we explore some of the nearby places. One such place is Thirukkurungudi. To be honest this was the first time I am hearing about this place, but my parents had known a bit about this place before.
Thirukkurungudi is a small village in the foot of the Western Ghats filled with rich tradition and history. A village so typical of the South TamilNadu, it has been built around the Nambi Rayar Temple. Most of the activities in this village revolve around the temple and agriculture.
The Nambi Rayar temple has a Shiva temple as well inside. So the single temple acts as the religious hub for both the beliefs. It was really heartening to see harmony between both the groups. I am not going in detail about the temple as there are quite some information about this temple in the net (surprisingly)! If you need more information about the temple and the place just Google “Thirukkurungudi”
You can find peace and harmony everywhere in this small village. This is a perfect place for both Shaivas and Vaishanavas. Then there is the Mahendra Giri hill which is believed to be the catapult for Lord Hanuman during his quest in searching Sita. It was from this mountain upon which Hanuman kept his leg and leapt in the sky to reach Lanka.
The Mahendra Giri is the most interesting place here. The hill is about ten minutes drive from the village. The entire hill is considered precious for lots of reasons. The Tirumalai Nambi temple on this hill is quite famous in this part and one can see lots of pilgrims walking up the hill to this temple.
Quite a few things impressed me about Thirukkurungudi and Mahendra Giri
• You can do a decent one day trekking. Walking up the hill until the temple and returning back will provide a good one day trek. If you want real adventure, take up a jeep ride from the temple at the base to the temple on the hill.
• Historical and religious.
• A haven for bird watching.
• Unpolluted and undeterred by the modernization.
• Harmony among the people irrespective of their religion and beliefs.
• A good weekend place for the locals.
• A beautiful village with a pleasant weather.
• Beautifully built old type houses that will keep you interested for quite sometime.
Overall, a beautiful place for a retirement or a weekend getaway if you are near Tirunelveli.
13 comments:
What a beautiful place! I especially like your first and last photographs. The view across the jungle (?) to the mountains beyond is breathtaking. The waterfall is gorgeous, and I love the silky look of the water!
A very idyllic place Ram! Thats one of the great things about our country. We still do have some localities that are rarely visited and thankfully unpolluted to provide you with a perfect getaway. The pics are great. My greetings to you.
Nice place.
India has 1000s of such places, unexplored...
Bird pic is nice
nature lives here! let us leave it, without spoiling it!
Hey Ram....Its simply amazing. I could simply assume onething from this photographs as a "Place for yogi" who can throw away the material life and start sinking in to a spirtual living and one fine day they will attain mukthi and moksha.
KLN
@Linda: It certainly is a beautiful place. Hope you did not miss the small temple in the middle of the jungle, partially hidden. If you have missed, check again.
@Arun: You are very right..
@Shrinidhi: You are absolutely right. These lesser known places are treasures. There are a few around Chennai as well
@ROAD TRAFFIC: I completely agree with you.
What a lovely place, and need I add beautiful shots - so much beauty in our country :)
Thank you...so many lovely places around us....we may never visit, but at least we got to know of this beautiful place through you!
@Yuvika: Seriously, there are so many such wonderful places which we fail to acknowledge and recognise.
@Deepa: If at all you travel southwards, see if you can stop by at this place for about half a day or so. It will be worth your time in every way..
The first & last photos are awesome.... what a view of the temple and that white hair like water....nice work da...
In fact most of the villages around tirunelveli has similar atmosphere...I will also write about a few in mine (you are always the inspirer :-) )
gorgeous views and wishing you a happy new year :)
@Rendezvous: Please do write more. I am hoping to see something on Melaseval. It has been more than 10 years since I went there..
@Joshiedaniel: Thanks..
Ram
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