For those of you who are not acquainted with Tamil, Irutu means Dark and Kadia refers to shop. In whole put together it refers to Shop with no light or Dark shop.
Life has been pretty hectic over last few month, so many things to prioritize, so many things to action, both professionally and personally. Random Checklists, Mobile organizers with notes tapped on, sudden flash in the brain have now become my routine life. Travel has also become an integral part of this new life which changed so suddenly. I guess I moved from one phase to another rather too quickly.
Last weekend, we (V and me) chose to spend time with V’s parents in his hometown Tirunellveli.
I got some amazing insights from my super smart husband as to how the name was coined with also some references to history. Nell in Tamil refers to Paddy and Velli is fence.
Legend says that there lived a Tamil Brahmin in this town. He was a priest in the temple which was covered in Bamboo forest. This humble man prayed and worshipped the god ritualistically .There was time when the city witnessed famine. Being very modest he would collect paddy from people and give it away to people in need. On a fine morning he spread out the paddy to dry under the sunlight and went for his ritual ablution in the river. Suddenly a thunderstorm broke out and it rained heavily. The Priest was worried about the paddy he had spread. He ran to collect it but to his surprise he saw was nothing short of a miracle.
Not a drop of rain had fallen on the paddy he had laid out to dry. It is believed that god himself protected the paddy in priest's absence.
Since then, the city has been called Tirunellveli -- 'Tiru' meaning respectable, 'Nel' meaning paddy, and 'Veli' meaning a protective fence.
In other words, the etymology relates to the city having paddy fields as a protective fence.
Coming back to my experience, we landed in Tirunellveli on Early Saturday morning with temperatures soaring high, for a Bangalorean like me it was taking me straight from the refrigerator and microwaving me at 120C.
We took a local auto to reach home. Something that really caught my eye was the Autos which had doors on both sides. (Protective gates to ensure that Passengers do not fall) After all bargaining on fare with the Auto Drivers we sat in and started witnessing the hustle bustle on our little tour homeward.
V’s parents were earnestly waiting to welcome us. We went in freshened ourselves with hot cup of freshly brewed coffee. Later in the morning we started to Callvoy about 30 mins drive from home. Drive was an exciting experience with both sides of the road either had the banana farms or paddy fields well laid. All I could relate to was to my little virtual Farm in Face book which I religiously maintain and tend.
Calvoy is probably one place very carefully chosen by nature to experience god. A forest like experience with absolutely no human interference with a large pond (Though it was dry, being peak summer) with a small shrine amidst nature. We finished our Darshan and backward journey was filled with similar experience except that summer heat soared high with every passing minute. The only thing on my mind was to drink, drink and drink water.
Coming home was like entering a haven after an exciting but tiring journey.
We rested and started towards the Nelliappar temple located in the heart of the city in the evening .This temple is steeped in tradition and Known for its spectacular sculptures’.
Before we entered the temple we decided to purchase the Tirunellveli Halwa.
A sweet dish made primarily from wheat and sugar. Golden brown in colour with a jelly-like texture and heavily coated with ghee gives it its distinctively greasy appearance. Halwa is said to owe its uniquely rich taste to a special recipe of this region, blended with the renowned sweetness of the Thamarabarani river.
I was told the best place to buy this authentic halwa was from the famous Halwa stores Irutu Kadai (Dark Shop) around Nelliyappar Teample.
The name Irutu Kadai of the former store derives itself from the fact that the looks of the store have been kept unchanged from the date it was started Dark with no bright lights. Till date, there are no bright electrical lights or even a name board to display the shop's brand or name.
We entered the area around 6:30 pm quiet some light from the setting sun. I saw a huge crowd, crowd and assumed somebody had taken onto a brawl. I inquisitively asked V as to what was happening, he gave me a broad grin and said it was the Famous halwa stores and the crowd was to set hands on the mouth watering halwa.
Well now this was a huge task, to break into the crowd and purchase the halwa. I was wondering If ever I would be able to do all the pushing and pulling of people just to set hands on halwa. V instantly eased me and suggested he would face the crowd.
He went while I saw him in all bewilderment if I would ever get the halwa in all the commotion that was happening there, would V be safe in such a mass of people.
He is scuffled and skimmed his way through the front; I waited in all anticipation for him to return.
He had huge smile, a smile of content on winning the combat for those delicious halwas’. While he did this, I also tried to take as many pictures as possible of the famous stores and the good old crowd that gathers everyday morning and evening just to taste this halwa.
With sweet thoughts we entered the Nelliyappar temple –A Massive master piece.
