The name Naranammalpuram
According to the late Shri Sankara Sastrigal who lived in the village in the late ‘40s, the name of the village was so given as it was gifted to Vedic Brahmins by a Queen of the Nayak Dynasty, Narayani Ammal 400 years ago. (However this does not find a place in the Govt.archives – there was no such queen!)
Originally known as Dhoorva Thadagam (AruganKulam in Tamil) the village was situated a little away on the Western side of its present location. But as the river changed its course to the North, the agraharam was shifted to the east.
The new name, Naranammalpuram was given in accordance with the age-old practice of naming a new place after Lord Narayana (According to Shri T V Anantharamanseshan, a scholar from Taruvai – later Asst.Editor, The Hindu)
The village has had the pride of accommodating learned pandits. Swamy Dikshithar (Appayya Dikshithar’s grandson) lived here in 1620 A.D. he was the author of Karthikeya Vijaya.
Veeraraghava Kavi, descendent 7th generation of Achan Maruindra family lives here. He was the author of Achan Dikshitendra Vamsavali; late published in 1923 by P.P.S.Sastri, Supdt of Oriental/Sanskrit Schools, Madras. A copy is available in the Reference Section of Madras University.
Legend has it that Neelakanta Dikshithar who settled in Palamadai was an ardent upasaka and needed Dhoorva grass for his poojas. His disciples used to walk up to Dhoorva Thadagam (AruganKulam) to collect such grass. After his time, his son Swami Dikshithar settled in this village.
From the above it may be seen that Mangammal ruled in 1689 whereas the village had existed as early as 1620.
With the decline of the Vijayanagar dynasty in the late 16th century several communities, Maravas, Nayaks, Yadhavas and Brahmins migrated to South India in search of occupations. (History of Tirunelveli – Pope Coldwell).
Among the Brahmins, some having found the river banks of palar and Cauvery overrun by the earlier settlers, settled in eight villages of Tirunelveli District. They were Ambasamudram, Gopalasamudram, Kodaganallur, Naranammalpuram, Pattamadai, Palamadai Taruvai and Viravanallur.
Since they came from the northern parts, they were called vadamas and spoke Telugu. This migration is believed to have happened around the late 1500’s.’ as Neelakanta Dikshithar settled in Palamadai just about 1610 AD in the later years of life.
Cherishing their memories of their Telugu origin, they worshipped Venkateswara as their Kula Deivam. The Nayak kings who ruled Pandya Desam also built several temples for Lord Venkateswara in the district. The descendants of Neelakanta Dikshithar continued to live in AruganKulam till as late as 1950s. notable among them was M.S. Viswanatha Aiyer who was practicing as a lawyer in Madurai. (Sri Appayya Dikshithar by N.Ramesan IAS – 1972).
The other communities who migrated also formed their settlements around the
Agraharam. Most of them resorted to agriculture, although every caste was represented by their craft. There were carpenters, blacksmiths, potters and oil mongers. There were a few Muslim families too who worked as masons.
Some of these classes were violent natured. Instead of engaging themselves in productive pursuits, they resorted to rioting and dacoity and were even branded criminals tribes. The British Government had enacted the CT Act by which they were prevented from unlawful activities through several punishments and incarceration.
Even in the 21st century, they prefer to be middlemen in agricultural tracts. They prefer to supererise tilling by scheduled castes rather than tilling. By contract leasing, they raised crops on land belonging to someone else. By not paying the landlords their dues, they enriched themselves. Such ill-gotten wealth is used for lending money at usurious rates of interest to poor farmers and small traders. This gave them unlimited power of men and money.
The other communities lived more or less in harmony with each other what politics has done in the last three decades is open for everyone see. (Tamilnadu Gazetteer – Tirunelveli District – 2002: History of Tirunelveli – Bishop Caldwell)
Aadhi Narayanaath Jathaha
Kethaha Grama Eva Cha
Saampradhayika Vidhinaa
Narana Jithi abhidheeyathae
(Viswa karma Vaasthu Shastra)
A tamil scholar expressed the view that the Tamil version naranan maal puram cannot be ruled out.
According to the late Shri Sankara Sastrigal who lived in the village in the late ‘40s, the name of the village was so given as it was gifted to Vedic Brahmins by a Queen of the Nayak Dynasty, Narayani Ammal 400 years ago. (However this does not find a place in the Govt.archives – there was no such queen!)
Originally known as Dhoorva Thadagam (AruganKulam in Tamil) the village was situated a little away on the Western side of its present location. But as the river changed its course to the North, the agraharam was shifted to the east.
The new name, Naranammalpuram was given in accordance with the age-old practice of naming a new place after Lord Narayana (According to Shri T V Anantharamanseshan, a scholar from Taruvai – later Asst.Editor, The Hindu)
The village has had the pride of accommodating learned pandits. Swamy Dikshithar (Appayya Dikshithar’s grandson) lived here in 1620 A.D. he was the author of Karthikeya Vijaya.
Veeraraghava Kavi, descendent 7th generation of Achan Maruindra family lives here. He was the author of Achan Dikshitendra Vamsavali; late published in 1923 by P.P.S.Sastri, Supdt of Oriental/Sanskrit Schools, Madras. A copy is available in the Reference Section of Madras University.
Legend has it that Neelakanta Dikshithar who settled in Palamadai was an ardent upasaka and needed Dhoorva grass for his poojas. His disciples used to walk up to Dhoorva Thadagam (AruganKulam) to collect such grass. After his time, his son Swami Dikshithar settled in this village.
From the above it may be seen that Mangammal ruled in 1689 whereas the village had existed as early as 1620.
With the decline of the Vijayanagar dynasty in the late 16th century several communities, Maravas, Nayaks, Yadhavas and Brahmins migrated to South India in search of occupations. (History of Tirunelveli – Pope Coldwell).
Among the Brahmins, some having found the river banks of palar and Cauvery overrun by the earlier settlers, settled in eight villages of Tirunelveli District. They were Ambasamudram, Gopalasamudram, Kodaganallur, Naranammalpuram, Pattamadai, Palamadai Taruvai and Viravanallur.
Since they came from the northern parts, they were called vadamas and spoke Telugu. This migration is believed to have happened around the late 1500’s.’ as Neelakanta Dikshithar settled in Palamadai just about 1610 AD in the later years of life.
Cherishing their memories of their Telugu origin, they worshipped Venkateswara as their Kula Deivam. The Nayak kings who ruled Pandya Desam also built several temples for Lord Venkateswara in the district. The descendants of Neelakanta Dikshithar continued to live in AruganKulam till as late as 1950s. notable among them was M.S. Viswanatha Aiyer who was practicing as a lawyer in Madurai. (Sri Appayya Dikshithar by N.Ramesan IAS – 1972).
The other communities who migrated also formed their settlements around the
Agraharam. Most of them resorted to agriculture, although every caste was represented by their craft. There were carpenters, blacksmiths, potters and oil mongers. There were a few Muslim families too who worked as masons.
Some of these classes were violent natured. Instead of engaging themselves in productive pursuits, they resorted to rioting and dacoity and were even branded criminals tribes. The British Government had enacted the CT Act by which they were prevented from unlawful activities through several punishments and incarceration.
Even in the 21st century, they prefer to be middlemen in agricultural tracts. They prefer to supererise tilling by scheduled castes rather than tilling. By contract leasing, they raised crops on land belonging to someone else. By not paying the landlords their dues, they enriched themselves. Such ill-gotten wealth is used for lending money at usurious rates of interest to poor farmers and small traders. This gave them unlimited power of men and money.
The other communities lived more or less in harmony with each other what politics has done in the last three decades is open for everyone see. (Tamilnadu Gazetteer – Tirunelveli District – 2002: History of Tirunelveli – Bishop Caldwell)
Aadhi Narayanaath Jathaha
Kethaha Grama Eva Cha
Saampradhayika Vidhinaa
Narana Jithi abhidheeyathae
(Viswa karma Vaasthu Shastra)
A tamil scholar expressed the view that the Tamil version naranan maal puram cannot be ruled out.
