THIRUNELVELI -THE LAND OF HALWA

PHOTO DESCRIPTION:left to right-Halwa,Nellaiappar temple and its interior ,

Kutralam water falls,Tamirabarani river,Kalakad tiger reserve.

link :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirunelveli

• Tirunelveli is famous for a sweet that is generally referred to as 'Alwa' in Tamil.
•  Tirunelveli is about 2000 years old and is a town of old tradition. 
• Tirunelveli was the capital of the Pandya Kingdom for some time, next to Madurai.
• It is a twin town - Thirunelveli and Palayamkottai. 
• Palayamkottai is known as “Oxford of South India”.
• Thiru-Nel-Veli (Thiru - Shri, Nel = Paddy, Veli = Fence). It is believed that food grains collected for worship at the temple were protected from the floods by the fence, hence the name Nel Veli came.
• The famous kutralam Waterfalls are in Tirunelveli District. 
• Tirunelveli is believed to be an ancient settlement of great importance.
• It has been ruled at different times by the Early Pandyas, the Medieval and Later Cholas, the later Pandyas, the Ma'bar and Tirunelveli Sultanates, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, the Carnatic kingdom and the British. 
• According to  Hindu mythology ,Swami Nellaiappar temple inscriptions indicate that Shiva  descended in the form of a hedge and roof to save the paddy crop of a devotee.
• Tirunelveli halwa was popularised by Irutukadai Halwa, a shop opened in 1900 which sells the sweets only during twilight.
• The river Thamirabarani which originates in the Western Ghats is the only perennial river in South Tamilnadu flows through Tirunelveli.
• The entire Tirunelveli region has a rich population of palm trees.The various palm products like palm sugar,jaggery etc is available.
• The main portion of the pottery industry is based in and around Tirunelveli and there is a huge market.
•  Kalakad Tiger Reserve is the one and only Tiger reserve in Tamilnadu and 17th in India is located in Tirunelveli.

by, 

G.Radha