The Town of Birth

Kallidaikurichi is a quaint little town tucked  away amidst the foothills of the Western Ghats in south Tamil Nadu. It was and still remains a thriving centre of extraordinary cultural and economic progress.Situated on the banks of the river Thamirabarani, this town with winding green fields, vividly verdant unfolds a rich ecological emerald landscape.An ever so gentle  breeze wafted through the open fields, the lush paddy sways in a dance like Wordsworth's daffodils. In the olden days, after a rejuvenating bath in the crystal clear waters of the Thamirabarani, the folks of Kallidaikurichi  walked through the fields with small kudams of water, the men balanced the kudam on top of their heads, the women balanced it on their waist, their wet garments swishing with their dainty steps in a dancing rhythm. Sometimes one did not like to hurry back from the river. Sitting on a small rock, gazing at the lush countryside and throwing small, smooth pebbles was the favourite pastime of many a village lass. But this was a luxury which many could not indulge in. On a clear, sunny day, one couldeven see through the clear water, the glistening brown- white sand on the river- bed.Diving repeatedly into the cool,calm waters and applying the turmeric paste rubbed on a  rock was sheer ecstasy.The clanging of a temple bell, there were ever so many temples in Kallidaikurichi hastened their steps to the Pillaiyar kovil situated on the ghat of the Kannadiyan Kalvai. After a quick obeisance, their steps took them  home to a joyful routine of simple domesticity. Simple folks, who lived simply. In the evenings, most of them would troop back to the sastha, Pillaiyar or Amman temples and get vibhuti and the  prasadam, which tasted divine perhaps because it was seasoned with the sincere bhakthi of the Kallidaikurichi people.

      Agriculture was the main occupation in Kallidaikurichi. The people there grew paddy, groundnut,sugarcane and red chillies. Perhaps Mutthuswamy Deekshithar had bestowed his blessing on this village because the people had  high levels of musical talent. So it came about that Patti and thattha both were born in this wonderful town of Kallidaikurichi . Patti was born a good eight years after thattha's birth.