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This unique way of Nickname addressing is prevailing only in Virudhanagar. There
are many family groups nicknamed as Aaror, Kilakadi , Malakadai, Pavalian, Vembar,
Pavalam, Mundakan, Tholandi, Megavarnam, Kochar, Karuppa Nadar, Natanmai, Velrikan
alias Vedarakann, Kallatan, Kutty, Chennapattian etc. Thus there are nearly 130
family groups and many sub groups exist in virudhanagar. Another unique thing
about virudhanagar is that every family group has a family god of their own to
worship. To name a few of them is Karkuvel Ayanar, Arulmigu Kamakshi Amman, Karuppa
Swamy, Arunjunai Katha Ayanar, Salaikari Amman, Veeriya Kariamman, Peria Andavar,
Matha parameshwari, Ulaga Matha and so on.
Those who had come to Virudhanagar for settlement had taken a fistful of sacred
sand from their native place temple and installed it near their living place as
a mark of their native temple and began to worship it. In course of time it has
become their family god and is worshiped by their heirs. Some other settlers amicably
joined with some pre settlers and began to worship their family god as their own
god. Yet some other settlers yearly once go to their native origin worshiped their
native god and return back to virudhanagar.
The male members of the same family clan who worship the same family god will
be called as pankalees i.e. paternal bloods related make heirs. Each son who
got married will be considered as a single and separate Thalaikattu i.e. separate
family for the account sake of number of families of same clan to worship the
family god.
Apart from worshiping the family god in a grand manner once in a year virudhanagar
nadar worship the family god on some special family occasions also. The first
sacred head tonsure of the newborn baby will be conducted in the family god temple.
For new marriage alliance they go to their family temple to have good omen and
good symptoms. They call it in tamil "Poo Kati Parthal".. It is done
in the fallowing manner. Two different colors of flower, say white and red will
be placed before the family deity and a child will be asked to select one. If
that child select white flower they consider it as a good omen and even they consider
it as a permission from the family deity to proceed with the work. If it is other
flower they will stop the work. To start a new business or even for the opening
of new yearly business account they go to the family god to invoke the blessings.
For small functions like head tonsuring, marriage alliance fixing, opening new
business account, the immediate family members will be invited. For routine yearly
worship all the pankalees will gather and worship the family god.
Our family ancestors namely Megavarnam, Kotchar and Karuppanadar may be considered
as pioneer in worshiping the family god system. Because our family temple i.e.
Ulstreet Arulmigu Kamakshiamman temple is noted as a landmark in "TOWN DEVASTANAM
ANNUAL JOURNAL".
In addition to this our family ancestors pioneered in National development, TownDevelopment. They led a successful life in business also. Not only this they contributed a lot to the temple construction and development and educational improvement. The VeiluganthaAmman Temple compound wall was constructed in 1831 by our family ancestor Natanmai Adimuthu Nadar and Karuppa nadar. For this the fund was raised through a conventional type of saving called “Pidi Arisi Kalayam”
Moreover the Valasubramania Swamy Temple was constructed by Sriman Mudalalee Katchi Katti Thiruvannamalai Nadar in 1856 at his own site. His family deity is kour Ull st. KamakshiAmman.
If we come to talk about our Nation Indepentent struggle , Tamil nadu state development , educational, social, industrial economical and why the over all development it will not be a wholesome without the contribution of the Kingmaker,vKala Gandhi, PerumThalivar . K. Kamarajar. To note his work we need a separate book to write. The matter to be proud is that he is from our Megavarnam clan.
Some may doubt the ability and possibility of the VIRUDHUNAGAR HINDU NADARS involvement in temple construction and establishing school institution
Establishing school institutions a 150 years back when there is no a welfare state
like the one what we are having at present. Nobody except the virudhanagar Hind
Nadars thought of such public feoman works. So the question arises about the sources
of the virudhanagar hindu nadars “ finance and their arrangements in utilising
the same finance.
The clarifications and answers for the doubt and question are "Mahamai", "Pidi
Arisi kalayam", "Thalari kattu vari". Let us see elaborately one by one.
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