Thovalai is a small village located in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. The area is well known in India for its production of flowers, especially jasmine. The taluk was among several in

Thiruvananthapuram district Thiruvananthapuram District (), is the southernmost district in the Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, which is also Kerala's administrative centre. The present d ...

that with the passage of the

States Reorganisation Act of 1956 The States Reorganisation act, 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries of India's states and territories, organising them along linguistic lines. Although additional changes to India's state boundaries have been made since 1956, the States ...

were transferred from Thiruvananthapuram district, Travancore-Cochin State to the newly created

Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...

district of

Madras State Madras State was a state of India during the mid-20th century. At the time of its formation in 1950, it included the whole of present-day Tamil Nadu (except Kanyakumari district), Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, the Malabar region of North and ...

(the latter later renamed as

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

State).

History

Thovalai Taluk was part of the Princely state

Travancore Kingdom The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...

, the latter which subsequently became part of the then Travancore-Cochin State. Part of The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 aligned state boundaries on linguistic affiliations. Thovalai,

Kalkulam Kalkulam is a small village located in Kalkulam taluk, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 were transferred from Thir ...

Vilavancode Vilavancode, also spelt as Viḷavaṅgōḍu, is a town panchayat in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu state, India. It is part of territory among several taluks that were with the Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the St ...

, and

Agastheeswaram Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. History Agasteeswaram is named after Sage Agastya who had visited this place to teach Ramayana. Most of the people ...

Taluks were transferred from Thiruvananthapuram District of the Travancore-Cochin State to Kanyakumari district, Madras State. Madras was later renamed as Tamil Nadu).

Religions

Temples

Sree Mutharaman Thirukovil, Vadakoor Thovalai

This temple has as its main deity, goddess Mutharamman (முத்தாரம்மன்). This temple belongs to

Vellalar Vellalar is a generic Tamil term used primarily to refer to various castes who traditionally pursued agriculture as a profession in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka. The Vellalar are members of sev ...

(வேளாளர் சமுதாயம்).

Thovalai Azhagiya Kanni Vinayagar Temple and Sree Mutharamman Temple

This temple has as its main god,

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

. It was built by Azhagiya Nambia Pillai. Thovalai sree Devi mutharamman koil temple krishnan puthoor this temple has as its near flower market.

Thovalai, Thevar Nager Arulmigu Madanthburan Thirukovil

This temple has as its main gods Varashakthi Vinayagar (வரசக்தி விநாயகர்), Madanthaburan (மாடன்தம்புரான்) and Eswari Amman (ஈஸ்வரி அம்மன்). The temple belongs to

Mukkulathor The Mukkulathor people, who are also collectively known as Thevar, are a community or group of communities native to the central and southern districts of Tamil Nadu, India. They comprise the Agamudayar, Kallar and Maravar communities that sh ...

(தேவர் சமுதாயம்)

Chekergiri Subramaniaswamy Thirukovil

One of the oldest temples in Thovalai.It is located above the mountain. This temple has its main god

Murugan Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...

. The main function of this temple was

Soorasamharam Sooranporu or Soorasamharam part of Kandha Sashti Vratham festival is a ritual folk performance that recreates the killing of Asuras by Lord Murugan. It is performed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Sri Lanka and the district of Palakkad in ...

. It was the main and grand temple function in Thovalai. The function held on October or November month Every year.

Sree Mutharaman Thirukovil, Vadakoor Thovalai.

This temple has as its main deity, goddess Mutharamman (முத்தாரம்மன்). This temple belongs to

(வேளாளர் சமுதாயம்).

Flower industry

Thovalai and the surrounding area is involved in the fresh flower industry for sale to domestic and foreign markets. The variety of white Jasmine flower (locally called 'Pichchi Vellai' or 'Pichchip poo') is a rarity with a unique scent. It is somewhat similar to 'Jaathi Malligai' which is grown elsewhere. The village people are quite active throughout the day with the flower business. Especially, the ladies at home are employed in this work and earn a substantial income. This increases the economy of the whole family and also the confidence level of the women. The Government of India is planning to set up a

floriculture Floriculture, or flower farming, is a branch of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry. The development of new varieties by plant breeding is ...

research station with a cold storage facility at Thovalai for the benefit of farmers raising flower crops in and around the Kanyakumari district. exporting flowers to foreign markets through

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

in Kerala state.

Infrastructure

*There is a higher secondary government school situated centrally with more than of ground. *In Thovalai is the

CSI Institute of Technology CSI Institute of Technology (CSIIT), known as CSI Engineering College, is an engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, ve ...

which was established in 1995 and is one of the oldest engineering colleges in Kanyakumari district. *The train makes a stop in the village. The village is on the highway running between

Nagercoil Nagercoil, also spelt as Nagarkovil ("Temple of the Nāgas", or Nagaraja-Temple), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu state, India. Situated close to the tip of the Indian peninsula, it lies on an ...

and

Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tam ...

. *Thovalai has a biggest flower market in kanyakumari district. *There are many old temples in thovalai.

Famous functions

In Thovalai on a small hill in the middle of the village is where the well-known Subramanaian Temple can be found. At this temple, the Pushbabishekam festival is commonly celebrated at the middle of August. The temple at festival time is filled with all varieties of flowers. After one week of Diwali, Surasamharam festival is celebrated throughout Tamil Nadu including at this temple. In Thovalai the oldest Chekkergiri murugan temple is been located.On every year on OCT-NOV SOORASAMSKARAM is been celebrated in a grand manner. More than 60+ years this festival is been celebrated.

References

External links

Article in ''The Hindu'' about the village
{{Regions of Kanyakumari Villages in Kanyakumari district