Vettavalam
Vettavalam is a first grade panchayat town[1] in Tiruvanamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Vettavalam(வேட்டவலம்)
Vettaivallam | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s): Singapuram | |
  Vettavalam(வேட்டவலம்) Location in Tamil Nadu, India | |
| Coordinates: 12.1°N 79.25°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Tiruvanamalai |
| Elevation | 211 m (692 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 15,506 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 606 754 |
| Telephone code | 91-4175 |
| Vehicle registration | TN 25 |
Geography
Vettavalam is located at 12.1°N 79.25°E.[2] It has an average elevation of 211 metres (692 feet).
Vettavalam is in between Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram NH38(Villupuram to Mangalore National Highway).
There is a big lake in vettavalam.
Vettavalam is also a popular movie shooting location for the Tamil film industry; it is preferred for outdoor shooting because of its scenic landscape. Movies like Marumalarchi, Saattai, Tiruvakkarai Sri Vakrakaliamman, etc., are shot here.
Demographics
Vettavalam is a Town Panchayat in district of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. Vettavalam is divided into 15 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The Vettavalam Town Panchayat has population of 15,506 of which 7,681 are males while 7,825 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.[3]
Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 1709 which is 11.02% of total population of Vettavalam (TP). In Vettavalam Town Panchayat, Female Sex Ratio is of 1019 against state average of 996. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Vettavalam is around 1013 compared to Tamil Nadu state average of 943. Literacy rate of Vettavalam city is 82.46% higher than state average of 80.09%. In Vettavalam, Male literacy is around 89.81% while female literacy rate is 75.25%.
Culture
Agatheeshwarar temple
Vettavalam, also having a famous temple of Lord Shiva 'Agatheeswarar Temple'. It is advised to visit Agatheeswarar temple before visiting Tiruvannamalai Arunachleswara temple during Fullmoon Girivalam.
Sambandha Vinayagar temple
This is also famous for Chittirai Thiruvizha (called LakshaDeepam festival) at Sambandha Vinayagar temple on the way to Tiruvanamalai Road.
Manonmaniyamman temple
Vettavalam is famous for Manonmaniyamman temple and Aranmanai (palace). The temple has a maragatha lingam (Emarald Lingam). The temple is located on a hill. Tiruvannamalai temple is viewable from this hill temple.
Pachaiamman temple
Also, there is a temple adjacent to the Vettavalam-TV Malai road, called Pachaiamman Kovil about 2 km from the Vettavalam bus stand towards TV malai. It is clearly visible from the main road with seven Munis statues at the front side of the temple. Large sections of devotees gather during Aadi masam to offer poojas on auspicious Mondays or Fridays during this month. Every Month 1st day (Tamil Month) is doing Special Pooja & design is well on the day for swamy (Pachaiamman) also every week of Friday conducting pooja and some people are vising even Sunday also. People of many generations apart who have a trace of their origin in and around this region try to make at least once in a year to visit and offer prayers and get blessings from Goddess Pachaiamman.
This temple's existence can be traced back to at least in early part of 20th century.
St. Immaculate Heart of Mary's Church
Vettavalam has also a church of Immaculate Mary, built in the 18th century. St. Joseph's Shrine, located in the top of the mount built by Fr.Tharas, is also from the 18th century.
The history of Vettavalam tells that, Saint Francis Xavier and John de Britto passed through this town and proclaimed the Christian gospel. The festival of Saint Joseph is celebrated on 2 January of every year. People from nearby villages and all the parts of country come together and get the blessings of the saint and get healed from their sickness. Holy mass is celebrated on first Wednesday of every month and also people every Wednesday come to seek the presence of St. Joseph.
Throwpathi Amman Temple
திரௌபதி அம்மன் கோவில் இங்கு உள்ளது. இங்கு தீமிதி விழா நடைபெறும்.
Vallalar at Vettavalam Palace
Vallalar[4] cured cases of spirit-possession. One of the two wives of the Zamindar of Vettavalam was possessed by a "brahma Rakshasi" an evil female spirit. The other suffered from the disease of dropsy. In spite of several treatments by medicine, by occultism and magic and by offering of animals in sacrifice, their sufferings could not be relieved.
At the request of the Zamindar, Vallalar went to Vettavalam. The Zamindar had provided two identical chairs for Vallalar to sit on. As soon as Vallalar reached the house and was about to step into it, the spirit -possessed wife came out and joined her hands in prayer to Vallalar and assured him that she (the female spirit) was waiting to leave the affected person (i.e. Zamindar 's wife) at Vallalar's bidding. She received sacred ash from Vallalar. The spirit departed leaving Zamindar 's wife to enjoy the freedom of her life. Then, Vallalar gave sacred ash in three small quantities to the other wife of the Zamindar and cured her from dropsy. Vallalar sat in the very particular chair which the Zamindar had chosen for him, this was a test to see if Vallalar was a yogi or not. However the Zamindar asked for Vallalar's pardon for such a behaviour in his thought. He converted the whole family as vegetarians, stopped sacrifice of animals at the "Kali" temple of that village and instead asked the people to offer milk-rice (i.e., rice cooked in milk) to the goddess. All the poisonous creatures such as snakes were asked to be removed to a distant forest outside the village, instead of killing them or doing any harm to them. For this purpose a snake-charmer was engaged at the request of Vallalar.
Vettavalam Zamin and Narthamalai Mariamman temple
Muthu Mariamman residing in Narthamalai[5] became famous because of Malaiammal. Malaiammal was born in a Zamindar family in Vettavalam, a district near Thiruvannamalai.
When Malaiammal was young, she was affected severely by smallpox. The zamindar brought Malaiammal to the temple and left her at its entrance and went away. On hearing the cries of the little girl, the Amman blessed the girl and cured her from the disease. Malaiammal had spent her entire life in the temple, cleaning the shrine and meditating before the Amman. Muthu Mariamman blessed and glorified Malaiammal.
Malaiammal gave ‘Arul Vaakku’(prediction the future) to the devotees who came there with sufferings and worries and her Vaakku became true. Many devotees came from different places to worship Muthu Mariamman and to get ‘Arul Vaakku’ from Malaiammal. Malaiammal extended the temple premises. Soon, Narthamalai became a famous temple. The Malaiammal Sannidhi is near the temple. Every year, a group of people from Vettavalam worship Malaiammal here by offering Pooja and ‘Bali’. [Animal Sacrifice].
Education
Schools
- Government Boys Higher Secondary School
- Government Girls Higher Secondary School
- St. Mary's Boys Higher Secondary School
- St. Aloysius Girls Higher Secondary School
- Moorthy Matriculation Higher Secondary School[6]
- Sri Aruneshwar Matric School[7]
- Good Will Matric School[8]
- Dr. Lemire School of Excellence
- Vedha Vidyashram School
- Panchayat Union Primary Schools(Vettavalam West, North and South)
- Panchayat Union Middle School(Vettavalam East)
- Lourdu Annai Matriculation School
Colleges
- Loyola College
Loyola College,Vettavalam, started in the academic year 2009–2010, was a pioneering initiative of the Jesuit Madurai Province to develop and strengthen the Jesuit Chennai Mission in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu.
The College started to function from 15 July 2009 with 195 students, having five Under Graduate Degree Courses (English, B.Com., BBA, BCA and B.Sc Computer Science). The official inauguration of the college took place on 31 July 2009, the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Founder of the Society of Jesus.
Banks
- Lakshmi Vilas Bank
- Indian Bank
- Indian Overseas Bank
- Tiruvannamalai District Co-Operative Bank
References
- Vettavalam Town Panchayat
- Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Vettavalam
- "Census of India 2011: Data from the 2011 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
- Vallalar at Vettavalam
- Narthamalai Mariamman Temple
- Moorthy Matric School
- Sri Aruneshwar School
- Good Will School