Courtalam – where the Sun’s chariot slips down to cause the Sun set and one needs 1000 eyes to watch this exotic panorama!

Courtalam is the evergreen wonder paradise which magnetizes people from the adjoining plains of scorching sunshine.

With close ranges, dense forests, numerous streams and surrounding green fields of paddy, Courtalam is a welcome change to any visitor. The climate is so refreshing particularly during June - August season - called ‘saaral’ – when the water falls get abundant water due to monsoon and the atmosphere is defined by a steady and lovely drizzle.

The incessant drizzle and the silvery cascades create an air of naturally ionized water particles. It is said, negatively charged ion particles in the proximity of gushing waterfalls, windswept beaches, an urban fountain sprinkle or the atmosphere after heavy downpour have a benevolent impact on the body and soothing effect on the mind. Then imagine to be immersed in this chill shower of ionized water particles in Courtalam!

Five falls cascades are perhaps one of the best fresh water bathing facilities created by the Mother Nature.

The British colonial army’s Col. James Welsh who visited Courtalam during his tenure at Palamkottah fort some 2 centuries back, was awestruck by the beauty of this place. Following is a part of his description of Courtalam, in his book, ‘the Military Reminiscences’;

“…………….. subdivided by projecting rocks, that one part of it answers all the purpose of a shower –bath, and is much frequented for that purpose both by Europeans and natives. Here, also, although many beautiful forest-trees are left, to give life to the picture; the country is well cultivated, and there are many gentlemen’s seats in the neighbourhood, which, however, can be inhabited only between the months already mentioned. There is a beautiful avenue, of some miles in length, as far as the fall; and several picturesque Pagodas and choultries, even to the very foot of it."  

Col. James Welsh perhaps means the picturesque Tenkasi-Melagaram-Courtalam roadway in his record as a ‘beautiful avenue of some miles in length as far as the fall’. It is so picturesque even now after two centuries;

Col. James Welsh also says that Courtalam forests are ‘infested with tigers’ and advises the visitors to be armed to tackle this menace.  However, to my knowledge, there are no reports of a tiger having been spotted here in the recent past.    

Actually the very presence of tigers prevents human intrusion into forests and ensures wood density, forest cover and eventually the required water flow in the rivers. Tigers perhaps are the guardians of forests. The Forest officials claim that the tiger preserve of ‘Mundanthurai – Kalakkadu reserve ranges’ historically has ensured the perennial flow of Tamiraparani River!

This perhaps explains the dwindling flow in Chitraru River over time and perhaps in the case of River Vaigai also.

                                           
 one of my friends from Salem,  observes an age old Marudham tree near Courtalam. He is a construction engineer;  environmentally  sensitive and a regular visitor of Tirunelveli and Courtalam during the saaral time. 

There are many marudham trees in this road some of them intertwined with one or two tamarind and banyan trees!

  

The vivid poetic description of Courtalam in ‘Thirukkutrala kuravanji’ by Thiri kooda Raasappa Kaviraayar is a celebrated Tamil literary piece in the short literary genre of Nayakkar period.

Kuravanji literature speaks about ‘kurinji thinai’ – the mountainous landscape of Tamil country. Thirukkutraalakkuravanji beautifully brings forth the Kurinji thinai with all its facets such as the natural scenes of forests and the people connected with forests with a saivite religious blend.

The presiding deity of Courtalam is the protagonist of this play.

The dramatic form adopted in this kuravanji treats the reader with ‘nava rasas’- the aesthetic senses and the artful expressions of cardinal human emotions as expounded in the Indian art traditions – in the backdrop of natural settings of Courtalam forests with a devotional touch is an indispensable precious jewel of the Tamil literature. 

The Thirukkutraala naadhar temple in close proximity to the main-falls - called ‘peraruvi’ in Tamil is a conch shaped temple possibly one of the best located temples of Senkottai Taluk. 

Puliyarai temple and Thirumalai temple are other ancient temples in this region virtually on the lap of mother-nature with spectacular scenic settings.

Since Courtalam being an ancient Tamil Saivite shetram - i.e. the ‘oor’ or place itself is considered religiously important and sanctified – is mentioned with the Tamil prefix ‘Thiru’. Tamil prefix 'Thiru' is the equivalent of the Sanskrit prefix, ‘Sri’ as in 'Thiruvallikkeni' and ‘Srivilliputhur’ signifying the spiritual importance of a locality. As such, Courtalam was one of the personal names in Tirunelveli region, with similar popular place names such as Annamalai, Kaasi, Palani and Chidambaram.

A pilgrimage mind set basically differs from a tourist mindset.

Any sensible traveler would try to connect with the soul of a place and may understand the pulse of its heritage and intrinsic value and beauty while a tourist is basically driven by the unbridled intent to carnal pleasures of fun, food, liquor and sex. Tourism eventually debases the value of a kshetram. Courtalam is one such kshetrams lost its relevance to tourism.  

On the other hand one can contrast; Kodaikkanal and Munaar which are out and out lovely tourist destinations.

The recent intervention of the Madras High Court has reined in these tourist spoils to some extent in Courtalam.  

  

Few sparkling lines from, Thirukkutraalam Dhevaaram hymns and Thirukkutraala Kuravanji – without which Courtalam is simply incomplete……….

Following vivid descriptions of Courtaalam sceneries are of 7^th century from the sthala Dhevaaram hymns of Thirungaana Sambandhar, the foremost Guru of Tamil Saivite tradition;

“வம்பார் குன்றம் நீடுயர்சாரல் வளர் வேங்கைக்

கொம்பார் சோலைக் கோலவண்டியாழ் செய் குற்றாலம்.....

........................

செல்வமல்கு செண்பகம் வேங்கைசென்றேறிக்

கொல்லை முல்லை மெல்லரும்பீனுங் குற்றாலம்.....

...............

பக்கம் வாழைப்பாய் கனியோடு பலவின் தேன்

கொக்கின் கோட்டுப்பைங்கனி தூங்குங்குற்றாலம்......

..........................

மலையார் சாரல் மகவுடன் வந்த மடமந்தி

குலையார் வாழைத்தீங்கனிமாந்துங்குற்றாலம்.........

........................

பெருந்தண்சாரல் வாழ் சிறைவண்டு பேடைபுல்கிக்

குருந்தம் ஏறிச்செவ்வழிபாடுங்குற்றாலம்......”

Thirukkutraalakkuravanji describes the 18^th century courtaalam in the following popular lines of rhythmic expression;

“ வானரங்கள் கனிகொடுத்து மந்தியொடு கொஞ்சும்

மந்தி சிந்து கனிகளுக்கு வான்கவிகள் கெஞ்சும்

கானவர்கள் விழியெறிந்து வானவரை யழைப்பார்

கமனசித்தர் வந்துவந்து காயசித்தி விளைப்பார்

தேனருவித் திரையெழும்பி வானின் வழி யொழுகும்

செங்கதிரோன் பரிக்காலுந்தேர்க்காலும் வழுகும்

கூனலிளம் பிறை முடித்த வேணியலங்காரர்

குற்றாலத் திரிகூட மலையெங்கள் மலையே

முழங்குதிரைப் புனலருவி கழங்கெனமுத் தாடும்

முற்றமெங்கும் பரந்து பெண்கள் சிற்றலைக் கொண்டோடும்

கிழங்கு கிள்ளித் தேனெடுத்து வளம்பாடி நடிப்போம்

கிம்புரியின் கொம்பொடித்து வெம்பு தினையிடிப்போம்

செழுங்குரங்கு தேமாவின் பழங்களைப்பந்தடிக்கும்

தேனலர்சண்பகவாசம் வானுலகில் வெடிக்கும்

வழங்குகொடை மகராசர் குறும்பலவி லீசர்

வளம்பெருகுந் திரிகூட மலையெங்கள் மலையே

ஆடுமரவீனுமணி கோடிவெயிலெறிக்கும்

அம்புலியை கவளமென்று தும்பிவழி மறிக்கும்

வேடுவர்கள் தினை விரைக்கச் சாடுபுனந் தோறும்

விந்தையகில் குங்குமமுஞ் சந்தனமும் நாறும்

காடுதொறு மோடிவரை யாடுகுதி பாயுங்

காகமணு காமலையில் மேகநிரைசாயும்

நீடுபல வீசர்கயிலாசகிரி வாசர்

நிலைதங்கும் திரிகூட மலையெங்கள் மலையே.......”

Following links are of two fantastic dance expressions of Thirukkutrala 

kuravanji available in youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D73KUk9FAfs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czg_K73WicI

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