lineage trail - visit to Athichozhamangalam village

There are certain things in life, which give you  immeasurable happiness and one of them is tracing your lineage.   

To some of us born, and brought up in city, there is nothing as ancestral village, especially when you have property at your native place and none of your relatives continue to live over there.  The past 2 / 3 generations started moving away from villages, migrating to cities – most of them have forgotten their places, have no connection whatsoever with their native places.  Some still have the village name attached, but may not even know where such place or worser still, whether such place still exist !

My father hails from Mamandur – as there is more than one place with this name, this one is identified with the nearest bigger place Dusi Village and known as Dusi Mamandur.  Approx 9 kilometers away from the famous Kachi, after the river Palar lies the villageof Mamandur,  for easy identification called as “Dusi Mamandur”.   This village is on the Cheyyar [Thiruvathur] / Vandavasi route from Kancheepuram.   In this serene village, is the small but beautiful temple of Lord Lakshmi Narayanar.    The Moolavar idol is that of Lakshmi Narayanar – Perumal in sitting posture having Sri Lakshmi on his lap.  Uthsavar is Lakshmi Narayanar and Thayar is Sundaravalli Thayar.   Blessed to visit my ancestral place – after  1950, the temple was renovated with works commencing on 25.3.10 culminating with Maha Samprokshanam on 5th Sept. 2010. 

My maternal grandfather was known as ‘Athichozhamangalam Ramanujachariyar’.  He was Adhyapakar in Sri Parthasarathi Swami Temple at Thiruvallikkeni and passed away in Dec 1984.   He was an extremely affable person, tall, well-built, strict disciplinarian with neat disposition.  He was so fond of his children and grand-children.  We have very sweet memories of our sweet thatha.   In his early days, probably in his teens, he moved out of this village to the city of Chennai for greener pastures – when he landed up at Mambalam, it was sort of forest where foxes and snakes were seen..

Have heard that this place ‘Athichozhamangalam’ to be nearer Thanjavur – Thiruvarur but did not know where exactly this place and how it could be reached.    Have heard from my family elders that this place is nearer ‘Kodimangalam’ which has a Mariamman temple – known as Thirumathikundram [a Railway station] in the Thanjavur – Tiruvarur route.

From Thanjavur [Tanjore] junction, Mariamman koivl is 7 km;  Needamangalam is 30 km; Koradacheri is 38.4 km and Tirumanthikunam [Thirumathikundram!] is 44 km.   From Thirumanthikunam,  Koradacheri is 6 km; Thiruvarur Junction is 10 km; Nidamangalam is 14 km……..

The village Athichozhamangalam lies around 2 km away from the Thirumanthikunam railway station.  The village  Athichozhamangalam comes under Block : Koradachery; in the district of Thiruvarur. 

 the lush green paddy fields and village house

On Friday 2nd Nov. 2012, had the pleasure of travelling to this village.  The fields in tune with Thanjavur / Thiruvarur belt were lush green – not many knew of this place, even when enquired in nearer places.  Travelled from KUmbakobam – on road to Mannarkudi / Alangudi - Needamangalam - Left - Koradacheri - around 7 km - 4 road junction - Right - ONGC - 400m left - Athichozhamangalam - Byepass road - Ammaiyappan - road to Thirukannamangai divyadesam.

There is ONGC exploration on the way and this is a small [really small] village – only fields – no big streets even.  There is a Post Office by the name of the village itself with name board proudly reading:

Athisolamangalam Post Office, Tiruvarur District, Pincode 613701.

The local people are taking efforts to renovate the century old temple at this village.  If you hail this place or connected with this place  / interested in this village, you may please send your donation to Mr. S Vijayaraghavan, Athichozhamangalam PO, Ammaiyappan 613701.  M : 9715279338

There is not much of information of this village – Athichozhamangalam on the web.  There is reference to a revision petition filed by one R Natarajan against the State Chief Election Officer on 15th March 2011.  This is a Civil Revision petition filed against the Order and Decretal Order, dated 16.09.2009 made in Election O.P.No.7 of 2008 on the file of the Panchayat Election Court / District Court, Tiruvarur.  The petition challenges the election of President of Athichozhamangalam Village, Tiruvarur District, in the election held on 13.10.2006 as invalid.

Panchayat election was conducted on 13.10.2006 for the post of the President for Athichozhamangalam village Panchayat.  The petitioner  states that there are two wards for the Athichozhamangalam village Panchayat and the total number of votes polled were 540 and two postal votes were also received, out of which, one postal vote was polled in favour of third respondent and the other was polled in favour of the fifth respondent. The third respondent was announced to have polled 182 votes and declared elected by the second respondent. The petitioner was announced to have secured 178 votes, the fourth and fifth respondents respectively secured 131 votes and 29 votes, as announced by the second respondent herein. The petitioner has further stated that during the counting, there was barbed wire fencing, between the candidates or their agents and the place of counting. According to the petitioner, the third respondent was shown undue favour by the second respondent and his subordinates, as he was supported by the ruling party.

For a moment, without going in to the merits of the case,  this is a village which has 540 voters [the numbers who had cast their votes] in 2006 and there is litigation for the post of President of this village [one cannot deny the fact that the petitioner has the right – but still !!!]

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.
4th Nov. 2012.