Thamirabarani, the only perennial river in Tamil Nadu, flows through Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Thoothukudi districts. Its steady water supply has supported rice cultivation for centuries. Tirunelveli —also called Nellai —derives its name from “Nellu” (paddy), and the temple deity Nellaiappar reflects this agrarian heritage. One legend tells of a devotee who left paddy to dry in the temple and prayed to Lord Shiva to protect it. The Lord protected the area from rain —“Thiru-Nellu-Veli”—giving the town its name.

Equally fascinating is the revival of Nellaiappar rice by heritage seed saver Lakshmi Devi (alias Pothigai Uzhathi) of Ambasamudram. Originally grown by her family in Valliyur, she rediscovered the paddy in her ancestral home—seeds nearly 30 years old. Taking 10 kg of the old paddy to her current home in Ambai, she sowed it with minimal germination. She protected the tiny first crop, and through successive seasons multiplied the seeds. Today, this heritage variety is cultivated by several farmers across Ambasamudram taluk. It’s short-duration and has small grains—ideal for climate resilience and as table rice.

We at Vaanavil Farm & Food Forest grew it this year and harvested 600+ kg, aiming for 400+ kg of rice for home and sales. It has been listed on the online store for the last few months now.

While I don’t believe in miracles or supernatural gods, I deeply believe in human effort and the need to decentralize power. Regaining control of seeds from corporations and central institutions is one essential step in reclaiming democratic agency. What do you think?

Regards

Sudhakar
Vaanavil Farm & Food Forest
+91 90438 24660