Residents of the ancient pilgrim centre of Sholinghur have hailed the State government’s recent decision to bestow it the tag of ‘heritage town’ along with 14 other places in Tamil Nadu. It is the first town in Vellore district to receive this recognition and would attract a spending of `1 crore from the State government to conserve historic and cultural sites and also develop infrastructure.
With a population of around 80,000, the town, also known as Thirukadigai, has been spiritually significant as it is considered to be one of 108 Divyadesams (places of worship) associated with Vaishnavism. Everyday, hundreds of devotees visit the temples of Sri NarasimhaSwamy, Bakthavatchalaswamy and Hanuman that are located on two hills in Sholinghur. Across the centuries, Sholinghur was ruled by the Cholas, Nawabs of Arcot and Tipu Sultan. It was here that Lieutenant General Eyre Coote of the British Army fought against Tipu Sultan in the second Anglo-Mysore war in 1781 that eventually led to the overthrow of the Mysore dynasty and helped consolidate British rule in the region. In recent years, Sholinghur emerged as an industrial hub with many companies setting up units. The government hospital here was the first in the district to get certification from National Accreditation Board for hospitals (NABH) for providing best medical care.
While thanking the Chief Minister for according the heritage tag, local residents also revealed their concerns and wishes. Social activist R Chandrasekaran said that the government should declare Sholinghur as a ‘heritage village’ and not a town. He explained that the heritage development plan should be discussed in public in a transparent manner before implementation. He further called for greenification of the entire town and revival of water sources such as ponds, tanks and wells.
An interesting issue raised by residents was related to the welfare of monkeys living in the hills that often caused troubles for pilgrims trekking in the area. Residents called for reviving an old park in the valley to serve as a rehabilitation place for the monkeys.
While the district administration had already prepared a plan to build a night shelter for pilgrims visiting the town and a pathway, residents want a Yathri Nivas facility with subsidised food for pilgrims. Some persons suggested that sound and light shows be held to highlight Sholinghur’s historic and spiritual significance.
D Sivakumar, who runs a printing press, underlined the need for a home for beggars and orphans and sought preservation of dilapidated artifacts and cave structures in Padmanabhapuram. He demanded that Mantapams and other associated temple structures be kept free from encroachments.