The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : A cacophony of essentials

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

A cacophony of essentials

One of the largest residential pockets of Madurai, Pudur is a much sought after area today. From what started essentially as a hotspot of trading for villagers in and around the Temple Town and primarily a sparse piece of land spreading roughly over 3.5 kms has turned into a busy zone not only bustling with market activity but the cacophony of all modern day essentials.

From several extension areas --- including Karpaga Nagar, Azhgar Nagar, E.M.G. Nagar, Manmalaimedu, Athikulam, Jawaharpuram, Gandhipuram, G.R. Nagar, Nallamani Nagar, Mahalakshmi Nagar, Parasurampatti, Lourdu Nagar or Azhagar Nagar -- that neatly house big, small and medium residential plots to hospitals, schools, welfare and care homes, industrial units, the integrated bus stand, you find it all here.

Confluence

Religiosity also touches a unique high with the presence of the famous and one of the oldest churches, the St.Lourde’s shrine, a mosque and an Ayyappan Temple. Besides, a burial and a cremation ground too share space reflecting a confluence of all communities.

Starting from the Lotus Water Tank at DRO colony, Pudur ends its limit at Moondrumavati colony but along the way it gets classified both as a municipality and village panchayat given the sprinkle of villages around Surveyor Colony on Alagar Koil Road. With its actual name as Kosakulam Pudur or K Pudur, what has shot the place’s value is extremely good connectivity.

Not only is the Mattuthavani bus stand just at a stone’s throw, majority of the city buses terminate at a satellite bus stand on Alagar Koil Road in Pudur. Besides, it is the road which connects Madurai straight to Melur and Trichy. The other advantage which several of the residential colonies hold in Pudur is its well planned lay out and neatly laid broad roads.

“In no other residential colony of Madurai will you find roads matching the requirements,” says Dr.Dheep, founder of Top Kids, who has been living in Karapaga Nagar for almost a decade now.

In fact, his house is a major landmark in the area, both envied and loved not only for a delightful architectural style done in red bricks, granites and rocks. But it also happens to be one of the most environment-friendly abode with a rainwater harvesting scheme put in place at a time when the Government had barely started thinking about it.

Dream home

Enveloped in a lush green cover complete with trees and grass, a mini stream with a wooden bridge at the entrance and an open courtyard in the middle of the house which helps in collecting rain water and works as a good ventilation, Dr. Dheep’s house has been much talked and written about in various publications. But he says humbly, “it was a dream which I and my wife executed with junk, discarded material picked up from flea markets, some antique and eco-friendly stuff. I like it when people call it by different names, like the forest or jungle house, or even a Harry Potter or mystery bungalow!”

The only thing perhaps which frustrates conscientious residents of Pudur is the virtual loss of Kosakulam tank. Previously serving as an irrigation tank, the tank lost its intended purpose given the rapid pace of urbanisation.

Residents have been petitioning the Public Works Department to deepen and renovate it, prevent draining of sewage into it and freeing it from encroachment. The size of the tank has reduced considerably and only sale of land is on the up here. One hopes better sense prevails for some good work in reviving and preserving our old water bodies.

Soma Basu

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