Arittapatti: a picture of rich heritage, culture and biodiversity
The Hindu“Arittapatti undu, azhagaana dharmam undu, Mangulam mandhai undu, madhipaana ennam undu,” says C. Murugeswari, one of the native environmentalists who hold dear the sanctity of Arittapatti, a quintessential village located 25 km away from Madurai, which was recently notified as Tamil Nadu’s first Biodiversity Heritage Site. “They indicate that two persons or donors – Sizhivan Adhinan Veliyan of Nelveli and Ilanjivel Imayavan, son of Ilam Perathan, of Ilanchi village – had given shelter to the Jain monks at this cave,” says V. Vedachalam, former senior epigraphist, Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department. “The presence of Jainism here also gives way to think that the name ‘Arittapatti’ must have derived from a Jain monk named ‘Arishtanemi’,” Mr. Vedachalam contends. Declaring spaces outside forests as a Biodiversity Heritage Site helps in protecting a rich and unique ecosystem easily accessible to all,” says Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Tamil Nadu.
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Arittapatti biodiversity heritage site notified
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