Panimatha

Kallikulam is located in Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu state in India. In recent times it has been one of the well known and most visited places of pilgrimage in the Catholic world.

From historical records, it is confirmed that people inhabited Kallikulam as early as 1700. During seventeenth Century, the Kallikulam village land was unoccupied. The Hindu Velalar community people of Kumbikulam Village, who used to go through this area, found that the land was unowned and so they possessed it. After that Hindu Nadar, Yadavar and Thevar community people came to Kallikulam and settled over there.

At that time two Hindu Nadar families of Kayamozhi village, Ponanainthan and Pooanainthan settled in Kallikulam. Over a period, more number of Nadar community people settled in Kallikulam. The leader of Nadar people was called "Nadan". Ponanainthan served as leader of the Nadar community people. People built a Sudalaimadan temple ( a Hindu deity) for worship and the village leader performed religious service.

People who wished to settle and build house in Kallikulam, offered Rs. 1 to the village leader and he allocated land to them. At that time, a dispute erupted between the owners and the local inhabitants, over the ownership of Kallikulam village land. A case was filed in the district court of Tirunelveli, which is 55 KM far from Kallikulam. At that time, there was no proper transportation between Kallikulam and Tirunelveli, and people used to go by walk to Tirunelveli.

In those days Vadakankulam and Anaikarai were the only Christian villages near to Kallikulam. Vadakankulam is situated 20 kilometre west of Kallikulam and Anaikarai is situated 15 kilometre east of Kallikulam. Once in a month a European priest from Vadakankulam parish went to Anaikarai by horse and conducted Mass. While going from Vadakankulam to Anaikarai the priest went through Kallikulam and developed a good relation with Kallikulam people.

Some time later, the village people got first summon from the court. Before they went to court, the village leader got a dream. In that dream, a lady with her child in her one arm and holding silver stick on the other hand, asked a particular part of land at Kallikulam to build a house. The village leader told his dream to his assistant and instructed him to give land to that lady if she came in his absence. After he returned from court, he asked his assistant about that lady and found that that lady had not come.

He got similar kind of dream at the time of second summon also. The same lady came in his dream and asked a particular part of land at Kallikulam to build a house. That time, the village leader very much confused about his dreams and told his dreams to village elders and asked their opinion. They discussed about those dreams and assumed that the lady might be the "Amman" (a Hindu deity) and she wished them to build a temple at Kallikulam for her. So they went to see that part of land pointed out by that lady. It was a cotton field, and location of the "Sudalaimadan" temple. In that hot summer season, that part of land was wet with dew. They amazed at that marvel and discussed those events amongst themselves.

At that time the European priest of Vadakankulam, on his way to Anaikarai came there and saw that wet land. He amazed, and asked them how that land got wet at that hot summer season. They told him about those dreams and their wish to build a temple for Amman. Then the priest told them that that kind of miracle could be performed neither by Amman nor by any spirit and that could be done Mary only. He told the miracles of Mary to them and assured that Mary would help them in their legal battle to get the ownership of the village land. They laughed at him and said that he was trying to preach Christianity, and that was the reason he was giving different meaning to those dreams.

After some days the village people got the third summon. By that time, the case came to end of the trial. The village people and the leader were worried about the final verdict and their future. Before they went to court, the village leader got a dream. In that dream, the same lady told him that 'You go in the front and I will be with you'. At once the village leader called the village elders and other people and told his dream. They remembered the words of the European priest, and believed that the lady was Mary and she would help them in their trial.

The village leader and other people went to court for the final verdict and there they got judgment in favour of them. The court declared that the people who were living in Kallikulam were the real owners of that land. They were very happy about that verdict and believed that Mary only helped them to win that trial. With more gratitude they decided to build a church for Mary at the land pointed by her. They moved the "Sudalaimadan" temple from that marked land to east side out of the village and built a small thatched church for Mary on 1770. They met the European priest during his visit and got babtised.

As most of the court expenses were spent by certain Vellaiyakon, half of the land was given to him and rest of the land were given to Nadar and Yadavar community people. Vellaiyakon was not satisfied with that arrangement and so he confronted with the people. At that time, he lost his only son and after that he gave all the land to Our Lady of Snows church.

As Kallikulam emulated as the destination of Christians, one Savari Muthu and his cousin came with their families from Kavalkinaru village and settled in Kallikulam. At that time, people planned to renovate the old thatched church. As Savari Muthu and his family were rich, he donated a heavy amount to the renovation work. So his family people got nominated for the Manager position of the church. First Manager, one Mr.Appavu worked for 55 years as Manager. The local inhabitants were selected as assistants to that Manager.

After some time, to avoid theft of properties, people from nearby small villages Siluvaipatti and Pannaipanai came to Kallikulam and settled there. After that Christian fisherman community people came to Kallikulam and settled there.