Uvari

Uvari is a coastal village in Thisayanvilai^[1] Taluk, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is also called Karaichuthu Uvari.^[2][3] The total geographical area of the Uvari is around 3 km² (1.2 sq mi). Uvari is surrounded by Idaiyangudi, Navaladi, Kuttom and the Bay of Bengal. The mean maximum temperature is around 37 °C (99 °F) in summer and 37 °C (99 °F) in winter, with humidity levels over 65 percent. The rainy season starts between October and January. Uvari is rich in mineral resources like limestone, Ilmenite, and red garnet sands.^[4]

Uvari Karaichuthu Uvari
Village
Uvari Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 8.286205°N 77.899305°E / 8.286205; 77.899305
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Tirunelveli district
Elevation	12.44 m (40.81 ft)
Population  (2001)
• Total	25,000
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)

Economy

Local inhabitants primarily work as farmers, sailors or fishermen.

Education

Seven schools are located in Uvari.

• St. Mary's Primary School
• St. Mary's Hr Secondary School
• St. Joseph Middle School
• St. Mother Teresa School
• TDTA Primary School
• Hindu Middle School
• Malaviya Vidya Kendram^[5]

Health care

Two hospitals are located in Uvari.

• St. Joseph Hospital
• Government Primary Healthcare Hospital

Facilities

Two banks are located in Uvari.

• Central Bank of India (with ATM) ^[6][7]
• Canara Bank (with ATM)^[8]
• Muthoot Finance^[9]
• Muthoot Fincorp ^[10]

Post Office (627651)^[11]

BSNL Telephone Exchange (277 series)

Religion

Suyambulinga Swamy Temple

Hinduism and Christianity are the most commonly practiced religions in Uvari.

Uvari is home to the prominent Hindu Suyambulinga Swamy Temple.^[12] It is said to have originated approximately 500 years ago when "A milk vendor facing some difficulties on his usual way by the root of a Kadamba tree. When he cut the Kadamba tree root, blood began to flow from the spot. A voice from the sky (Asareeri) directed the milk vendor to construct a temple there. The temple was first built with palm leaves which later grew into a stone construction.The main prayer commitment is that people carry the sea sand in 11 or 41 baskets and put it near the temple."^[13]

Kappal Matha Church

St. Antony's Church

Christian churches include:^{[citation needed]}

• St. Anthony's Shrine Basilica, a Catholic church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, and the only place in Tamil Nadu that has a St. Anthony's church beside the sea.
• The Kappal Matha Church (Our Lady of Good Health), in the form of a ship carrying an airplane. The original church of St. Mary was damaged by sea erosion and replaced by this one, built in 1974. It features four shrines and many grottos.
• St. Andrew's Church
• Selva Matha Church (Our Lady of Good Wealth)
• Velankanni Matha Church (Our Lady of Good Health)

History

According to Tamil history, the citizens of Uvari were called Bharathar's of the Neithal (ocean) World. Uvari's historical name was Obeer Pattanam. It was ruled by the Pandyan dynasty.

In the 1530s, Portuguese and Spanish missionaries from Goa arrived and converted many Bharathars to the Roman Catholic religion. The Portuguese priests, acting as godfathers, gave surnames such as Fernando to the converted. Pandya retains a fish on its flag, a symbol of this era.

Legend has it that the crew of a Portuguese ship that sailed near Uvari in the seventeenth century contracted cholera. In an attempt to avert death, a carpenter aboard the ship carved an image of Saint Anthony (Anthony of Padua).^[14] Soon after, the entire crew were restored to health. When the ship docked at Uvari, the sailors placed the statue inside a hut in the village. In the 1940s, the villagers built a church with the original statue of St. Anthony holding the infant Jesus in his hand. St Anthony is said to perform many miracles daily for the people who flock there with faith in his intercession, therefore the church was upgraded to a shrine.^[15] Uvari is visited by Hindus and Christians from all over South India.

Transport

Uvari is 80 km (50 miles) from Thoothukudi, 40 km (25 miles) from Tiruchendur, 54 km (34 miles) from Nagercoil, 48 km (30 miles) from Kaniyakumari, 75 km (47 miles) from Tirunelveli, 130 Km from Kovilpatti, 230 km (140 miles) from Madurai, and 260 km (160 miles) from Rameswaram.

The village has no train service. The nearest railway's stations are located in Tiruchendur, 40 km (25 miles) away, and Kaniyakumari, 48 km (30 miles) away. The nearest airport is Tuticorin Airport, 100 km (62 miles) away.