Soottu Pothai Malai - The Mysterious Hill ♾️

Every time I drove from Kanyakumari to Tirunelveli on the NH44, I used to watch this hill from afar, click a few photos and move on. But one day, I felt like I wanted to get closer to the hill so I got into the service lane, parked my car, and was staring at this beauty.

There was something very different about this hill, I thought to myself. Different as in, not externally, but more internally. I feel very different when I am here. More energy, More gratitude, More joy, More coincidences. To experience this feeling, I visited the spot another day but this time an old man gracing the cows told me, “Thambi (brother), you can go around the hill also. There is a road.” I was excited. The joy of getting closer to the hill was immense. There was something noticeably different in me every time I come here.

All of us have a place of comfort right? You will feel absolutely fine when you go there. For some, it is a church, temple, bed, bar, dance class, ocean, and so on. For me, it is this place. Welcome to ‘Soottu pothai malai’ in Valliyur, Tirunelveli district.

The hill and the surrounding areas come under the forest department but have been maintained by NGOs. A 5km neatly laid road around the hill allows you to walk peacefully around the hill and let the blessings of the hill fall directly on you. A very successful afforestation program is adding more beauty to the region, which was once a dry barren land.

Long long ago it is said that Siddhar Sri Muthukrishna Swami lived here. It is said that Siddhar lived for 179 years as a fully realized being before attaining Jiva Samadhi in 1913. It is reported that he used to levitate to the top of the Hill every evening to witness the Sayarakshai Pooja at Tiruchendur Temple and once a year on Thirukarthigai day he used to light a fire on top of the hill. Several authentic, old legendary transcripts have confirmed that Siddhar is an avatar of Sri Agastya Maha Muni and did not permit him to be photographed throughout his lifetime. According to his instructions, his devotees till date have been offering worship to him in the sculpted form or painting of Sri Agastya Muni.

The story of the hill doesn't end there. My curiosity about the hill led me to talk to a lot of people in the district about the magic of this hill and I discovered a few more stories.

1. The fishermen in Kanyakumari and nearby villages used to have Soottu Pothai as a marker when they were deep in the ocean.
2. The revered ancient Ayya Vali texts mention that the glory of Kanyakumari and its people is at its peak when there is a Cart festival that happens around Sootu Pothai. Not very surprisingly, Kanyakumari is at one of its most prosperous times now and we have a cart festival in Sootu Pothai every December.

My favorite thing to do here is a walk during sunset when the entire place lights up in gold and orange. Watching and listening to sparrows, chittu kuruvis’, bulbuls, and a few other beautiful tiny multi-colored birds that jump when they fly and whistle sounds that I haven’t heard ever before. I walk in wonder looking at the peak of the hill hoping and wondering what’s up there. The lighting fire on Thirukarthigai day is continued to date and I eagerly wait for my turn to go up this hill.

An elderly man, who takes care of gardening here is one of my favorites coz he tells me stories about the place and also gives me prasad from the temple which coincides with my craving for food. Every time we see each other we greet by saying “Aiiiiyyaa vanakkam ” with our hands folded until elbows and wide smiles and then we start talking. Usually, it’s me asking questions about the hill. The same question every day. Aiyya, tell me more about the hill. Even if it’s the same story, I listen just like I was listening to it the first time.

Think about it. I had no idea about this hill. I was just a passerby on the highway but something attracted me to it. The place is very much accessible for everyone and I am sure everyone, who lives in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli at some point in their lives, including me would have crossed this hill. All these places exist. I was not the first one to discover this hill. It has been there, ever. People have already felt something here. Hence they have built a road around the hill. Yearly once they also have a Chariot Festival aka Ratha Yatra. All these places exist. It’s just that we have other things to worry about and we pay zero attention to all these experiences.

Lastly, if you know of places like this, please leave a comment so we can go and have these experiences that are naturally available for all of us.