Narikuravar community will find it convenient to sell their products as a small exclusive commercial complex for the community was opened near Girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai town .
Accompanied by Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian, Minister of Public Works E.V. Velu inaugurated the commercial complex, built by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), in the town on Sunday. “We are thankful to the district administration for providing us a permanent place to sell our products. Buyers, mostly pilgrims, will find it easy to buy our products in an exclusive place,” said K. Sokkan, a beneficiary.
Designed as an umbrella-shaped facility, which costs around ₹1 crore, the complex has been divided into nine compartments. Each compartment has four shops, measuring around 100 - 150 sq.ft of space each. In other words, the complex will have a total of 36 shops, meant only for Narikuravar. Shops have adequate racks and storage facilities. “More footfall to the temple town was the major reason to set up the complex for the community, who are also found in large numbers along Girivalam path for many decades,” P. Ramakrishnan, Executive Engineer (EE), DRDA (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu.
A reverse osmosis plant has been set up on the premises to provide uninterrupted purified drinking water. Four separate toilets for men and women were also built. Ramps and separate toilets for persons with disabilities also form part of the basic amenities at the new facility. Rooftop solar panels are installed for power supply as part of energy conservation measures. CCTV cameras have been set up for better surveillance.
Initially, the complex was run by Self Help Groups (SHGs) before Narikuravars were given charge to run the facility. Shops will be allotted on first-cum-first service to the beneficiaries. Once successful, DRDA officials said, similar complexes will be set up in Polur and Vandavasi towns that have a sizable population of Narikuravar.
DRDA officials said thatthe total number of visitors has increased from two lakh to five lakh persons, especially during Chitra Pournami festival in the town for the past few years. Many visitors prefer to buy handmade items from Narikuravars.
