TOWARDS OUR PLACES – Pungudutheevu

This is one of the so-called Sapta Islands of Eelam. Pungudutheevu is a beautiful island with a length of 5.5 miles in the east west and 3 miles in the north-south.

The island is connected to Jaffna by land due to its connection with the Vanar Bridge. It also has sea links with other islands through a port such as Kurikattuvan and Kaluthaipiddi.

Agriculture, fishing is the main source of income for the island. The island is said to have been called Pungudutheevu, as it was a forest of “pungai trees”. The name is also associated with the town of Pungudi in Tamil Nadu. There is an anecdotal history, which says they took refuge in the area and later called it Pungodi Island and it later became known as Pungudutheevu. Holland called the island “Middleburg” because of its neutrality to other islands. It also says that a part of Pungudutheevu was named Sangumavai because of the cones found here and the Holland exported them from here.

Many of the people who were displaced during the Eelam War in 1990 were displaced not only to various parts of Sri Lanka but also to other parts of the world. Many have identified their business worldwide in business activity. Pungudutheevu stands high by making many sacrifices as maveerar, fighters and patriots in the Eelam liberation struggle.

Ports
There are four ports here named, Puliyadithurai, Kaluthaipiddithurai, Kurikadduvanthurai and Madathuvelithurai. A notable feature is the location of a lighthouse built by Holland in an area called “Koriya”.

The lighthouse was 35 feet high to support ships during the dark nights. This bright lighthouse looks like it is emitting a glowing white light once every 5 seconds.

Pungudutheevu temples and churches

Ooratheevu Panavidai Shivan Temple
Madathuveli Balasubramaniar Temple
Madathuveli Veerakathi Vinayagar Temple
Vallan Thiruperunthurai Nagathambiran Temple
Vallan Ilupennai Nachimar Temple
Vallan Harihara Puthira Iyanar Temple
Koriyavadi Nayamma Temple
Kaladdi Varasitthi Vinayagar Temple
Thallaiyapatru Murugamoorthy Temple
Santhayadi Veerakathi Vinayagar Temple
Perungadu Kandasamy Temple
Kurikadduvan Maninmani Ambal Temple (Pechiyamman)
Perungadu Sri Muthumari Ambal Temple
Perungadu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple (Shivan Temple)
Irupiddi Piddiyambathi Sri Kalikaparameswari Ambal Temple
Irupiddi Ariyanayakanpulam Veerasakathi Vinayagar Temple – Ariyanayakanpulam
Irupiddi Periyapulam Veerasakathi Vinayagar Temple
Perungadu St. Protestant Church
Perungadu St. Xavier’s Church
Perungadu St. Anthony’s Church
Pungudutheevu Kannagai Amman Temple (Sri Rajarajeswari Amman Temple)

Known elders from here

Ponnambalam, writer
Shanmugam, artist
Thambia Devadas, writer
Ambalavanar (Periyavanar) Social Service, Politics, Education.
Ambalavanar (Chinnavanar) Social Service, Politics, Education.
Thalayasingam, writer
K. Mahendran, lawyer, writer
Vilvaratnam, writer
V. Pasupathipillai, education, spirituality, social service
Aiyathurai Education, Social Service
Thirunavukarasu, Sarvodayam, Social Service, Politics
Kanagasabai, instrument player.
Arumugam, Vithuvan, Education
A. Waithilingam -Engineering Specialist
Vilvaratnam Principal- Education, Social Service
Selvarathnam-Principal-Education, Literature, Art
Kathiravelu- Lawyer, Politics, Social Service, Law
Ganapathipillai Kandaiya – Principal-Education-Social Service
Sellathurai – PML-N leader, social service
Ganapathipillai- Doctor
Archbishop David Jayaratnam Ambalavanar
E. Sathasivampillai –Education
Saravanamuthu Swamis – Social service
Pandit C. Saravanar – Spiritual Teacher
KV Sellathurai – President-Vice President, All Ceylon ITC Association
Murugesu – Social Service
Karthikeyan -F. Vice President, Founder of SEP
VK Gunaratnam
Ganesarasagurukkal-Religion
Sivasubramaniam Gurus-Religion
Muthuthambi -Chief-Education
KV Thambidurai – M-K-S Leader, Social Service
Damodharampillai- Education
Thambipillai – Doctor
Kulanthaivelu – Social service
Ramachandra Iyer –Religion
Markandu Sothinathar – Spirituality, Social Service
Kengadhara Gurus- Religion
Pararasasingam- Social Service Politics
VV Nallathambi-Principal-Education-Politics, Social Service
Padmanathan – writer
Sreesanth (Chitra Manalan), writer, social worker
CK Nagesh – Social Service, Politics
Nakesu-Social Service-Politics
Sivaramalingam-Principal, Education, Literature, Art
Kulasekarampillai-Education, Social Service
Thiyagarasa-Education, Social Service Schools
Pungudutheevu Sri Ganesha Maha Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Kamalambigai Junior Maha Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Maha Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Shanmuganathan Kanishta Maha Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Subramania Girls’ High School
Pungudutheevu Siddhivinayagar Kanishta Maga Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Thirunavukarasu Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Perungadu A.M. School
Pungudutheevu Marking AMTC School
Pungudutheevu Irupiddiya AMTC School
Pungudutheevu Irupiddi Ariyanayakanpulam DK School
Roman Catholic School under Pungudutheevu Market
Pungudutheevu Rajeswari Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Duraichamy Vidyalaya
Pungudutheevu Parasakthi Vidyalaya

Social service organizations

Madathuveli Community Center,
Uradivu Community Center,
Vallan Community Center,
Nazareth Community Center,
Bharathi Community Center,
Perungadu Community Center,
Sivalaipitiya Community Center,
Irupiddiya Community Center,
Aingaran Community Center,
Gandhi Community Center,
Alladi BC Society,
Northern Sri Lankan dictatorship,
Punguduthivu Youth Association,
Uradivu Young Tamil Forum,
Sarvodayam Pungudutheevu East,
People’s Service Association,
Pungudutheevu Welfare Society,

Ponds

Vellaykulam
Thillankulam
Ariyarikulam
Murugankovilkulam
Nagathambirankulam
Ammaikulam
Thikalikulam
Periyakiray
Makkikundu
Nagganthaikulam
Tharmakundu
Puttunikulam
Veddukulam
Kannagiamman theppakulam
Kanthasuvamithiran kulam
Mariyammankovil kulam

Journalists

Thambiya Devadas – Sri Lanka Radio Education Service
VD Ilangovan – Radio Press (France)
Nageshu Dharmalingam – Radio Press (Veerakesari, Dinakaran)
Ravi – -Radio Press (Canada)
SM Dhanabalan Magazine (Canada)
Shiva-Chandrapalan-Press, Radio-IBC, TRT, Television-TRT, Sports, Internet (Swiss)
Shanmuganathan (Artist – TV1. Canada)
Balaganasan-Radio, Television, (France-TTN)
RR Prabha – Radio, Television (Canada-TVI)
Mohan – Radio TRT, Television – TRT (France)
Sandio Amirtaraj – Radio (Netherlands)
Sun-Ravi – Internet – My Sun (Swiss)
Sri Kugan – Internet – Lankasree (Swiss)
Karunailingam (GTV-Europe)
Sathipan (Valampuri-Press)

Writers
– M. Thalayasingam – Revolution Writer

– S. Wilvaratnam – Poet, journalist

– T. Thuraisingam – Malayalam writer

– M. Ponnambalam – Poet, Writer
– P. Kanakasabai – Spiritual Writer

– K. Kugapalan -Writer -Geography
– C. Arumugam – Spiritual Writer
– C.K. Nagalingam -Spiritual writer
– VV Nallathambi Literature
– SK Mahendran – Writer
– Hindu Mahesh – Veerakesari Novels, Short Stories, Journalism
– Thambiya Devadas – Translation Writer
– K. Thirunavukarasu. -Author
– P. Kanakalingam – Journalist Writer
– VD Thirunavukarasu – Journalist (Navendan)
– Puluvar Eelam Sivanandan – Spiritual Writer of Journalism
– M. Neminathan – Journalism. English Translation Writer
– VD Ilangovan.poet, writer
– Naga. Padmanathan -Writer
– I. Sivasamy – Poet. Playwright
– K. Selvarathnam – Drama writer
– Nageshu Dharmalingam -Writer
– SM Dhanabalan – Drama Short Story Writer
– Naga.Santalingam – Political Writer
– Chithramanalan -Political writer
– Kaushalya Sornalingam – Poet, writer
– Kamalasini Sivapatham -Writer
– Na. Devadasan – Poetry writer
– Yashoda Ponnambalam – Journalism
– VD Tamilmaran. Journalism, Political Writer
– S. Sivanandan – Poetry Writer (Datsayini)
– Kanaka.Tiruchelvam -Poetry writer
– Shiva Chandrapalan -Writer of drama, radio, poetry, journalism
– Thurai Raveendran – Drama Short Story Writer
– Kannadasan.-Poetry writer
– Su-Mahalingam -Writer
– I. K. Ariyaratnam-Writer Journal
– Bhagirathan – Poetry Writer (Sivachitra)
– Maithili Arulaya – Poetry writer
– Manikkavaskar – Poetry writer
– M. Muthukumar – Drama Poetry Radio Writer
– Chandiyo Amirtaraj – Journalist Radio Writer
– Shanmugam Mohandas – Poetry Radio Writer
– Sivalingam (Amman) -Drama writer
– Balaganesan – Research Writer
– Tha-Mathi – Poetry writer
– K. Ariyaratnam – Writer

Musicians
– P. Sundaralingam – Karnataka, Liberation Anthems
– SG Chandan – Liberation Anthems
– K. Damodaram Pillai – Teacher
– Thiruppungudi V. Arumugam – Willisai
– Shanmugapillai – Miruthangam
– Natarasa – Viloin
– K. Vinasithambi Teacher
– T. Rasalingam – Teacher
– Na. Thillaiyambalam – Author
– Kanakasundaram -Author
– Chandrapalan is the teacher
– Brother Aiya-Tabela
– Kanakalingam teacher
– Shanmugalingam Teacher
– N-R Govindasamy -Nathaswaram
– NR Chinnarasa -Thavil
– NR Chandanakrishnan – Nathaswaram
– Vimaladevi – Teacher
– Rajeswari -Author
– Vasuki Vigneswaran – Bharatha Nadiyam
– Manjula Thirunavukarasu – Violin
– Vanathy – Bharatha Nadiyam