Mudalur, Tamil Nadu’s first Christian settlement, stands tall with its magnificent church tower

THOOTHUKUDI A cross atop the yellow church tower is visible in the distance. From the junction at Mudalur, near Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district, a broad, well-laid street lined with old neem and portia trees leads to the Church of St. Michael and Other Angels.

Constructed in 1883, the church may not be as old as those that came up in settlements where people embraced Christianity under the guidance of missionaries. Yet Mudalur, known today for its mouth-watering Muscoth halwa, occupies an important place in the history of Christianity in Tamil Nadu. Established in 1799, Mudalur was the first exclusive settlement created for newly converted Christians in Tamil Nadu.

Some claim it was the first Christian village in India and Asia. The village was founded by David Sundaranandan, the first Shanar to embrace Christianity and the first Shanar catechist in erstwhile Tirunelveli district.