Vilathikulam is a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a small town near the southern tip of mainland India. Vilathikulam is located in the heart of the Karisal Kaadu region (Karisal meaning "black soiled"). The soil in this area is black and has a clay-like stickiness. The climate of Karisal Kaadu is semi-arid, with hot and dry summers. Both the temperature and humidity are usually high, being close to the equator and barely 25 kilometres from the shore. The clay-like soil retains moisture well; although crops like paddy and sugarcane can never be grown in this area, many 'punsei' (colloquial Tamil: PUNJAI) crops such as green chili and sunflower can be grown. Only a few kinds of tree grow in the Vilathikulam region: palm trees, umbrella-like thorny trees called "Kuda maram" in Tamil (Kudai=Umbrella, Maram=tree), and thorny bushes. Vilathikulam is a peaceful little town, on the northern bank of the Vaipar river, which has water flowing only...
