The crowd eagerly waits in a long queue in front of a small shop near Swamy Nellaiyappar Temple in Tirunelveli as the sun sets in the west. Some of them wait in the line since 4.30 p.m. as the shop used to start transacting business only after 5.30 p.m. onwards. Despite the heat and dust from the busy road, the crowd patiently waits until the wooden planks covering the shop are removed one by one to start selling its famous product, ‘Iruttukadai Halwa’ with its owner Hari Singh sitting there with a smile. A 60 watt incandescent bulb powers the shop till 8 p.m. even after the arrival of powerful LED lights.
Like his ‘Iruttukadai halwa,’ the smile of Hari Singh was so popular among the residents of Tirunelveli. The smile vanished on Thursday as Hari Singh, who tested positive for COVID-19, when he was undergoing treatment at a private hospital for urinary track infection, allegedly committed suicide.
Though most of the outsiders visiting Tirunelveli used to buy 5 or 10 kg of halwa at Iruttukadai to present the sweet to others, Hari Singh used to greet the faces of those who buy just 50 grams or 100 grams of halwa and enjoy the sweet on the spot.
When the zamindar of Chokkampatti near Kadayanallur went to north India in 1800 on a tour, he was received with a sweet called ‘halwa’ there. Enthralled by the sweet, the zamindar, while returning, took along with him a few families, which were experts in making halwa.
Also read: In search of Tirunelveli Halwa
Later, members of those north Indian families started selling the sweet to public by setting up their business ventures in Tirunelveli, Kovilpatti, Thirumangalam and other places.
Hari Singh, one of the descendants of these migrated north Indian families, has created an empire through his product, ‘Iruttukadai Halwa’, for which he has fans across the globe.
When he reopened the shop after two month-long lockdown, only less than 25 people were waiting in the queue to buy halwa. On seeing the small number of people, he said: “I’m happy with this comfortable number as they can guard themselves from the viral infection by maintaining physical distance.”
Now, the viral infection has snatched away the smiling face of Hari Singh.
Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
