Emaneswaram Cotton Saree Emaneswaram in Tamil Nadu is one of two towns on either side of the river Vaigai; the other is Paramakudi. Both towns (which were, incidentally, 'merged' for administrative purposes in 1964) boast a long tradition of weaving although their arts are are not thriving. Emaneswaram is a temple town in which the God of Death, Yama, is believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva, asking to be reinstated, after the latter tossed him there — legend has it that Yama mistakenly threw a lasso around a Shivlinga at which a young Sage Markandeya, then destined to live only sixteen years, was praying for longevity; Yama had been aiming for Markandeya. The town of Paramakudi too is steeped in religion. Amongst the many well-known temples located in Paramakudi is one dedicated to Muthala Parameswari or Muthalamman, a benevolent manifestation of Shakti, who is worshipped by artisans (and scores of others). It is believed that the ancestors of contemporary weav...