he local Jamaat leader Ahamed Akbar meets me at his coconut grove. He has held the post for 20 years. He was also the panchayat president until 10 years ago when his son-in-law Jaffer Ali took over the post.
Ahamed Akbar was one of those who converted in 1981. "Human beings should live like human beings -- that's why I converted," he says.
He says converting to Islam has not changed their economic status much.
"We were farmers before, we still remain farmers," he says.
But, he adds, the attitude of upper caste Hindus towards them has changed.
"Then, they did not talk to us with respect. Now, they respect us as much as we respect them."
Earlier they lived in mud houses and huts. This has now changed and they live in concrete houses like others in the village.
During elections, members of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam come to the village from Tirunelveli to seek votes. But they do not get any support in the village.
The villagers back either the AIADMK or the DMK, with a few Congress supporters.
"There are a lot of educated boys in the village. Only if we get jobs will our village improve. If some industry starts here, the economy of our village will improve," he says.
"Hindus and Muslims live here in harmony because we are one family. The entire village is related to each other," he points out.
There is a Kali temple in the village that is freshly painted. Shunmugavel Kutty is the priest, and for generations members of his family have been heading the temple.
Kutty says after 1981 there have been no further conversions. In fact, he says, a few Hindus who had converted then returned to the faith and nobody holds a grudge against them.
The priest's two sons work as labourers in the village fields. "My elder son Kumar will be the next priest," he adds.
Life goes on in Meenakshipuram, as in any other small village in Tamil Nadu. The conversions of 1981 are now a memory, and in the village itself is not of any great consequence.
Also see: Reality of Dalit oppression
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