We could hear laughter coming from a distance. A group of women gathered outside their verandah; their chatter spilling onto the streets. A loud wailing cry resounded in the air as a little boy perched on the shoulder of a young woman turned to his mother and heaved a deep sob. The crowd slowly dispersed […]
Read more "Attapadi: Government freebies have made our tribal community lazy"We met Sheen at around 10.30 am. The hills were shrouded in mist adding a certain charm to the mystery and allure of Attapadi. A pall of gloom descended on the town as we made our way to a tiny tea stall run by a mother-daughter duo. After a heavy breakfast of crispy appams and […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diary: Day 28 (Part 1)"We took a detour from the main road. Muddy trails gradually led to the Moopan’s doorstep. Well-trimmed hedges adorned his courtyard as the winds sighed a soothing lull. Somewhere in the fading dusk, amidst valleys bathed in a rose-hued gleam, a cluster of garden bowers breathed its last… A middle-aged man with jet-black hair and […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diary: Day 27 (Final Part)"“Years ago, AHADS conducted a raid and illicit liquor was seized from various outlets. Unless and until, individuals feel the necessity to change, we can’t make real progress. They must be made aware of the repercussions of prolonged alcohol addiction. Although, the ban on liquor brought much needed respite to many residents, it also fuelled […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diaries: Day 27 (Part 5)"We drove straight into the arms of a yonder hill. Thick fog rolled over its caverns; a distant thunder chiding on the winds. As we crossed a garden of bedewed green fields and crooked coconut trees, a faint fragrance of wilting foliage wafted through the air. And, far beyond the grassy swales, amidst blooms of flowerets, […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diaries: Day 27 (part 4)"The cable (leaked by Wikileaks) also read that exploitation or abuse of tribes who traditionally resided in the heart of the forests was a common phenomenon in the country. Many ‘non-tribals’ viewed the scheduled tribes as an obstacle to development who must be removed from forest lands and ‘integrated’ into the mainstream culture largely as […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diaries: Day 27 (part 2)"Last evening, Joby introduced us to Radhakrishna Kurup who would serve as our translator and point of contact to tribes for the next few days. “It might not be possible to visit Kurumba hamlets since they have some of the most difficult trails to trek through. Besides, this time of year, the paths are muddy […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diaries: Day 27 (part 1)"We woke up to a hazy dawn. Veiled tufts of clouds nestled in the shadows of the woods; tasselled fields strummed unsung tunes of forgotten lore. And, far beyond the gardens, where wafted the scent of flowers and shrubs, lived a forgotten clan in homes without names amidst fading lines of earth and soil. The sunrise gale […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diary: Day 26 (part 1)"“All the projects were introduced with good intentions and the purpose of doing something meaningful for the tribes. For instance, if a tribal person was hospitalised and if he or she had to be shifted to a bigger hospital, ITDP would give them an ambulance and provide the chief medical officer with enough funds to […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diary Day 25 (Final Part)"“Every year on Onam, a kit of pulses, rice and other edibles along with a fresh set of clothes is gifted to the tribes. What more can the government do?” asked Sadiq as he requested his attendant to fetch him some water. He explained in hushed tones that the ambivalent attitude of authorities in power […]
Read more "Rest Of My Family Travel Diary: Day 25 (part 4)"