There
is a Zen saying “If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not
understand, things are just as they are”. So is the case with Kerala Laughing
Thrush alias Grey Breasted Laughing Thrush. The laugh you may say is ominous,
so you may say. The fipple flute is an accompaniment of allegro, so
you may speculate. This white browed bandit unmindful of appraisals forages
the undergrowth for wild raspberries, with a nimbleness of a
connoisseur, testing for correct ripeness -for its rather evolved palate.
Occasionally hopping out into the opening, from the ruckus assemblage of high
antioxidant feast. Unmindful of the
garrulous queries of Red-whiskered Bulbuls the culprit has moved on and
vanished into nearby shrubs leaving some striking memories of a bird that is
found only in this part of the world.
Kerala
Laughing Thrush aka Garrulux Fairbanki is an endemic species. Dwindling habitat
has seen to that it has become Near Threatened (IUCN). That truly makes it a
rare sight.
Hill
Pulayas of Marayoor
Marayoor is known for
its sandalwood forests and dolmens, what is less known is the significant
population of Hill Pulayas in the region. I met Murugan the moopr (headman) of
the settlement (of Karavazhi Pulaya). The Hill Pulayas are also referred to as
Malapulayas. The origin and history of Hill Pulayas is ambiguous. There are no
legends which explain their origin. They seem to have migrated from Madura and
settled in the forests of Devikulam taluk. Hill Pulayas have suffered worst
discriminations over the period of time. Murugan explained till about few decades
back they weren’t even allowed to enter restaurants and were given tea in
coconut shell. With communist wave sweeping Kerala, Hill Pulayas aligned with
the comrades. Murugan relates how for the first time in his life he entered the
restaurant in 1958; incidentally eleven years after India famously got its
‘independence’. (Whose independence was it anyway?). There were few 
comrades
with Murugan as he entered the hotel but he was singled out by the owner and was
asked to leave. The comrades made it clear they will destroy the shop if he
tries any stunt (nothing Gandhian about it!!). The sissy shop owner agreed
immediately. “I couldn’t believe my eyes that I was sitting on the bench
sipping tea from kuppi glass” he was
visibly elated as he related these. The camaraderie with comrades lasted for
few decades but the tribes soon realized that comrades were taking them for a
ride and in actual sense sucking on them. ‘Pattaya’ is an official document
that gives authenticity to the landowner, the intricacies of which tribes were
not aware of. They were made to clear land, while someone else got the
document. Things came to crossroad with comrades trying the same trick. Murugan
went to the MLA, who pretended ignorance, all the while actively conniving. It
was then that they broke their association with communists. Quite ironically,
much later in 2002, it was Congress that gave them ‘pattaya’. Murugan says
“despite cheated by comrades we still are with them, atleast in our mind. We
are indebted to them”. Indeed early period of communism in Kerala had paved way
to substantial breaking of social barriers and awareness of individual rights. Though
one need add communism as it exists in contemporary context in India is quite a
sham, as much as capitalism is. It runs on opportunism and nepotism, broadly
called ‘networking’. Monetary corruption is only secondary. Murugan is an old
man now; he says he has enough experience to fill up all books in libraries. One
need add here that the community is still one of the poorest 
sections of the
society, and the settlement (kudi) is as much a slum. He lives in a partially
constructed house.
comrades
with Murugan as he entered the hotel but he was singled out by the owner and was
asked to leave. The comrades made it clear they will destroy the shop if he
tries any stunt (nothing Gandhian about it!!). The sissy shop owner agreed
immediately. “I couldn’t believe my eyes that I was sitting on the bench
sipping tea from kuppi glass” he was
visibly elated as he related these. The camaraderie with comrades lasted for
few decades but the tribes soon realized that comrades were taking them for a
ride and in actual sense sucking on them. ‘Pattaya’ is an official document
that gives authenticity to the landowner, the intricacies of which tribes were
not aware of. They were made to clear land, while someone else got the
document. Things came to crossroad with comrades trying the same trick. Murugan
went to the MLA, who pretended ignorance, all the while actively conniving. It
was then that they broke their association with communists. Quite ironically,
much later in 2002, it was Congress that gave them ‘pattaya’. Murugan says
“despite cheated by comrades we still are with them, atleast in our mind. We
are indebted to them”. Indeed early period of communism in Kerala had paved way
to substantial breaking of social barriers and awareness of individual rights. Though
one need add communism as it exists in contemporary context in India is quite a
sham, as much as capitalism is. It runs on opportunism and nepotism, broadly
called ‘networking’. Monetary corruption is only secondary. Murugan is an old
man now; he says he has enough experience to fill up all books in libraries. One
need add here that the community is still one of the poorest 
sections of the
society, and the settlement (kudi) is as much a slum. He lives in a partially
constructed house.
I was introduced to
Vellachi. She is about 80years, and been ill for some time. I was told that
these songs are now not known to many people. This song is sung by Hill Pulaya
women while cutting grass and collecting wood in the forest. It serves the
purpose of keeping them occupied as also ward off wild animals. The song is
about relating their sadness to a stranger girl who is passing by the way. Please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT1ZGqteTms&feature=youtu.befor the video.
The Hill Pulaya has
their endogamous groups like Kummba Pulaya, Karavazhi Pulaya and Pampa Pulaya.
Kurumba Pulayas are called by this name as their early occupation was sheep rearing
and they were engaged in tending a particular variety of sheep known as
'Kummba' sheep. Karavazhi originated from their agricultural occupation of
'Kara' (land). It is also possible that the name is derived from the combination
of the words 'vazhi' (route) and 'Kara' (land) which shows that they came by
land route. I was told that Kurumba Pulaya’s don’t eat meat of domestic
animals, this after a dispute with Karavazhi Pulaya.
The Hill Pulayas consider
themselves to be Hindus and worship many of deities of Hindu pantheon. The
deities worshipped by both Karavazhi Pulayas and Kurumba Pulaya are Kali,
Mariyamma and Chaplamma. Besides the Hindu Gods and Goddesses usually
worshiped, they also worship forest deities such as Karappaswamy and Kannimari
who are supposed to protect them from all evils. In a temple called Arunakshi
Amman koil situated near Marayoor, offerings are performed by Karavazhi Pulayas
during festive occasions. The temple where Chaplamma is worshiped is located
near Chinnar river and is most important temple of Kurumba Pulayas.
The Dolmens of Marayoor
Just about 5Km from the
Marayoor junction is a rocky mountain; the vicinity and surrounding are the
setting 
for the prehistoric structures called dolmens (Muniyara in Malayalam). Dolmen
means ‘stone table’, and there are large numbers of these located in this
region. Unfortunately the megalith at
the mountains, where most tourists visit, is vandalised. Broken liquor bottles
and used plastic glasses filled the place. It was a sad sight, it’s unfortunate
that most tourist place has this problem. The least that is expected from
authorities is to keep the sight clean.
for the prehistoric structures called dolmens (Muniyara in Malayalam). Dolmen
means ‘stone table’, and there are large numbers of these located in this
region. Unfortunately the megalith at
the mountains, where most tourists visit, is vandalised. Broken liquor bottles
and used plastic glasses filled the place. It was a sad sight, it’s unfortunate
that most tourist place has this problem. The least that is expected from
authorities is to keep the sight clean.
Huge
boulders of rocks were arranged in little huts like the one children make. Rough
cutting of stones, i read, indicates these are before the Iron Age as no tools
were used. These were the burial ground of noble families of the time, later
these were used by tribes and so on.
from my scribble pad...
Artist in the dawn
Hues
of delight in the dwindling dark
floats
and merge at artist’s quirk.
Beyond
the mortal sight
a
caring hand does all the trick.
Unmindful
of the witness
tiring
in the morning haste.
