Wayanad’s Cholanaikar tribals want road, hospital, school from Rahul Gandhi

With Rahul Gandhi as their Member of Parliament, Cholanaikars hope the region will get the required funds for development

Vinod (left); Photo credit - Ajeeb Komachi
Vinod (left); Photo credit - Ajeeb Komachi
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Ashlin Mathew

“Wayanad has not seen such a high-profile candidate. We are hoping that it will benefit the constituency. I am from the Mancheeri Reserve Forest area, which is several kilometres into the Nilambur forest division. I have to run 32 km on a bad road to reach the main road and then to a hospital. I am hoping he will ensure better roads for us and a hospital nearby,” says 23-year-old Vinod C, who comes from the Cholanaikar tribe.

The Cholanaikars are a tribal community living in mostly rock caves or make-shift shelters in the deciduous forests of Nilambur. They are among the few hunter-gatherer tribes in the country and subsist by selling forest produce such as honey, frankincense, forest pepper to the Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS). They live on fruits, berries and meat and do not farm. Vinod’s parents Manallachellan and Vijaya live deep in the forest.

Vinod is the first person from the community to have completed Class XII, graduation and is now pursuing M.Phil in Economics at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat). Of his five sisters, one is married and the other four are still in school. Most others have dropped out of primary schools.

According to a survey conducted by the Kerala state literacy mission in 300 tribal settlements of the nearly 3,000 such colonies in the state, the survey found that 9,751 people were illiterates out of the total 31,831. Majority of these settlements are occupied by Paniya and Kattunaika tribes.

The tribal population of Wayanad, with a literacy rate much below that of the district (89%), consists of 11 tribes, and accounts for 1,51,443 people out of the total population of 8,17,429. As per the survey, the tribal population comprises 69,116 Paniyas followed by 25,266 Kurichyars and 20,983 Kurumans.

“For us, roads and schools are most important. We can’t even walk on the road, let alone run. It’s not mindless development that I want. Keeping the ecology in mind, there must be development. We want more schools and a hospital. Right now, it is extremely difficult to reach a hospital,” contends Vinod.


The government had built homes in 2006 within the forest but they hadn’t asked for them, says Vinod. “The Panchayat had money, so they built it. They haven’t allocated it to anyone, and houses are not of good quality either. It is better for us to stay in a cave than live in that house. It is not safe. There are animals around in that area and most of them are elephants. Houses have to be built in a way so as to not disturb them and the route they take,” insists Vinod, who grew up in the forest.

The area Vinod’s family resides in comes under the Nilambur Elephant Reserve Area. One of their worries is that soon they may be forced to leave as it has been demarcated as a protected area. “My family doesn’t want to be forced to leave the forest. My parents and family have lived there for years. That is their home and my home too. If they stay elsewhere, they will fall ill. I already have allergies, but I was younger when I came out to study,” highlights Vinod, who was once an IAS aspirant. He hopes to complete his Ph.D in a tribal-related subject as there aren’t many reports on such topics which will help the state.

“Only 30% of us are likely to go to vote, because most of us live in the interior parts of the forest. It’s not easy to go out and come back especially because there is erratic rain now. Even the elephants move about now. Only those closer to the forest entrance will go,” explains Vinod.

With Rahul Gandhi as their MP, Vinod hopes the region will get the required funds for development.

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Published: 21 Apr 2019, 10:30 AM