Wayanad: Deep within the forests of Chekadi stands Chandroth Tharavadu, a 200-year-old ancestral mud house that serves as a living testament to two centuries of family history.
In the local Malayalam tongue, a "Tharavadu" denotes a home carrying the profound weight of generations, yet for the residents of this structure, the burden is defined less by heritage than by a lack of legal standing.
For decades, the Chandroth family has worked more than three and a half acres of land, cultivating pepper, coffee, and paddy. They are members of the Edanadan Chattiyan community, having migrated from Kasaragod to settle in this wilderness generations ago.
Despite this long-standing residency, official government records categorise the land as forest lease property. Consequently, the family does not possess a title deed, leaving them unable to claim legal ownership of the soil they have tilled for nearly 200 years.
The Cost of a Missing Document
The absence of a single legal deed reverberates through every facet of the family's existence. Without the document, they are ineligible for various government welfare programs, including subsidised housing initiatives.
Furthermore, they are barred from seeking financial restitution when their crops are destroyed by wildlife-a frequent and devastating occurrence for those living on the fringes of Wayanad's forests.
Daily Struggles and Isolation
Geographic isolation compounds the family's legal woes. Surrounded by dense woods and open fields, Chandroth Tharavadu lacks proper road connectivity. This isolation turns essential travel, such as the daily trek for education, into an arduous task.
Life inside the ancestral home reflects these systemic challenges:
- Education: Children are forced to study in dimly lit corners of the ancient structure.
- Infrastructure: Meals are prepared in a precarious mud kitchen that struggles to withstand the elements.
- Climate: During the annual monsoon season, the integrity of the house is often compromised, with parts of the mud walls collapsing under the weight of the rain.
Seeking a Mandate for Change
The Chandroth family, alongside many other forest-dwelling communities, is preparing to cast ballots in the upcoming Assembly Polls scheduled for April 9. Their political demand is fundamental: the issuance of a title deed that would grant them legal rights to their ancestral home.
Until then, the rhythms of life at the Tharavadu remain unchanged. While the younger generation plays in the courtyard, the elders continue their long wait for the arrival of a document that would finally transform them from residents into owners.
PTI