Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

B: Distribution of labor
Total
No. of
holdings
Total
population
Landholders %ge
Subtenants %ge
Agr.
labourers
%ge Others
%ge
23220 357142 5762 2 34441 10 72824 20 244115 68
C: Food grain production in representative years
Paddy maize Ragi Samai Horse
gram
Other
pulses
Gingelly Other
seeds
Miscella
neous
Total
Area
cropped
more
then
once
Total
area
cultivated
107070 53 4589 6436 504 1603 7724 509 92372 220860 47988 172872
D: Agricultural stock
Bullocks He-
buffaloes
cows
Bulls&
Heifers
Under
4years
She-
buffaloes
Young
buffaloes
Sheep
&goats
Horses
&poneys
Mules
&donkeys
carts ploughs boats
57175 6950 37339 37187 3875 1616 21723 97 13 1026 31192 714
Source: Statistics of Malabar, 1906; Kerala State Archives, Calicut
The above information shows that only less than half of the arable area in Eranad was
occupied and cultivated. Out of the total population of the Taluk, only 2% held almost all
the lands cultivated, and about thirty percent were either tenants or laborers. It should be
noted that a substantial part of the population classified as ‘others’ were dependents on
the occupational groups. For example, for the entire Malabar District 1901 Census
demonstrated that only46.6% of the population actually labored and the rest were
dependents. In the case of the predominantly agricultural Ernad, the number of
agricultural population including the dependents is likely to be more than the District
average of 62.2%. This means that the entire working population other than agriculture
including dependents is likely to be about one-third of the total population. The figures
on cultivation and the livestock again show the agrarian character of the Eranad society.
This only shows that trade and industrial activities only remained secondary, and it was