Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

The growth of the religious space has interestingly corresponded to the growth of other
forms of services. Hence, it should not be treated on the same way as the form of
religiosity, patronized by the ‘traditional intellectuals’ in the earlier period. Instead of
intellectuals, there are powerful organizations or groups patronized by the public,
particularly people who have reserve finances. ‘Intellectuals’ such as religious speakers
of various denominations are simply patronized by these organizations. The mosques,
madrasas, and other charitable organizations of the Muslims are all under such
organizations. Christian denominational organizations are not different. We have
churches established by Basel Mission at Parappanangadi, Mar Thoma church Orthodox
Church and Roman Catholic Church at Thenhippalam, and a Chavara cultural centre,
technically at Chelembra panchayat, but catering to the same region. The organizational
links of the Hindu temples are not obvious, but increasingly they are coming under the
influence of Kshetra samrakshana samiti. The influence of organizations led by Godmen
like Satya sai baba and Mata Amrithananda mayi can be seen in middle class areas, not
related any particular temple and conducting their Bhajans and discourses in individual
houses and public places, such as the school premises. Similarly, Jamaat –e-Islami and
Tabligh-i-jamaat have been functioning independently. The influence of RSS and VHP is
clear in several areas.
Gulf migrations
Growth of the services, along with the spread of commerce, which we have outlined,
brings us to the other crucial feature in the changes taking place in the region, the impact
of the remittances from the gulf. We saw that migration to the gulf was not the first form
of out –migration in the region, and there is reason to think that the impact of the gulf
remittances was not substantial before the seventies. Memories of the people show that
there were people who reached the gulf even in earlier times, mostly after reaching