Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

identify some features of naming. Names of the parambas are either specifically
geographical categories such as thirutti, kunnu, maadu, paara (rock) and so on, or are
related to habitats or have cultural connotations. Parambas are technically laterite zones
with typical red loamy soil mixed with gravel, which normally supports heavy vegetation,
particularly fruit trees and plants. The elevated regions or madus are of a mixed kind,
some parts are normal parambas, with fertile loamy soil, but the other parts have higher
gravel content and do not absorb water easily, and therefore have mainly grass and
shrubs. Truly elevated regions are pure laterite rock, which hardly supports any
vegetation. There are many madus in region which conform to the description given
above, such as nedungottunmadu, Illathumadu, sankaranmadu, Chettiarmadu,
chullippara, and the area between Chelari and Vaikkathupatam. There area numbers of
rocky regions like Varappara (Peruvallur), Thalappara (Munniyur), and Katakkattupara
(Thenhippalam) which are indicative and still consist of rocky surfaces. Some of the
surfaces where grass and shrubs grow appear to have been used as grazing lands. We find
traces of such areas in Theyyalingal in Nannambra and Velimukku in Munniyur.
Occasionally we find, water flowing out of the rocky regions, forming a small pool. This
pool, called chena (chena-oozing water) has supported habitation on the rocky elevated
areas. There are a number of places in the region called chenakkal with the obvious
geographical connotation. Chenakkals are found all over the field area, although many
original water sources have disappeared or have made way for houses. There are areas
called porayas, which are adjacent to a habitation site, but were not themselves inhabited
as they were rocky surfaces not habitable. Parachenaporaya in Peruvallur is such a large
area.
Parambas with habitat connotation are normally related to households. Nearly all
households in the region have a paramba named after them, unless they are migrants,
although the paramba itself might be occupied by a different family now. This is also one