Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

pond in a pallyal, and the stored water was taken to a grain field by means of ettam and
tekkukotta. Such mud pits and ponds have mostly disappeared, as the land has been
converted into parambas, and in places where the mud pits are retained, pump houses
have been established in their place, in order to take water to the nearby fields and
parambas.
Walking by the grain fields in the low lying regions is a marvelous visual experience.
They form often a single stretch consisting of several hundred acres. Kizhakkepatam
stretches between Chengani, Peruvallur, Neerolpalam, Velimukku and Munniyur on the
western side and Pokayur, Olakara, Koduvayur and Mamburam in the east, and stretches
as far the Kadalundi River. The patam is known by several names in all these places. The
huge Venchali patam stretches from Kakkad near the national highway, between
Tirurangadi in the north and Chiramukku, Kaduvallur, Kodinhi, Thirutti before joining
another large grain field, Moriyappatam, which reaches the Vailathur hills. Both the
fields are several hundred acres in extent, almost the entire Panchayat of Nannambra has
the character of islets (thirutti) surrounded by these grain fields. Several parts of
Munniyur, Parappanangadi, Tirurangadi and Vallikkunnu have a similar character.
The metaphor of an island is apt during rainy seasons, as the low-lying areas become
fully waterlogged, making pedestrian travel absolutely impossible. Most of the roads that
cross the low-lying areas have been constructed recently, which meant that at least some
areas were totally cut off from the rest of the world at least for a few months a year.
There seems to be several reasons for this water-logging. The entire low-lying areas are
muddy and marshy, and as a result, collect and retain water, including rain water easily.
Secondly the river meanders along the entire area, and deposits mud and silt adding to the
muddy character of the region and creating sedimentary deposits (potta). The river also
seems to have changed its course not so long before. Thirdly rain water slashing down
from the surrounding elevated regions such as Urakam hill,Vailathur hill, Karippur near