Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

thiruttis is Kalanthirutti, through which the Keranallur thodu and New cut flow. A part of
the thirutti, to the West of the Cut is in Parappanangadi Panchayat and to the East of the
cut is in Nannambra Panchayat. The thirutti is a mixture of red loam and mud with the
western part containing hard laterite than the East, which is practically a part of the
surrounding patam. About hundred houses can be seen in Kalanthirutti. Paddy is
cultivated in small strips in the thirutti, and in some areas, plantains, tapioca and pulses
are also cultivated. Apart from the two major thodus, there are smaller streams that
intersect the thirutti. Near Kalanthirutti, and to the south of it, there are two other thiruttis
named Poonthirutti and Kakkathirutti. Poonthirutti is slightly more elevated than
kalanthirutti. Part of it has been forested, now being transformed into paramba.
Kakkathirutti is a flat laterite surface, where one of the surviving bamboo gardens in the
area can be found. To the east of Poonthirutti and Kakkathirutti is thiruttimmal which is
separated by a strip of grain field from Kodinji. Thiruttimmal is a large paramba region
surrounded by grain fields, which was probably used for grazing but now converted into
coconut and areca gardens. Payyoli, to the north of thiruttimmal, is also another grazing
area, which has been converted for house-sites and gardens.
Thiruttis are formed because of the changes in the course of Kadalundi River also. Tirutti
in Olipramkadavu, now a part of Vallikkunnu Panchayat was formed, according to the
local knowledge because the river chose a west ward course and then winded around to
join the sea. The land that came up was filled with river mud and silt mixed with sand,
and proved to be extremely fertile, and is now studded with paddy fields and coconut
gardens. There are several thiruttis in the mouth of kadalundi river, the most significant
being Balathirutti, surrounded by the sea on one side and river on all other sides. The
thirutti has the character of a land mass formed through sedimentation by the river.
Coconut is grown on a large scale in this small island. The muddy areas in the thirutti