Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

Place name Location
Vaikkathupatam
Muttichira
Kunnathparamba
Chernur
Chelari
parakkadavu
Kummalottilparamba
Chakkingal
Veluthedath
Kunnathparamba
Chernurpatam
Settlement
parakkadavu
Nature
of the
location
Slope
Dry land
Elevated
dry land
Wetland,
mud
Paramba
Close to
the river
Type of Colony Inhabitants
Harijan colony
Harijan colony
Harijan colony
Harijan colony
harijan
Source: Field Diaries: Munniyur Panchayat; Munniyur Panchayat Office.
Mixed
Harijan
Kanakkan,pulaya
New colony
New colony
Emergence of an educated middle class in recent times has resulted in a number of them
building their own houses, and this pattern has been followed by lower classes also. This
is particularly visible in places like Thenhippalam, Tirurangadi and Parappanangadi
where such a class of house-sites has emerged around the schools, colleges, Government
offices, Judicial Court and other institutions. Thenhippalam, with the University campus,
has come to hold a large number of migrant settlers who have bought land built modern
houses. University migrants are responsible for clearing much of the forested area in the
northern part of Thenhippalam Panchayat. Another feature is the return of the gulf
migrants with money, which has also accelerated the housing boom in the area, and
substantially increased the speculation in land. All this has resulted in a rapid rise in the
number of houses in the area, mainly during the past two decades.
The changes in housing are visible for any pedestrian. In the old settlements such as
Tirurangadi, Kundoor, Kodinji, Neduva and Chiramangalam, a number of houses are still
traditional tiled houses located in parambas or thodis. But we see terraced houses in
reinforced concrete in the same paramba, built by the younger generation. The older