Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

down the old house and erect a concrete structure, often in the same site. This results in
the substantial increase of house construction visible throughout the field area.
Panchayat
Occupied
households-
1981
Table XVI
Occupied
Households
-1991
Occupied
Households-
2001
%increase
1981-1991
%
increase
1991-
2001
Vallikkunnu 4438 5604 7521 26.27 34.21
Thenhippalam 5696 7437 5114 30.57
Peruvallur* - 4789 33.16**
Munniyur 4116 5546 7477 34.74 34.82
Parappanangadi 5751 7410 9782 28.85 32.01
Nannambra 3241 4161 5404 28.39 29.87
Tirurangadi 4697 6019 7576 28.15 25.87
Total 27939 36177 47663 29.49 31.75
*A part of Thenhippalam Panchayat during 1991 Census ** the figure shows the
cumulative increase in Thenhippalam and Peruvallur Panchayats.
Source: Compiled from Census Reports of 1991 and 2001.
The above figures clearly demonstrate the spate of construction activities that have taken
place during the past twenty years. The figures show that there is a total increase of
70.6% of houses during the past two decades, which demonstrates the exponential
expansion of houses and the transformation of numerous parambas into house-sites.
The new construction activities show a substantial shift in the concept of a house. The
earlier concept of the house had brought the entire house-site within the ambience of a
house. We enter the precincts of a house as soon as we enter the gate, that is, patippura is
an essential feature of the house and not just an entrance point. A modern house is
regulated by the Panchayat rules regarding the distance of the house from the road,
question of safety, necessity of constructing large structures and restricted geographical
space mainly created by high land value. The tendency, therefore, is to make the house