Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

an all-inclusive structure with restricted admission. This means several things. The thodi
of the old houses is not affordable any more, and hence, the use value of a thodi in a
house-site is replaced by ornamental value of the available space, through the efforts to
make as attractive as possible. Removal of vegetation, particularly large trees and
replacing them with flowering plants, shade trees and occasional fruit trees such as
coconut, removal of the old multi-purpose mud-plastered muttam with concrete courtyard
are some of the common traits in a ‘modern’ house. The cattle shed is replaced by a car
park, which is typically symbolic of the changing times. The cattle shed is always
separate, at a distance from the house, but the car park is attached to it. The well is
retained with a pump set. Drawing of water from the well has disappeared in a modern
house, and similarly the practice of bathing and washing near the well is presumably
considered unethical. Toilets outside the house are now avoided. Bathing, washing and
toilet are all activities taking place inside the house. The modern houses eliminate the
verandas and the poomukham of early houses, except for a mini-verandah, where
unwelcome or contingent visitors can be met and got rid of. In old houses, there is
always the possibility of a pedestrian walking along the road meeting a member of the
house in the front verandah, but in the localities which have ‘modern houses’ you may
have to walk long distances without meeting anyone outside the four walls of the house.
Most of the new houses are built on small plots of 10-15 cents in extent, and are generally
double-storied houses, or with provision for another storey. This means that several
parambas are overcrowded with houses. Many houses have toilets outside and inside the
house, but the standard double-storied ‘modern house’ will have all the facilities inside
the house. Sewage facilities are available in such houses, but there is very little evidence
that compost pits are made to deposit the waste. Hence in older houses waste disposal is
not a problem as the thodis can be used for that, but in modern houses waste management
could become a problem, particularly when there is overcrowding. We could see quarters