ATTAPPADI

The 745 sq. km area of Attappadi is the first tribal block in Kerala. In the 1950s, over 90% of the area was dense reserve forests. Now it is down to around 20%.

Attappadi consists of three villages - Agali, Pudur, and Sholayar in Palakkad District. It shares borders with different districts of Tamil Nadu. Since independence, the percentage of the Adivasi population has declined from 91% to 41%. At the same time, the non-tribal population surged from 11,000 to 67,000. The major tribes are Irula, Muduga and Kurumba.

I started documenting the tribal hamlets of Attappadi in 2013 when 63 infant deaths due to malnutrition were reported from these villages. Since then I have been to Attappadi many times, and the nature of my documentation has turned into an examination of how the tribal population is affected in the long term by various State policies.

Vallolam Hamlet. 2013
Taken from Pamarachodu hamlet. 2017
Dottagati Hamlet. 2013
Pamarachodu hamlet. 2015
Kurukathikallu hamlet. 2017
Subrahmanian from Pamarachodu Hamlet. His both legs are paralysed and he believed that it happened after he unknowingly crossed a subject, in which someone had put evil spirits aiming at him. 2017.
Vattalucky hamlet. 2017. Chieftain and a widely accepted person among villagers
Taken from Thekk pana Hamlet. 2015
Mele Bhoothayar hamlet. 2017
On the way to Mele Bhoothayar hamlet. 2017
From Thekk pana Hamlet. 2015
Taken from Thekk pana Hamlet. 2015
Aralikonam Hamlet. On the way to Edavani hamlet. 2015
Vallolam Hamlet. 2013
Taken from Thekk pana Hamlet. 2015
Aralikonam Hamlet.2015
Bhoothayar Hamlet. 2015
Edavani hamlet. 2015
Edavani hamlet. 2015.
On the left, son of village Chieftain. Edavani Hamlet. 2015
Edavani hamlet. 2015
Edavani hamlet. 2015
Dottugati Hamlet. 2015
Kadampara Hamlet. 2014
Pamarachodu Hamlet. 2015
Taken from Kakkupadi hamlet. 2014.
A free medical camp was organised in Kalkandi by an NGO. 2014
Vallolam Hamlet. 2017.
 Leader of CPI (M), A K Balan, who was minister for Devasam and SC/ST Development in Kerala (2006-2011), participating an election campaign in Agali town. 2021.
Vallolam Hamlet. 2017.
Vallolam Hamlet. 2014
Taken from Kurukathi Kallu Hamlet. 2021
Kurukkathi Kallu hamlet. 2021.
Near Vallolam and Moolangangal Hamlet. 2013. Later, the preachers were moved from this area as the villagers protested.
Portion of Vallolam Hamlet. 2013.
Vallolam hamlet. 2013
Vallolam Hamlet. 2013
Vallolam hamlet. 2013.
This couple's new born baby died few days after the birth.  Kadampara Hamlet. 2013.
2021
Taken from Pamarachodu hamlet. 2013
Wife of chieftain, Pamarachodu hamlet. She died in 2016.
Dottagati hamlet. 2013
Near by Paloor hamlet.
Taken from Kadampara Hamlet. 2015
Paloor Hamlet. 2015
Paloor hamlet. 2013
Paloor Hamlet. 2013
From Paloor Hamlet. 2013
From Paloor Hamlet. 2013
Taken from Paloor Hamlet. 2013
Taken from Pallor Hamlet. 2013
Taken from Paloor Hamlet. 2015
2013
Kadampara hamlet. 2015
Dottagati Hamlet. 2017
Vallolam Hamlet. 2017
Kaalimoopan chieftain of Edavani Hamlet. One sitting near by the fire wood is Panali. 2015
Thankamani. From Vallolam Hamlet. 2015
Edavani 2015
Sunithra. Edavani Hamlet. 2015
Vattalucky hamlet. 2017. The standing on the right, Murugesh, died in 2019 due to the pressure variations in brain.
Murugan in front of his house with wife. 2017. His land is on a civil case as someone from Tamil Nadu claims ownerships. Murugan says its an attempt for snatching his land by forgery of documents.
Vallolam Hamlet. 2017
Kaaliyamma. From Vallolam hamlet. 2015
Kurukathikallu hamlet. 2017
Courtyard of Govt Community Health centre. Kottathara. 2017
Govt community Health centre, Kottathara. 2017
Vattalucky Hamlet. 2017
Edavani Hamlet. 2015
Murukan. Vallolam hamlet 2013
Nallashanka Hamlet. 2015
Mele Bhoothayar hamlet. 2015
Paloor hamlet. 2013
Take from Vallolam ooru. The boy is coming after taking a bath before school. 2015
Murukan, in front of his house. Edavani Hamlet. 2015
Pamarachodu Hamlet. 2017
Vallolam Hamlet. 2017
Rangan with his granddaughter. @Vallolam hamlet. 2017
Recently built road to Gottiyargandi hamlet. 2015
Edavani hamlet. 2015
Edavani Hamlet. 2015
 Paloor Ooru. 2013
A woman I meet on the way to Vallolam hamlet told that she gave up and had no more hope.  2013
On the way to Kadampara ooru. 2015
Rangi and Rekhi; both lost their kids a few days after birth. Take from Vallolam oorum. 2013
Take from Dottugati ooru. 2013
Converted children waiting for the preacher to come. Take from Vallolam ooru. 2013
Sheeba. Taken from Kotamala ooru. 2015
A medical camp organised in Kalkandi by an NGO. 2014
Wife of Chieftain of Pamarachodu ooru. 2013. She died in 2016
Kadampara Hamlet. 2014
An evening in Kadampara ooru. 2015
Ranganathan, who quits his schooling due to homesickness as he does not have another option but to stay in a hostel for high schools
Rangan. Take from Kadmapara Ooru
Take from Paloor ooru. 2014
 Take from Kadampara hamlet. 2013
A site occupied for a private project.  On the way to Vallolam Hamlet. 2013
Nanjukali talks about the pathetic situation of her hamlet. Take from Vallolam ooru. 2014
Take from Vallolam ooru. A wide spread misconception among outsiders is that child death happens due to the lack of motherly care. 2014
Moolangagal ooru Aganvadi. 2014