Schooling in tribal villages.

Along with Sivakumar and Seduraman from Tamilnadu Science Forum (Hosur), I visited this village on the 20th of December 2010 as part of a feasibility study for taking up some interventions in the tribal villages of Denkanikotta taluk in Krishnagiri district. There Seduraman took out some Tamil notice and handed over to a few children to see how much they are able to read it. One or two children with great difficulty started reading. But this girl was confident and went on reading it loudly.

This village (Siddhalingakottai) has a primary school and after 5th class, they have to walk a few kilometers to go to the nearby middle school through forest areas and through a private coffee estate. Many girl students dropout of school just for this reason. Mr.Mottappa who is from this village and who is also a leader of the Malai Vaazhum Makkal Sangam had donated the land for this tribal colony but says, he can no longer donate more land for the remaining people who dont have a house of their own.

In the village called Kalliyoor near Bettamugilalam, there is a government high school with a Head Master and another teacher. Most of the teachers who come to this school do not stay longer there. There is one bus which comes at 11.15 am by which the Head Master and the other teacher come to school. The same bus leaves the village at 2.30pm and the teachers also leave the school. So in effect the teaching is limited to 11.30 am to 2.15pm in which there is also a lunch break. Recently the college where Seduraman works have appointed one Thangaraj for Rs.4000 per month to take care of the education of these children. Thangaraj says, some days, the teachers do not turn up at all and the children wait for the bus and finding that the teachers have not come, go back to their houses.



After Thangaraj has joined, there has been considerable improvement in the results. It was Thangaraj who donated the land to build the school, but the government does not seem to be serious on the education of these children, while the government appointed teachers take their heavy salaries every month.

In a tribal village in Krishnagiri district

This Irula man belonging to Siddhalingakottai village in Denkanikottah taluk is making a mat from green bamboo which he has collected from the forests. This thatch is used for making walls. This bamboo mat gives good insulation from the extreme cold climate of the hilly areas. I could see that most of the houses had walls made of such bamboo mats.


Most of these Irulars do not have proper basic infrastructure like a PHC, a school after the primary level, roads, transport or even proper drinking water sources. They have to fetch water going down for about 100 meters from where they live.

A rainy day in Madurai

A rainy day in Madurai: 21.08.2010

A betel vine and some memories...

We have a small betel vine in our house, which my wife got from her school ignored by the school watchman, it was going to die off. She brought it and planted in our house and now it is fresh and with lot of beautiful tender leaves.

Some scientific facts: Betel leaf consist of moisture 85.4 percent, protein 3.1 percent, fat 0.8 percent, minerals 2.3 percent, fiber 2.3 percent and carbohydrates 6.1 percent per 100 grams. Its minerals and vitamin contents are calcium, carotene, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and vitamin C. Recent studies have shown that betel leaves contain tannins, sugar and diastases and an essential oil. The essential oil is a light yellow liquid of aromatic odor and sharp burning in taste. It contains a phenol called chavicol which has powerful antiseptic properties. The alkaloid arakene in it has properties resembling cocaine in some respects.


Betel leaves are also a household remedy for cough and cold for small children. The juice of betel leaves can be given to infants if they have cough and used to be prescribed by even doctors from JIPMER. Chewing betel leaves with lime used to be a good cosmetic practice by women in olden days, though the practice is now limited to marriage functions etc. Chewing betel leaves also is supposed to be good for the teeth provided you dont add tobacco leaves along with betel leaves.

I still remember my grandmother's sister who used to regularly chew betel leaves with her specially prepared areca nut preparation. As children, we used to compare our red tongues as to whose tongue was more red.

Betel leaves also have a spiritual place in Indian tradition and we offer the same to elders as a mark of respect. May be it was known to our ancestors that this herb had such wonderful medicinal values, it was made part of the traditions ! But sadly, the herb is becoming less cultivated these days, as very few people use it now a days.

A betel vine and some memories...

We have a small betel vine in our house, which my wife got from her school ignored by the school watchman, it was going to die off. She brought it and planted in our house and now it is fresh and with lot of beautiful tender leaves.

Some scientific facts: Betel leaf consist of moisture 85.4 percent, protein 3.1 percent, fat 0.8 percent, minerals 2.3 percent, fiber 2.3 percent and carbohydrates 6.1 percent per 100 grams. Its minerals and vitamin contents are calcium, carotene, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and vitamin C. Recent studies have shown that betel leaves contain tannins, sugar and diastases and an essential oil. The essential oil is a light yellow liquid of aromatic odor and sharp burning in taste. It contains a phenol called chavicol which has powerful antiseptic properties. The alkaloid arakene in it has properties resembling cocaine in some respects

Home...Sweet Home..!!

Some snaps that I managed to get...

A snap of a white Shankhupushpam..