Sharing their Paradise

As we entered the home of ‘Chettaee’, Maalu and Vishnu emerged from their tin roofed house. I was expecting it would be like the tree house of ‘Moopan’, the 90 year old man who lives in the trees house in Kothamangalam. But it was made it to tin as they often had issues of heavy storm and animals trying to enter the house.

in pic from right to left, Maalu , the mother ,the father and Vishnu.

Maalu brought us tea and rusks , it was good refreshing. Vishnu was getting ready to go up to the mountain where his mother was at farming. Maalu too joined her brother to help their parents in farming. Even as their schools were closed they didn’t want to leave home and go elsewhere or sit home and watch tv.

They say that there is no place in the earth that can give them peace like home. And with peace in mind, everything else becomes secondary.

This is where we stayed; take a look at the back ground. That is the piece of earth they hold. Up the mountain, there are many trees that gave varieties kinds of fruits and vegetables. Birds and animals seems like just arrived set of fresh species.

Saji (Chettaee) pointed me towards a cave up the mountain and told me that he had tried to explore the cave and said have walked in about a kilometer but not sure if he wants to further in without a crew. He says he can hear gushing water and other sounds that anyone would doubt to go further.

Look close to see the cave. drew a line to point the cave's location

We have promised to explore the cave on our next trip.

As we were entering the forest to explore his farm, we heard dogs bark in distress. Saji chettan and the other farmers quickly ran into his hut and picked up spears and came out and stood in front of us. They said that there is a creature, the color of its skin or fur is like ash, and the eyes are red, the tail is long like the panther but has the face of a wolf. This creature has attacked 3 people in the last 1 year and has taken away their watch dogs and killed their live stocks.

One of the reasons for Saji to explore the cave is to stop this creature terrorizing the paradise. But he believes that it also needs to utilize the space around so they try to coexist.

Later in the evening, we were taken into the jungle for hunting. Yes, we found some energy food and we brought it home for cooking. Cannot describe as what we were cooking and eating. It looked like a Tasmanian bear but it is not. It looks like a rabbit but it is not. But the tribes say that these things breed like fishes and there are plenty here.

Later a long days work we were given few sheets of cloth to sleep on it and we were given the space they once used to stock and breed chicken. It was warm and very comfortable.

He also had a surprise for us when he took us to another farm, when we reached the farm; we all thought that if we ever get into the agriculture sector, we will be farming this! (sorry can't disclose what it was)