Painting future of Kuravar community with bright colours
MADURAI: Jeyasudha and her late husband had a mission, way back in 1992. The couple was fighting a legal battle for men and women from the Kuravar community of Tamil Nadu. They believe that years after the British, who erroneously classified Kuravars as ‘Kutra Parambarai’, left the country, a load of stigma still bogs down the community.
The people carried with them the indelible mark of being cleped criminals. As they fought the legal case, the duo realised that it would take much more than the discourse of law to change the generational disgrace.
“Police were still going after the children from the community. In order to protect the young ones, my husband started educating the kids so that their talents could do what the legal battles couldn’t. After his demise, I am continuing his work. As per his vision, we started a Children Resource Centre (CRC) in Thanjavur and Madurai in 2021,” says Jeyasudha, Executive Director of People’s Organisation for People Education (POPE), an NGO set up by them.
POPE has taken up the cudgels to ensure that the children of the community do not bear the brunt of this generational prejudice. They are teaching the kids various skills under the CRC in Vadipatti so that they would rewrite the future of the community. History has it that in 1871, the British classified specific communities in India as hereditary criminals (Kutra Parambarai). One of them was ‘Kuravar’ (SC).
Though the law has been revoked after Independence, the bandit-branding persists. “Men and women from this community are still targeted by the police across the State,” says Jeyasudha. She says it is not only about imparting knowledge to the kids, but also about building confidence. “In Vadipatti Taluk, Kuravar and Kuthirai Vannar communities are vulnerable.
Hence, we started the CRS in Kulsekaran Kottai and Bodinayakanpatti. Every day, our staff helps kids from Class I to Class XI to complete their homework. Then, they make their way to the classes teaching them art, handicraft or story-telling. It is important to give a well-rounded education, which includes extra-curricular activities such as thapattam, drama, dance, singing and the like. The idea is to give them a robust environment to grow their talents to make their journey a little easier, she says.
Aarthi, who is in charge of Bodinayakanpatti centre, says the morale of the students has boosted after such activities were introduced. “My children are fond of working with colours and acting in dramas. I have noticed that their participation has indirectly helped them win prizes and make a good name for themselves. Teachers and the other students have slowly started recognising their talent,” she says.
Most parents, employed on blue-collar jobs, are uneducated and they do not know how to guide their children in school. Speaking to TNIE, C Naveelan, a Class II student, said, “Two years ago, I did not think I could ever paint. Now I am participating in art competitions, thanks to my drawing teacher. Thirty-two of us created ‘Solakattu Bommai’ during the last weekend. We eagerly wait for the weekends for art, games, and dance classes,” he declares with a twinkle in his eyes.
Revathi, a Class VIII student, says she has always been a reserved kid as people in her locality used to call her ‘dhobi’s daughter’. But coming to the centre has helped her come out of her shell. “I learnt drawing, painting, and dancing at the centre. It gives me a lot of courage to face the world,” she adds.