KOZHIKODE: Wayanad is mourning the death of its lone forest watcher from the Cholanayaka tribal community -- Babu Parappanpara. The 36-year-old’s fad to go hunting for honey along with nine of his friends proved fatal on Thursday night after he reportedly fell into a gorge inside Kolimattam forest under Meppadi range around 8 pm.
"Babu, who was always prepared for an adventure inside the forest, is an expert in harvesting honey from giant combs dangling from huge trees. Eyeing a huge comb on a tree next to a boulder, he got atop the rock as his friends held a ladder firmly for him. To gain a better position and get hold of the comb, Babu reportedly leaned backwards and took the support of a branch protruding from another tree nearby. Suddenly the branch gave way, Babu lost his grip and plunged into a 200-feet gorge," said Mohandas M, Baderi Section Forest Officer. The body was recovered on Friday morning.
According to health sources, a test revealed that Babu was COVID-19 positive and hence the funeral will be held on Saturday as per the protocol. He is survived by wife Sreeja and five children.
Recruited to the forest department in 2014 as watcher, Babu is the lone government servant from the Cholanayaka tribe which comes under 'particularly vulnerable tribal group' (PVTG). After being inducted into service, he got married from Kadachikunnu and stayed in the forest quarters at Vettathuvayal, hence losing his connect with Parappanpara.
Bridge to Cholanayakas
Wayanad has only 13 Cholanayaka families which consist of 43 people, settled at Parappanpara in Moopainad gram panchayat -- the most inaccessible of all the tribal settlements in the district due to its steep terrain.
"Babu was the true son of the forest. The loss is irreparable. Be it for communicating with the Cholanayakas for health programme, education, rehabilitation, census or any other activity whatsoever, Babu was the bridge between the isolated tribals and the government," reminisced C Cheriyan, district project Officer of Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP).
Having a thorough knowledge of the ways and vagaries of forest life, Babu was the final word for researchers and environmentalists as well. He had the solid health to climb down the steep treachorous terrain to reach Parappanpara and return back uphill 4 kilometres away to reach Sunrise Valley in a single day itself, quite an impossible mission for others.
It was through Babu that new generation kids of his community went to Model Residential School (MRS) at Kallur for schooling.