IDUKKI: For hundreds of men working in Idukki’s tea plantations, who continue to live in dismal conditions due to unpaid wages and absence of other benefits, the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku season in Sabarimala, which begins on Saturday, is a light at the end of the tunnel.
More than 1,000 of them from estates in Vandiperiyar and Peermade work as dolly carriers in Sabarimala during the two-month pilgrimage season, which can bring each one of them an income in the region of Rs 1-2 lakh.
Speaking to TNIE, Rajagopal, a resident of Pasumala who has been ferrying pilgrims on dollies for the past 20 years, said the majority of bearers are those employed in the tea estates. “Estate work gets us a daily wage of Rs 437, which is also kept pending for several months. Besides, other employee benefits are also delayed by managements. This forces us to depend on petty jobs on alternative days to meet the family expenses,” the 44-year-old said.
Rajagopal said the pilgrimage season is a source of great solace for the men in the area, given the additional income it can generate from them.
A dolly, which is usually purchased from Sengottai in Tamil Nadu, costs around Rs 10,000, he said. Another Rs 2,500 goes towards securing a pass and a medical-fitness certificate. Every trip, which involves carrying pilgrims from Pampa to Sannidanam and back is charged Rs 6,000, of which Rs 500 is paid to the Devaswom Board. The Rs 6,000 is distributed equally among the four men who carry a single dolly, which is essentially a cane chair with two poles attached to its arms.
He said that most men stay for the entirety of the season. During the off-season, they get work on the first five days of every Malayalam month, when the temple is opened to the public.
“It used to be much more demanding. But the rocky slopes have now given way to paths paved with concrete. We lacked proper rest facilities. Now, we have a building to rest and store our luggage. Men between 20 and 60 years of age work as dolly bearers now,” he said
All the bearers have already secured passes, said Rajagopal. “I have a son in college and a daughter who is in Class VII. I hope to save some money for their studies,” he added.
An officer with Vandiperiyar police station said that of the hundreds of applications they receive for dolly bearers in Sabarimala, those filed by persons with cases registered at the station will be rejected. The health and physical condition of applicants is the crucial factor that is taken into consideration when issuing passes, he said. The men will head to Sannidhanam on Friday.
