IDUKKI: In a quiet but significant assertion of democratic participation, members of the semi-nomadic Malapandaram tribe in Vandiperiyar stepped out to vote in the assembly elections, marking a gradual shift from isolation to inclusion.
Several families arrived days in advance at their government-built houses in Sathram, returning from the forest to cast their votes with the support of a Scheduled Tribe promoter.
Among them was 80-year-old Chellamma, believed to be the oldest member of the community in the region. Despite age-related ailments and the amputation of her right foot, she exercised her franchise with grit and purpose.
Laughing off questions about her age, Chellamma said she never had the opportunity to learn to read or write, but remained resolute in voting. “The officials guide us about the process,” she added.
Five members of her family (two daughters, their husbands, and a son ) also voted. Chellamma had also voted in the 2021 assembly elections, when many in her community — then largely forest dwellers — cast their ballots for the first time. “I voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections too,” Chellamma informed.
The Malapandaram tribe, with only a few dozen families spread across Vandiperiyar, Peermade and Peruvanthanam panchayats, continues to face challenges such as lack of basic amenities, low literacy and a forest-dependent lifestyle.
“Maybe our participation in elections will help improve the situation,” Chellamma beamed.