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The elders narrate that the four Moopans, who were initially equal in power, once met at Thollayiraparavi and collectively decided to crown one among them, Varakkumalan, as the King. This was to ensure unity and easier coordination, as frequent travel between ...

The Kaanis are senior advisors to the King administrative, spiritual, and social matters, representing various sub-groups and regions of the community. There are nine elderly Kaanis in total as advisors to the King. As per Ramesh Gopalan & elders ...

There are four main Vaathis in the Mannan governance structure. They serve as intermediaries between the community and the gods, interpreting divine messages and rituals, especially during times of difficulty or calamity. As per Ramesh and elders ...

The Kulamthaari group is responsible for maintaining law and order within the Mannan community. Their duties include settling disputes, enforcing community norms, and implementing punishments where necessary. Currently, these positions are held by men, but the...

Since initiating our collaboration with the Mannan tribal community of Idukki, we have produced a compelling series of documentaries on the cultural heritage of these two communities. These films are a key component of our ongoing Earthlore Documentation Proje...

Policy Statement ARPO is committed to ensuring that its staff, contractual associates, freelancers, and authorized volunteersare reimbursed for reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket expenses incurred while conducting officialARPO business. This policy aims t...

The Emergence of the Badrakaliyamman Temple At present, Paliya Ulsavam is closely associated with the Sree Badrakaliyamman Temple in Chakkupallam, constructed 13 years ago through the initiative of the Paliya community. The construction of this temple was a r...

Palichiyamma Temple and Origins The community’s faith centers around Palichiyamma, their clan deity, worshipped alongside Karuppuswamy at Kumily. Dedicated families are entrusted with rituals for each deity. Initially, worship was conducted beneath a large ba...

Since initiating our collaboration with the Paliyar tribal community of Idukki, we have produced a compelling series of documentaries on the cultural heritage of these two communities. These films are a key component of our ongoing Earthlore Documentation Proj...

Preamble ARPO recognizes its environmental responsibility and is committed to minimizing its ecological footprint. This policy outlines our commitment to environmental sustainability across all aspects of our operations, including our offices, field activitie...

ARPO is committed to fostering a healthy work-life balance for its employees. The following leave policy outlines the different types of leave available to all staff members: 1. Sick Leave (SL):    Entitlement: Employees are entitled to 9 days of SL per year....

Introduction This Research Ethics Policy outlines the ethical principles that will guide all research and documentation activities conducted by Archival and Research Project related to the festivals, culture, art, dance, and song of tribal communities in Indi...

We travelled to the mid ranges of Idukki in the Western Ghats to collaborate with the Mannan community, an Indigenous group recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in Kerala. Our initial meeting with the Mannan leadership took place at Kovilmala, Kattapana, where we d...

During our fieldwork, community members recalled that in the early days the Mannan lived a nomadic life, practicing shifting agriculture across vast stretches of forest land. Over time, however, they were displaced from these forest areas and compelled to sett...

Mannankoothu is a traditional cultural dance performance of the Mannan community, combining expressive movements with Mannankoothu songs, and accompanied by traditional instruments and accessories. Community members talked about the Koothu as an important part...

When we arrived in the Mannan settlements, the first thing that struck us was how deeply decentralised, well-structured, and intricately distributed their governance system is. This system of governance is known as ‘Naalu Mannan - Naalu Vaathi - Onpathu Kaani ...

“We pray to all gods, to the Maladaivangal as well as the Malayalam daivangal,” says Rajappan from Vazhamattam.  As the Mannan community settled across the 42 different hamlets, it is believed that each land was assigned a moorthi for protection. Thus each Ma...

Prepared by Anjana, Sociologist Vysakh Seluraj, Anthropologist Community collaborators from Mannan community :  Aswathi, Kovilmala Ayyapan, Kodakallu Balan Chakkan, Kovilmala Bineesh, MachiplavuBiju, Chinnapara Chinamma, Kovilmala Chellapan, Chinnap...

During our field visit to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border regions around Thekkady, Paliya community members described how their identity is closely tied to the forested landscapes they have long inhabited. Many expressed a strong belief that their ancestors lived...

Based on oral accounts that were shared with us, it is understood that in earlier times the Paliyar community practiced shifting cultivation within the forest, working collectively as a community. They also depended on the collection of forest produce for thei...