The mud house Unnikrishnan could call his home collapsed five years ago. Now they live in a makeshift hut made of thatched coconut leaves that leaks during rains.Cherpu: There are many takers for the folk songs of Palakaparambil Unnikrishnan (42).
But this singer from Avinissery who is adept at winning over any audience at his stage shows is struggling to get the rhyme and rhythm of his life right.
Ever since polio affected his right leg during his childhood, his life is a struggle. He is making ends meet with the help of the talent that he has in him. Apart from singing, he is also an accomplished kalamezhuthu artist.
He lives in the ancestral property of his mother, along with his wife, mother, mother's sister, 90-year-old grandmother, computer student daughter Dhanya, and class 9 student Sandra. Yet to be partitioned, the 12-cent plot where they live has eight heirs.
The mud house they could call their home collapsed five years ago. Now they live in a makeshift hut made of thatched coconut leaves that leaks during rains.
The safety of his adolescent daughters in the makeshift hut is a big worry for Unnikrishnan. There is no washroom or a toilet for them. There are coconut trees and jack fruit trees inside what they call their home. They can't get the trees cut because they need to take permission from all the inheritors.
At present conditions, providing the safety and security of a proper house with a toilet for his daughters is a distant dream for Unnikrishnan. Dhanya and Sandra too are good singers and accompany their father for his programs.
Unnikrishnan has to take on rent all musical instruments needed for his performance. After paying the rent and other team members, what is left of a program is a less then Rs 1,000, says Unnikrishnan.
Though the panchayat is willing to help this Dalit family, its hands are tied because Unnikrishnan doesn't have a plot in his name, says Avinissery panchayat president Surya Shoby. However, the panchayat authorities are seeking assistance from others in order to find a safer place for this family with elderly women and young girls.
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