Peermade: While Kerala buzzes with the excitement of the upcoming Onam festival, for a five-member family belonging to the nomadic Malampandaram tribe in the forests of Vandiperiyar, there are no new clothes, no festive feasts, and not even a proper shelter. One-and-a-half-year-old Manoj and his three-year-old sister Mela find clinging to their mother as the only escape from the biting cold.

Along with their four-year-old brother Manu, mother Kunjumoli, and father Raman Kutty, the toddlers live in a makeshift shed constructed from a single plastic tarp stretched over four wooden poles. Situated near the Vallakkadavu check post in Pon Nagar, along the banks of the Tenkanchi canal, this fragile structure is the only thing shielding them from the harsh wilderness.

Overcrowded quarters force family back into the wild
The family’s plight highlights a broader issue of inadequate rehabilitation programmes. Though the Forest Department had previously relocated them to government quarters, the reality of the accommodation was grim. A single, cramped hall was expected to house 32 people. Unable to cope with the extreme lack of space and basic amenities, Raman Kutty and his family felt compelled to return to the forest and erect their temporary shelter.

A relentless daily struggle for survival
Raman’s day begins early. He treks deep into the forest to gather wild honey and frankincense, leaving Kunjumoli alone to guard their young children in the tarp shed. He returns only late at night, and his daily earnings determine if they can eat. The family cooks just once a day, in the morning. Their makeshift bed—a thin piece of cloth laid directly on the damp ground—is constantly caked in mud, a state shared by the children’s bodies.

Living in constant fear of wild elephants
Survival here is a daily gamble. The area is highly prone to wildlife incursions, particularly by wild elephants. When these giants venture close to their flimsy shelter, Kunjumoli’s only defence is a tiny torch. Clutching her terrified children close to her chest, she flashes the dim light into the darkness, praying they will pass by safely. To make matters worse, they have no access to clean drinking water. Their only source is the rainwater that slides down their plastic tarp, which they carefully collect in a pot. As the rest of the state lights up for the festive season, this family’s silent struggle poses a poignant question about the reach of Kerala's celebrated welfare systems.