சு.வேணுகோபால் ‘வலசை’ நாவல் முன்வைக்கும் சாமன முதுவர்கள் வாழ்வியல்

The Lifestyle of the Samana Mudhuvars as Presented in Su. Venugopal's Novel Valasai

Abstract

Writer Su. Venugopal is someone who has bound land and its people as an inseparable link in modern literature. An ethnic group is a community of people who identify themselves as a distinct society based on their culture, language, history, habitat, and ancestry. The novel Valasai highlights the conditions of farmers living at the foothills of the Kongu region, the impact on animals due to human encroachment on foothill lands, and the loss of livelihood and habitat crises faced by the Mudhuvar people living in the mountains.

This novel is written entirely in the realistic spoken dialect of the Kongu region. It portrays the settlements of the Samana Mudhuvars living in the mountains and their ancestral/clan worship. It also observes how the Mudhuvar community has transitioned from their ancient occupation of hunting to agriculture, alongside detailing their dietary habits and rituals. Ultimately, the author highlights how the destruction of forests and mountains by humans for their own needs disrupts the livelihood of the Samana Mudhuvars and creates severe challenges for wildlife.