ஆத்தங்கரை ஓரம் நாவலில் பழங்குடியினரின் பண்பாடு

The culture of the tribal people in the novel 'Aathankarai Oram

Abstract

The novel 'Aathankarai Oram' written by Ve. Iraiyanbu is centered on the cultural identity and life struggles of the tribal people living in the Sindhur region. It describes how these indigenous people, forced to leave their ancestral land due to dam construction, staged various forms of protest against the government, only to find themselves in a situation where these protests bore no fruit. This article examines the cultural elements of the tribal people, including their food habits, hospitality, love of nature, attachment to the land, modes of worship, traditional occupational knowledge, ability to predict climate change, marriage rituals, faith in education, and qualities of leadership. This study establishes that the novel realistically portrays the cultural change and loss experienced by indigenous people who live in harmony with nature when they are relocated to an alternative place. Through characters such as Simon and Radha Padengar, the leadership qualities of the tribal people and their attachment to the land are brought out. Ultimately, the main aim of this study is to raise social awareness regarding the cultural preservation of indigenous/tribal peoples.