The Kerala State Human Rights Commission recently directed authorities to urgently rehabilitate Paniya tribal families living in makeshift tarpaulin shelters at Vaniyampuzha, across the Chaliyar River in Pothukal panchayat, Kerala.
About Paniya Tribe:
The Paniya (Paniyan) tribe is one of the major Scheduled Tribes of Kerala.
They are predominantly found in Wayanad and also in parts of the Kannur, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts of Kerala.
Some are found in the Gudalur and Pandalur areas of the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu and in the southern part of the Kodagu District of Karnataka.
The Paniya community is the largest single scheduled tribe population in Kerala.
The word "Paniyan" is derived from "pani" which is a Malayalam word, meaning work.
The Paniya speak the Paniya language, which belongs to the Dravidian family, closely related to Malayalam.
They have developed a unique style of making their houses.
A Paniyan village comprises rows of huts all constructed from bamboo with thatched roofs.
These houses of Paniyan tribes are either single- or double-storied.
The Paniyas worship a deity called Kali and banyan tree. They hesitate to cut banyan trees and believe that if anyone attempts to cut the tree, they will fall sick.
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