‘Boom Boom Mattukarargal’ struggle to find fodder

The lockdown affects their livelihood and bulls

MADURAI

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the COVID-19 lockdown on March 22, A. Chandran, a ‘Boom Boom Maatukaran’ from Madurai district’s Sakkimangalam did not anticipate that his bull would go without any food for a week.

Mr. Chandran belongs to a nomadic tribe of Boom Boom Maatukarargal — a group of people who use bulls as props in their performances to entertain people.

Usually, male representatives from the community and their bulls dress in bright and shiny colours. The men often sing, dance and tell people’s fortunes as they pass through villages.

There are 55 families from this tribe who have settled in Sakkimangalam for over half a century now after migrating from Andhra Pradesh. These Telugu-speaking nomadic tribes have travelled to Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and Tiruchi and Dindigul districts in search of a living. Usually, they earn between ₹100 and ₹300 each day.

Mr. Chandran says that the lockdown and the spread of COVID-19 have dented their income and any future prospects of travelling for a living for at least the next three months now. Most importantly, the lockdown has eliminated sources of fodder for their 75 bulls – their lifeline.

“The Tamil month of Masi is special for our community. Wherever we are, we come back to Sakkimangalam to pray to our Gods here. Our intention is to get back to work around Tamil New Year. However, the lockdown has happened,” he says.

Mr. Chandran says that when the initial announcement of the lockdown took place, everyone in his community thought that it would end by April 14.

“We had bought just enough fodder for two weeks to ensure that the 75 bulls belonging to our community could eat,” he says. However, the extension meant that they had to search and beg for fodder. For one week between April 13 and April 20, the animals did not have any food.

Fortunately through this time, several kind-hearted individuals, the State Government and representatives of the district administration provided enough rations for the tribal people. All 55 families also received ₹1,000 each from the State government. With this amount, some families bought ‘karuvalam pull’ for the cows as a substitute for straw. Many others, however, were not fortunate. Only on April 21 did a majority of the families get the substitute fodder for the animals. This may, however, not be enough to sustain the bulls in the long run.

S. Karuppiah, another member of the tribe, says that the intervention of persons in politics, affluent neighbours and revenue department officials has been of great use to their people.

“But how long can we survive on the ₹1,000 we get? It is difficult for us to think about the future. On several occasions in the past, people have rejected us and been suspicious. With COVID-19 in place, we fear that they may view us as carriers of the disease,” he says.

Secretary of TENT Society, a non-governmental organisation, which works with nomadic tribes in Madurai, R. Maheswari, says that the 55 families of Boom Boom Maatukarargal are the only ones in South Tamil Nadu.

“Other such pockets of people are in Thanjavur, Krishnagiri and Tindivanam. It is important that their livelihoods should be secured and their culture saved,” she says.

Ms. Maheswari says that if the Government provides them loans for starting businesses or gives them menial jobs, children from the community could have a better future.

“Already, a total of 40 children from the community are going to school. To avoid dropouts post-lockdown, loans will help,” she says.

Mr. Chandran says that it will be even more helpful if straw can be arranged for their cattle as it is the need of the hour.

Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department D. Suresh Christopher says that the concerns of the community regarding food for the bulls are valid. “We will look into the matter at the earliest.”

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