Villagers wade through channel to carry dead man to cremation ground

They say constructing a bridge would put an end to the long-pending problem

Tiruchi 12/11/21: Caption: A group of people of Keela Pulavanchi village in Pudukottai wading through neck deep water in a supply channel while carrying a dead person to the cremation ground situated on the other side of the water body. Hand Out

Residents of Keezha Paluvanchi, Mela Paluvanchi and Seynthamangalam in Annavasal panchayat union in Pudukottai district face a tough time carrying the dead as they have to wade through water in a supply channel to reach the burial ground on the other side of the waterbody.

On Thursday, a group of residents of the Keezha Paluvanchi village had to struggle to carry the body of an aged man on a bamboo pier, while walking through neck-deep water in the supply channel due to heavy rain over the past few days.

Carrying the corpse, laid on the bamboo pier, on their shoulder, the group faced the daunting task of having to carefully wade through the flowing water to reach the other side where the cremation ground is situated.

This is the scenario every time the supply channel gets filled up due to heavy downpour during the monsoon as there is no alternative route to the cremation ground, the villagers say.

The three villages are separated by short distances and fall under the Kothandaramapuram panchayat.

They have their respective burial grounds, situated on ‘poromboke’ lands on the other side of the supply channel that feeds the Kavinadu tank, which is the largest in the district.

Repeated representations from these villagers to the respective governments over the years about their plight in carrying the dead to the cremation ground and seeking a permanent solution by way of construction of a bridge have only fallen on deaf ears. The situation has remained the same, says M. Govindarajan, 54, a union councillor and a resident of Seynthamangalam.

No alternative route

With no alternative route to reach the cremation grounds for these three villages, the only permanent solution is constructing a bridge across the channel, Mr. Govindarajan said.

Further, villagers have to take their goats for grazing to the other side of the waterbody, he says, adding that this becomes difficult when the channel fills up.

Construction of a bridge across the channel would also help residents in reaching Peraiyur soon as it would serve as a shorter route instead of taking a detour of about 12 km, says Mr. Govindarajan.