MADURAI: When 73-year-old Kandasamy Naicker breathed his last Sunday in Meenakshipuram, it was the last breath of his village in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu. Naicker, the lone inhabitant, was a poignant symbol of a community once thriving, now a ghost village.
Meenakshipuram in Sekkarakudi panchayat had 1,296 residents according to the 2001 census. Yet, the relentless grip of environmental changes, inconsistent rainfall, and enduring droughts gradually eroded the village’s lifeblood, leading to a mass exodus over the past decade.Fields once fertile turned barren, pushing families to seek stability elsewhere.
Amidst this exodus, Naicker clung to Meenakshipuram, outliving his wife by 20 years and continuing to reside in the village where he was born. He is survived by two sons and two daughters.
Younger son Bala Krishnan reflected on Meenakshipuram’s transformation. “The village was highly dependent on farming,” he recounted. “The situation began to deteriorate due to the lack of rainfall and water shortage. People had to walk 3-4km to get water and other basic facilities, which made them disinterested in staying in the village.”
Naicker’s last wish was to die in the village. Up until his final months, he managed his daily chores, cooking his own meals. Only recently did Krishnan arrange for someone to assist his father. Living in Kasilangapuram, 15km away, Krishnan would often bring food for his father, or Naicker would travel to his son’s home.
After Sunday’s sundown, the man who checked on Naicker found him lifeless. “Even though my father was a farmer, he was well-known for participating in rekla and jallikattu (bull races),” Krishnan said.
Sekkarakudi panchayat president I Ramalakshmi spoke with a heavy heart: “There are six villages within the panchayat’s limits. Now, officially we have lost a village due to the exodus that occurred over the past decade.” She noted that while the groundwater table has improved and roads have been laid in recent years, the spectre of the past struggles looms large. “No one is ready to come and settle in the village.”
As Meenakshipuram fades into memory, it stands as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by many similar villages in the region. Its abandonment underscores the harsh realities of environmental change and the inexorable forces that shape the world.
Meenakshipuram in Sekkarakudi panchayat had 1,296 residents according to the 2001 census. Yet, the relentless grip of environmental changes, inconsistent rainfall, and enduring droughts gradually eroded the village’s lifeblood, leading to a mass exodus over the past decade.Fields once fertile turned barren, pushing families to seek stability elsewhere.
Amidst this exodus, Naicker clung to Meenakshipuram, outliving his wife by 20 years and continuing to reside in the village where he was born. He is survived by two sons and two daughters.
Younger son Bala Krishnan reflected on Meenakshipuram’s transformation. “The village was highly dependent on farming,” he recounted. “The situation began to deteriorate due to the lack of rainfall and water shortage. People had to walk 3-4km to get water and other basic facilities, which made them disinterested in staying in the village.”
Naicker’s last wish was to die in the village. Up until his final months, he managed his daily chores, cooking his own meals. Only recently did Krishnan arrange for someone to assist his father. Living in Kasilangapuram, 15km away, Krishnan would often bring food for his father, or Naicker would travel to his son’s home.
After Sunday’s sundown, the man who checked on Naicker found him lifeless. “Even though my father was a farmer, he was well-known for participating in rekla and jallikattu (bull races),” Krishnan said.
Sekkarakudi panchayat president I Ramalakshmi spoke with a heavy heart: “There are six villages within the panchayat’s limits. Now, officially we have lost a village due to the exodus that occurred over the past decade.” She noted that while the groundwater table has improved and roads have been laid in recent years, the spectre of the past struggles looms large. “No one is ready to come and settle in the village.”
As Meenakshipuram fades into memory, it stands as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by many similar villages in the region. Its abandonment underscores the harsh realities of environmental change and the inexorable forces that shape the world.