THE SACRED GROVE

In what used to be the fortress of the landlord in whose service the primal ancestors of the Adiya (slaves) were put to work, there is now a sacred grove which is managed by a local tribal community. It was here that the Pakkanthappan, or lord of the Pakkankote (fortress of Pakkan) lived. In February 2010 Shirly and Baby K.J. took us to see this place, and Margaret Shillan and I made some sketches of the forest with its cluster of shrines.