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Struggles of Migrant Idol Makers in Pravachambalam: A Case Study Approach Dissertation submitted to the University of Kerala in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Sociology Submitted by SURYA S S Exam Code: 56013405 Candidate Code: 56017115019 Subject Code: SO245 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY LOYOLA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES SREEKARIYAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 2017 - 2019 DECLARATION I, Surya. S. S., do hereby declare that the dissertation work entitled “Struggles of Migrant Idol Makers in Pravachambalam: A Case Study Approach” submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology is a bonafide record of work carried out by me and no part thereof has been submitted for the award of any other degree in the university. Surya. S. S. Thiruvananthapuram Date: 23/09/2019 CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL This is to certify that the dissertation entitled “Struggles of Migrant Idol Makers in Pravachambalam: A Case Study Approach” is an authentic record of genuine work carried out Ms. Surya. S. S. of MA Sociology under my supervision and guidance that is hereby approved for submission. Dr. Lekshmi Chandran Research Guide Dept. of Sociology Loyola College of Social Sciences Recommended for forwarding to the University of Kerala Dr. Nisha Jolly Nelson Head of the Dept. of Sociology Loyola College of Social Sciences Recommended for forwarding to the University of Kerala Dr. Saji. P. Jacob Principal Loyola College of Social Sciences Thiruvananthapuram Date: 23/09/2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration. First and foremost; I thank the God almighty for his special blessings on me from the beginning to the completion of the study. I am indebted to my research guide, Dr. Lekshmi Chandran, Department of Sociology, Loyola College of Social Sciences for her timely supervision, guidance, encouragement and support for the successful completion of the study. With extreme joy and gratitude, I thank the other faculty members of our department, Dr. Saji. P. Jacob, Dr. Nisha Jolly Nelson, Dr. Smitha Pillai, Mr. Prasad Ravikumar and Dr. Sunil Kumar P, whose valuable support and constructive suggestions added to the success of the study. It is a great pleasure for me, to thank all respondents for their sincere and serious co-operation. I also extend my gratitude to other people who helped me during the time of data collection. I also express my heartfelt gratitude to my family and friends who have supported me immensely throughout this dissertation period. SURYA. S. S. CONTENT Page no CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 - 18 Introduction Statement of the Problem Significance of the study CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 19 – 37 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 38 - 40 CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 41 - 60 CHAPTER 5 FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS 61 - 66 REFERENCES 67 - 72 APPENDIXES ABSTRACT Migration involves the (more or less) permanent movement of individuals or groups across symbolic or political boundaries into new residential areas and communities. Sociological studies of migration are diverse and usually form part of larger problems in (for example) research into kinship, social networks, or economic development. In India, as per census 2001, about 307 million person have been reported as migration by place of birth. Out of them about 259 million (84.2%), migrated from one part of the state to another, i.e., from one village or town to another village or town. 42 million (2%) from outside the country. The data on migration by last residence in India as per Census 2001 shows that the total number of migrants has been 314 million. Out of these migrants by last residence, 268 million (85%) has been intra-state migrants, those who migrated from one are of the state to another. 41 million (13%) were interstate migrants and 5.1 million (1.6%) migrated from outside of the country. Migrant labourers are casual and unskilled workers who move about systematically from one region to another, offering their services on a temporary, usually seasonal basis. “Migrant” is an umbrella term, not defined under international law, reflecting the common lay understanding of a person who moves away from his/her place of usual residence, whether within a country or across and international border, temporarily or permanently, and for a variety of reasons. The study on “Struggles of Migrant Idol Makers in Pravachambalam: A Case Study Approach” deals with understanding the challenges faced by migrant idol makers from Rajasthan who have migrated to Pravachambalam in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala. A new area and language are main challenges which they face. But more than any, they face exclusion from society. The study follows a qualitative method and uses case study approach. The objectives of the study includes understanding the issues of the migrant idol makers, their background and reasons for migration. From this research, the researcher finds out that the major problems faced by the migrant idol makers include spatial boundaries of market, storage problems, rise in price of raw materials, social security, gender issues and threat of displacement. CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION 1 INTRODUCTION An idol can be a religious image or a person who people admire and maybe even seem to worship. A statue of a Hindu god is a religious idol [Madame Curie]. The word idol comes from the Old French “idole” for “pagan god”, through the Greek “eidolon” for “reflection in water or a mirror”. In religion, an idol isn’t the real deity but a representation of it [Flannery o’ connor]. IDOL MAKERS IN INDIA India, the land of many gods and goddesses, and their images and idols has a tropical climate with extreme humidity and thus offers an ideal place for traditional clay modelers and potters. Clay pots “matkas or kalsis” are the best containers for the purpose of storing water and keep in it cool, especially among the poorer section of the Indian population who have no capacity for owing a refrigerator. It may be noted that before the advent of the machine age and the refrigerator it was these pots that served as the only sources for string water. This heritage is still continuing and matkas can even be found in rich families who can easily afford to own the best of the available refrigerators. The traditional use of “bhars” (earthen cups) to serve tea or lassi in shops and of “diyas” (earthen cups) on festive occasion and many other similar usages of earthenware even now a days offers idols maker and potters the privilege of carrying on traditional ancestral heritage. In India started worship idols after Vedic period. The practice of worshipping images or idols of gods and goddesses might have become a part of ancient Vedic religion through non- Vedic traditions such as tribal practices, Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. Ancient humans and the early settlers who lived in the Indian subcontinent erected monoliths and believed in their magical powers. They buried their dead and probably believed in some form of afterlife. They might have worshipped their ancestors or elder spirits. The Indus valley people seemed to have a tradition of honoring their deities in image form with ritual worship. They also probably worshipped animals, mythical creatures, plants, kings and gods who resembled humans [Jayaram]. 2 According to historians, the practice of worshipping fertility gods and goddesses, ritual bathing, and the use of stone symbols, icons and images in their worship was probably prevalent in the Indus valley urban communities. R.C Majumdar, in An Advanced History of India, stated the following “with the growth of anthropomorphism came the increased use of images and the construction of temples for daily services. Icons were known to the ancient people of the lower Indus Valley, and stray allusions to images have been traced in some Vedic texts. But the first undoubted historical reference to image worship by an Aryan tribe occurs in a passage of Heracles was carried in front of the Paurava army as it advanced against alexander. Patanjali refers to the exhibition and sale of images of Siva, Skanda, and visakha by the Mauryas who rose to power at the end our period. Temples of a primitive kind are mentioned already in the Satapatha Brahmana, but these were not meant for iconic worship. In the epic, however, we have clear references to temples sacred to deities”. Indian sculpture texts say the technique of preparing idol is a special art. Stringent rules have been laid down governing the actual making of the idol. A sculptor who breaks the rules is regarded as a great sinner. In ancient India, clay murtis had gained immense popularity, especially so in north India. This is explained by the easily available clays and muds deposited by the North’s many rivers. In addition, clays is easily worked upon by even the lesser talented of idol makers. A foremost scholar on the Hindu Temple, Stella kramich, calls such murtis ‘ageless’ – kalatita, because they have continued to be used from the most ancient periods to today. The oldest such murti to have been found as yet in archaeological diggings has been dated as between 25000 BC to 1500BC [article]. India, the land of many gods and goddesses, and their images, has a tropical climate with extreme humidity and thus offers an ideal place for traditional clay modellers and potters. An important point which deserves special mention in the present context is that the art of pottery is passed on from generation to generation with the potter’s child learning the art. Artisans, who have an inclination towards idol making and pottery, are passionate about their art which they use for the purpose of earning their livelihood and for propagating this tradition from generation to generation.

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