Ostracised villagers want to be back in the mainstream
The Hindu
They took part in temple festival for the first time in 45 years yet apprehensions linger in their minds
At least 50 persons ostracised, many years ago, by their families and village elders for marrying outside their caste, live outside their village at Echampatti near Thirupanjili in Tiruchi district. Some have submitted a representation to the Collector seeking official intervention to return.
Life has not been easy for the villagers, most of them from intermediate caste, hailing from Echampatti who chose to marry outside their caste.
P. Soundararajan, now a 65-year-old man, was thrown out of his village for marrying Kamalam, a resident of Thirupanjili, the nearby village in 1977. “My father asked me to leave and never return. With my son, who was three years at the time, we took refuge in Thirupanjili,” he said. The son is now 45 years old and has three children. The son and his family too, are not allowed to enter the village. ‘My son's wedding was held without the participation of my siblings or my parents. It is a painful way to live,’ he said.