Patel Prachi Paragbhai

AR3596

Rural Cartographies: Acts of Owning
Series of spatial enclosures in Kani settlements in Athirumala forest of Agasthyamalai range (Peppara wildlife sanctuary), Southern Western Ghats, Kerala. 

Documenting three Kani settlements in the Athirumala forest of the Agasthyamalai ranges in the Western Ghats to interpret the patterns/territories of inhabitation through the idea of clearing, enclosure, and ownership. This is done by observing people's everyday acts in and around their settlements. The study explores the concept of dwelling as a way of marking and claiming spaces and that it plays an essential role in shaping our relationship with the spaces around us. It is hypothesized that dwelling serves as a mechanism for individuals to connect with their spaces and establish a sense of ownership over them. The research tries to illustrate how individuals use dwelling to assert their presence in a particular space and how this process contributes to forming a sense of belonging and attachment. In the context of dwelling, the acts of owning take various forms in stages, such as clearing the forest land, occupying it, arranging daily-use items around the house, and maintaining a particular space. These acts are essential for individuals at different scales, such as Personal, Social, and Mythic Realism, to establish a sense of ownership over their dwelling spaces and to shape their relationship with the spaces around them.