The story of Karinthandan and his martyrdom

Kochi: A huge statue of Karinthandan will be installed near Wayanad ghats on Sunday. Artist Ramesh Lakshmanan is busy with the final stage of sculpting. The function will be conducted in relation to the ‘Smrithi Yatra’ under the voluntary organisation ‘Peep’ which works in the forest region of Wayanad. 

The statue of Karinthandan is made of cement and is 10 feet in height. The tribal chieftain stands by holding a stick on his hand with bangles representing his power and a sickle on the other hand. The statue has also been adorned with a chain and a shoulder dress dhoti. 

The period 1750- 1799 was estimated as the lifetime of the tribal leader Karinthandan. During the colonial period, the British needed a pathway from Malabar to Mysore. However, the dense forests hindered the aspirations of the colonisers and those who went in search of it fell prey to leopards. It was the Paniya tribe leader Karinthandan who showed the route to the British. But inorder to ensure that this route remain a secret from the mainstream public, the British army ruthlessly killed Karinthandan.  

People pay homage to Karinthandan at a tree bounded with a chain in Lakkidi, situated on the bottom of Wayanad ghat.