In the remote colony of Kookanam, near Karivellur grama panchayat, the Chakaliya community is grappling with the imminent loss of its unique language Madhika.

K.P. Narayanan, 87, and his niece Rajputhri, the last fluent speakers of Madhika, fear that after them, the language, which has no script, will be lost to the world. Narayanan gives voice to his concern in Madhika, “Ee bhasha namiki matra hothidanthi.”

Madhika is a blend of Telugu, Tulu, Kannada, and Malayalam. The younger generation, drawn to mainstream languages like Malayalam, shows little interest in learning this linguistic relic.

• The duo acquired the language from their forebears, but with the passing of older speakers, they find themselves the last living link to the past. “People of our community, especially youngsters, are not interested in learning the language.
• They prefer Malayalam, which is taught in schools and is spoken here,” he says. Rajputhri, echoing her uncle’s sentiments, says her children too are not interested in speaking Madhika.
• Retired Malayalam teacher N.P. Vijayan, who studied the community as part of his doctoral research, says the community was nomadic and worshippers of Thiruvenkatramana and Mariamma.
• The community in northern Malabar migrated from the hilly regions of Karnataka centuries ago, he says.