Cutting across caste and religious barriers, people laid floral carpets and played traditional games together in these hamlets in the district till last year.

They had gathered at the village temple and school grounds with various festivities to mark the “thiruvonam” day in these years. But, on the auspicious ‘thiruvonam’ today, there is no “pookkalam” (floral carpets), “oonjal” (swing) or any other signs of celebrations in Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad district, which was rocked by massive landslides on July 30. Majority of Chooralmala and Mundakkai natives are now living in rented houses or with their relatives nearby.