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State's Two Surviving Madhika Speakers Rue Intrusion of Vloggers Into Private Life
The New Indian Express Thiruvananthapuram
|February 20, 2025
In 2024, Madhika, an almost extinct language spoken by only two people in Kerala, was introduced to the outer world.
In 2024, Madhika, an almost extinct language spoken by only two people in Kerala, was introduced to the outer world. The last fluent speakers—88-year-old K P Narayanan and his niece, 58-year-old Rajaputhri, of Kookanam near Karivellur—are struggling to preserve their linguistic heritage. However, their efforts face a significant challenge, as no other family members show interest in learning the language.
The duo now faces an unexpected and unwelcome challenge: becoming content for social media vloggers. A few months ago, a video featuring Narayanan and Rajaputhri conversing in Madhika went viral, drawing widespread attention.
This story is from the February 20, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Thiruvananthapuram.
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