A Dictionary on Vishavan (Malankudi) Language

The Vishavan (Malankudi) community of Idamalayar holds a unique place in Kerala’s
cultural history. Once thought to be “extinct” and removed from the Scheduled Tribes list,
they continue to live in the forests under another identity, carrying forward traditions, stories,
and ways of life that speak of resilience and belonging. Their language, however, is critically
endangered-spoken by only a few and at risk of vanishing with time.
A Dictionary on Vishavan (Malankudi) Language by Dr. Midhun K S is the first work of its
kind to record and preserve this fragile linguistic heritage. Compiled through years of careful
field research, the dictionary is more than a list of words. It reveals how language reflects the
everyday life of the community-their kinship ties, ecological knowledge, ritual practices and
oral traditions. By including culturally rooted vocabulary, personal names and place names,
the work documents not just a language, but a worldview.
Each entry is thoughtfully presented in Malayalam script with phonetic transcription (IPA),
part of speech, meaning and cultural notes, making the book accessible to both scholars and
general readers. The result is a resource that serves simultaneously as a linguistic tool, an
ethnographic record, and a cultural archive.
This book will be valuable to linguists, anthropologists, historians and cultural researchers
interested in Dravidian studies, tribal heritage and South Indian culture. More importantly, it
offers the Vishavan community a means of recognition, reminding us that language is not
only a medium of communication but also a vessel of memory, identity and dignity. By
bringing to light the words of a people once thought lost, this dictionary affirms that no
language is too small to matter, and that every voice contributes to the richness of human
diversity.