Meenakshipuram, a village in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district, became a ghost village after its last inhabitant, 73-year-old Kandasamy Naicker, passed away. Once home to 1,296 residents, the village faced environmental changes, inconsistent rainfall, and severe droughts, leading to a mass exodus over the past decade. Naicker, who outlived his wife by 20 years, chose to remain in his birthplace despite the hardships.

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