Irul Tribe

Irul Tribe Latest News

Masi Magam, an auspicious day in the Tamil calendar holds significance for the Irular community which is deeply tied to their culture and collective identity.

About Irul Tribe

• They are a Dravidian ethnic group; they reside in the Nilgiri Mountains of the Western Ghats, spread across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• They are one of India’s oldest indigenous communities.
• They are classified under the “Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups” category in Tamil Nadu.
• They also call themselves Erlar or Poosari, while their neighbours refer to them as Eralollu, Irulas, Shikari and Pujari.

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Society of Irul Tribe

• Language: They speak Irula, which is related to Dravidian languages like Tamil and Kannada.
• Religious Beliefs: The Irula people don’t have a definite god for them. They are pantheists who make provision for the presence of spirits in humans and objects.
  • Their main deity is a virgin goddess called Kanniamma, who is deeply associated with the cobra. 
• Settlements: Irula houses are built together in small settlements or villages called mottas. 
  • The mottas are usually situated on the edges of steep hills and are surrounded by a few dry fields, gardens, and forests or plantations.
• The Irula community is traditionally associated with healing, traditional medicine, and catching poisonous snakes. 
• Economy: Cattle production is another source of income. In the forests they collect wild resources like honey, frankincense, firewood and the like. 
• Traditional Knowledge: Irulas’ knowledge of snakes and snake venom is legendary. They can even locate snakes based on their tracks, smell, and droppings.

Source: TH