{"id":118823,"date":"2026-08-12T18:10:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T12:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=118823"},"modified":"2026-08-12T18:10:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T12:40:43","slug":"tribes-of-puducherry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/tribes-of-puducherry\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribes of Puducherry, List, Communities, Culture &#038; Occupations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Puducherry does not currently have any <\/span><b>officially notified Scheduled Tribes (ST)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the applicable Presidential Orders for the Union Territory as a whole. However, several indigenous, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities live across Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam and other rural areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Tribes of Puducherry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> include <\/span><b>Irular, Kattunayakan, Malaikuravan, Kuruman and Yerukula<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Many of these communities are locally identified as <\/span><b>Backward Tribes, Most Backward Classes (MBCs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or other socially disadvantaged groups, while demands for their inclusion in the national ST list have been raised from time to time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Major Tribes of Puducherry<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The major <\/span><b>Tribes of Puducherry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> include the <\/span><b>Irular, Kattunayakan, Malaikuravan, Kuruman and Yerukula<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> communities, which have distinct traditional occupations, cultural practices and settlement patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Irular<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Irular<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are an indigenous community traditionally associated with <\/span><b>rural and forest-based livelihoods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditionally, sections of the community were known for <\/span><b>snake catching and rat catching<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, activities that provided an important source of livelihood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irular settlements are found in <\/span><b>rural parts of Puducherry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly in village and commune areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community has traditionally possessed considerable knowledge of <\/span><b>local wildlife, forests and natural resources<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With changing economic conditions, many Irular families have moved towards <\/span><b>agricultural labour, construction work and other wage-based occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community has also been associated with demands for <\/span><b>greater government recognition, welfare support and social development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>2. Kattunayakan<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Kattunayakan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are traditionally a <\/span><b>forest-dependent indigenous community<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their traditional livelihood has included <\/span><b>honey collection and gathering forest produce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their knowledge of <\/span><b>forests, plants and <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/natural-resources\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>natural resources<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has historically played an important role in their livelihood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Members of the community are reported in parts of <\/span><b>Puducherry and Karaikal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changes in access to forest resources and the expansion of modern economic activities have affected their <\/span><b>traditional occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many community members have increasingly become dependent on <\/span><b>wage labour and other livelihood opportunities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Kattunayakan are among the communities whose <\/span><b>recognition and inclusion in the ST category<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been raised in public demands.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>3. Malaikuravan<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Malaikuravan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also known as <\/span><b>Malaikuruvan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is an indigenous community found in different rural parts of Puducherry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community has been reported particularly in areas such as <\/span><b>Villianur and Bahour<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditionally, members were associated with <\/span><b>rural, forest-linked and traditional occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their livelihood patterns have changed over time due to <\/span><b>urbanisation, economic transformation and reduced dependence on traditional occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many families today rely on <\/span><b>agricultural labour, daily-wage employment and other informal occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community forms part of the wider discussion on <\/span><b>indigenous communities and demands for Scheduled Tribe recognition in Puducherry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>4. Kuruman<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Kuruman<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> community is found in selected rural pockets of <\/span><b>Puducherry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their presence has been reported particularly around <\/span><b>Mannadipet commune and Oulgaret<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditionally, the community has been associated with <\/span><b>rural livelihood practices and traditional occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like other indigenous communities, their occupational pattern has gradually changed with <\/span><b>modernisation and changing employment opportunities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Community members may now depend on <\/span><b>wage labour and other rural and informal-sector activities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Kuruman community is part of the broader population of <\/span><b>indigenous and socially disadvantaged groups<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the Union Territory.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>5. Yerukula<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Yerukula<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also spelled <\/span><b>Yerkula<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, are traditionally a <\/span><b>nomadic and semi-nomadic community<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community has historically been associated with occupations such as <\/span><b>fortune-telling and basket-making<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Members of the community are reported in parts of <\/span><b>Puducherry and Yanam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their traditional lifestyle is characterised by <\/span><b>mobility and dependence on traditional occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changing economic and social conditions have led many families to adopt <\/span><b>more settled lifestyles and alternative occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community has distinctive <\/span><b>traditional knowledge, customs and occupational practices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that contribute to Puducherry&#8217;s cultural diversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Yerukula are also among the communities for which <\/span><b>demands for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been raised.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Traditional Occupations and Culture of Tribes of Puducherry<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Tribes of Puducherry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have traditionally followed diverse occupations linked to forests, rural environments and nomadic lifestyles, while their <\/span><b>traditional knowledge, customs and livelihood practices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> contribute to the cultural diversity of the region.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Snake and Rat Catching:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Irular<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have traditionally been associated with <\/span><b>snake catching and rat catching<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, along with other rural and forest-based activities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Honey Collection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Kattunayakan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have traditionally depended on <\/span><b>honey collection and gathering forest produce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Forest-Based Livelihoods:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Several indigenous communities have traditionally relied on <\/span><b>forest resources, plants and natural products<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for their livelihoods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Basket Making:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Yerukula<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have traditionally practised <\/span><b>basket-making<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting their traditional craft skills.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fortune-Telling:<\/b> <b>Fortune-telling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has historically been one of the traditional occupations associated with the Yerukula community.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Agricultural Labour:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> With changing economic conditions, many community members have shifted towards <\/span><b>agricultural labour and other rural occupations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Daily-Wage Employment:<\/b> <b>Construction work and other informal-sector jobs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have become increasingly important sources of income for families moving away from traditional occupations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Traditional Knowledge:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Indigenous communities retain valuable knowledge related to <\/span><b>local ecosystems, plants, animals and natural resources<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Oral Traditions and Customs:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Their <\/span><b>community customs, oral traditions and social practices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> form an important part of Puducherry&#8217;s cultural diversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tribes of Puducherry include Irular, Kattunayakan, Malaikuravan, Kuruman and Yerukula, known for their traditional occupations, cultural practices, livelihoods and indigenous heritage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":118675,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[9517,8973,9516],"class_list":["post-118823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-studies","tag-puducherry","tag-tribes","tag-tribes-of-puducherry","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118823"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118859,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118823\/revisions\/118859"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}