Saturday, November 6, 2021

Where are the Irula Pepole ?!

 The Irula and Many more Native Tribes

Philipose Vaidyar


 https://sites.google.com/view/focusonpeople/new-release?authuser=0 


I wrote first time about the Irula (Irular) in 2003 in Malayalam as a feature story in India Focus, the magazine I was editing. Later along with many other such stories I had published it on my website www.FocusonPeople.org  in 2006 and in  A Peep into the Tribalscape in 2008. Later I had an invitation to do a short film on the tribe living in Chennai. (See the link to the videos in YouTube at the footer) 

 

People named 'Irula' are found in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. Each of the groups seemed to be different in its structure and appearance. More of them are in Tamil Nadu (about 190,000) next, in Kerala (about 24,000) and the rest in Karnataka (about 11,000). I have personally visited several Iruala settlements in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. 

 

Irular in Kerala

Irulars are seen in Attapady area of Mannarkadu Thaluk in Palakkad District and also seen in Nelliyampathy, Pothuppara, Mayamudi, Palakkapandi, Koonapalam of Chittur Thaluk and Valayar hills. They are engaged in agriculture and cultivate paddy, ragi, dhal, plantains, turmeric, etc. Forest produce collection is also a source of income. They are also seen in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states. The Irular community in Kerala is different in features and occupation from the Irula people seen near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 

There is a genesis story of the Irula spoken among the Irular in Attappady around a man named Pattan. I had documented this story on my website in 2006 and in my first book, A Peep into the Tribalscape in 2008. Based on this story Chitra Soundar had published a children's picture book: Pattan’s Pumpkin in 2016 in the UK by Otter-Barry Books. (Some in India including a writer in Kerala has copied verbatim of my documentation of the story without any acknowledgment and it is published on a government website!) 


Read about the story  of Pattan and Irualar from my new book:  Trekking the Tribal Trail 

Visit:  Tribalscape.blogspot.com  or  


The legend continues that God instructed Pattan to live thereby cultivating the land. The Irular tribe believes that they descended from Pattan. If iniquity increases with the rise in the population, a goat or hen has to be sacrificed. One sacrifice is sufficient to ward off sin for a year. The Lord has kept heaven and hell for people according to the “wrongdoings and the sacrifice” offered. The word Irular comes from the word Irul which means darkness. Irular means those who are in darkness.

I reached a village 10 km away from Gulikadavu, which is situated close to the Anakatty-Mannarkad road. It was just a day after the village celebration and a sacrifice. The youth were blaring on trumpets, celebrating the penultimate day of the festival…….

 

Read the full story on Irular’s occupation, Lifestyle, Child Birth, Marriage, Death, and much more in Trekking the Tribal Trail.

https://sites.google.com/view/focusonpeople/new-release?authuser=0 

 

Irula in Tamil Nadu


In Tamil Nadu, Irula settlements are found in Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvallur, districts and a handful of them in Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts. Close to Chennai, several settlements are seen in and around Padappai, and Mamallapuram.  


Watch my video on the Iruala in Padappai, in the suburb of Chennai (sponsored by Agape Lifeline) on  YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83vWwqqV4FA&t=98s 





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