Irula-the traditional dwellers

Irulars is the only Adivasi community living in Krishnagiri district; Irulars derives their name due to tilling Irulars root in the thick forests of Denkanikkottai and consume it as a delicious food. Also they are dark complexion who lead life in the forest with hunting wild animals, collecting minor forest produces and gracing animal husbandry in the forest lands, thus solely depending on the forest for their livelihood.

 Culturally Irulars are very non-assertive, non-vocal, and live in culture of silence with stay focus on living with nature and maintain intrinsic relationship with forests- amicable living without any conflicts with animals and confrontation with nature as they do not have any greed. They lead only simple subsistence and contented attitudes are the traits of their life. They worship trees, stone and their traditional clan goddess is Mariamman and hence they are matriarchy-based society. They are indigenous and traditional settlers of forests for many centuries.

Irulars have a rich culture, heritage, traditions and values of life. They have no practice of horrendous female infanticide, orphan child, widow, dowry system, domestic violence, no extravaganza marriage celebrations performed but practice simple marriage or cohabitation of lovers without marriage. They were leading a commune life in demarcated common places in thatched houses and sleep in an open spaces, have binding traditional Panchayat system to settle the disputes and to engage in decision making for common cause. The management of home is equitably shared among men and women. There is no destitution of old age people as community members are taking care of the elderly and care of children too by extended family in case of parents expired- thus all these positive strides in the cultural domain were prevalent. However, polygamy was also prevalent in the Adivasi society for very long time. Also many values and positive features are gradually fading away now due to so- called forced mainstreaming the Adivasi community with dominant culture and values, thus depleting native culture.

Irulars Adivasi community pushed into abject poverty as they do not have access to livelihood sources, they do not have enough cloth, food grain, medicine and this state of deprivation lead to poor health also. Almost all the Adivasi communities of this region basically depend on collection of Honey, Fruit, seed, medicinal plants in the forests and other forest lands related practices for the livelihood and survival. The other communities of this habitation are Lingayath’s (MBC), migrant settlers from Karnataka and though they have been classified as MBC, but they are culturally dominant forward communities. These hill dwellers of this region follow mixed culture from Tamil and Kannada.