Irulas

Irulas are a scheduled tribe of India. Irulas are present in various parts of India, but are mainly located in the Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. Their population in this region is estimated to be between 1000 to 2000.[1][2]

The Census of Kerala identified 756 Irulan individuals from 189 families living in 9 settlements covering .23 km² in the state.[3]

Contents

Physical anthropology

As per anthropological research done by Edgar Thurston Irulas had an average cephalic index of 73.1[4] and an average nasal index of 80.4.[5]

Their main occupations are snake and rat catching. They also work as labourers (coolies) in the fields of the landlords during the sowing and harvesting seasons or in the rice mills. Fishing is also a major occupation.

Rats destroy a quarter of the grain grown on Tamil Nadu-area farms annually. To combat this pest, Irula men use a traditional earthen pot fumigation method. Smoke is blown through their mouths, which leads to severe respiratory and heart problems.[1]

Early 20th century anthropological literature classified the Irulas under the Negrito ethnic group.[2][6] Unlike the tribes in the Andaman Islands who have retained their language, Irulas in Thiruvallur have adopted the local regional languages such as Tamil and Telugu.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b World Bank grant to improve standard of living for rat-catchers
  2. ^ a b Irula Project Proposal and site report
  3. ^ Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department (2004) "Population of Important Forest Dwelling Tribes in Kerala" retrieved 4/4/2007 [1]
  4. ^ Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Introduction, Pg lxii
  5. ^ Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Introduction, Pg lxxiii
  6. ^ Giving Irulas their due
  7. ^ Keystone Foundation (2006) "People of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve" retrieved 3/26/2007(NBR)"People of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve"

External links