Origin and Geographical:

The Irular are the second largest Scheduled Tribe of Tamil Nadu. The name Irula is derived from the Tamil word irul meaning darkness or night. Another common name for the Irula of Chennai MGR,South Arcot, Salem, North Arcot Ambedkar, Dharmapuri, Tiruchchirappali and Thanjavur.

Language:

The Irular speak a Tamil dialect whereas the other groups speak different dialects of the Irula language.

Specific tradition and Custom:

Every clan among the Irular has its own chief called kottukkara and a group of Irular elders who are termed kottukkara and jaathi. The jaathi. are in charge of conducting life-cycle functions such as puberty rites, weddings, name- giving ceremonies and funeral rites. The jaathi must belong to a clan or kulam other than the one for which he renders service.

Food System:

The staple food of Irular is rice. They also eat such millets as ragi and kambu which are cultivated by some subgroups of the Irular. The Irular are non-vegetarian by tradition.

Art and Music:  

The Irular have Folk- songs, sayings, proverbs riddles and folk-tales which contain the unwritten record of their culture and reflect the tribe’s socio religious and family life.

Primary Economic Activity:

Until the beginning of this century the Irular were a food gathering tribe. They collected honey and other forest produce and jack fruit and sold them to traders. Nowadays all of them depend mainly on wage labor for their livelihood. Most are agricultural or plantation laborers. In addition they cultivate millet and horticultural crops but seldom tea or coffee in the forest lands. Women sometimes engage in basket-making helped by some cooperative societies, some own cattle, forestry, fishing, hunting, plantations, orchards, and allied activities.

Special Characteristics and Development Scheme:

They maintain cultivators – labor relationships with the Tamil speaking communities. The Irular utilize the Public distribution system for their rations. They use modern Medicare. They have access to all civic amenities and Government programmes.