Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 8.djvu/131

 IRULA MEN. (437)

IRULA WOMEN. (438)

HE Irulas do not inhabit the plateau of the Neelgerries; their villages, which are small, are situated on the sides and slopes of the motuitains; they are not unlike those of the Kurumbars, but are not so neat or well built. The last census gave their numbers as 1,470, equally divided into males and females. They live partly by rude cultivation of land and by the produce of plantain gardens, which are extensive near every village; they also now work in coffee plantations, earning good wages, and are therefore more comfortable than they used to be. The Irulas speak a rude dialect of Tamil, but seem to have no original language. In some places Irulas and Kurumbars live together in the same village, and their mode of life is identical; they do not, however, intermarry or eat together. They take jungle products to Metapolleum and other towns at the foot of the hills, and sell it, or exchange it for cloths, salt, tobacco, and other necessaries. They snare game and eat it, but do not eat cows or buffaloes; women do not eat with men. The men shave their heads and wear scalp locks like Hindoos; it may be said indeed that the Irulas are Hindoos in a debased form, for they worship Rungaswanui, or Vishnu under this appellation, and worship at a temple on the Rungaswami peak, which is dedicated to him. They possess all the musical instruments known on the hills except the Kota born; and dance as vigorously to the sound of the clarionet and drum as other tribes; but, unlike the Kurumbars, they do not attend and play at the Toda or Badaga ceremonies.

Captain Harkness gives the following account of their mode of life:—"By the sale of the produce of the forests, such as wood, honey, bees' wax, or of the fruits of their gardens by those who take a little pains to cultivate them, they are enabled to buy grain for immediate subsistence and for seed; but as they never