Irulas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Irulas is a scheduled tribe of India. They are found in various parts of India, but their main habitat is in the Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. Their population in this region is at least 25,000.
According to the anthropologists, the Irulas belong to the Negrito (or Negroid) race. 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.
