Insightful images on lifestyle of the Irula tribal community of Tamilnadu

This is a selection of images from an on-going project, since 2017, documenting the Irula tribe of Tamilnadu - classified as particularly vulnerable. The project spans various aspects of their lifestyle, livelihood, their beliefs and cultural practices. Click Published stories for in-depth content.

Foraging for edibles, fishing, hunting small animals and birds for their daily food, life for the Irulas once largely revolved around forests and scrub surrounding their hamlets. Over the years, forest cover has shrunk - taken over by the growing suburbs and occupied for farming or construction. Access to forests is increasingly restricted and hunting prohibited. Lakes are now auctioned, restricting the Irulas' access to fish. Their traditional lifestyles are undergoing a change, threatening to erode the wealth of their knowledge and skill, passed down over generations. The Irulas now rely on daily wage work on farms, brick kilns or government public works, earning meagre wages that do not match the changing aspirations.

Edible roots, tubers and small fruits foraged from the forest are spread on a blue plank.

A spread of different edible roots, tubers and small fruit from the scrub forest near Bangalamedu. Many of these are not commonly known or used outside the Irular community.

The edible root of a tuber appears underground, after an Irula man digs for it in the scrub forest.

The root of the 'kaattu vellikizhangu' reveals itself after K. Krishnan, 50, identifies its climber and digs the ground. The thickness of the climber stem indicates how deep to dig and how big a tuber to expect.

An Irula girl observes an elder forage in the forest for edibles.

An Irula girl observes Govindan, an Irula elder, look for edibles. Children learn the traditional ways from an early age, by accompanying their parents on hunting and foraging trips to the forest during the weekend or school holidays. Children learn to identify edible from harmful plants and ways to satisfy thirst and hunger.

Rats are a common pet among the Irulars, who adopt baby rats if they find them while hunting for rats in paddy fields.

An Irula man uses an indigenous conical fishing device called the Ootha made of straw and sticks to catch fish in shallow lake waters.

An Irula man uses the 'ootha' a device to fish in shallow lake beds. Post sunset, when the fish stop moving and are closer to the water surface, Irula men place the ootha's wide mouth over the fish. They then remove the trapped fish through the cone's narrower end and transfer them into water-filled containers or plastic bags. Night time fishing is fraught with risks of snake and venomous insect bites.

An improvised fishing tool made of thermocol, nylon thread and a hook.

An improvised fishing tool made with thermocol, nylon thread and hook. A piece of lead keep the device from floating away.

Men working on a shared fishing net. Each family pools money and takes turnto share the nets.

Thulasi, a herbal healer from Dargas village, looks for medicinal herbs aroundher village.

An Irula woman shows a small venomous snake called suruttai, meant to be taken to the Madras Crocodile Bank for anti-venom preparations.

Valli holding a young venomous snake called Suruttai. Irulas need to procure licenses to catch snakes legally. Valli learnt to identify snakes, their habits and habitats from her parents at a very young age. Before her father's demise, their family used to supply and release venomous snakes as per the requirements of the Madras Crocodile Bank near Mahabalipuram, for research and anti-venom preparations.

Irulas are well-known for their snake catching skills. Those living near Mahabalipuram in Tamilnadu, catch, supply and release snakes for anti-venom preparation, as a part of an Irula collective.

Snakes are revered, and often part of religious practices. A small snake hill inside an Irula temple in Dargas.

An indigenous drum made from a mud pot and covered with stretched animal skin.

'Dolkattai', a traditional percussion instrument used in Dargas Irula hamlet. It is a mud-pot sealed on either end with animal skin, usually goat and monitor lizard skin. With a ban on hunting, and monitor lizard being on the endangered list, these instruments are not being made anymore.

Percusiion instrument 'Thamti'

A twin percussion instrument 'Kilikattu'

Temporary enclosures during the Maasi magam festival

Temporary enclosures and tents during the Maasi magam festival

A kalasam or a mud-pot filled with water in every Irula home represents their goddess Kanniamma.

During the Maasi magam festival, when the waves come crashing on their offerings, their amma or deity has accepted the same.

Fire-walking during the Aadi festival - a popular non-irula religious practice that has seeped into the community. The Irulas are not isolated or insulated anymore.

The Irulas believe that their goddess can possess those willing to let themselves be a medium. They believe their deity communicates through such mediums, who can be men or women.

Jayaram, 21, gets ready for his pre-dawn wedding on the Mahabalipuram coast.

Family and friends help Nandini, 18, get ready for her wedding to Jayaram on the occasion of Maasi magam festival. Irulars from across Tamilnadu spend time along the Mahabalipuram coast during the festival, celebrating weddings, naming ceremonies and other important events.

Nandini gets ready under the light of a cellphone torch, for her pre-dawn wedding to Jayaram.

A trans woman from the Irula community

Ramya, a trans woman from the Irula community in Thiruporur taluk, outside her home. Ramya and her friends, including other trans women, from the Irula community contend that their community treats trans and cis gender persons equally, and believe that their gender identity is more readily accepted than outside.