In an attempt to document the change in the lives and traditions of six tribal communities living in the Nilgiris, the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) has conducted a study on Irulas, Kattu Nayakans, Kotas, Kurumbas, Paniyans and Todas, which are identified as the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
“The focus of the study is about the change and development in the life of these people. There was heavy migration during the colonial times and we are trying to study how the changes influenced them,” AnSI’s Deputy Director and Southern Region’s Head of Office Dr. C.R. Sathyanarayanan told The Hindu .
During the colonial time, people in the plains migrated to the hills to lay railway lines and roads. “It was the British who created plantations in the hilly areas and they needed people to work there. As more and more people migrated from the plains, slowly they outnumbered the tribals. ”
As a result , there were changes in many aspects. “Till then, each of these communities maintained their ecological status in their respective habitations. But soon, their habitations changed and the percentage of tribal communities possessing lands became minimal.” Now these are patta lands, which are non-transferable for persons outside the community.
The study, which would include visual documentation, is also attempting to understand the occupation, children’s education, literacy, settlement and other rituals of these communities.
According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, there are a total of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the country and six of them are living in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
