Palliyar

Palliyar (ISO-639-3 code: pcf)

Palliyar, the aboriginal tries, lie in the clad of western ghat falling in the districts of Madurai, Theni, Dindugul, Tiruppur, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli. Palliyar are scattered and unorganised group who are all used to live as a smaller group in the foothills. Poolavadi Puliyampatti in Palani hills of Western Ghats is considered to be the origin of this tribe. Palliyar live as isolated groups. They used to live in rock crevices and caves. They used to live in rock crevices and caves. Palliyar in Virudhunagar and Madurai districts are mostly settled in the hilly areas of Sathuragiri, Shenbaga Thoppu, Thanipparai, Atthikoil, Ayyanarkoil, Vinobanagar in Pillavakkal Dam, Valliammanager.

Palliyars can be grouped into three categories based on their life styles, namely, nomadic, semi nomadic and settled. Nomadic Palliyars do not build houses; they live temporarily in rock caves called ‘pudai’. Semi nomadic Palliyars build temporary houses and confine themselves to small territories. Most of their huts are dark with no window or any other opening to admit air. Settled Palliyars are more or less urbanized and live as agricultural labourers. Importance of traditional and folk medicine for the treatment of various human ailments is well recognized among these people.

The project team started working on Palliyar spoken by the people settled in the Dingugal district of Tamil Nadu, particularly, in Sirumalai and Kodai Hills. In Sirumalai, the team gathered information from a informant belonging to Palliyar community. Palliyar tribes are scattredly settled in Sirumalai pudur, Vellampannai, Thalakaatu, Tholuvakaatu and Ponnurukki. The team also collected information from a informant settled in Thandikudi in Kodai Hills. Palliyar people one dwelling at Thandikudi, Kadugutadi, Thalakatai, Pannaikaatu and Kottakombu in Kodai Hills.