Irula people
Irula men from the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu, c.1871 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 213,641 (2011 census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| India | |
| Tamil Nadu | 189,621 |
| Kerala | 23,721 |
| Karnataka | 10,259 |
| Languages | |
| Irula | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism, Traditional religion, Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Soliga, Tamil, Yerukala | |
Irula, also known as Iruliga, are a Dravidian ethnic group inhabiting the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, and parts of Kerala and Karnataka. A scheduled tribe, their population in this region is estimated at around 200,000 people. People of Irula ethnicity are called Irular, and speak Irula, which belongs to the Dravidian languages family.