URALY

The word Uraly means the ruler of a village. The Uraly were formerly employed as soldiers, who eventually spread into the adjoining districts of Madurai. They are inhabitants of Idukki District. According to the 2011 census, their population can be estimated to be 11,179. They speak and write in Malayalam within their family and with others. They speak Malayalam with peculiar accent and intonation. Land is the Uraly’s main resource. They enjoy the right of cultivating the forest land. Every family is given two to three acres of land. Right of ownership is not yet given to them. Very few of them are employed in government offices and private firms. Women make fine reed mats, winnowing fan, basket etc. The Uraly are Hindus. They worship Ayyappan and Bhagawati. Nediyathu Sastha is their kuladeivam. Ancestral spirits are worshipped during agricultural operations and festive occasions. Onam and Vishu is an important festival of the Uraly which is celebrated as an occasion for the propitiation of the spirits of the ancestors.