MUDUGAR

MUDUGARS are habitants of the Palghat District. They are seen at Agali and Pudur Amsoms, Attapady Valley, Perinthalmanna Taluk and in the Walayar forests of the Palghat Taluk. According to the 2011 census, their population can be estimated to be 23,746. They speak muduga bhasha which is a dialect of Malayalam and Tamil. The Mudugar have social divisions at kal(clan) level. Cheppila kal, Maniyam kal, Puliyam kal and Dechyam kal are some of these clans. Mudugars have very poor type of huts situated on hills. The floor of the hut is practically level with the ground, the roof is covered with straw and the hut consists of just one enclosed room which is used for cooking, sitting and sleeping. Mudugars of the Attappady valley are still food gatherers and hunters. Some are seen employed as labourers by the Irulars of the valley. They collect hill produce for sale or barter. The mudugar profess Hinduism. Their god is Siva of the Malleswaram peak and Sivaratri is observed by fast and arduous trek up the 2,000 metre high peak to light lamp, visible throughout Attappady.