Paliyar Tribe:
A total of 17 families belonging to the Paliyar Tribe in the Dindigul district have petitioned the Dindigul Collector, urging the district administration to recognise and develop their existing settlement as a formal village.
- They are an indigenous tribal community primarily found in the hilly regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- They are and have been known by multiple names, such as the Paliyans, Pazhaiyarares, and Panaiyars.
- Historically, the Paliyars were spread all over the Dindigul district and the Sirumalai Palani hills, adjacent to the Western Ghats.
- As they inhabited the Palani hills, they were known as Panaiyars.
- They primarily speak a dialect related to Tamil, reflecting their Dravidian linguistic heritage.
- Traditionally, the Paliyars were hunters and gatherers, residing in the forests of the Western Ghats.
- Presently, they have transformed into traders of forest products, food cultivators, and beekeepers, with some working intermittently as wage labourers, mostly on plantations.
- They are recognized for their extensive knowledge and traditional practices pertaining to the use of medicinal plants.
- Palliyars have small communities called kudis, sometimes living in caves or mud shelters.
- The Paliyar tribes never burned the dead bodies. They had the customary practice of burying the dead bodies in an area near to their residential area on the western side.
- Their festivals involve nature-based rituals, dancing, and music.
- They have a special ceremony to invoke rain and protect the forest spirits.
