Edgar Thurston, who wrote Castes and Tribes of Southern India, is well-remembered in anthropological, ethnographic and sociology circles in India. Unfortunately, forgotten is the Madras-based amateur ethnographer and anthropology-enthusiast Philo Irudayanath. Riding a modified push-bike, Irudayanath travelled over much of the Nilgiris and parts of the Western Ghats, traversing hilly terrains, travelling through thick forests while stopping at tiny hamlets, and ‘studying’ various tribes and nomadic communities.

Philo Irudayanath. (Courtesy: Roja Muthiah Research Library, Taramani)

Irudayanth’s concerted efforts to study the tribes of the Nilgiris spanned nearly 50 years. While serving as a school teacher in Madras, Irudaya­nath’s chance encounter with a woman of the Kuruvikkãrar tribe and her suggestion to cure a bald patch on his hand proved to be a turning point; this incident triggered his investigation of different tribes, such as the Kôsava-s, Kãdar-s, Tôda-s, Narikurava-s, and Kuruvik­kãrar-s.

Born to Tamil parents in Mysore in 1916, Irudayanath studied at St. Joseph’s Primary School, Pullipakkam, Chingle­put, and at San Thomé High School, Madras. He adopted the Philo prefix after his family’s visit to St. Philomena’s Church in Mysore. His mother was a school teacher and his father, F.A. Michael, an army medical officer, who had served as a Captain in World War I. From childhood, Irudayanath was an avid collector of pictures of people of different tribes which, he said, catalysed his future interest. He completed teacher training, became a teacher, and worked in three different Government primary schools in the Madras Province.

His articles reveal that he planned thoroughly before every tour – getting to know the place of visit, which tribes lived there, locating a suitable human guide, and packing all necessary items for the expedition, which was usually for a week or two.

During his bike rides to the hills and forests, he lived with the tribal people, eating their food, danced and sang with them, and slept in their huts. From his travels, he brought back an extensive collection of material (bamboo products used by the tribes, their clothing, ornamental wear, and much more), but his real treasure was his vast collection of pictures and negatives, which are either lost or gone into various hands.

On a few occasions, Irudaya­nath’s wife, Philomena, accompanied him.

Irudayanath strongly believed that it was because of certain ‘dictatorial’ rulers that people were driven from their territories to seek shelter in the hills and forests to secure themselves from the destruction wrought by such rulers. In his essays, he links their customs, language, songs, dances, and various other art forms to that of their ancestors. This he does citing poems from Sangam poetry – Tolkappiyam, Mani­mekalai, Silappadhigaram, Ettu Tokai – the works of Subra­mania Bharatiyar and also from the Bible.

He has traced links between various Dravidian tribes and the Sumerians, Africans, and Egyptians. In fact, he devoted a full title to this subject: Adivãsigalin Marainda Varalaru published by Tamizhselvi Nilayam in 1977 and 1979. In it he records his observations of the identical buffalo sacrifice followed by the Todas and the Gonds of Central India. Referring to the Tamil classical works, Perun­tokai and Purana­nuru, he states that the Enatiars, living near Kurnool, Cudappah, Chittoor, and Nellore, were known as trusted lieutenants of the Cholas.

In Pazhankudiyinar, he details the traditional rituals and customs of the Irula community, which is driven by the number 12, the importance of muttu­kottai ennai used in their births, deaths and other functions, the eight divisions among them, their Panchayat organi­sation, and the various roles of its members. Detailing another tribe, the Anamalai Pulaiyar, he quotes from the Tolkappiyam to trace the origin of the use of todu (olai curul) used by the women of this tribe. He infers that the Pulaiyars would have migrated from the hill country of neighbouring Kerala as they celebrate Onam and Vishu.

He records that, while various government schemes using modern technological tools, could not store seeds and grains safely, techniques employed by adivasis were successful. Mature seeds and grains were stored in large kalanjiyam-s (made from a mixture of cow dung, chunnam, clay, and a juice extract from the palm tree) that were usually covered with korai, all made from locally available materials. He asserts that the tribes use such kalanjiyam-s for 5-6 years without having to build another one.

He carried the Bible during all his travels, praying for a peaceful family life, and strongly believed that monetary shortcomings would not stop him from his ambitions.

Irudayanath’s early writing is on the small towns and villages that he visited during his travels, recording their historical significance, detailing etymological roots of the place names and other details.

For instance, he infers that Masinagudi is derived from masina, the God of the Lam­badis and Sukkalis of the Nilgiris and mentions that its earlier name was Devaraya­pattinam. Similarly, he traces the etymology of Kovalam and Tarangam­badi. He has also written about landmarks in some of these places – one such place is Kumili Kulam in Kumili reachable from Kannivakkam (between Guduvancheri and Nellikuppam); water in this kulam, he claims, is known for its medicinal value because the water gets mixed with plants known to possess remedial qualities, as it winds it way through the mountains before reaching the kulam. Not stopping with that, he records the presence of onbathu kalvettu near the kulam.

According to professional sociologists, Irudayanath’s articles sensationalised certain facts and incidents to boost readership. His articles were published in Kalaimagal, Manjari, Sakti and other magazines. The Chennai branch of the National Folklore Support Centre Library and Roja Muthiah Research Library [RMRL] in Taramani have in their collection about 25 titles authored by Irudayanath and published by half a dozen publishing houses, such as Vanathi, Kalaimagal, Malligai, Illango, Tamizhselvi and Muthu.

Irudayanath received the Tamil Nadu State award for teachers in 1968 and the President’s award in 1978. Although his efforts were not funded by research agencies and although during his time environment was not the buzzword as it is now, he took it upon himself to study in detail and document his findings without formal training in anthropology, and with the least use of modern gadgets and transport modes (often he hitched space on lorries, and bullock carts for himself and his push bike). It is time an effort is made to collate all his writings and his pictures.