Masi Magam, an auspicious day in the Tamil calendar, is celebrated with religious fervor across the state. The festival also holds significance for the Irular community, for whom the occasion is deeply connected to their culture and collective identity. Community members often live on the margins and in some places as laborers. In the days leading up to Masi Magam, community members from across Tamil Nadu gather by the thousands on the shores of Mamallapuram, a historic coastal town known for its ancient rock-cut temples, stone sculptures and monuments built during the Pallava dynasty.
This occasion offers them the opportunity to perform rites of passage, including marriages, child naming ceremonies, ear piercing, tonsure and rituals in the fulfillment of prayers offered to their patron deity Kanniammala. They actually come to the coast in search of Kanniammal, who they say has abandoned them, to persuade the deity to return home with them. “There is a strong belief in the community that prayers offered to the deity will be answered and all rituals performed at Masi Magam are spiritually powerful and effective,” said E. Tamil Selvan, a visiting lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Madras, who has studied the community.
The community gathers at the coast to bring back the deity Kanniammal, who they believe left the community in anger during the Tamil month of Margazhi. “We make seven steps representing the seven Kannis (virgins) and at dawn almost every family arranges flowers, betel leaves, lemons, puffed rice, neem leaves, broken coconuts and bananas to be kept in the seven Kannis made of sand,” says S. Rani, 54, a community leader from Siruseri. | Photo credit: Naveenraj Gowthaman
Known for environmental knowledge
Designated as a Scheduled Tribe and spread across Tamil Nadu, the community is known for its rich traditional ecological knowledge, including expertise in handling snakes, preparing herbal medicines for snakebites and collecting honey. Romulus Whitaker, a noted herpetologist, worked closely with the community to study snakes and venoms. Community members also engage in agricultural labor and work as wage laborers in brick kilns.
The Irulars who participate in Masi Magam are mostly from the northern districts of Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram. For almost a week, Irular families camp along the beach in tents, combining rituals with traditional songs, dances and communal celebrations.
KV Kanniappan, 43, a community member from Villupuram, worked with the International Justice Mission (IJM) as a district coordinator for the rehabilitation of rescued laborers from Irula. “Participating in the Masi Magam festival brings a deep sense of happiness and fulfillment. Being surrounded by so many people is like being with family and the occasion is truly a joy and a celebration,” he said.
S. Kushpu, 35, of Villupuram said, “To celebrate Masi Magam, we start saving for expenses a few days in advance and go to Mamallapuram along with our families and friends. Even though we worship our deities every day, nothing compares to the sense of fulfillment when we stand on the shore and let the waves wash over our feet. We feel like a deity.”
According to Edgar Thurston, who studied the Irulars in his book Castes and Tribes of Southern India, “The Irula regularly worship Kanniammal, their tribal deity, and Mari, the general goddess associated with epidemic diseases. On the full moon day (Pournami), the presence of the deity Kanniammal is believed to be witnessed along the coast.” Naveenraj Gowthaman | Photo credit: Naveenraj Gowthaman
According to Edgar Thurston, who extensively studied the Irulars in his book Castes and Tribes of Southern India, “The Irula regularly worship Kanniammal, their tribal deity, and Mari, the general goddess associated with epidemic diseases. On the day of the full moon (Pournami), the presence of the deity Kanniammal is believed to be witnessed along the coast.”
Citing folklore, S. Rani, 54, a community leader from Siruseri, explained that the community gathers at the coast to bring back the deity Kanniammal, who they believe left the community in anger during the Tamil month of Margazhi. “We make seven steps representing the seven Kannis (virgins) and at dawn, in a unique ritual, almost every family arranges flowers, betel leaves, lemons, puffed rice, neem leaves, broken coconuts and bananas to be kept in the seven Kannis made of sand. We erect a pandal and name the children, tonify the children and weddings take place.
During the ritual, women and men, believing themselves to be possessed by a deity, run towards the sea only to be stopped by their family members. They then turn into fortune tellers and make predictions to the community. Families also collect sea water and take it home as they believe it will bring good luck and peace. “Participating in the event clears our minds and fills us with happiness. We believe that there are not only our relatives but also our ancestors on the seashore,” she said.
Stories about ancestors
The celebrations are also marked by lively songs and dances performed together by members of the community. These art forms play a vital role in preserving and sustaining their culture and traditions. Through their songs and dances, they tell stories about their ancestors, traditional occupations and practices, and their devotion to their deity Kanniammala.
Rani and Kanniappan are also the founding members of Dolkkattai Irular Kalaikuzhu and Mullai Kalaikuzhu (art groups). The groups systematically wrote, compiled and recorded community songs. “The idea is to record our songs, and once it became more widespread in the community, everyone became proud of it,” Rani said.
Through their songs and dances, the Irula tell stories of their ancestors, traditional occupations and practices, and their devotion to their deity Kanniammala. | Photo credit: Naveenraj Gowthaman
In addition to celebrating their heritage, their songs and dances serve as a vehicle to spread awareness about important social issues such as the need for education, community empowerment, and social justice as the community continues to struggle with poverty and lack of social status. “In songs and dramas, we tell the young generation about the origin of the community, tracing it as one of the ancient Tamil communities, their traditional knowledge, their sufferings as labourers, the social ostracism they face and difficulties in getting community certificates and other problems,” Kanniappan said.
