Pulayar
{{Short description|Caste group in India}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox caste
|caste_name = Pulayar
|image =
|caption = Ayyankali with his family
|image_size =
|languages = Malayalam, Kannada
|religions = Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism
|country = India
| classification =
|populated_states = Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu
|ethnicity = Malayali
|notable_members = Ayyankali, P. K. Chathan Master
}}
The Pulayar {{IPA|ml|pulɐjɐr|IPA}} (also Pulaya, Pulayas, Cherumar, Cheramar, and Cheraman) is a caste{{cite book |title=An Untouchable Community in South India: Structure and Consensus |first=Michael |last=Moffatt |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-40087-036-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L4t9BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA42 |page=42 |access-date=26 September 2020 |archive-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111191120/https://books.google.com/books?id=L4t9BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA42 |url-status=live }} group mostly found in modern-day Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka and historically in Tamil Nadu. They are classified as a Scheduled Caste under India's reservation system in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Traditions
Pulayars are noted for their music, craftsmanship, and for certain dances which include Kōlam-thullal, a mask dance which is part of their exorcism rituals, as well as the Mudi-āttam or hair-dance which has its origins in a fertility ritual.{{cite web|url=http://www.ignca.nic.in/ps_01021.htm|title=PRIMAL ELEMENTS:THE ORAL TRADITION|access-date=27 March 2006|archive-date=9 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209005528/http://ignca.nic.in/ps_01021.htm|url-status=live}}{{cite book|chapter=Early Evidence for Caste in South India |pages=467-492 |title=Dimensions of Social Life: Essays in honor of David G. Mandelbaum |editor=Paul Hockings |publisher=Mouton de Gruyter |location=Berlin, New York, Amsterdam |date=1987}}{{Cite journal |last=Palaniappan |first=Sudalaimuthu |date=2008 |title=On The Unintended Influence Of Jainism On The Development Of Caste In Post-Classical Tamil Society |url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/On%20The%20Unintended%20Influence%20Of%20Jainism%20On%20The%20Development%20Of%20Caste%20In%20Post-Classical%20Tamil%20Society%20file46109.pdf |url-status=live |journal=International Journal of Jaina Studies |language=en |volume=4 |issue=2 |eissn=1748-1074 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409020633/https://www.soas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/On%20The%20Unintended%20Influence%20Of%20Jainism%20On%20The%20Development%20Of%20Caste%20In%20Post-Classical%20Tamil%20Society%20file46109.pdf |archive-date=9 April 2024 |access-date=2024-05-03}} The folk dance Chozhikali is performed by the Pulayar community of central Kerala.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deshabhimani.com/special/news-18-11-2018/764585|title=ചോഴികളി|access-date=2023-03-13|language=ml|archive-date=13 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313053530/https://www.deshabhimani.com/special/news-18-11-2018/764585|url-status=live}}
Demography
According to the 2011 Census, the Pulayan population in Kerala was 1,338,008.{{Cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC.html|title=Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|website=www.censusindia.gov.in|access-date=2019-08-31|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227124213/https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC.html|url-status=live}} They are a Scheduled Caste under India's reservation system in the state of Kerala{{cite web |url=https://www.keralapsc.gov.in/list-scheduled-castes-kerala-state |title=List of Scheduled Castes in the Kerala State |publisher=Kerala Public Service Commission, State Government of Kerala |access-date=2020-06-30 |archive-date=13 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513005014/https://keralapsc.gov.in/list-scheduled-castes-kerala-state |url-status=live }} and Tamil Nadu.{{cite web |url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/UserView/index?mid=76750 |publisher=Ministry of Social Justice |date=2017 |access-date=2020-07-20 |title=Tamil Nadu |archive-date=18 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118235649/http://socialjustice.nic.in/UserView/index?mid=76750 |url-status=live }}
Notable people
- Nandanar, a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism
- Ayyankali (1863–1941), social reformer
- K. P. Vallon (1894–1940), social reformer
- P. K. Rosy (1903–1988), first heroine of the Malayalam film industry
- Dakshayani Velayudhan (1912–1978), former member of the Constituent Assembly
- Punnala Sreekumar, general secretary of Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS)
- K. G. Balakrishnan, 37th Chief Justice of India
- C. T. Ravikumar, judge of the Supreme Court of India
- Kodikunnel Suresh, member of Parliament{{cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cong-mp-loses-seat-over-fake-sc-claim/articleshow/6221433.cms |title=Cong MP loses seat over fake SC claim |newspaper=The Economic Times |access-date=22 April 2024 |archive-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111191738/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cong-mp-loses-seat-over-fake-sc-claim/articleshow/6221433.cms |url-status=live }}
- Chittayam Gopakumar, deputy speaker of 14th Kerala legislative assembly{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-cpi-functionary-suspended-for-casteist-remarks-4532306/ |title=CPI functionary suspended for casteist remarks |date=19 February 2017 |access-date=11 March 2022 |archive-date=11 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311024656/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-cpi-functionary-suspended-for-casteist-remarks-4532306/ |url-status=live }}
- Dharmajan Bolgatty, Indian actor{{cite web |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2021/05/22/dharmajan-bolgatty-accuses-congress-leaders-of-sabotage-election.html |title=Actor Dharmajan says two Congress leaders worked for his poll defeat |access-date=11 March 2022 |archive-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111192622/https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2021/05/22/dharmajan-bolgatty-accuses-congress-leaders-of-sabotage-election.html |url-status=live }}