| 1.3 Introduction to the Tribe |
| Uralis are a preliterate community and are a higher pastoralist group living with deviation to agriculture and collection of the forest prduce. Uralis show a great reluctance to encounter strangers. |
| The term Urali means a ruler of a village. Uralis are spread over the different districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and some bordering areas of Karnataka also. Mainly they inhabit the hill tracts of the above mentioned states. In Kerala they live mainly in the districts of Wayanad and Idukki. |
| As stated earlier, the eight interior hamlets are mostly occupied by Uralis and are situated approximately 20 k.ms. radius around Dimbum in different directions (See map). These hamlets are in Sathyamangalam Taluk of Periyar District of Tamil Nadu. Talavadi Panchayat Union which is classified under the Sathyamangalam Taluk has 10 Panchayats. Each Panchayat has a certain number of villages. These eight hamlets are classified under the Talamalai revenue village which consists of twelve hamlets. Leaving the eight hamlets which are mostly occupied by the Uralis, the rest of the four hamlets are exclusively occupied by different ethnic communities such as Kurumbas, Soligas etc. |
| According to the 1971 Census, the total population of Talawadi Panchayat Union was 35564 which includes both Uralis, other tribals and non-tribals. Following are the hamlet-wise break up of Urali population as recorded by the Talavadi Panchayat Union office during the year 1981. |
| Population of Talamalai revenue Village. |
Name of
Panchayat Union |
Name of the
revenue village |
Sl. No. |
Hamlets |
No. of
persons |
| |
|
1 |
Bejjaluhatti |
88 |
| |
|
2 |
Mavanattam |
77 |
| |
T |
3 |
Ittarai |
121 |
| T |
A |
4 |
Tadasalhatti |
59 |
| A |
L |
5 |
Gaalidimbam |
170 |
| A |
L |
6 |
Talamalai |
133 |
| A |
M |
7 |
Kodipuram |
901 |
| V |
A |
8 |
Ramaranai |
36 |
| D |
A |
10 |
Seeragoundanalli |
102 |
| I |
I |
11 |
Mudiyanur |
631 |
| |
|
12 |
Bedarahalli |
16 |
| |
|
|
Total population of
Talamalai revenue village |
3521 |
|
