In the 'lines' or in the hamlets, Yeravas live secluded. Even the Paniya Yerava and Panjiri Yeravas do not stay together in the same line or in a single hamlet. In many instances, normally only one group of Yeravas would be working with one plantation owner. They live in groups. Rarely one can find a solitary pire or ku!!u of an Yerava.

Depending upon the taste of the family living in the house there exists a small garden in front of the house. where banana saplings, pumpkin creepers, snakegourd and betel leaf creeper are grown. The open place in front of the house is used by the children for playing, for women to sit and pick and squeeze the louse. On the days of joy the same place is used for dance by Yeravas, and the pavement would be the place for the person with ci:ni (a musical instrument) to sit and blow. The pavement consists of a small pit of 1/2 foot depth and 1 1/2 feet round, this is used to keep fire in the night time to scare elephants away and to warm their own bodies in winter. Always a mat would be available on the pavement The door of the house is in the middle, separating the pavement into two sections.

The other two important items of the Yerava pire are an ammikallu and pa:ikallu. The former is placed inside the house and is used to pound the paddy and grind the masala. The latter is used for making dry rice flour and is placed outside the house. The people of ku!!u have community e:tta (husking stone) to pound the paddy. Krishna Iyer (1948) noted that the Yeravas used earthen pots and dishes. Now, aluminium dishes have replaced the earthen pots. However, earthen pots continue to be used for cooking purposes along with the aluminium pots. Another important item of the kitchen of pire is udi hung from the roof; a three rope thing used to keep eatables away from the sight and reach of cats and ants.

The young couple sleeps inside the house. The old men, women and children sleep on the pavement of the house. Yeravas avoid sleeping in the open place because of the threat of the elephants. Behind the house, Yeravas keep the firewood collected from the forest. They cut it there and the cut ones are brought in and used. The cattle, if any, are also kept behind the house.

1.6.2   Dress

The Yerava men and women along with their children working in plantation are normally provided with two pairs of dress of the choice of the plantation owner once in an year. The pair includes one dhoti, one shirt and one towel for men and two sarees for women. If they, require any more clothing, the individuals have to buy them on their own. The male children use shorts and shirts. The men wear the dhoti or wrap dhoti around the waist so that it covers the calf muscle. The women also wear the saree or wrap the saree around their waist so that it covers the calf muscle. Here, it is very easy to distinguish a Paniya woman from a Panjiri woman by seeing the way they have tied the saree. The Paniya woman brings one end of the saree from behind and ties the upper edge of it to a part of the saree that comes on the shoulder in the right hand side. The Panjiri woman brings one end or the saree from front and another end from the back and both are tied on the shoulder on the right hand side.