OF BHARATAVARSA OR IXDIA, 
181 
old men of the tribe are to this day their priests. They 
mainly worship Mariamma or Poleramma, an image of 
whom generally accompanies each tribe in its wanderings. 
The god Venkatesvara of Tripati is also held in respect by a 
great many. They generally keep a lamp burning night 
and day in their encampments before which they offer up 
prayers. 
the former is nothing but a patois of the latter, in which Telugu and 
Canarese words are freely used. There can be no douht as to the fact that 
the Yerukalas are a Tamil tribe, but there are some points connected with 
the name and language which seem to throw further light on the question. 
The name has two forms in Telugu, one Yemkuvandlu, said by Brown and 
Campbell to be derived from ' Erugu ' to know, and to have reference to their 
fortune-telling powers, and one Yerukulavandlu ; the first of this word is 
evidently not a plural of ' Yeruku,' but a distinct word. This seems to be 
recognized by Brown and Wilson, who conjecture that ' Yeru' is a prefix to 
be connected by the word ' erra' red. . . The Y^'erukulas in this district 
state that their tribe name in their own language is ' Kurru,' also, Kola; 
and I think there can be no doubt that the ' Yer ' or ' Yeru ' is a mere prefix 
and that ' Kala,' Wilson's ' Kullevar ' represents the real name of the tribe. 
To connect ' Yer ' or 'Yeru' with the Telugu 'erra,' red, seems quite 
meaningless ; it might perhaps be compared with ' Yervaru ' mentioned by 
Wilson, or which seems more plausible to suppose it to be the word ' Yeruku ' 
(which, as has heen said, is one designation of the tribe in Telugu, com- 
pounded with the real tribe name ' Kurruvandlu,' or Kolavandlu, when, 
according to a common euphonic law in Telugu, the two ' A's ' would coalesce 
and the word becomes Yerukkalavandlu. The second ' k ' would easily be 
dropped, and the word assume its common form Yerukalavandlu. I have 
been unable to find that there are any traditions among these people as to 
the country from which they came ; one of them indignantly repudiated the 
notion of a Tamil origin. The language, however, and the tribe name 
' Kurru ' seems to me unmistakeahly to point to the identity of this tribe 
with the weU-known Kuravar or Koravar of the Tamil districts." 
The Historical and Boscriptive Sketch of H. H. the Nizam's Dominions 
contains in vol. I, pp. 326-28, an account of the Yerakulavandlu : " The 
Yarkalwars are a nomad tribe living in huts made of palmyra leaves or reeds. 
They are found in some of the eastern districts of the Dominions. They 
live on the flesh of swine, game and carrion, and a little grain they may get 
in barter for the mats and baskets they construct. They snare birds with 
bird-lime, and they have a small breed of dogs with which they kill hares. 
They kill most of the dogs when young, but retain the bitches, to which, 
when they are intended for hunting, they give a certain root that renders 
them barren. .Brahmans will not approach the Yarkalwars but the Jangam 
of the Lingayets is more pliant, and on the occasion of a death, for a present 
of some grain, he attends and blows his conch. Their marriage ceremonies 
Consist in a headman whom they elect for the occasion, and place on a 
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