Irular Women's Folk Band: Preserving Culture and Raising Awareness Through Song

In 1996, at an evening tuition centre in Chengalpet, a group of Irular women gathered after work, learning how to read and write, and dicuss the perils of bonded labour and the dangers of addiction; issues that have long plagued their families. To make the lessons stick, volunteers suggested the women turn them into song.“We were surprised that we could actually sing,” says Rani E from Siruseri. Sessions resulted in the formation of Dhol Kattai Irular Kalai Kuzhu, a folk band. “We never had formal training. We just began singing because music is a part of our culture,” says Rani. Over the years, the band has performed at temple festivals, village gatherings and community events across Chengalpet. Their songs, passed down by elders, speak of marriages, puberty rituals, tribal deities, and everyday relationships. At annual temple festivals such as Maasi Magam in Mammallapuram, where hundreds of Irular families gather at the Kanniamman Kula Deivam temple, the band uses their platform for awareness-building.Working with volunteers, welfare officials and local NGOs, they weave information about govt schemes, housing rights, community certificates, public distribution system entitlements, labour safety and school enrolment, in between songs. At other times, their songs also highlight preserving Irular rituals.“In our community, we believe that between Feb and March, goddess Kaniamma leaves our homes. So, we build steps by the seashore and place offerings on each one. When the waves take them, we see it as the goddess accepting our offerings. We then take the seawater home and sprinkle it on the threshold as a sign that she has returned to bless us,” says Rani. “We retell this story in song to keep the ritual alive for the younger generation.”For more than 20 years, says Rani, the band has been singing only within the community, but this year, for the first time, they will be performing in Chennai for the Margazhi season. “It shows people are willing to appreciate tribal folk music the way they do Carnatic music,” says Rani. The band will perform at Auro Studios on Dec 18 as part of the Kutty Kutchery Festival 2025, curated by cultural organisation Rasoham.Laasya Narsimhachari, curator of the Festival, says she started Rasoham in 2007 to bring artists together irrespective of the school or background they come from. “The idea is to erase the lines that divide artists,” she says. Inspired by folk and traditional performers, she felt Margazhi needed spaces where different art forms could coexist.Email your feedback with name and address to southpole.toi@timesofindia.com