Masi Magam: an auspicious day for Irular community to reconnect with their roots on Mamallapuram seashores

Masi Magam, an auspicious day in the Tamil calendar, is celebrated across the State with religious vigour. The festival also holds significance for the Irular community, for whom the occasion is deeply tied to their culture and collective identity. Members of the community often live on the margins and in some places as bonded labourers. In the days leading up to Masi Magam, members of the community from across Tamil Nadu gather in their thousands on the seashores of Mamallapuram, a historic coastal town known for its ancient rock-cut temples, stone sculptures, and monuments built during the Pallava dynasty.

The occasion offers them an opportunity to perform rites of passage, including marriages, naming ceremonies for children, ear piercing, tonsuring, and rituals in fulfilment of prayers offered to their patron deity Kanniammal. In fact, they come to the seashore in search of Kanniammal, who they believe had left them, to persuade the deity to return home with them. “There is a strong belief in the community that prayers offered to the deity will be answered and all rituals performed on Masi Magam are spiritually potent and effective,” said E. Tamil Selvan, guest lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Madras, who has been studying the community.

Known for ecological knowledge

The community, designated as a Scheduled Tribe and spread across Tamil Nadu, is known for its rich traditional ecological knowledge, including expertise in handling snakes, preparing herbal remedies for snakebites, and collecting honey. Romulus Whitaker, a well-known herpetologist, worked closely with the community while studying snakes and venoms. Members of the community also engage in agricultural labour and work as wage labourers in brick kilns.

The Irulars, who participate in Masi Magam, are predominantly from the northern districts of Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai, and Villupuram. For nearly a week, Irular families camp along the beach in tents, combining rituals with traditional songs, dances, and communal celebrations.

The community gathers at the seashore to bring back the deity Kanniammal, who they believe left the community in anger during the Tamil month of Margazhi. “We create seven steps representing the seven Kannis (virgins), and at dawn, almost every family arranges flowers, betel leaves, lemons, puffed rice, neem leaves, broken coconuts, and bananas to be kept at seven Kannis made of sand,” says S. Rani, 54, a leader of the community from Siruseri. 
| Photo Credit:
Naveenraj Gowthaman

K.V. Kanniappan, 43, a member of the community from Villupuram, has worked with the International Justice Mission (IJM) as the district coordinator for the rehabilitation of the rescued bonded Irula labourers. “Attending the Masi Magam festival brings a deep sense of happiness and fulfilment. Being surrounded by so many people feels like being with family, and the occasion is truly one of joy and celebration,” he said.

S. Kushpu, 35, from Villupuram, said, “For the celebration of Masi Magam, we start saving on expenses days in advance and go to Mamallapuram  along with our families and friends. Though we worship our deities every day, nothing can match the sense of fulfilment when we stand at the seashore and allow the waves to engulf our feet. It feels like the deity has accepted us.”

According to Edgar Thurston, who extensively studied the Irulars in his book Castes and Tribes of Southern India, “The Irulas periodically worship Kanniammal, their tribal deity, and Mari, the general goddess associated with epidemic diseases. On the full moon day [Pournami], the presence of the deity Kanniammal is believed to be witnessed along the seashore.”

According to Edgar Thurston, who studied the Irulars in his book Castes and Tribes of Southern India, “The Irulas periodically worship Kanniammal, their tribal deity, and Mari, the general goddess associated with epidemic diseases. On the full moon day [Pournami], the presence of the deity Kanniammal is believed to be witnessed along the seashore.” Naveenraj Gowthaman
| Photo Credit:
Naveenraj Gowthaman

Referring to folklore, S. Rani, 54, a leader of the community from Siruseri, explained that the community gathers at the seashore to bring back the deity Kanniammal, who they believe left the community in anger during the Tamil month of Margazhi. “We create seven steps representing the seven Kannis (virgins), and at dawn, in a unique ritual, almost every family arranges flowers, betel leaves, lemons, puffed rice, neem leaves, broken coconuts, and bananas to be kept at seven Kannis made of sand. We erect a pandal, and the naming of children, tonsuring of children, and marriages take place,” she said.

During the ritual, women and men believed to be possessed by the deity run towards the sea, only to be stopped by their family members. They then turn into oracles and make predictions for the community. Families also collect seawater and take it home, believing it will bring luck and peace. “Participating in the event makes our minds light and fills us with happiness. We believe that not only our relatives, but also our ancestors, are present on the seashore,” she said.

Stories about ancestors

The celebrations are also marked by vibrant songs and dances performed collectively by community members. These art forms play a vital role in preserving and sustaining their culture and traditions. Through their songs and dances, they narrate stories about their ancestors, traditional occupations and practices, and their devotion to their deity, Kanniammal.

Rani and Kanniappan are also the founding members of Dolkkattai Irular Kalaikuzhu and Mullai Kalaikuzhu (artiste groups) respectively. The groups have systematically written, compiled, and recorded the community’s songs. “The idea is to record our songs, and once it became more prevalent in the community, everyone began to feel proud of it,” Rani said.

Through their songs and dances, the Irulas narrate stories about their ancestors, traditional occupations and practices, and their devotion to their deity, Kanniammal. 
| Photo Credit:
Naveenraj Gowthaman

In addition to celebrating their heritage, their songs and dances serve as a medium for spreading awareness of important social issues such as the need for education, community empowerment, and social justice, as the community still struggles with poverty and lack of social empowerment. “In the songs and dramas, we tell the younger generation about the community’s origins, tracing them as one of the ancient Tamil communities, their traditional knowledge, their suffering as bonded labourers, the social ostracisation they face, and the difficulties in obtaining community certificates and other issues,” Kanniappan said.