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THE ORIGIN OF MALAYALAM
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nerumars. · Valli' seems to be a mistake for ‘Villi'. ome interesting sub-divisions of this agrestic tribe, like Eralan (ploughmen), Idangai (left-hand), Kaladi (irrigators), Pallan, Paraiyan, Rolan (Irulan or Villi), Valluvan and Vettuvan are found among the Tamil Pallans also. Moreover, the customs and manners of these tribes both in Malabar and the Tamil districts, including their laws of inheritance, agree so completely that one might conclude that the Cherumas and Pallans belonged to one and the same tribe of Naga-Dravidian field labourers and soldiers. As for the Tiyans and Iluvans of Kerala, the latter of whom are found in the Tamil districts as well, we feel some difficulty. Whether they are strangers or autochthones to Southern India it is not possible to discuss here. That the great numerical strength of the Tiyans of Malabar as well as their homogeneous nature seem strictly to point to the latter. Further, the oxogamous groups of the North Malabar Tiyans and the Izhavans of Madura and Tinnevelly are called illams, and one of the former goes by the name of Pazhayar which is a Tamil word meaning • toddy drawers'. A note on Tiyan has, however, been appended to this volume and it will give some interesting facts concerning this question. We need not go further into this problem of ethnical affinity between the peoples of Kerala and the two other ancient Tamil provinces. None of the early Malabar Castes had any connection whatever with the Telugus, as is believed in some quarters.
