ABSTRACT
Kuravars belong to the nomadic tribe commonly known as Gypsies. It is hard to ignore them as they appear decked with colourful beads, carrying trays filled with small essentials like hairpins, clips, bands and bangles that immediately catch the eye of any woman even during the rush hours in a local train in Tamil Nadu. However their main language is Vagriboli. The Kuravars belong to one of the indigenous tribes who hail from the Kuranji Hills. The Kuravars are no longer wealthy or own lands, having been sent away from their ancestral dwelling in accordance to what 'Kutrala Kuravanji' professes them to be. The Kuravars listed as other backward castes under the section of the Denotified Communities Act. It can be noted that in spite of the various struggles this community stages, there have been no proper steps taken by the Social Welfare Department to place the Kuravars where they belong, as scheduled tribes.
