Question

What is the traditional profession of Yerukula women?
A) bidi making
B) fortune-telling
C) Making puppets
D) Weaving clothes

Answer 1

Hint: Yerukula (or) Erukula is a caste discovered to a great extent in the Southern Indian parts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. They call themselves ‘Kurru’. Just like how a certain caste of people has a traditional profession, Yerukula women too have one. Eliminate the incorrect options one by one to obtain the right answer.

Complete answer:
Option A) bidi making – is an incorrect answer as Yerukula women’s traditional profession is not bidi making.
Option B) fortune-telling – is the right answer as Yerukula women’s traditional profession is fortune-telling.
Option C) making puppets - is an incorrect answer as Yerukula women’s traditional profession is not puppet making.
Option D) weaving clothes - is an incorrect answer as Yerukula women’s traditional profession is not to weave clothes.

The Yerukula people’s family is generally nuclear. The language they speak is called ‘Kurru Basha’. It is somewhat close to other Dravidian languages like ‘Ravula’ or ‘Irula’. The Yerukula tribe's clan has subdivisions. They are Dabba Yerukula, Kunchapuri Yerukula, Uppu Yerukula, Karivepaku Yerukula, Eethapullala Yerukula and Parikamuggula Yerukula.

Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Note:
 Dabba Yerukula is the clan of people who make baskets from bamboo. Kunchapuri Yerukula are those who make combs for weavers. Uppu Yerukula are those people who sell salt. Karivepaku Yerukula are those who sell curry leaves. Eethapullala Yerukula are those who make baskets from wild date leaves. Parikamuggula Yerukula are soothsayers. ‘Eruka chepputa’ in Telugu means ‘fortune telling’. They are called Yerukula or Erukula since the traditional profession of ladies of that clan of people is fortune telling.