The Tulu Language

Introduction:

Tuḷu (ISO-639-3) is a Dravidian language with great historical and cultural value, predominantly spoken in the historical Tuḷunad region. The IPA representation for Tuḷu is /t̪uɭu/. This language boasts a rich cultural heritage and features a distinct script and literature. Recognized as one of the oldest indigenous languages of India, Tuḷu holds significant importance for its speakers, who cherish their cultural and linguistic heritage.

Tuḷu’s unique cultural aspects include a vibrant oral tradition, folk arts, music, and dance forms. It has a distinctive script known as the Tuḷu script or Tuḷu Lipi, although over the past 150 years, speakers have also used other scripts for writing the language. Tuḷu literature encompasses poetry, folk tales, and epics that showcase the region’s rich heritage and history.Tuḷu-speaking men identify as Tuḷuve, while women in the northern Tuḷu dialect call themselves Tuḷuvedi, and those in the southern dialect identify as Tuḷuveti. The collective term for all Tuḷu-speaking people is Tuḷuver.

Language codes:

The ISO 639-3 code for the Tulu language is “tcy”. It allows for a standardised identification of the language across different systems, databases, and platforms. This identification supports the preservation of Tulu’s rich cultural heritage and literature while facilitating easier access to educational resources and materials. Additionally, the ISO code allows for improved communication and acknowledgement of Tulu speakers within international contexts. [28]

Tulu has the glottolog code tulu1258. Glottolog provides a catalogue of the world’s languages and language families and a bibliography on the world’s less spoken languages. [29]

Demographics:

According to the Indian census report of 2011, there are approximately 2 million native Tuḷu speakers in India. You can find Tuḷu people primarily in the South Canara and Udupi (Tulu: Oḍipu) districts of Karnataka, as well as in the Kasaragod district of Kerala[1].

Geographically, the boundaries of this region stretch from the Suvarna River in the north to Chandragiri in the south, with the Western Ghats forming the eastern limit and the Arabian Sea to the west. In addition to these areas, taluks of Chikmagalur such as Kalasa, Koppa, and Mudigere also have a significant population of Tulu speakers. Some villages in Coorg are home to Tulu-speaking residents as well.

All Tulu people in these regions adhere to Tulu culture and rituals, including Bhūta worship and various Tulu festivals. Additionally, many migrated Tulu individuals have settled in cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai, as well as in Tamil Nadu and even abroad[32].

In several districts of Kerala, there are up to 300,000 Tulu-speaking Brahmins who serve as priests in numerous temples across the state[33]. UNESCO has classified the Tulu language as a potentially vulnerable language[34].

Etymology:

The soil in Tuḷu-nād isn’t typically soft and mild, as laterite consistently covers the Western Coast, extending mostly up to the base of the Ghats. M. Govinda Pai puts forward several propositions, suggesting that the word ‘Tuḷu’ may have originated from the Tamil root ‘Tuḷai,’ which means “to row” (referring to boats). He also identifies two other words: ‘Tuḷai,’ which signifies “to plunge in the water,” and ‘Tuḷaiyans,’ meaning “to play in the water.” Based on Tamil etymology, M. Govinda Pai theorizes that the people of Tuḷu country, primarily fishermen whose main business and activities revolved around water, might have called themselves Tuḷuvas.

The term ‘Tuḷu’ may significantly connect to ‘Toḻu’ or ‘Toṟu,’ possibly relating to cattle or cattle sheds. Scholars suggest that the ancient Tuḷuvas, an early community in this region, were associated with shepherding. Over time, all inhabitants of this land began identifying as Tuḷuvas. Leadership among the early Tuḷuvas may have rested with the Toḷahas of Surālu, located near the historic city of Barakuru in the South Kanara district. (Note: Toḷaha is also referred to as Toṟaha or Toḻaha.)[3]

Historical background:

People historically refer to these districts by various names, including TuḷuNad, Tuḷu desha, Tuḷu rajya, Tuḷu vishaya, Satiyaputra, Tawḷava desha, and Tauḷava rajya. Different inscriptions and literature in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Sanskrit shed light on the history of Tuḷu regions and language. Based on this evidence, we can infer that Tuḷu has a history of at least 2000 years. For further historical references about Tuḷunadu, you can refer to this webpage –  https://tulupedia.com/historical-references-of-tulunad/ 

Tuḷunadu is listed as one of eighteen countries in Tamil literature, referred to as Tuḷuvam, indicating its antiquity comparable to Sanskrit[4]. The Tamil grammar work Tolkappiyam mentions that Tamil incorporated words from various languages, including the Tuḷu language[5]. A Greek drama (Charition mime) from that era documents the usage of Tulu words by local characters residing in Tulunadu.

According to Victorian linguist Robert Caldwell in 1856, Tulu was praised as a highly developed language within the Dravidian family[6]. He compared its status to Spanish in the Germanic languages, highlighting similarities in usage and diction. During the Sangam Age (200 BCE), the Tamil poet Mamular depicted Tulu Nadu and its graceful dancers in his poetic works found in the Akananuru collection.

Ptolemy, the Greek geographer from approximately the middle of the second century A.D., mentions “Olokhoira.” It has been suggested that “Khoira,” which is equal to “khēḍa,” might identify Ptolemy’s Olokhoira with āḷvakhēḍa, one of the names attributed to the South Canara district in historical times.

In the Tamil literary work Maduraikanchi, it is mentioned that Naṉmoḻi-kōsar, implying that Kosar was proficient in four languages, with Tulu being undoubtedly one of those languages. This assertion is supported by their settlement in Tulunad, as documented in Akananuru-15 of the Sangam literature[7].

The Tuḷuva kings, hailing from renowned Tuḷu dynasties like Alūpas, Bangas, Cautas, and Ballāḷas, governed the Tuḷuva territory for numerous centuries. Even within the Vijayanagara kings, there existed a lineage of Tuluva princes. To learn more about the Tulu dynasties, please refer to this link – https://tulupedia.com/history/

Classification:

Since Tuḷu is a Dravidian language. The Dravidian languages are classified into four groups, they are, South Dravidian Dravidian, south-central Dravidian, central Dravidian and North Dravidian. The Tuḷu language is classified under South Dravidian. Tuḷu is the first language that branched off relatively early, making it one of the older languages within the South Dravidian subgroup. Here “Proto-South Dravidian” refers to the reconstructed common ancestor of the South Dravidian languages. It is not directly attested in historical records but is inferred by linguists through comparative linguistic analysis of existing languages within the Dravidian family. This reconstructed proto-language helps linguists understand the historical development, shared linguistic features, and commonalities among the languages in that particular language subgroup. Tuḷu language is separated early from South – proto-Dravidian and hence its features such as phonology, Syntax, and Morphology Lexicon are different from other Dravidian languages.[8]

Tulu is a highly developed language boasting a rich vocabulary. When considering the comparative vocabulary of Dravidian Languages compiled by the Heads of the Dravidian Language Departments of the University of Madras and the Etymological Dictionary by Burrow and Emeneau, it’s evident that Tulu shares numerous essential cognates with the other four Dravidian Languages. It can express intricate nuances of meaning using suitable terms. Additionally, there are numerous excellent folk songs, legends, and quasi-historical narrations known as Paddanas and Sandis. [9]

Ancient Tuḷu literatures:

Tuḷu encompasses not only oral literature but also written works. Venkataraja Punanchittaya, a prominent Tuḷu scholar, discovered several literary works including Shree Bhagavatho, Kaveri, Devi Mahathme, Mahabharato, and Karnaparva. More information about these literary works can be found on this page: https://tulupedia.com/ancient-Tuḷu-literature

Old Tuḷu inscriptions provide evidence regarding the structure of the Tuḷu language and its script in earlier times. The Pelattur inscription is the oldest known Tuḷu inscription dating back to the 7th century. Other Tuḷu inscriptions from various time periods include the Mameshwara Inscription, Kulashekara Inscription, Kidooru Inscription, Anantpura Inscription, Gōsāda Inscription, Ubrangala Copper Plate Inscription, and several others. Further information about Tuḷu inscriptions is available on this webpage: https://tulupedia.com/inscription-and-manuscript

Old Tuḷu (Paḻaṃ Tuḷu):

The Old Tuḷu language refers to the earlier stages of the Tuḷu language, which has undergone several transformations and developments over time. Unfortunately, detailed information about the Old Tuḷu language is somewhat scarce due to limited written records. Old Tuḷu can be found in inscriptions, manuscripts, and other historical artefacts.

The Old Tuḷu language featured two phonemes: ḻa (retroflex central) and ṟa (alveolar trill). These two sounds are currently used in Tamil and Malayalam and were historically present in Old Tuḷu, Old Kannada, and Old Telugu.

In Old Tuḷu, the phoneme ḻa transforms into ḷa in the northern Brahmin dialect and ra (rarely ḷa or la) in the common dialect of Tuḷu. For example, the word būḻụ (meaning “to fall”) in Old Tuḷu becomes būrụ in common dialects and būḷụ in the northern Brahmin dialect.

The word “paḻam,” meaning “old” in Old Tuḷu, evolved into “para” in modern Tuḷu. Similarly, ṟa in Old Tuḷu or South Proto Dravidian transforms into either da or ja (rarely ra and ta) in modern Tuḷu. These characteristics are considered some of the main features of Old Tuḷu.

Dialects:

Tulu exhibits a wide array of dialects, each possessing distinct features and phonology. These dialects are categorised based on both geographical regions and the communities that speak them. The Tulu dialects, categorised by regions, include:

  1. Southwest Tulu (Manjeshwar and Kasaragod),
  2. Southcentral Tulu (Bantwal and Belthangady),
  3. Southeast Tulu (Puttur, Sullia and some villages in Coorg),
  4. Northwest Tulu (Udupi, Mangalore),
  5. Northeast Tulu (Karkala),
  6. Northern Tulu (Barkuru, Kundapura).

The Tulu dialects categorised by communities, include:

  1. Brahmin Tulu: This Tulu is spoken by Shivalli and Sthanika Brahmins across Tulunadu.
  2. Jain Tulu: This dialect is spoken by Jain communities. One of its unique features is that the ‘ta’ and ‘sa’ sounds in other dialects are changed to the ‘ha’ sound in this dialect.
  3. Common Dialect: This group includes the dialects of Bunts, Billavas, Gowdas, Mogaveeras, and other such castes. This dialect is further classified into South Common Dialect and North Common Dialects. In the North Common Dialect, the merging of sounds such as ḷa, ṇa, ḍa with la, na, ja respectively occurs. However, the southern style of this dialect maintains the distinction between these sounds.
  4. Harijan and Tribal Dialects: This group includes the dialects of Mera, Mansa and such other Harijan communities and the dialects of the tribal communities.
  5. Markodi: This unique dialect of Tulu is spoken by a tribe called the Mavilan tribes, inhabitants of certain villages in Kasaragod and Kannur.[12][13] For further information about this dialect, please refer to this link: https://tulupedia.com/home/communities/mavilan-community/. Similarly, a tribe residing in certain Taluks of Kasaragod and Kannur is known as the Malavettuvan tribe, with a population of 3,64,189. They speak a poor dialect of Malayalam, enriched with numerous Tulu words and idioms. [31]

Scholars who have researched Tulu dialects believed initially that the Brahmin dialect and the non-Brahmin dialects were the only two major varieties. Consequently, the researcher classified Tulu into four dialects, considering the significant differences among them. These four dialects are:

  • South Brahmin – to represent the Brahmin dialects of South West, South Central and South East region.
  • South common – to represent the non-Brahmin (the common) dialects of South West, South Central and South East regions.
  • North Brahmin – to represent the Brahmin dialects of North West and North East regions.
  • North common – to represent the non-Brahmin (the common) dialects of North West and North East regions.

To study each and every dialect of Tulu with examples, kindly refer to this webpage – https://tulupedia.com/dialects-of-tulu-introduction. This article is based on the thesis A Comparative Study of Tulu Dialects by the author K. Padmanabha.

The phonology of Tulu:

Tuḷu has unique phonology compared to other languages.

Vowels: Tulu generally has five short vowels namely, a, i, u, e and o. Long vowels ā, ī, ū, ē, ō. Two diphthongs ai and au. high central short vowel (ụ), high central long vowel(ụụ). Front low short (è) and Front low long vowel(è) are some more vowels used in Tulu. Anuswāra (aṁ) and Visarga (aḥ) are also limitedly used in Tulu.

  • The vowel è is pronounced like a in words such as “apple” or “bat”, “badge” or “man”.
  • The Anuswāra aṁ is used in some sanskrit loanwords and as a replacement for the occurrences, aṅ, añ, aṇ, an and am only when written. For example: koṅke(Crooked) written as koṁke.
  • The visargah sound aḥ is limited to sanskrit loanwords only.
  • The ṛ and ṝ phonemes are also limited to loan words only

Consonants:

Consonants are categorised into two groups: classified consonants and unclassified consonants.

  1. Classified consonants: There are five further classifications, they are:
    1. Voiceless: ka, ca, ṭa, ta, and paVoiceless aspirated: ga, ja, ḍa, da, and ba.Voiced: kha, cha, ṭha, tha, and phaVoiced Aspirated: gha, jha, ḍha, dha, and bha.
    1. Nasal: ṅa, ña, ṇa, na, and ma

In some instances, the voiceless consonants in certain words of the southern Tuḷu dialect transition to voiced consonants in the northern Tuḷu dialect.

For example:

  • bēka → bēga (Soon)
  • āṇṭa → āṇḍa (If it happens so)

The aspirated consonants are used exclusively in loanwords. Nasal words are commonly used similarly to those in other Dravidian languages. However, in the north common dialects, the consonant ṇa is almost merged with na.

  • Unclassified consonants: The unclassified consonants are ya, ra, la, va, śa, ṣa, sa, ha, ḷa, ḻa, and ṟa. The consonants śa, sa, and ha are exclusively used in loanwords. Sometimes, in Tulu, an interchange between sa and ta occurs. In the northern common dialect, ḷa is merged with la. ḻa and ṟa are obsolete phonemes historically used in Old Tulu, and they are explained in the “Old Tulu” section of this article.

Tuḷu script:

The Tuḷu script (Tulu lipi, Tuḷu baravu or Tulu barahu) is a southern Brahmic script that was used to write the Tulu and Sanskrit languages. It evolved from the Grantha script and exhibits a high similarity and relationship to its sister scripts, Malayalam and Tigalari, which also evolved from the Grantha.[14] The Tulu inscriptions found and the ancient literature such as Shree Bhagavatho, Kaveri, Devi Mahathme, Mahabharato, Karnaparva are written using Tulu script. Handwritten books in the Tulu script from the pre-independence era were also discovered. [15]

The Tulu script, used by migrating Tulu priests in Kerala to write Vedas and mantras around the 11th-12th century, is popularly known as the Tulu Script. As this script form is popular in both Tulunad and Kerala, it is called the Tulu-Malayalam script. This Tulu-Malayalam script became the Malayalam script in Kerala and the Tulu script in Tulunad. Before scholars in Kerala began using the Tulu-Malayalam script to write their documents, they utilised a script called Vaṭṭeḻuttu, which was a syllabic alphabet used in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Sri Lanka for writing the Tamil and Malayalam languages. This script was in use in Kerala until the 18th century. Another variant script, called the Tigalari script, also exists. These three scripts share many similarities because they originated from the same parent script, the Grantha script. To discover more about the evolution of the Tulu script, please refer to this link – https://tulupedia.com/tulu-script-introduction/

For guidance on writing in the Tulu script, please refer to this link, where charts of the Tulu script, including IAST, Devanagari transliterations, etc., are available: https://tulupedia.com/tulu-script/

Use the following link to download the “Jeetige-A Tulu Script Guide” ebook: https://tulupedia.com/tulu-script/

Ramayana Epic written in Tulu Script

The text depicted in the image is written in the Tulu script and reads as “tuḷubarahutuḷubhāṣerāmāyṇa” (tuḷu-barahu-tuḷu-bhāṣe-rāmāyṇa). In this context, “Tuḷu barahu” refers to the Tulu script, “Tuḷu bhāṣe” denotes the Tulu language, and “Ramayan” represents the epic of ancient India. Altogether, this phrase conveys the meaning of the Ramayana epic being written in the Tulu language using the Tulu script.

By the end of the 19th century CE, the usage of the Tulu script in Tulunadu had significantly declined and almost ceased. This decline occurred primarily because the script was not utilized in printing practices.

Printing technology was introduced to India by Christian missionaries, who brought this technology for Kannada in the first half of the 19th century CE. The Bassel Mission in Mangalore printed numerous books in both Kannada and Tulu languages, opting to use the Kannada script for both.

Considering that individuals who knew Tulu were also proficient in Kannada, the Bassel Mission did not find it necessary to produce printing letters in the Tulu script for their letterpress printers during that era.

Before the advent of printing technology, the script predominantly used in Tulunadu was also employed for writing the Tulu language. This has been substantiated by the discovery of numerous manuscripts and inscriptions. Consequently, this script has been identified as the Tulu script.

During the time of Madhvacharya (the Seer of Krishna Mutt in Udupi), the Tulu script was highly prevalent in Tulunadu. Madhvacharya authored all his literature using the Tulu Script. In fact, he consistently signed his name using the Tulu Script. Efforts have been made recently to revive the Tulu script. Some of these initiatives were undertaken by individuals without any institutional support. One such example is mentioned here. The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy (KTSA), an organisation established by the Karnataka Government, began working on reviving the Tulu script in 2007. Numerous meetings were conducted with scholars aimed at establishing a standardised Tulu script for use in the Tulu language.

Currently, the Tulu script is approved by the Karnataka government (Letter no: DKC 22017/37/2020, dated 24.06.2021) and the Central Institute of Indian Languages (Letter no: F.N.1/11-336/2021/Estt. dated 20.05.2021). Additionally, the Tulu script is accepted and approved by Mumbai University (Letter no. UDK/12/GC/ of 2020-21 dated 20/08/2020) , Mangalore University (Letter no. MU/VC/2020-21 dated 8-9-2020), Kerala Tulu Academy (20-06-2020), and Dravidian University of Andhra Pradesh (11 Sep. 2020). This endorsement will empower the Tulu script encoding process. [27]

Oral literature:

Tulu boasts a rich oral tradition encompassing practices like “sandhi” and “pāḍdanas,” which were transmitted orally through generations. However, in the 18th century, with the advent of printing technologies, scholars began documenting these “pāḍdanas” and subsequently published several books on the subject.

The Paddana, a form of oral epic poetry, is sung in a highly stylized manner during Hindu rituals such as Bhuta Kola and Nagaradhane, which are unique to the Tulu community. These narratives typically recount legendary tales concerning supernatural spirits or historical figures among the people. The pāḍdana (pāṭtana or pāḍtana) is in the form of a poem and is related to the Dravidian root word pāṭ, which means song. The Paḍdana is also sung during various agricultural activities such as replanting paddy seedlings, reaping the paddy crop, and ploughing in crop fields. These pāḍdanas differ from Bhūta worship; they narrate folk stories and convey meaningful life messages. [16]

Among these epic poems, the Siri Paddana stands out as the most extensive. It revolves around the story of Siri, a woman displaying remarkable strength and integrity during challenging periods, leading her to achieve a divine status. This narrative beautifully exemplifies the self-reliant and empowered nature of Tulu women.

To discover the story of Siri as depicted in Siri Paddana, please refer to this link: https://tulupedia.com/home/language-and-its-features/folk-literatures/the-siri-epic/

Tulu grammar:

Tulu, being one of the highly developed Dravidian languages with a complex structure, possesses detailed grammar. The first grammar book, “A Grammar of the Tulu Language,” was written by Rev. J. Brigel in 1872. This book includes various aspects of grammar, such as Phonology, Etymology, and Syntax, divided into three chapters. The Phonology chapter covers the alphabet, pronunciation, and euphony. The Etymology chapter addresses the formation of words and the parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, numerals, verbs, and Indeclinables). The third chapter, Syntax, discusses the structure of syntax, the complementary parts of speech, attributive parts of speech, construction, and connection of sentences. [17]

Another published book on Tulu grammar is “TuLu Patero – A Philology and Grammar of the Tulu Language” by Budhananda K. Shivalli, MA (English). This book is compiled and written in the Tulu language. The contents of this book are more complex compared to Brigel’s book, covering advanced aspects of Tulu language such as linguistics and grammar topics including akṣara prakaraṇa, sandhi prakaraṇa, śabdha prakaraṇa, nāma prakaraṇa, viśeṣaṇa prakaraṇa, dhātu prakaraṇa, krīyā viśeṣaṇa prakaraṇa, kṛdāṃta-taddhitāṃta prakaraṇa, avyaya prakaraṇa, Samāsa Prakaraṇa, Tatsama-Tadbhava Prakaraṇa, Vākya Prakaraṇa, Lēkhana Cihne Prakaraṇa, etc. This book is preferred for an in-depth study of Tulu grammar.[18] There are many books available to study Tulu grammar.

Tuḷu education:

Tulu was incorporated into the academic curriculum by the Karnataka government as an optional third language for Class VI in the academic year 2010-11, followed by inclusion for Class VII in the subsequent academic year, 2011-12. Consequently, it was introduced for Class VIII in the academic year 2012-13 and for Class IX starting from 2013-14. The inclusion of Tulu in the education curriculum garnered support from numerous parents and students. [19]

The Kerala Tulu Academy was formed in 2007 by the Government of Kerala. It was established in Hosangady, Kasargod, with its headquarters situated in Durgippalla, Hosangady.[20] Similarly, The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, abbreviated as KTSA, was established in 1994. Its headquarters, known as Tulu Bhawana, is located in Mangalore. [21]

Mangalore University offers students the opportunity to study Tulu up to the postgraduate level. In the Dravidian University of Andhra Pradesh, a dedicated department for Tulu was established in 2007, enabling students to pursue MPhil/PhD and Diploma courses. [22] Efforts are underway to establish a department for Tulu research and studies at Mangalore University, aiming to provide PhD courses for students in Mangalore. Furthermore, Kannur University in Kerala also offers a Diploma course in Tulu.[23] The University of Evening College, Mangalore,[24] and Karnataka State Open University also launched an MA program in Tulu.[25] Alva’s College Moodbidri, affiliated with Mangalore University, hosts the Tulu Adhyayana Kendra for cultural studies. [26]

Modern Tulu literatures:

In the 18th century, the Basel Mission Press printed numerous literary works in Tulu, including dictionaries, grammars, collections of oral literature, and cultural studies. Moreover, extensive research and studies have been conducted by scholars of Tulunadu in various aspects. This encompasses studies in history, culture, rituals, linguistics, geography, and more.

The Tulu lexicon, which took almost 18 years to compile and spans 3400 pages, is a treasure trove of Tulu vocabularies, serving as a trilingual dictionary in English, Tulu, and Kannada. This dictionary is accessible through the tuludictionary.in/dictionary/ website. The monumental Tulu Nighantu Yojane, undertaken by the Govind Pai Sanshodhana Kendra, Udupi, commenced in October 1979, and the lexicon was released in 1997 after extensive field visits to over 45 villages. Information was gathered from individuals across various walks of life who use Tulu for communication.[30]

https://tulupedia.com/ebooks

Official status:

Tulu does not hold official status at the central government level or in any Indian state. In the state, multiple efforts have been made to establish Tulu as an official language and to include it in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Specifically, various MLAs from Tulunadu have urged the state government to grant official status. Meanwhile, MPs and MLAs from the Kasaragod district have submitted numerous requests for the same purpose. Furthermore, various social media campaigns have not only raised awareness around this issue but have also mobilized community support. Consequently, these combined efforts reflect the strong desire of the Tulu-speaking population to have their language recognized officially. Many Tulu activists and advocacy groups have actively participated in this movement. To learn more about Tulu activism, please visit Tulu Official.

Tulu cinema industry

The Tulu cinema industry, also known as Coastalwood, emerged in the 1970s and has showcased many leading creative authors and artists. Among these pioneers are Kedaru Shetty, KN Taylor, Rama Kirodian, Sanjeeva Dandakeri, Seetharama Kulal, and Visu Kumar. The industry began with its first movie, ‘Enna Tangadi,’ released in 1971.

Works such as KN Taylor’s Daareda Budedi, Kemmur Pallunna Shetty’s Nyayogu Jindabad, Ramakirodiyan’s Sarva Sankale, and KB Bhandari’s Enna Thangadi have not only significantly contributed to the growth of Tuḷu cinema but also paved the way for the new generation of filmmakers. Furthermore, these pioneering works have not only inspired emerging talents but have also created a vibrant ecosystem for Tulu storytelling. As a result, the unique cultural narratives are not only preserved but also continue to thrive and evolve in contemporary cinema. Thus, the impact of these films resonates deeply within the community, encouraging even more innovation in Tulu filmmaking.

The Tulu Film Industry produces 5-10 films annually. For a list of Tulu Films from “Enna Thangadi” to the latest release, please refer to this web page: https://tulupedia.com/tulu-movies/

To know more about the history of the Tulu cinema industry, please follow this link: https://tulupedia.com/tulu-film-industry-history/

Author:

Mithun D
Email: mithun_dh@yahoo.com

References:

  1. “Tulu Nadu – The Land of the Tulu Speaking People.” (n.d.). In Kerala Tourism. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://www.keralatourism.org/bekal/tulu-nadu.php
  2. Census of India. (2011). https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10208/download/13320/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-2900.XLSX
  3. Bhatt, P. Gururaj. (1975). Studies in Tuḷuva History and Culture (p. 3). M.A., B.T., Ph.D., Milagres College, Kallianpur, South Canara, Karnataka
  4. Tamil lexicon, page 2053, https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/tamil-lex_query.py?page=2053
  5. Focus Ring. “Historical References of Tulu and Tulunadu |Tulu Beat| Episode 1|  Focus Ring | Lathish and Ramya.” YouTube, 16 Aug. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1u3Exeu7xk
  6. Caldwell, Robert. (1875). A comparative grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian family of languages (p. XVIII). LONDON: TRÜBNER & CO., LUDGATE HILL.
  7. DEPARTMENT OF EXTENSION SERVICE & PUBLICATIONS KARNATAK UNIVERSITY, DHARWAR 3. A History Of South Kanara (pp. 20-21).
  8. Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (16 January 2003). The Dravidian Languages. Cambridge University Press. pp. 21–24. ISBN 978-0-521-77111-5.
  9. M. Mariappa Bhat; A. Shanker Kedilaya (1967). Tulu–English Dictionary (in English and Tulu). University of Madras. pp. viii.
  10. Tulu lexicon, Sri Bhagavato.(1.6.36,60), Ed. Venkataraja Punanchittaya.
  11. Kekunnaya, K. Padmanabha (1994). A Comparative Study of Tulu Dialects. Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai Research Centre.
  12. Kerala Institute for Research Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS). https://kirtads.kerala.gov.in/2017/10/11/mavilan/. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  13. Journal of Human Sciences, Volume 2 Issue 2 (2022). ISSN 2583-2697. https://journal.kannuruniversity.ac.in/JHS/article/22_file_JHSa211.pdf. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  14. Burnell, A. C. (Arthur Coke) (1878). Elements of south-Indian palæography, from the fourth to the seventeenth century, A. D.; being an introduction to the study of south-Indian inscriptions and mss.;. Harvard University. London, Trübner & co.; [Mangalore, Basel mission press]. p.14
  15. Belluru, Dr. Radhakrishna (2008). “2”. ತುಳು ಲಿಪಿ ಪರಿಚಯ [Introduction to Tulu script] (in Tulu). Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Lalbhag, Mangalore. pp. 9–10.
  16. Navada, Prof. A. V. (2003). Tulu PaDdana : Bandha Mattu Vinyasa – A Critical Study of Tulu PaDdanas (in Kannada) (1st ed.). N. Thippeswamy, The Administrative Officer Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara (Kannada Book Authority), Bangalore. pp. 9–10. ISBN 81-7713-160-5.
  17. Brigel, J. (1872). A grammar of the Tulu language. PRINTED BY STOLZ & REUTHER. BASEL MISSION BOOK & TRACT DEPOSITORY, MANGALORE.
  18. Shivalli, Budhananda (2004). Tulu Patero – A Philology and Grammar of TuLu Language (in Tulu) (1st ed.). A Mandira Publication, Smt. Laxmi Budhanand, 5-60-2, Mandira, Bondel, Mangalore-575008. pp. 10–11.
  19. Naina J A. (2015, May 15). Seven schools to have Tulu as optional language from June. Deccan Herald. Retrieved from https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/seven-schools-have-tulu-optional-2127880
  20. The Hindu. (2007, September 4). State gets a Tulu Academy. The Hindu. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/State-gets-a-Tulu-Academy/article14828189.ece
  21. Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy. (n.d.). About Academy. Retrieved from https://tuluacademy.karnataka.gov.in/info-1/About+Academy/en
  22. Dravidian University, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh. (n.d.). Tulu. Retrieved from https://www.dravidianuniversity.ac.in/tulu.php
  23. Kannur University. (n.d.). Diploma Tulu. https://www.kannuruniversity.ac.in/en/academics/campus/all-departments/department-of-kannada/academics/programmes/diploma-tulu/
  24. UNIVERSITY EVENING COLLEGE, MANGALORE. M.A (TULU) http://www.uecmangalore.in/course-pg-ma-tulu.html
  25. Karnataka State Open University. (2018, August 27). Karnataka State Open University formally launches MA in Tulu language. Edex Live. https://www.edexlive.com/news/2018/aug/27/karnataka-state-open-university-formally-launches-ma-in-tulu-language-3790.html
  26. “ಆಳ್ವಾಸ್ ತುಳು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಕೇಂದ್ರ | Alva’s College, Moodubidire, Affiliated to Mangalore University”. 30 August 2018. Retrieved https://alvascollege.com/department/study-centres/ಆಳ್ವಾಸ್-ತುಳು-ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ-ಅಧ/.
  27.  LETTERS OF APPROVAL OF TULU SCRIPT (no date). https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q2rnYOsgZ5z7k4TvyPhlgNsLudRiR0VoUfa-5WI1qA4/edit?usp=drivesdk AND https://archive.org/details/letter-to-go-k-tulu-script
  28. tcy | ISO 639-3 (no date). https://iso639-3.sil.org/code/tcy.
  29. Glottolog 4.8 – (no date). https://glottolog.org/glottolog?iso=tcy#12/12.8114/75.2651.
  30. “Tulu Nighantu a lexicon that speaks a million words – Times Of India”. web.archive.org. 28 April 2013. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20130428082816/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-08/mangalore/28086486_1_lexicon-world-tulu-convention-dictionary
  31. KIRTADS | MALA VETTUVAN. Retrieved from https://kirtads.kerala.gov.in/2017/10/11/mala-vettuvan/.
  32. Udupi Madhwa Brahmana Sabha, Kerala – Shivalli Brahmins. (21 December 2008). Retrieved 17 February 2024. Available from: https://shivallibrahmins.com/shivalli-unions/udupi-madhwa-brahmana-sabha-kerala/
  33. UNESCO. Tulu. Retrieved 17 February 2024. Available from: https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/tulu
  34. Sri Bhagavato – 1.6.36, 60 (1626 AD), written by Vishnu Tunga (Ed. Venktataraja Puninchattaya).