Adivasi- Term for tribal in post-independace India

Asura- Demon

Badrakali- Incarnation of Devi/Bagwati/Kali

Beedi- Indian cigarette

Brahma- Hindu god of creation

Brahmin- Person of the Hindu preistly class

Camphor tablet- Small tablet used in rituals/ burned to make bright flame

Chamma- A grain

Churika- Spear

Coram- A grain

Crore- One million

Dahl- very similar to a lentil

Deva- A god

Devasom board- Board of administrators for the temples of Kerala

Devi- A goddess

Dheep- oil lamp

Doti- Traditional male dress in Kerala/usually white, nine feet long, for special occasions

Durga- Mother Goddess

Ganapati- Hindu god of wisdom and remover of obstacles /son of Siva

Guruva- Tribal god/ancestor

Illum- Term for house

Jaggery- Sugar in its raw state

Kalakadu- Poison

Kallam- Ritual drawings made with colored powders used to invoke or praise a deity

Kavu- Sacred grove

Kollum- Intricate design drawn on ground with white powder

KSRTC- Kerala State Road and Transportation Company

Lahk- Onehundred thousand

Lingam- Item used in the worship of Siva/believed to represent a pillar or SivaÕs penis

Lungi- Traditional male dress for everyday use/cloth wrapped around waste

Mahavir- Wise man who prescribed the Jain religion

Malishwara- Mountain peak near Attapadi/worshipped by tribes/represents lingam

Mandapurra- Cave

Moodira- Cattle food similar to horse-gram

Muppan- Chief of tribal village

Nagaraj- King of serpents

Nair- Part of warrior caste

Nandi- Bull that is SivaÕs vehicle

Panchavadyum- Temple orchestra comprised of five different instruments in any number

Panchayat- Top four members of Kerala tribe

Pandi- Cereal/similar to rice

Patche- art of tattoing among the Tribes of Pallakad

Pooja- Act of worship

Prasad- Offerings of food that are blessed by a deity and given to devotees

Raggi- A type of grain

Rishi- Sage

Siva- Hindu god of destruction

Sri- Honorable term for a venerated person

Tantrics- Priests

Uddukku- type of drum

Vellichapaddas - oracles

Vishnu- Hindu god of preservation