Abstract: This research examines the grass-cutter communities of Madras from the 17th to 19th centuries, analyzing their traditional occupational practices, social organization, and adaptation to colonial economic transformations.1 The grass-cutter communities, primarily engaged in harvesting, processing, and supplying various types of grass for construction, fodder, and household purposes, occupied a distinctive niche within the complex occupational hierarchy of South Indian society. Through systematic analysis of colonial administrative records, local historical documents,.......
Keywords:Grass-cutter communities, occupational specialization, Madras Presidency, traditional ecology, colonial transformation, social identity