Yanadi is a partly tribal community mainly found in
Nellore and
Chittoor districts of
Andhra Pradesh. They are divided into two groups namely Manchi Yanadi and Challa Yanadi. The tribe members speak Yanadi language related to
Telugu language family.
Yanadi men are good hunters and specialize in trapping hares, rats and leopards. Their main source of income comes from agriculture. Other areas of activity include collecting forest produce, catching frogs and snakes for trade, and gathering honey to sell in the markets.
Some members are semi-nomadic, moving every few years in search of work or good sources of forest products. Yanadis live in cone-shaped huts made of bamboo and palm leaves, grass, or millet stalks, and smooth mud walls. Each settlement of the tribe has a headman, who is strongly respected and obeyed; his word is law.
Around ninety percentages of Yanadis are Hindus. Many festivals are observed in favor of their gods. They love dance and music. Drums and small stringed instruments are their favorite musical instruments.
