Monthly Archives: November 2009

Badaga Origin Arunan from Cannada has gi…

Badaga Origin

Arunan from Cannada has given some very interesting links which predated badaga language to Kannada and equates it with Sangam or purana Tamil. Here is the link http://yabaluri.org/TRIVENI/CDWEB/TheTamilsandtheAndhras.htm
” Some of the Kanarese too seem to have been called Vadugar.7 In consequence of the Andhras and the Kanarese having been called by the common name of Vadugar in the days of the Sangam, it has been surmised that they were then one race and that their language too must have been known as Vadugu and that it is only later that Kanarese must have branched off into a separate language.8 But llam-Ko-Adigal, the great epic-poet of the Sangam age, mentions distinctly those who speak the Kanarese language as Karunadar,9 and other classical writers make mention separately of the lands where Kanarese and Telugu were respectively spoken.10 The northern portion of the Mysore state and parts of the districts of Bellary and Anantapur seem to be known even now as Badaga-nadu and the Kanarese of those areas are known as Badaga-varu and Badaga-natti-varu. A poem of the Sangam mentions an Erumai as a ‘Vadugar chief’ in whose land flowed the river Ayiri.11 This is evidently the Agiri which falls into the Tungabhadra. It is this country which was probably the extreme southern limit of the Asokan empire as is evidenced from inscriptions found in the vicinity.

If these be so, it follows that the Telugus who were to the north, and the Badaga Kannadas who were to the west, of the Tamils were known generically as the Vadugar. The poet, Ma-mulanar, says that it is beyond the lands of a chief of the name of Katti that the language changed into that of the Vadugar.12 Perhaps the chiefs well-known as Katti-Mudaliyars in the days of the Vijayanagar empire and later belonged to the lineage of this Katti.13 It is worthy of note that these Katti-Mudaliyars occupied those portions of the Tamil country which Ma-mulanar assigned to Katti. There are reasons to hold that the land called Vadugar-munai and placed beyond the lands of this Katti is identical with the Badaga-nadu we have already mentioned.14 It is these Badagas that seem to be referred to by St. Sundara in one of his psalms on a shrine in the Kongu country.15

Badaga Language in WiKi

A laudable and great initiative that needs our attention

BADAGA in WIKI

Arunan, a Srilankan Tamil now in Canada, writes  to say “Why not start a wiki project in Badaga language”. Its absolutely free and I see most Badugas are very good in Computer and Internets… So please let us start a wiki project in Badaga language and start writing articles in Badaga language……

(20 Nov 2009) Great News

Badaga language is  eligible language by Wikipedia … http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_new_languages

JP adds : let us add our might for this Pioneering Project

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The rains that never stopped

I was at Coonoor when it started. I thought it was one of those passing showers. But then, it never stopped…never…not even for a few minutes. It appeared as if the rain Goddess had lost some body very very close, and she never stopped pouring her heart out…for three consecutive days. The damage…well…when the Nature starts..nothing can stop it. It is her way of leveling things out. The following pictures should convey a tiny bit of the result of her fury….The fallen trees…blocked roads..trees on the rail track near Wellington Railway station…the washed away rail track just before Aravankadu Railway station…the roads between Ootupattarai and Hubbathai toatally blocked…..

The fallen trees11112009(002)11112009(003)11112009(005)11112009(009)11112009(013)

Photos by JP. Click on the pix for enlargement

“Eay, Ah How” – Badaga ‘Athikkodhu’

The beauty about Badaga community is not only the unique customs specific to the community but the steadfast belief with which atleast some of them are followed by Badagas with fervour. one of them is the loud chanting of ‘Athikkodhu – saaying of  EAY AH HOW – on certain but specific occasions.

Three occasions come to mind immediately,

1)During “hethay Habba’ – both when from every village the devotees go to Hethay temples at Beragani and Peddhuva as well as when the Hethay deity is taken to ‘Madi Halla -river’ for change into new dress once a year [and also whenever is a temple deity is taken on procession during habbas in hattis],

2)During weddings when the bride and groom are brought to the ‘Madhuvay Mane – wedding house,and the newly weds are taken to the temple and

3)On funerals when the widow is brought for ‘olay Kattodhu’ and the ‘akki eththuva ‘ procession starts from the ‘dhodda Mane’ to ‘saavu hanay ‘ where the corpse/body is kept before being taken for burial.

This loud ‘cry’ is made from the bottom of the stomach by a few leading the procession and repeated by the rest following them.

Listen to ‘Saavu Aathikkodhu’ recorded live in Ketchigatti here

Listen to ‘Maduvay Aathikkodhu’ recorded live in Thambatty here


Badaga Matrimony

Anon (?) has sent the following link of a matrimonial portal where you can see some ‘nice’ Badaga girls with their personal particulars. Come on eligible Baddu boys, what are you waiting for ? http://matchmaking.matrimonialsindia.com/tamil_nadu/badaga_bride.htm

India Proud to be an Indian : Proud to be a Badaga

 


ASHA writes : when I saw this site I was really surprised. Appara santhoshava adathae , ithava onthu arputhavana language ga script ila yenthu nenachuvanae kashtava attuthu but now I am very confident that we will have our own scripts within a short period. Am ready to do my best for your organisation. Am very honored to say this “U GUYZ SIMPLY ROCK” and of course we will rock. Keep going………. BEST WISHES.

Thank you Asha, though I have mentioned it many times, let me repeat it again. THIS WEBSITE IS AN ONE MAN EFFORT. But I am humbled to see such praise being showered. As far as how you can help out – here is a simple thought. I have seen many parents [including me,I  have a son and daughter of marriageable age] to find suitable matches. Though there are a lot of nice looking, educated and eligible brides and grooms, somehow, it does not result in marriages. Since I am of the strong view that for Badaga culture and traditions to survive, Badagas should marry among themselves. Why there is such a low response to my offer of hosting FREE matrimonial alliances is a mystery to me. May be people like you can tell me the real apprehensions. Another way you can help out is by creating awareness about the book on Badagas by Balasubramaniam which has high lighted our community in a highly positive note. Thanks once again – Wg Cdr JP
Asha replies :
Your view about survival of our culture is true.There is nothing to worry regarding low response for your free matrimonial alliances because many of us think that our parents should choose our life partner and only some of our parents are aware of this matrimonial service. But am sure the days will change and this matrimonial service will reach everyone. As you said that THIS WEBSITE IS AN ONE MAN EFFORT, I salute your effort. I promise  that from today I am starting my work to create awareness about those books and I hope for the best
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‘Paamé’ – a book on the Badagas by Bala is available at Higginbothams Ooty,Chennai and Coimbatore and also at Oxford book house, Coimbatore.
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This website has been

Designed, developed and maintained by Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash

[bjaypee@gmail.com]

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