Badaga Hatti [Village] Names

Posted on 30/11/2010 | 6 Comments

One of the unique traditions of Badagas is the naming of their Villages – called hatti (individual village) or Ooru (can be an individual village or a cluster of villages of a ‘commune’).
Generally, the names are based on a topographical feature. Prof.Paul Hockings has elaborated this aspect in his book ‘Ancient Hindu Refugees – Badaga Social History 1550-1975’.
Some of these interesting names and their meanings as mainly given in the above book. Hope to cover all the 380 odd hattis.

1. Aanayhatti – Aanay + Hatti – Elephant + Village
2. Achinakal – Achuna + Kallu – Achu [well proportioned like ‘printed’] + Stone
3. Adikaratti – Athikari + Hatti – Adhigari clan + Village
4. Akasu – Akasu -sky , very high hill
5. Anehatti – Anay + Hatti – Water channel- Bund + Village
6. Aramanehatti – Aranmanay + Hatti – Palace + Village
7. Arebennu – Aray + Bennu – Large flat rock + Upper back [shoulder]
8. Arehatti – Aray + Hatti – Large rock + Village
9. Arekombe – Aray + Kombay – Large rock + Kuruma hamlet [earlier]
10. Asaganathore – Asagana + Thoray – Washerman’s + Riverside

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6 responses to “Badaga Hatti [Village] Names”

  1. Deepa Mahadevan | 29/04/2012 at 6:06 pm | Reply

    Can you please tell me the meaning of Jakkadha ?

    Hello Deepa,

    Thanks for your comments.

    Jakkadha was originally known as Jakkala Hannu Hatti. Jakkala Hannu is one of the wild fruits – small in size, with deep purple colour and a needle head growing with sharp thorns. It used to be great fun to draw designs – sort of’ ‘tatooing’ after nipping off the ‘needle head’ and gently squeezing the fruit as it would make perfect spots. It would leave a purple colour around the mouth. Another wild fruit that used to grow where Jallala Hannu grows is ‘Thavuttu Hannu’. you may still find it around the fringes of many hattis.

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  2. sangeetha H.S (hubbathalai) | 22/02/2011 at 5:10 pm | Reply

    badugas always rock.i am very proud to say baduga

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  3. santhosh | 09/12/2010 at 6:18 pm | Reply

    Sir , Thangadu meaning please….

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  4. senthil | 02/12/2010 at 12:29 pm | Reply

    good very useful

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  5. Deepak Kethorai | 30/11/2010 at 7:27 pm | Reply

    Fantastic information………
    All people must have a knowledge of the place where they live……. Im happy that we get to know through your site. Hats off to your work sir….

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  6. GOPALAKRISNAN | 30/11/2010 at 11:45 am | Reply

    I am proud to be a Badaga. As a Badaga boy I need to know whether our Badaga language contains scripts,letters.if it is so where are those scripts and letters available.I need to know the richness of our language..

    Hello Gopalakrishna, unfortunately there are no scripts /letters. I am aware that there are some serious attempts in creating Badaga scripts. Latest position- not known – Wg Cdr JP

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