The good old ‘Badaga’ – language

Some time back, Ms.Shalini Nandakumar had suggested that we give the ‘good old Badaga lullabies, ballads etc’. She wrote “How about “ondhu ondhu avarai” and “oten tan toovay “….Sorry if I’m wrong with the spelling.
I would like to teach my daughter our Baduga rhymes, So pls kindly post Baduga rhymes also.And any baduga lullaby will be the best thing to know-“

Here is a ‘folk somg’ sent by Dr.Haldorai :

குணிக்கி

ஓ குணிக்கி ஓ மிணிக்கி

அக்கிலு காப்ப கூச அள்ள ஒத்தூண்0டு ஓத்து

நிந்ந அவ்வெ கள்ளெ0க ஏ0கிலெ கண்ண நீர ஆக்கிய

நிந்ந அப்ப கள்ளா0க ஏ0கிலெ குத்தண சீலெய முச்சிந

0த0புளு 0த0புளு தோட்ட சண்0டாமிளிய நோட்ட

ராணிய கூட்டீண்0டு ஓட்ட

Kuṇikki

ō kuṇikki ō miṇikki

akkilu kāppa kūsa haḷḷa oththūṇdu hōththu

ninna avve kaḷḷega ēgile kaṇṇa nīra hākkiya

ninna appa kaḷḷāga ēgile kuttaṇa seeleya muchchina

doubḷu doubḷu thōṭṭa sandāmaḷliya nōṭṭa

rāṇiya kūṭṭīṇdu ōṭṭa

The version we used to know :

Oh Chinnakki, Oh Ponnakki,

(Oh Chinnakki, Oh Ponnakki)

Hakkilu Kaapa Koosa, Halla eththindu hothu,

(The flood water [due to heavy rains] has taken away the boy who was keeping a watch on the birds [damaging the crops]

Thanna awwayya saare hegilay, mandaiya maara sachiya,

(When you tell his mother, she grieves by beating her head and chest)

Ammaiya saare hegilay, kanna neera haakkiya,

(When you tell his little sister, she keeps weeping)

Thanna appana saare hegilay, kutthana seelaiya arachina

(when you tell his father, he looks out for the bordered white sheet [typical Badaga shawl] used for covering the deceased)

Here is another ‘song – nursery rhyme’  –

Chappatay Chappatay saga maalay,

Kombu Koludha jen(u) hadadhe,

Erolu ethiba era mookki,

Kodalee ethiba kore mooki….

Kattu kuttu maadi kappalikke

[this is sung when feeding the baby and when the last line is finishing, the ‘food’ would be put in the child’s mouth]