First ever portrait of a Badaga woman?

First ever portrait of a Badaga woman
Dharmalingam Venugopal (Nilgiri Documentation Centre,Kotagiri)

Dr. James Cowles Prichard, an English Physician and Ethnologist wrote two books. ‘Researches into the Physical History of Man in 1813 and ‘The Natural History of Man: Comprising Inquiries into the Modifying Influence of Physical and Moral Agencies on the Different Tribes of the Human Family’ in 1843.
For the later he had commissioned the pictures of a Toda man and woman. Obviously, there was a mistake and the pictures sent from here were of a Badaga woman.
This print of a hand-colored aquatint engraving of an obvious Badaga woman was published in 1844. This could probably be the first ever picture of a Badaga woman.
An original of the engraving has been obtained by Nilgiri Documentation Centre thanks to the support of Mr. Colin Sullivan, the great grandson of John Sullivan, who visited the Nilgiris recently.

While thanking Venugopal for sending this information, couple of doubts creep into mind. Earlier days, Badaga Jewellery worn by women has distinct designs – the Ear rings – Kivi Chinna, Nose ring – Mookkuthi, and neck chocker – Saradu. In the painting above they are different.

 Badaga women also had very different type of tattoo on their foreheads. Not the Pottu – Bindu[dot].  So is the head cover – Pattu.

Update :- Venugopal feels that “it is 170 years ago and it is a painting and therefore interpretation of the artist. It is certainly not a Toda”. I agree.

– Wg Cdr.JP