Monthly Archives: January 2016

The Nigiris, the famous tourist hill station, known as ‘Naakku Betta’ to the native Badagas, is indeed a Nature’s gift and  piece of Paradise on earth.

Unfortunately, the district does not offer many if not any job opportunities to the increasingly aspiring and educated youth. They have to go down to the plains like Coimbatore, Tirupur etc. And, in the bargain, many Badagas have relocated to the plains on a permanent basis.

Another unfortunate fallout is, with the falling price for unprocessed [green leaf] tea, Badagas have been selling their tea estates [‘Thotta’ to them], usually small holdings of a couple of acres as a sort of distress sale. The outsiders mainly from big cities are always willing to grab a piece of ‘Paradise’ as their holiday vacation destination.

Added to the misery is the exploitation by the ‘middle men’ who literally make a ‘killing’ in both selling of plots/houses in the plains for huge prices or buying the land [small tea estates] for a song.

Over a period of time and after a lot of discussions, I have identified VEDA PROPERTIES, owned by a Badaga, to be one of the transparent and reliable concerns who can offer very good services. They have tied up with many reputed property developers.

Veda Properties can help in buying/selling plots and built houses both in the Nilgiris and in Coimbatore districts including the much sought after destinations like Veerapandi, Peria Nayakkan Palayam, Vada Madurai, Thidialur etc

What is more, Veda Properties have agreed to offer special discounts to the readers of our website http://www.badaga.co.

If interested in special discounts please contact bjaypee@gmail.com. This is a FREE service for a fair deal and an initiative to prevent exploitation.

Badaga Jewellery

Badagas, especially the women, have some exotic and unique jewellery that they wear on their person.

It was a chance but a wonderful meeting with Mrs.Gangamma, aged 78 years, daughter of Karibajja Kari Gowder of Pedduva Kallatti who was associated with Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder (‘Ari Gowda koottuda maathu adile, Koodi ebba ella bae muchindu unnippa ortara endu appa hegina’, she remembered] and wife of late Kari Gowder of Kerben Village (Kotagiri) who passed away about 40 years back, at Mettupalayam in Feb,2007.

She was wearing traditional Badaga Jewllery – ‘Mookkuthi [nose ring & Chinna [ear ring]’ which made me ponder and wonder about Badaga Jewellery.

click here to see plenty of photos and read the complete article about the wonderful ‘world’ of BADAGA Bangara – Jewellery

Birth centenary of first Badaga journalist  – The Hindu 13 Jan 2016

Udhagamandalam,11/01/2016:  [Special Correspondent]

[Photo:M.Sathyamoorthy]

Remembering with respect on this Centenary Day

[1916-2016]

There have been many Badagas whose lives have been very inspiring. Late Mr.A.Dharmalingam,  the First Badaga Journalist,  was not only a respected journalist but a great human being. Though, I did not have the honour of knowing him,  have heard enough about his interactions with Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder and other leaders of the Nilgiris when the problems of all types would be discussed threadbare.

It gives me great pleasure on behalf of http://www.badaga.co and others, to wish his son Venugopal, who is organizing the birth centenary celebrations on 11 Jan 2016, all success. – Wg Cdr JP

• Don’t take your medicine with cold water….
• Don’t eat heavy meals after 5pm.
• Drink more water in the morning, less at night.
• Best sleeping time is from 10pm to 4 am.
• Don’t lie down immediately taking medicine  or after meals
• When phone’s battery is low to last bar, don’t answer the phone, bcos the radiation is 1000 times stronger.

Dharmalingam Venugopal

Lord Shiva possesses several enchanting abodes on hill tops across the country.

He ought to be particularly delighted at the one atop the Birumokke Bettu ( flung out +landmark+ mountain) 1919 metre  tall 11.5 km NNE of Ooty in the village of Ebbanad (rising+tract of land). 4th Jan 2015 was the annual festival to propitiate the mighty lord of the mountains.

From atop the peak one can get a 360 degree view of the eastern and north eastern slopes of the Nilgiris including the magnificent Moyar valley and the Mysore plateau beyond. I have captured a few of the images of the festival. [Click the pic for enlargement]

Please see the post below where I had mentioned about uploading more Badaga Songs and Dance video clips that were part of the ‘Music of the Mountains’ and ‘Mountain Melodies’ concerts organised by Dharmalingam Venugopal at Chennai.

Here are more;

Dharmalingam Venugopal is a man of many talents. His knowledge on the history of the Nilgiris is phenomenal. His campaigns on ‘Save the Nilgiris’ are well known and brought in rich dividends. He is also involved in saving the rich tribal culture of the blue mountains called the Nilgiris in South India. He is member of many organisations that are involved in the preservation of the mountains. Recently he participated in an UNO sponsored event in the USA.

As part of a well thought out strategy to preserve the cultural traditions of the hill tribes like Badagas, Thodas and Kothas, he had organised ‘The Music of the Mountains’ in 2006 and ‘Mountain Melodies’ in 2008 at Music Academy and British Council respectively at Chennai.

In a recent meeting at my place in Coonoor, Dharmalingam Venugopal shared many of his thoughts that were highly educative and greatly impressive. He was kind enough to share the videos taken on the above mentioned ‘musical events’ and has permitted them to be made public.

The following clip of Badaga Dance is just a small ‘trailer’ of the many more video clips that will follow :

Watch it in full screen for greater enjoyment

Thank you Venu!