Stanford University, a major university in Silicon Valley, California, has now established in its library ‘the Nilgiri Collection‘. This is the largest collection of books, articles, manuscripts, dissertations and maps dealing with the Nilgiris to be found anywhere in the world — even bigger than what is in the British Library. The books date from 1820 onwards, down to the present.
At present there is no online access to the material, as it has to be consulted in the library’s Special Collections room in Palo Alto. But as the library is digitising vast amounts of material nowadays, we might hope for online access later on. The librarian who is in charge of this and all South Asian books is Dr. Ryan Perkins, a historian, and he may be reached at c.ryanperkins@stanford.edu
Information, kind courtesy : Prof. Paul Hockings, the Anthropologist par excellence, who is on a visit to the Nilgiris
The ‘Mistaken Migration from Mysore’ theory that Badagas have migrated from Mysore plains.
I attended the “In Conversation with Paul Hockings ” meeting, courtesy Ganesh Ramalingam, who is spear heading the movement to restore ST status for Badagas on 19 Aug 2023. Prof. Paul Hockings is on a visit to the Nilgiris.
While giving full credit to Prof. Paul Hockings for writing so much about Badagas and exposing us to the world, I am totally opposed to his view that we are migrants from Mysore.
I had told Prof.Paul Hockings many times earlier through emails and in person in the meeting at Ooty.
(Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash with Prof.Paul Hockings, in turban)
His argument is “please show some evidence that Badagas were in the Nilgiris for a longer period than a few hundred years, (thousand of years), I will definitely change my view.”
I see a subtle change in his perception now. For a specific question ‘why did you write, in the first place, that Badagas migrated from Mysore, his answer was ‘Badagas, themselves told me and pointed to a village near Nanjangud as their ancestral village ‘.
In 1962, when Paul Hockings first started his research on Badagas, he was about 28 and staying in Ketti village. Prof. Paul Hockings, says that he had visited about 80 Badaga villages.
Prof. Paul Hockings accepts and stated on record that Badagas are as indigenous to Nilgiris as British to Britain to a question by Ganesh Ramalingam. This I consider to be a subtle change in the view of Prof. Paul Hockings though he still seems more inclined towards the migration from Mysore theory.
The argument that Badagas have migrated from Mysore area, in the northern side of the Nilgiris MAINLY based on the meaning of BADAGA and/or some Badagas with whom Paul Hockings interacted, informants as he calls them, told them so, is not convincing. In 1960s, the awareness of Badaga Origin, was not well known to the Badagas. Some Lingayats, among the Badagas he gathered the migration information from, could have been falsely influenced, because of their ties with some villages near Nanjangud.
Now that Badagas, some of them highly educated and well informed, have started questioning this mistaken migration theory, we can feel that there is unease in the minds of many scholars and followers who tend to quote Westerners about migration and calling them wrongly as Hindu Refugees escaping the forced religious conversion by Muslim invaders.
The only way to establish our origin and ancestry, once and for all, is to do carbon dating. Paul Hockings, agrees to this and says he is willing to change his perception about the so called Badaga Migration, as that would be scientific.
Apart from this important issue of migration, where Prof. Paul Hockings, in my opinion, could have been misinformed, the other research Paul Hockings has done on Badagas, is exemplary. His books on ‘Badaga English Dictionary and Badaga Proverbs‘ along with Christiane Pilot Raichur, are great source of information and should find a place in every Badaga home.
(Prof. Paul Hockings with Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash at the later’s house in Coonoor. Aug, 2023)
On a personal note, I am willing to sponsor anyone from our community, who can do this carbon dating and also request young Badaga leaders like Ganesh Ramalingam and other friends to initiate a serious attempt on this issue.
Let us prove that we are as old as any other tribe in the Nilgiris and this Migration from Mysore is a big mistake.
Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash (Air Veteran, Indian Air Force)
This message should be made loud and clear among every Badaga brothers and sisters. We should get convinced ourselves first.
In my opinion, DNA profiling and DNA mapping would be a better way to scientifically understand the origin of our community.
Regards.
Thank you very much, Ramachandra, I fully agree with you that we, Badagas, should get convinced ourselves first. DNA profiling/mapping could/should also be done. Why not? – Wg Cdr JP
In his book, THE GOLDEN BOUGH – A STUDY IN MAGIC AND RELIGION (1922) Sir James George Fraser (1854 – 1941) mentioned the following :-
Among the Badagas of the Neilgherry Hills in Southern India, when a death has taken place, the sins of the deceased are laid upon a buffalo calf.For this purpose the people gather round the corpse and carry it outside of the village. There an elder of the tribe, standing at the head of the corpse, recites or chants [known as - "KARU HARUCHODU"] a long list of sins such as any Badaga may commit, and the people repeat the last word of each line after him.
The more I listen to the song 'Kappu Uttileyu', the more fascinated I become. All the 12 Badaga months starting with Koodalu [given in Capital Letters] are beautifully integrated within the song.
Badaga dance is all about grace and style. It is a wonderful sight when a group of ladies dance together. During the funeral, the ladies of the parental village [hatti] of the deceased woman, dance going around the cot [kattalu] to the music provided by the 'host' hatti musicians.
Badaga Dance
Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash, the 'All-in-One' of this site. Started as a hobby but now an obsession.
English Translation of the above poem by Bellie Jayaprakash
My Mother
Even when I was down with poverty and sat at the front court yard,
Even when the near and dear ones despised and deserted,
My mother who gave birth, cared for and brought me up,
Did not blame me and did not reject me- her son, as bad
Even when I toiled as a Cooli with a bent back,
Even when I sat down with my looks dulled and dirty,
Even when I wore patched up old clothes,
My mother never said that I was down ; never rejected me as poor!
Even when I entered the stables and cleaned the dung,
Even when I sat on the rock and tendered the cows,
Even when I lifted loads to earn so as to suppress the hunger,
My mother never found any fault ; never scolded me as ignorant.
Dhoddaru Shloka
Some Badaga Proverbs [Dhoddaru Shloka]
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1.Akka Ghandana koda dhukka hegile, Makka maria buttu baa ennana (When
sadness is shared with elder sister’s husband, his advise is to
come to him) 2. Aandama ellade Haandi Beya, Ullama ellade Gulla
beya 3. Kiviga elladadu kombuga aeththaga 4. Guttige [Kuttige?]
bathavu arai aaga beda, kunna thammanu mella aaga beda 5. Kumbala
kaaya [Kumbakkeya] saaki handiga kottenge (Growing pumpkins only to feed wild boar) 6. Gumboonda Mola edda enge [like a hare jumping out of the bush -element of surprise] 6a.Eragi holaga mola hugga enge [ like a rabbit getting into a wheat field -destruction by deceit] 7. Sadiga madi elle 8. Saththu biththa kaaye 9.Saththaduga hinde etha holae eana? (After death, how does it matter where you go?) 10.Saththa Koyee, baththa mukkirava ? (Can a dead hen feed on grains?) 11. Gollaru mada kattida enge 12.
Ghandu gundu, hennu helavu 13. Ghandu kulidu ketta, Hennu thirigi [hisithu] ketta (The boy wasted his life by idling/lazying around
(sitting), the girl wasted her life by smiling (turning around) at strangers 14. Ghanda thoorile, kandamanu thoorina [when the
husband neglects, everybody follows] 15. Ghanda ebbane buddi elle,
buddi bappane ghanda elle (Wisdom did not come when husband was alive, when wisdom came husband was not there) 16. Gana ellade
sande aaga, sangadhi ellade daari sameya (Evening does not end without gossip, way does not end without some news) 17. Koyigu
kothigu maake (Like a hen and a cat [always fighting]) 18.Koy(iy)a Kaethaa maasu arappadhu (Do you ask the hen [being
killed for dinner] for grinding the chilli paste?) 19. Kona neeruga baggiravo, neeru konaga baggiravo [Will the bull bend to
drink water, or, water bends for the bull? -Implying
impossibility] 20. Kothi aatta, eliga prana sangada (The antics of a cat are matters of death to a rat) 21. Kothi kaala baase
denge (Like the cat licking its leg) 22. Savi kanda kothi attalu hathidenege 23. Koduva cooli nodu, kathuva olaya nodu [keep a watch at the wages being paid (and hence get work done) and keep a watch at the burning embers in the kitchen] 24.Kodalia kaavu, kolava kedu maadira 25. Kotta hennu nela arige 26.Kotta saalava kaeyade ketta, bithida holava nodade ketta (Suffering
by not asking the loan to be returned, nor looking after the planted[with seeds] fields) 27. Kai yoge kannaadiya beethindu neerunamoga nodidha enge (looking for the reflection of the face on thewater when there is a mirror in the hand) 28. Kai eelu aaga guddili masiya [the implement not bend as per the shape of bones in the hand] 29. Kaiga bandadu bega elle (What came to the hand did not reach the mouth) 30. Ketta arasa buda beda mikka
kannava eda beda 31. Kulidhu athamaga kulidhu avvu, niddhu athamaga niddhu avvu (Cry sitting with the one who cried sitting
with you, cry standing with the one who cried standing - pay in the same coin- –
proper and equal reciprocation 32. Kuradaga hagalu ena er uena (How does it matter whether it is day or night for a blind
man?) 33. Sandhe jaamana meiyu, saaku hoththu bandha nattan uhoga (The evening rain and the guest who had come with a hessian
cloth[bag] covering will not go easily) 34. Sappodu saare, Haagottudoora 35. Chiikkavanaalayu Sivana buddi (Even though he is veryyoung, has lot of wisdom like Lord Siva) 36. Ollitha ethi hollava
thallu, olagodho ellava gellu (Take only the good leaving behind the bad and win all in this world) 37. Hallana neeru hattaleyu
baavi neeru hechu 38. Thaaya palichileyu neera pallicha beda (Even
if you [have to] show scorn to mother, never do it to water [the
source of life]) 39. Kasa aaleyu rusi maadi thinnu (Even if it
is rubbish, eat it after making it tasty) 40. Natta maneye
hattaleyu, ghanda mane hesara ethu 41. Kicha muttile attira (If
you touch the fire, it will burn you) 42. Hottiya kitcha beethale
kettara 43. Aaru kaasuna sambuva aaleyu, aranmaneya gelacha
maadu 44. Adhista mooru p(b)aala, harakke aaru paala 45. Kitcha
thindama karia Hedana (One who eats fire, excretes charcoal) 46.
Nanga belli holladale thattana koda horatta ena 47. Ghandana
ollithundhu undia dhottadhu ekka beda 48. Maneya nududhu mandhaga
hogu 49. Maathu hetchi mane ketta, bithu hetchi hola ketta 50.
Aadindu holae maathu, agadundu holae mannu [Agadhale mannu, Nudidhale
maathu] 51. Hanja theedhara(theegira) maathu niddara 52.
Thandeya koddamana paadhava hidi 53. Thindhu santhosha aappadhuna,
nodi santhosha aagu 54. Avvaiya halladha nodile magava nodudhuga
mane enaga 55. Huttone anna thamma, hoppane dhayada kaara 56.
Sandhe aappile endhu hoga beda, baaga aappile endhu era (oraga)
beda 57. Kathu potti, hethu baradi 58. Ethu elladhamaga edha
elle, makka elladhamaga mane elle 59. Nangaga bandhale allu
thundhu, Ooruga bandale opedha kai 60. Hasanooru haala
kudipadhuna, Neelagiri neera kudhi 61. Moladha kanna neera, bettai
kara aradhaneya 62. Hadadhe endhu hatta maada beda, kette endhu
kaeda thora beda 63. kette endhu kaeda thora beda, baddendhu bava
thora beda 64. Sikkanuna badakku batta baiyilu 65. Niri
chikkira, hari chikka 66. Huttu daridharaga kottu dhandodhu
daara 67. Thale thatty nela nodi nade 68. Aandama illade aandi
bethadava, ullama illadhe gulla bedharava 69. Hitta andhu kondu,
battaya nidhu kondu 70. Balla beethu baddiga hoga beda 71.
Arasana makkaga hurikallu muthu 72. Aeye pyla moyae nodu 73.
Anai koodi halla, theni koodi batha 74. Thitta thevara otha
beda 75. Anna thammana agala maada beda 76. Thaaya maatha kethu
nodadhey nyaya hadadheya, thandhya maatha kethu nodadhey handhi
hadadheya 77. Madi buddu maaruga sedhara, hennu buddu nattaga
sedara (Madi buddale maaruga, ele buddale meduga) Added :- 78.
Badagava makka huttu , Badegega Athu AAgha Beda 79. Hothu Banda
Kathiya , Ooruna ebba Kathe othara 80. Badavaga Badukku Bandale,
Thinguva Beesiluna Kode Hidithana 81.Bendhamana Hunna, Nondhama
Ariyakku 82.Usara Kotta Kothi , Nosala Nakkira 83. Thalaiyamana
Maathu, Mundhuga Uppu – Hinduga Bella 84.Appana Maathu,
Aneya Bala 85. Bae Aadileyu Bae ga Kedu, Seegi Aadile yu Bae ga
Kedu [A word play-pun- on Bae which means both the mouth and crop
[vellamme] 86. Mundhileyu Mookku Hagga, Hindileyu Kaal
Kanni 87.Akka Ellade Natto, Avare Ellade Uttavo
On your Mobile
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Remember to access many multi media posts like Badaga Songs and Dance.
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. One of them is the loud chanting of ‘Athikkodhu – EAY AH HOW – on certain but specific occasions. It is said that in earlier days [hundreds of years back], when the Badaga villages [hattis] were separated by thick jungle forests , 'athikkindu Hoppadhu ' - traversing the forest with loud athikkodhu chant - kept the wild animals away.
Three occasions, when this loud chanting takes place, 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 from Hethai Gudi is taken to ‘Madi Halla -river’ for change into new dress once a year].Also, and whenever a hatti 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 ‘chanting /cry’ is made from the bottom of the stomach by a few leading the procession and repeated by the rest following them.
I have given the ‘live’ recordings of this unique chanting (recorded during a wedding [the band playing in the background] at Thambatty
That is a lot of hits for a website [weblog] on BADAGA that is focused on a small community of the Blue Mountains - the Nilgiris, in the southern part of India. Is it due to...
the urge to know the unknown about ourselves....
to sift the truth from fiction....the satisfaction that we have a very unique history.....the mystery about the mistaken migration.....the traditions that are still steadfastly followed.....the great language that has survived for centuries without a script...
The simple fact that this site's motto of 'Proud to be a Badaga ; Proud to be an Indian' has become an accepted norm...
You all, my dear friends, have made me bow my head in gratitude.
Proud to be an Indian and proud to be a Badaga, indeed.
Hope to say - 'thanks a million' soon...
Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash, is the 'All-in-One' of this site. He started this site as a hobby but now, it has become an obsession. This website crossed the milestone of 100,000 visitors on 8-3-2010, 150,000 visitors on 20-4-2011, 200,000 visitors on 6-4-2012 , 250,000 on 22-1-2013, 300,000 hits on 6-1-2014, 350,000 on 6-1-15 and 400,000 on 13 -11-2015550000 hits on 1 Jan 2018. Feel humbled but proud
Once in a way, we get to hear a song which instantly registers both in mind and heart. The golden voice you hear in this saavu [funeral] song is, beyond any doubt, excellent and haunting.
Thomas Chandy (thomaschandy@gmail.com) writes:-
"This is my first visit to this site and was surprised to know how ignorant I have been about the Badaga community. All that I have read makes me hang my head in shame for I have been growing up in the Nilgiris, among the Badagas and I was so ignorant about their origin,culture and so on. This write up is very informative and useful and may the Badaga community grow and spread through the whole world and prosper".
"Thank you Thomas. I am humbled at your kind words. May I hope that the Badagas will live up to your hopes, and thank you once again on behalf of the Badaga community – Wg Cdr JP"
Learn Badaga
” Ollenge iddiya ? - How are you ?”
‘Suddi saddha ella olliththa ? (Roughly) Hope everything is ok ‘
1. Are you a Badaga ? - Nee ondu Badagana?
Yes, I am a Badaga - Ha, Na ondu Badaga
2. What is your name ? - Ninna hesaru aena ?
My name is .... Enna hesaru .....
3. Which is your village ? - Ninna Hatti edhu ?[3a. Amme / Thamma, nee ai hatti ? - Girl/ Boy, which is your village?]
My village is Bearhatti - Enna Hatti bandu Bearhatti
4. Whose son/daughter are you ? - Nee dara maathi / hennu ?
This is the the first time I am visiting this site.... It took 5 hours to go through this site, you have done a fantastic job. Its just like a bible for our next generation. Thanks for your commitment!
Badaga
From the heart
Do you feel very strongly about any issue concerning Badaga Community? Have the urge to pour your heart out ? Feel free to express yourself without any inhibition and send them tobjaypee@gmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Save the TIGER
Tiger is HULI in Badaga Lanuage
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CLICK HERE
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Bhuvaneshwari R writes :- This website is one of the best I have seen. Didn’t think I would find so much detail about our culture.
The history of origin of Badagas is quite fascinating. Photos are also really great.
Really good to see someone do an effort to spread awareness.Thank you…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn Badaga
Welcome, one and all!, Baarivi, Ollengay Iddhara?
Ninna hesuru aena?- what is your name?,
Nee Ae hatti? - which is your village?,
Appana hesuru? - Father's name?],
Maduvey aai buttava?- [Are you] married?,
Ganda,Elliya gelcha gheedhana?- where is [your] husband working?,
Here's a question that was posed to the Dalai Lama:
"What thing about humanity surprises you the most?"
His answer is : "MAN - Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn't enjoy the present,
And as a result he doesn't live in the present or the future. And he lives as if he's never going to die and then he dies having never really lived".
Once in a way, we get to hear a song which instantly registers both in mind and heart. The golden voice you hear in this saavu [funeral] song is, beyond any doubt, excellent and haunting.
Dedicated to my mother Mrs.Idyammal Bellie Gowder [1912-2011] who gave everything to me
That is a lot of hits for a website [weblog] on BABADAGA that is focused on a small community of the Blue Mountains - the Nilgiris, in the sosouthern part of India. Is it due to...
the urge to know the unknown about ourselves....
to sift the truth from fiction....the satisfaction that we have a very unique history.....the mystery about the mistaken migration.....the traditions that are still steadfastly followed.....the great language that has survived for centuries without a script...
The simple fact that this site's motto of 'Proud to be a Badaga ; Proud to be an InIndian' has become an accepted norm...
You all, my dear friends, have made me bow my head in gratitude.
Proud to be an Indian and proud to be a Badaga, indeed.
Hope to say - 'thanks a million' soon...
Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash, is the 'All-in-One' of this site. He says that he started this site as a hobby but now it has become an obsession.This website crossed the milestone of 100,000 visitors on 8-3-2010, 150,000 visitors on 20-4-2011, 200,000 visitors on 6-4-2012 , 250,000 on 22-1-2013, 300,000 hits on 6-1-2014, 350,000 on 6-1-15 and 400,000 on 13 -11-2015550000 hits on 1 Jan 2018.600000 hits on Sep 2018 Feel humbled but proud