The ‘Mistaken Migration from Mysore’ theory

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)

Please also see the page on Badaga Origin

Jakkadha SV Ramachandran comments

Kay Mugadane JP sir

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