Hethey Habba at Hubbathalai

Hethey Habba – Hubbathalai ‘Hana Kattodhu’

Hethey Habba the biggest festival of Badagas of the Blue Mountains, The Nilgiris, is a time that unites the Badagas more than anything else. The villagers gather together around the village Suththukal, in the temple complex, pay a token amount called Dhadi Hana, on the friday, just before the Hethey Habba monday (this year 2025, the habba is on Monday, the 20th January). The amount collected is deposited at the sacred Hethey Temple at Beraganni Village, by the villagers who go the Beraganni village, who are called Hethey Kararu, some of them carring the sacred sticks called Dhadi. They are given a warm and respectful send off. They undertake this journey by foot.

The distance to Beraganni from Hubbathalai is about 33 km and it takes about nine/ten hours. This time Chandra, an ex Army Veteran & famous hockey player of yester years and Mahesh, from Hubbathalai village are undertaking this pious journey for the 37th year contineously.

This solemn occasion is called Hana Kattodhu (paying money). and it was celebrated with full traditional gaiety at Hubbathalai.

With Captain Pavithra Manohar, who made the Badagas proud by being the First Badaga lady who won the President of India Sword of Honour when she passed out of Officers Training Academy, Chennai in Oct 2022, (now posted in the North East of India); she had come to attend the Hethey Habba festival – Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash (Veteran Indian air Force Officer)