Badaga Calendar
Dr.R.K.Haldorai
Badagas can boast with their own time-reckoning calendar. Once they followed their own full-fledged time-reckoning system and they practiced it even for their day to day life. But, it is to our dismay that at present most of the Badagas have only a little knowledge about that. Due to the easy accessibility of universally adopted Gregorian calendar and the arrival of panjaangam calendar at local market Badagas gradually disused their calendar system. However, it is to our surprise that still few have not forgotten the names of twelve months of the Badaga calendar. 1. kuuDalu, 2. haalaani, 3. nallaani, 4. aani, 5. aadire, 6. peeraaDi, 7. aavaaNi, 8. peraTTaadi, 9. doDDa diivige, 10. kiru diivige, 11. tay, and 12. hemmaaTTi are the twelve Badaga months.The basic unit of computation in a calendar is the day. Badagas used to dawn to dawn reckoning.
At the outset that the Badaga month begins always on a new moon day. For the Badagas the period between one new moon and the next new moon is a month. tinguva is the Badaga name for both moon and month and it expresses lunar month unequivocally, is roughly thirty days (Actually it consists 29. 5306 days). So, it is apparent that Badaga new year too begins on new moon day. It falls on different day every year because Badaga calendar is a lunisolar calendar. Every alternative year consists of thirteen new moon days . So one new moon day should be discarded without counting during every alternative year.
On which new moon day Badaga year begins? And which new moon day is be discarded without counting during alternative year? If we answer to these questions the doubt persists on Badaga calendar will disappear once for all.
“Exact time-reckoning is not a vital requirement for pastoral nomads. On the other hand, the correlation of lunar and solar time-reckoning was a necessary component of the urbanization process of the early agriculture societies. The solar year is roughly 365 days and lunar months make roughly 354 days, so a purely lunar time-reckoning is out of step with the season, which are determined by the yearly course of the sun. A lunisolar calendar was an essential instrument in administration and religion; it enabled the co-ordination of trade and agricultural activities (forecasting of seasonal yearly monsoons and floods) and the celebration of seasonal feasts at the proper time.”(Asko Parpolo). Badagas were pastorals comparatively for a longer period and they undertook the agriculture profession later on. Hence their time- reckoning consists of lunar months and solar year.
Badagas consider the bright half of the lunar month as auspicious and they prefer these days for religious activities. “muuru jena here” is considered as one of the most auspicious day in the Badaga religious beliefs. It falls on the third day after new moon. Considered as a holy day, it is the ideal day for conducting puujaas and celebrating festivals. It is believed that whatever new venture one makes on this day (or the waxing moon period days) will be tremendously successful. Badagas prefer marriage and other ceremonies on these days and they see even the milking the first time of a buffalo or cow on these days.
Badagas follow the south Indian lunisolar calendar. yugaadi or ugaadi festival marks the new year day for the south Indian people who follow the south Indian lunisolar calendar. It begins on the day after the first new moon after the sun crosses equator from south to north on spring equinox*, i.e. after March 21. meelsiime Badagas celebrate honneeru or doDDa habba (first ploughing) festival of a year on yugaadi day. With this one can assume that the first ploughing festival marks the new year day for the Badaga people too. On yugaadi new moon day the Badaga month aani begins. However most of the Badagas consider kuuDalu is the first month of a year. As yugaadi falls on the day after new moon day, it is easy to find the new moon on which kuuDalu month begins. We have to go back three new moon days from the yugaadi new moon. This year Badaga new year began on 1st January, 2014.
The yugaadi time- reckoning itself unaccounting a new moon during alternative years. So when we follow the yugaadi era the unaccounting an extra new moon day during alternative years goes along with it. For Badagas, the alternative year which bears thirteen new moon days is saribarusa. saribarusa goes along with an intercalary month i.e. an extra month ( or days) inserted in particular year. The intercalary month precedes the month that bears the same name. It is said that this calendar (yugaadi) reckons dates based on the Shalivahana era, which begins its count from the supposed date of the founding of the empire by the legendary hero Shalivahana.
- equinox = time or date at which sun crosses equator and day and night are equal (March 21, September 23). March 21st is spring equinox day .
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The following pix shows part of a Badaga Calendar I had created, [click here for more info] based on the ‘idea’ that Badaga month starts on 10th of every English month. But, what Dr.Haldorai states above makes more sense. Hope to create a Badaga Calandar based on this ‘new idea’ soon. As said earlier in my other articles,
hope a Badaga Calendar adorns every Badaga House
– Wg Cdr JP
Click on the pic for enlargement
Badaga Months
1) Koodalu, 2) Aalaani 3) Nallaani 4) Aani 5) Aadire 6) Aadi 7) Aavaani 8 ) Perattaadhi 9) Dhodda Devige 10) Kiru Devige 11) Thai 12) Hemmatti
Wishing you and your dear and near ones A HAPPY NEW YEAR !
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Badaga Calendar 2008
….other months being added….
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Click on the pix for enlargement
Like in any other calendar, there are 12 months and each month starts on the 10th of English Calendar month but for a few exceptions due to the fact that the month of Feb has 28/29 days [leap year].
I have attempted to make the Badaga Calendars for 2007 and 2008 keeping in mind that a Badaga month should start on the 10th of an English month as far as possible and also to ensure that the number of days in a month is either 30 or 31 days.
Since Badagas consider ‘Sovara’ (Monday) as the most auspicious and ‘holy’ day, they have attached a lot of importance to that day. Generaly, no non-vegetarian food is taken on Mondays. This is also the weekly holiday and hence shown on top in red colour. No ‘Hola Gelcha'[field work] is usually done on ‘sovara’s.
The biggest festival of Badagas is day-specific and not date-specific. That is to say that this festival – HETHE HABBA – always falls on a Monday [after twelve full moons and on the first Monday of the thirteenth fullmoon]. By the way,full Moon (‘Pournami’ in Tamil) is ‘HUNNAVE’ [pronounced similar to :- hunnu – wound, awai – mother] and New Moon is ‘MUTTU’ in Badaga. Hunnave and Muttu days have a white and black circle next to the date.
I must put on record my great appreciation to Mr.Sivaprakash. B.Sc.,B.Ed (Dhavane Village) and ‘Naakku Betta’ magazine [1979 Koodalu issue] for their pioneering effort on this subject.
For the year 2007
1)Koodalu – From 10th Jan to 8th Feb
2)Aalaani – From 9th Feb to 10th Mar
3)Nallaani – From 11th Mar to 9th Apr
4)Aani – From 10th Apr to 9th May
5)Aadire – From 10th May to 9th Jun
6)Aadi – From 10th Jun to 9th Jul
7)Aavaani – From 10th Jul to 9th Aug
8 )Perattaadhi – From 10th Aug to 9th Sep
9)Dhodda Devige – From 10th Sep to 9th Oct 9th Nov
10) Kiru Devige – from 10th Nov to 9th Dec
11)Thai – From 10th Nov to 9th Dec
12)Hemmatti – From 10th Dec to 9th Jan
I am aware that there is always a slip between the cup and the lip and some errors could have crept into this attempt. May I request all those interested to keep up our great traditions to write in their comments and suggestions so that improvements can be incorporated.
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No articles, images and other material in this website can be reproduced without the written permission of
Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash B.E.(GCT,Madras Univ).,M.B.A (FMS, Delhi Univ)
Contact : bjaypee@gmail.com
belliejayaprakash©2021
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My dream is that a Badaga Calendar should adorn every Badaga home
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Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash’s other website from the heart for some ‘light’ reading
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Chinna 
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Badagas of the Blue Mountains 
Nice site. Lot of information. Great job.
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It is really great, amazing and excellent;develop our language
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I HEARED THE SONG THAT “KAPPU UTTILEYU NEPPUNA SUNDHARI”, I didnot know the meaning of this song …but after seeing the BADAGAS calender I know the meaning of this song.PROUD TO BE AN BADAGA
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2011 calender please, I am very eager to know.
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no words to say…….thank you !
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The website is very good. It looks better then the badaga.org. Keep up the good work. It doesn’t look like one man effort. Hats off to all the person who worked towards this site.
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This web site it is excellent and super.
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I am a person who loves our community n was fearing that we might lose our holds cause we r having a script less language n that since many of us are spread all over d world……..in fact, didn’t have knowledge of our origin n customs 2 this extent n i am really proud of your one man army.Hats off n expectin more from u sir………Wish i have a Badaga Calender @ home asap…..gr8 job
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Hi, Its is very interesting to see our culture and traditional things over the web, many news of our fore fathers and interesting photos of traditional photo, village, people it woo oh, it is very extreme My great wishes for the person who created worked for this website, i live in abroad but after many months i got an opportunity from your website to hear some good songs, i was hearing these songs from my office i remembered all our festivals i just blinked my tears from my eyes
!!!!!!
A small request can you add some more songs and if you can add some videos of some festivals of some villages so that the badugas who live abroad can enjoy the festivals through your website,
Best regards to you and for your web, be cool
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It is really nice that this website is becoming a good platform to discuss issues related to our community. It is also keeping us updated on whose who among badagas & the new achievers.
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I have not had time to go through the full complement of your calendar preparation. However, I wish to point out that the correct name for ‘Goodalu’ is ‘Koodalu’. Whether ‘Koodalu’ itself should have a retroflexed ‘d’ or not is a matter of speculation. And of course, the calendar requires a more careful computation taking into view, when exactly is the beginning of a Badaga month. It is certainly not the 10th of a Gregorian month. Badaga month is basically lunar and hence cannot be superimposed on the present calendars which we know of. Best wishes.
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It is really great and amazing, the commitment you have for our community. And you live up to our expectations , actually every time you surpass it.
As promised, you have put up the badaga calendar. so 2009 ,we shall use only this calendar. what are the possibilities or your plans of a printed version? hope it is not too greedy a question & too early..
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Great work.I could say ‘a master piece…
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Really Amazing,,,, we have more to improve in our community
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Once again appreciating & admiring you for the tireless endeavours you put to keep this ,our website, active , I humbly request you to share your plans for the Badaga calendar for 2009, atleast I ,am very impatiently waiting to own our calendar ,a first for our community and I am sure many of our friends do share the same sentiments.
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Senthilkumar writes :
Thank you Senthil, for all the kind words.
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Amazing! HATS OFF TO U. I AM REALLY PROUD OF U AS U BROUGHT OUR CULTURE VISIBLE TO THE WHOLE WORLD.GO AHEAD DUDE.
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Really fantastic to know abt our historical community calendar,rare photos ….Great Going!!
Vistor Map – Amazing work…
Badaga songs on the web – A fabulous one to hear/find…
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no words 2 say…….. Thank U…..
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Congrats to you . Well done
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your work is speechless………………
The nilgiris – heaven of the hills
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SIMPLY MARVELOUS!
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good job
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we are having a proposal to print few copies and delivers to our community people ,good job,thanks a lot.
JP adds : That will be wonderful. If every Badaga can mention all the months of badagas, that itself will be a great step. Give me a by line, if possible and please contact me for any help at bjaypee@gmail.com
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good work
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cool blog! hats off to those who are behind this!! Will come back for more! Cheers!
JP adds: Thank you, this weblog is an ONE MAN effort to pay back to the community in whatever humble way possible.
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its really great to know about the history of our customs and community. congratulations . good job. keep it up.
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Great work.I could say ‘a master piece… wish your dream come true soon’. We should have the Badaga Calanders by 2008.
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A great effort to bring our community forward… Appreciate the great piece of work. Keep it up…
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Nice to see [such] important things in the web!!!
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Keep up the Good work!!!
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realy superb
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Fantastic and great work. This site is best and must for all the badagas. I thanks all the people behind this effort for their hard work and this is a major asset for our community.
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Great work..I like it very much…
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This is simply superb. The calendar pages can have “hethai Amman” Images.
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