BADAGAR PANPAADU (Badaga Culture) Dr.Haldorai

[The following gist about the book was sent by the author]

‘Culture may be defined as behaviour peculiar to Homo-sapiens, together with material objects used as an integral part of this behaviour. Specifically culture consists of language, ideas, beliefs, customs, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, ceremonies and so on’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Badaga culture evolved from the background of ancient Dravidian culture and in the isolation Nilgiri environment. This book tries to elucidate the Badaga culture with its three broader chapters and many subtitles.

The first chapter ‘LIFESTYLE’ consists of twenty five subtitles. They are: profession, barley, new tax money, commune, extended family, marriage, marriage rituals, ladies, delivery, ornaments, puberty, food habits, amaranthus, milk, tender bamboo shoot, hospitality, cleanliness, dress code, fire, house warming, structure of the house, bravery, pastoral pipe and insignia.

The second chapter ‘BELIEF’ consists of thirteen subtitles. They are: Dravidian, place of worship, water, water jar, totemism, clan deity, spirit, ancestral worship, salt giving festival, religion, ritual purity and auspicious day.

The third chapter ‘TRADITION’ consists of fourteen subtitles. They are: culture, tribal culture, tribe, symbol, place of residence, upper land, immigration, individual respect, egalitarianism, language, grandson, lineage, kinship, and family respect. Besides these there are four appendix chapters. They are: colour, knowledge of time-reckoning, proper names and kinship terms. With these chapters and subtitles the book tries to cover the entire culture spectrum of Badagas briefly.

Total Pages : 230 ;  Price : Rs. 130/

Contact.No. 9442369506   R.Dharuman, Kekkatty

[This book “BADAGAR PANPAADU – [Tamil]” by Dr.Haldorai  was  released on 9th May 2013 at Ooty by Justice[retd] Chandru]

A visitor to this site writes :

I wanted to ask you regarding the various scripts that are being developed for Badaga language. What is the relevance and which one is the right one ?  Who is the one who says this or that is right ? 

… so what is your thought on this. How are we going to learn it ? 

 

This has been bothering me the last few days. If you find some time, please clarify.

Well, Sumathi’s sentiments are expressed by many. Who really decides what is relevant or the right Badaga Script. Frankly speaking, I do not know.

The curse with our community is that while we boost of so many good people trying to do something for the society, there are equal numbers to disagree or disregard each and everything. There are so many self appointed ‘Gowdas/Leaders’ and associations who claim to represent all Badagas. The truth is, after Rao Bahadur Ari Gowda, there is not a single leader who can really ‘lead’  the complete community. Sad but true.

We keep hearing about the four  ‘Seemay’ Gowdas but it appears that their influence is confined to their own seemay or group. We hear about the Nakku Betta Gowda, but we do not really know his exact status and his views about the community.

Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowda and his son Ari Gowda were considered to be ‘the uncrowned kings of the Nilgiris – Nakku Betta Raja’ during their life time because of their service to the community and others.

There is supposed to be a federation of Badagas representing many associations spread around the country but these elected representatives are not acceptable to ‘some’ politically’ connected individuals who are not willing to ‘leave’ their ‘posts’. The less said about these individuals, the better.

Coming to the Badaga Script….while I welcome an easily understandable script, the million dollar question is, “what is easily understandable?’

The disturbing news is that a group based at Coimbatore is focused on promoting one particular script and discouraging others from developing better alternatives.

See below the post about Badaga in English Script and about Badaga Barae – Script here

More to follow soon….

Badaga In English Script – Qwerty key pad

It is fantastic that a lot of efforts are being made to develop a Badaga script by Kadasoley Yogesh, Anandha Raju, Saravana Kumar Raju and others. Each has a different script to offer.

Meanwhile, I feel, it may be possible to use English alphabet and special characters that are available in a standard ‘QWERTY key pad’ to ‘write Badagu’.

The special characters are used since we do not have equivalent English letters for some letters like La – ள, Na – ண ,  etc.

Special character like [colon] : is used to avoid writing ‘a’ twice in many words like ‘baalu – tail’.

See the examples below :-

a:du – ஆடு, Dance, sheep/Goat
[a:tta a:duva b:a – ஆட்ட ஆடுவ பா  – come, let us dance],

[kappu a:du dh:aradhu? -கப்பு ஆடு தாரது  whose black sheep is that?]

idhu adhu – இது அது – this and that

k:angi – காங்கி [Female] Name
[K:angi yu Gangi yu hola gelachcha ga hogi d:arey – காங்கி யு கங்கி யு ஹோல  கெல்ச்ச க ஹோகி தாரெ – Kaangi and Gangi have gone to work in the field]

g:ai – காய் -Wind
[baniyanu ikku, g:ai beesira – பனியனு இக்கு காய் பீசிர – wear (woolen) sweater, it is windy]

bal’l’ey – பள்ளே – flat footed woman
[ah bal’l’eya kan’n’u holla – அ பள்ளே ய கண்ணு ஹொல்ல – That flat footed woman’s eyes are full of evil]

k^oi – கோய் -chicken
[k^oi udhakka – கோய் உதக்க – chicken curry]

kodu –   கொடு -give
[S^omi, ee koosuga budhiya kodu – சோமி , ஈ கூசுக புத்தி ய கொடு – God, give this boy some wisdom]

k^odu – கோடு – line
[k^oda th:anda beda – கோட தாண்ட பேட – don’t cross the line]

ban’n’a – பண்ண – colour
[ban’n’a battey baekku – பண்ண  பட்டே பேக்கு – need colourful cloth]

hen’n’u – ஹெண்ணு – girl
[ah hen’n’u s^okka idhdhavey – அ ஹெண்ணு சோக்க இத்தவெ – that girl looks beautiful]

kan’n’u – கண்ணு – eye
k:an’u – காணு see
[kan’n’a tharadhu k:an’u  endhu haegu – கண்ண தரது காணு எந்து ஹேகு – ask (him/her) to open the eyes and see]

hal’l’a – ஹள்ள – river
[hal’l’adha neeru kammi – ஹள்ள த நீரு கம்மி – less water in the river]

halla – ஹல்ல – man with big teeth
[hallajja na namba koodadhu – ஹல்லஜ்ஜன நம்ப கூடாது – don’t believe that ‘toothy’ man]

a:lu – ஆலு – anger
[appa a:l endhundu edhdhaney – அப்ப ஆல் எந்துண்டு இத்தனெ – Father is very angry]

h:al’u – ஹாளு – cursed
[h:aluvadha h:alu k:arana innu k:an’ey – ஹாளுவாத ஹாலு காரன இன்னு காணே – that cursed milkman is not seen still]

bella – பெல்ல – jagiri [black sugar]
Bel’l’a – பெள்ள – male name
[Bel’l’a na m:aththu bella m:akkey – பெள்ளன மாத்து பெல்ல மாக்கே – Bella’s words are sweet like black sugar]

Bel’l’ie – பெள்ளி – silver, Male name
[Bel’l’ie j^odi bel’l’i ungara ikki dhaney – பெள்ளி ஜோடி பெள்ளி உங்கர இக்கிதனெ – Bellie is wearing a pair of silver rings]

[Bel’l’anu Bel’l’ie yu appara nattu k:araru – பெள்ளனு பெள்ளியு  அப்பர நட்டு காரரு – Bella and Bellie are very friendly]

What are your views? Please send them as comments.

                 Script for Badaga      by   Dr.R.K.Haldorai

  “We can easily invent a completely new script for any language in a couple of days” (THE HINDU, May 25, 2013)

       Badaga language has to get a script. Few Badaga enthusiasts tried for that. Over the years few scripts were postulated. But one thing is sure that popularise any new script seems impossible in the present social scenario.

      A language can potentially be written in any script of the world with some minor changes. Badaga language is studied by well known scholars. These linguistic scholars employed other languages’ scripts, especially Tamil and Roman (English) for Badaga language. They followed the internationally adopted methods. When we follow these things we are spared from two great hurdles. Tamil and English letters are known to the present educated Badagas. So, comparatively it is very easy to popularise the required letters. Next it will be in consonance with the international studies. In this background Linguists always favour to adopt the vernacular known scripts for unlettered languages.

    It is to be remembered that the Kodagu language is written in Kannada script. In the same way another south Indian Dravidian language Tulu adopted Kannada script long ago. It is not new that more than one language adopted a common script. It is a worldwide scenario. In India Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathy, and Nepali are written in Deva Nagari script. Of late Kongany which elevated to the eight schedule of our constitution too, adopted Deva Nagari. An unlettered Naaga language of the north east state adopted Roman letters.

     To make Badaga a lettered language, Tamil and Roman scripts are at our hand.

An invitation from Dr.R.K.Haldorai whose book “BADAGAR PANPAADU – படகர் பண்பாடு ” is being released on 9-5-13 at YBA, Ooty.

Click for enlargement

Dear JP,
This article – an English description of our research project maybe of interest for you.
Best regards

Jens Zickgraf
“Market, Community and Money in India : Conversations and Monetary Circuits among South Indian Badagas”

Abstract; The project investigates the economy of the Badagas, a modern peasant community living in the Nilgir-Highlands of South India. Owing to the “cultural economics”  of  Stephen Gudeman (1986,1990,2001) and other recent developments in economic anthropology, the project enquires into the “dialectics of market and community” to explore the dynamic construction of “local models “- and how they interact with larger economic and social developments. Thereby both the local tea industry which is mainly born by the Badagas Community and the corresponding “socio-financial landscapes” constitute  focal points of our empirical research.

Click on the pix to read the article in German

[Click here to read the article in English – Wg Cdr JP]

News bulletin in Badaga language begins

Fulfilling the long-cherished dream of a majority of the population in the Nilgiris District, All India Radio, here began broadcasting the Badaga news bulletin from today.

The bulletin titled ‘Seemai Suddhi’ (Local news) would be available simultaneously from 7.25 AM daily on Ooty Main radio Channel, MW 1602 and FM 101.8, which would be for five minutes, Malathi Ravindranath, programme head, AIR, told PTI.

With the Badaga language, which has no script of its own, spoken by nearly four lakh people, the Badaga tribes are spread across about 400 villages in the district and constitute 52 per cent of the district population.

Five persons from the Badaga community have been chosen as newscasters, she said.

The news will have all local, state, country and world level happenings in the five or six minute capsule. It was also proposed to introduce Badaga news in a phased manner at 12.45 PM and 6.00 PM slot, after Tamils news daily, which would take some time, she said.

The district has large number of tribal population other than Badagas, like Irulas, Kotas, Kurumbas, Paniyar, Todas and Kattunaickers, and AIR plans to gradually introduce news bulletin in their languages also, which were now covered in a daily programme ‘Naatu Nadappu’, she said.

As for news gathering, Malathi said information given by village assistants, news from the district collectorate and departments would be included in the bulletin.

Who is a BADAGA?

Do not take this question lightly, for this affects our lives – now and in  future.

A Badaga  who marries a NON – Badaga,  is he/she STILL a Badaga??

Can a Badaga be put ‘down’ and ‘condemned’ for life, just because he/she is married to a non-Badaga???

By the way, WHO decides who is a Badaga???

What is the so called ‘Badaga Associations’ in the major cities which is filled up with almost 100% literate Badagas doing about  bringing SOCIAL AWARENESS and eliminating the stigma  attached to ‘married outside’ Badagas??

Are we so scarred that just because a handful of Badagas marry outside, our culture and customs are in a position of peril??

When we have no hesitation to acclaim the achievements of Badagas in all fields [even when a spouse is non Badaga] and seek donation for the hattis -for building temples and other social causes, why this ‘heads stuck in the sand’ mentality ???

We may have some restrictions imposed on certain and specific rites like in funeral, but should not deny or denigrate  the dignity to those who are very much our ‘blood and flesh’.

We are considered to be very forward looking by many ‘social’ indicators and should not squander that with narrow mindedness.

Think about it.

Are we still living in the stone age?

UPDATE ; 28-3-2013 29-3-2013

Usually, I am careful about publishing letters/incidents like the one sent to me by ARUN [given below in the post ‘Are we still living in the stone age?’]. He never mentioned his hatti and the country he is living in….

…………..Unfortunately, now I am told that there is a BIG TWIST to the story. ……….. I also understand that she would not participate in other functions of the hatti and during funerals, she would not take part but lock herself in……

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I am a proud Hindu. And the customs followed by most of the hattis during the funerals, is based on Hinduism.

In my opinion, it is nice of Arun’s hatti elders to forgive the past mistakes and give a decent burial to his mother AS PER BADAGA RITES though there was considerable delay.

I stand corrected for my earlier opinion and am sure Dr.Rajkumar and Dr.Mahesh would share my sentiments. I have with-held some more comments.

Arun, I know that you live in NZ, and if you want to clarify please do so.

Wg Cdr JP

comments on Update on ‘Are we still living in the stone age?’

1. Dr Krishnan Rajkumar | 30/03/2013

   Dear All,
   My sincere apologies to Arun’s hatty people and other commentators and readers of this website. I think it would be very helpful if Arun came forward with the true version of events.
   For people who choose to marry non-badaga people, they must understand that they have to embrace the badaga way of life for any chance to be accepted in the community especially in relation to hatty matters.

2. kethorai Rajma | 29/03/2013

   Dear JP,
   The twist is really an unexpected one.. It is rather a surprise..! I appreciate you for the efforts you had taken to find out the real situation .(The naked truth ). How often do we jump to conclusions…!

3. Arunkumar | 29/03/2013

   Hatti people were so kind in giving a decent burial…Personally I would not like religious conversion. Converted Badagas are no more Badaga as they donot follow any of our traditions………its my opinion.. depends on individuals anyway.

   4.            Dr.S.Mahesh Babu | 29/03/2013
   Thanks for the info u have updated. It’s really good of you to have traced the truth and let us know. As you have discussed, let the hatti people of Arun compromise this issue. Let us not dig up further. It will be better to convene some useful meetings amongst us to discuss further on these issues for the betterment of our community. Let us work together.

[The post on ‘Are we still living in the stone age?’ based on ARUN’s letter is withdrawn – Wg Cdr JP]

Badaga Calendar -2013

Third Month – NALLAANI [Mar-Apr]

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

Badaga Calander – created by Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash