Badagas of the Blue Mountains

 Hubbathalai N SIVAN, Founder President of NSFT writes to Tea Board

We, the ailing Nilgiris Small Tea Growers, submit this letter for kind consideration and necessary actions immediately.

As you are aware, The Nilgiris District has been under severe Drought since November, 2018 due to heavy frost till February, 2019 and extended Summer till July, 2019 without normal monsoons and rainfall. The entire standing Tea Crops had completely dried up and affected by many diseases, particularly, the red mite attacks. Around 40000 acres of tea gardens of Nilgiris Small Tea Growers had crop loss around 35-40% during this period.
More over, the recent Ghost Rains of August, 2019  measuring approximately 3000mm+ (three years total rainfall of Nilgiris-rained I  one week) had completely taken fertile soils of small farmers’ tea gardens from their fields, thereby making  most of their tea gardens barren and non- productive. The Nilgiris Small Tea Growers are in severe distress and direction–less now. 
More over, many Small Tea Growers had already left /sold their tea gardens and migrated to other places in search of their livelihoods. It should not be followed by the remaining Nilgiris Small Tea Growers. Hence, we request Tea Board to intervene in this matter immediately and help The Nilgiris Small Tea Growers for their Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth through their small holding Tea gardens. 
Hence, we kindly request you to look into this, and sanction appropriate crop compensations to the Nilgiris Small Tea Growers on war footing basis and save Nilgiris Tea Economy for its Sustainability. 

(This post was originally written in 2008. Now the script developed by Kadasolai Yogesh is widely followed)

BADAGA SCRIPT – BADAGA BARAE

It has always been felt that for a language to survive, it should have its own script. It cannot remain only as a spoken language for long. But of course, the script need not be peculiar and specific one pertaining to that particular language.

So too is the necessity of a script for Badaga. Many have attempted to achieve this objective with various degrees of success. But unfortunately, to my knowledge, no records exists, if any. I am no expert on phonetics or languages or much less innovating an unique script. But the urge to have a separate script has convinced me that it is very much possible to ‘ADOPT’ an existing script and ‘ADAPT’ it to Badaga language.

Three scripts come to mind straight away – Tamil, English and Kannada.Tamil – because a majority of us know how to speak and write due to the simple fact that we belong to Tamil Nadu, English – since most of us choose to learn as well as put our children in English medium schools and Kannada – due to the fact that Badaga is more akin to Kannada than any other language [though I firmly beleive that Badaga is a separate language on its own merit and not a dialect of Kannada].

But when trying to choose a script for Badaga, Kannada script is ruled out for the basic reason that most of us do not know the language or familiar with the script and no scope to learn it in our schools in the Nilgiris. Hence the choice between Tamil and English. Badaga ,like many other Indian languages, has very definitive and distinctive sounds/words [I do not know the exact English equivalent] that distinguishes one word from another. Even a small change in pronunciation could result in an entirely different meaning in Badaga. For example,a subtle change in context of the word ‘BAE [bay]’ could mean mouth, bangle, lentil, crop etc. Bella [jaggery] or BeLLa [ a male name] are two entirely different things. So are ‘kallu – stone’ and ‘KaLLu – a drink’. So, what could or should be the choice?

In Tamil script we cannot differentiate ‘K’ from ‘G’ or ‘T’ from ‘D’. This makes a huge impact when Badaga words are written in Tamil script. ‘Gaasu – potato’ is totally different from ‘Kaasu – coin, remove’. Or ‘Ettu – eight’ and ‘Eddu – getup’. Another drawback could be the absence of ‘Ha’ in classical Tamil. On the other hand, in English, we cannot clearly bring out the difference of ‘na’ from ‘Na’ [anna – food, aNNa- elder brother] or ‘halli – lizard’ from ‘haLLi – name, village’. ‘Kalla – a male name’ sounds the same as ‘ kaLLa – a thief.

Yes, it is indeed a little tricky to choose between Tamil and English. But, taking into consideration the younger generation who are going to be the future hope and the irrefutable fact that they are all more familiar with English than Tamil, the choice is English. Keeping in mind the successful adaptation of English script for Malay language (Malaysia) I would plump in for English. With a few minor modifications to overcome the grey areas mentioned above, English script can be easily used in Badaga.

Remember Devanagiri (Hindi) is the script for Nepali. The ‘minor’ modifications that can be undertaken to overcome the drawbacks I referred above could be by using an extra ‘a’ – thus milk can be written as ‘haalu’; ‘dhadi – stick’ can be different from ‘dhaadi – beard’. So on and so forth. We may use ‘capital’ letters to differentiate between ‘bella and beLLa’ as I have done above.What if a complete sentence is in capital letters ? – We may use ‘bold’ letters or underline the words to give the emphasis. Innovative use of – ‘ – [apostrophe] can bring out the difference between “soppu – green ” and “so’ppu – soap” or “kodi – flag” and “ko’di – crore”.

It is said that Indians [read Badagas] will reject 50% of anything without even hearing it, another 50% without understanding it; and if ‘anything is left behind they reject it just for the sake of rejecting it. Like what is happening in many hattis with ‘young gowdas’ ruling the roost.

BUT, ALL YOU TRUE BADAGAS – LET US START SOMEWHERE TO HAVE A SCRIPT FOR OUR LANGUAGE. IMPROVEMENTS AND INNOVATIONS CAN FALLOW. IF MICROSOFT CAN ACCEPT BADAGA AS AN UNIQUE LANGUAGE , THERE MUST BE SOMETHING . SARI THAANE?

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Badaga in English Script

How the numbers are mentioned in various South Indian Languages is given below. This is from the :WWW -> NET : What I am trying to highlight is the use of English script !?

For numbers in more than 5000 languages go to zompist.com

Another Interesting Link -> Badaga language Totally Explained

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BELLE BENGUVE – GARLIC [in whatever language you say, is always good for health – though may not be for “LOVE”]

Notice : belle[white] is written as be!!e at the end
Sanskrit लशुन laśuna yields Hindi लहसन lahsan,
Urdu لہسن lahsan (but also سیر sīr from Persian), Nepali लसुन lasun, Marathi लसूण lasūṇ,
Bengali রসুন rasuna, Gujarati લસણ lasaṇa,
Oriya ରସୁଣ rasuṇa, Punjabi ਲਸਣ lasaṇ, Konkani लोसुण losuṇa.
Tamil has வெள்ளைப்பூண்டு veḷḷaippūṇṭu ‘white herb’, less commonly வெள்ளுள்ளி veḷuḷḷi,
like Malayalam വെളുത്തുള്ളി veḷuththuḷḷi and
Kannada ಬೆಳ್ಳುಳ್ಳಿ beḷḷuḷḷi ‘white onion’, and வெள்வெங்காயம veḷvengkāyam,
like Badaga beḷḷe benguve ‘white onion’.
Sanskrit लशुन laśuna yields Hindi लहसन lahsan, Urdu لہسن lahsan (but also سیر sīr from Persian), Nepali लसुन lasun, Marathi लसूण lasūṇ, Bengali রসুন rasuna, Gujarati લસણ lasaṇa, Oriya ରସୁଣ rasuṇa, Punjabi ਲਸਣ lasaṇ, Konkani लोसुण losuṇa. I wanted to include a choice quote from The Bower Manuscript (better description in this review of Hoernle‘s publication) on the Origin (and folk etymology) of Garlic (quoted in English in The Book of Garlic from an article by von Strubing in Ernährungsforschung), but even the inexpensive Indian edition is a bit steep. So if I manage to track it down, it can be part of the next garlic post. Tamil has வெள்ளைப்பூண்டு veḷḷaippūṇṭu ‘white herb’, less commonly வெள்ளுள்ளி veḷuḷḷi, like Malayalam വെളുത്തുള്ളി veḷuththuḷḷi and Kannada ಬೆಳ್ಳುಳ್ಳಿ beḷḷuḷḷi ‘white onion’, and வெள்வெங்காயம veḷvengkāyam, like Badaga beḷḷe benguve (வெள்ளெவெஙுவெ?) ‘white onion’.

The above interesting piece is taken from ->

http://polyglotveg.blogspot.com/2007/03/garlic.html#rest

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As far as the English script used to show Badaga, I am giving below two examples of 1) the UCLA Phonetics Laboratory [for over half a century, has collected recordings of hundreds of languages from around the world, providing source materials for phonetic and phonological research] and 2) Prof.P Hockings ,From the UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive

(The unicode entry tool was developed by the Linguist List. To obtain it for use in other web pages click here)

Entry	Badaga	English
	(Note on transcriptions: rhoticity (e.g. i˞, e˞, etc. ) indicates half-retroflexion; underdot (e.g. ị, ẹ, etc. indicates full retroflexion)
1	noː	disease
2	pọː	scar
3	tọː	buffalo pen / cattle pen
4	mo˞e˞	sprout, shoot of plant
5	ho˞e˞	water course
6	ko˞e˞	carrion
7	ka˞e˞	weed
8	a˞e˞	tiger’s den
9	kọːga	a type of measure
10	ạːe	to measure
11	kaːsu	coin
12	ha˞ːsu	to spread out
13	kạːʃu	to remove
14	beː	mouth
15	be˞ː	bangle
16	bẹː	banana plant
17	i˞ːụ	seven
18	iː	to drag
19	hu:	flower
20	hụ	worm
21	hụːy	tamarind
22	ụy	chisel
23	huy	to strike
24	kae	unripe fruit
25	paːi	mat
26	beː	mouth
27	be˞ː (pharyngealized)	bangle
28	bẹː (retroflexion)	banana
29	kaːsu	coin
30	háːsu (pharyngealized)	spread out
31	kạːʃu (pharyngealized)	take off clothes
32	aːe	to measure
33	a˞e˞	tiger’s den
34	no˞ː	sickness
35	poː	scar
36	tọː	buffalo pen
37	ko˞e˞	dead body
38	huː	flower
39	hu˞ː	worm
40	huy	to strike
41	hu˞y	tamarind
42	ụy	chisel

See for more details : http://archive.phonetics.ucla.edu/Language/BFQ/bfq_word-list_1992_03.html

Research on Badaga

I found this interesting article – research by Prof: Peter Ladefoged in the net. Is it not fascinating that so much research has been done on our language ?

Peter Ladefoged Languages index

Badaga is a Southern Dravidian Language (Tamil-Kannada branch) spoken by approximately 250,000 people in the Nilgiris hills in Southern India. There are several dialects, only the most conservative having the complete set of contrasts illustrated here.

>Badaga has five vowels /i e a o u/ , all of which can be contrastively half and fully retroflexed.

Half retroflexed vowels are indicated by the diacritic for rhotocity :[a~], fully retroflexed vowels with a subscript dot [a]

This is how Prof: P Hockings depicts the Badaga Words in English script

http://books.google.com/books?id=ykNYExBRIpgC&pg=PA10&ots=lxSXekODAu&dq=badaga+proverbs&sig=q2apINOE0mMtJdmEPzJPaBnyrs8#PPA54,M1

Some more thoughts on adopting English script for Badaga

Picking up from what Prof.Paul Hockings has mentioned – rather the unicode[?] used – in the example shown here from his book Counsel from the Ancients: Study of Badoga Proverbs, Prayers, Omens and Curses (page 54. Outline of Badaga Language – 2.1.2 Vowel Contrasts ) , I am suggesting a simple and straight forward work around.

The words ‘to stand’ & ‘paddy’ are written as ‘nillu & nellu’ . No problems with that.

But ‘whistling’ & ‘to cook’ are written as ‘bi:su & be:su’ . My suggestion is use ‘beesu & baesu’ as they are pronounced.

(FootBall is FUTBAL and Photo is Foto in some languages that go by the pronounciation and thus making it easy).

‘To wander’ ‘suttu’ is used. But to me ‘suttu’ sounds more like ‘to burn’ . I would suggest ‘suthu’ for wandering. [ ‘SUTHUGAL or SUTHUKAL’ sounds familiar, is it not?]. Same thing for ‘property’ – ‘sothu’ ‘ instead of ‘sottu’ which sounds more like ‘sottu’ – ‘drop’ .

To blow ‘oodu’ – udu’ sounds and looks better than ‘u:du’ and ‘odhu’ instead of ‘o:du’ which to a novice like me is ‘run’ or ’tile’ – ‘odu’ .

‘To shine’ – it could be ‘michu’ instead of ‘miccu and ‘muchu’ instead of ‘muccu’ for covering. ‘Muccu’ sounds or looks more like ‘mukku’ – to gobble or swallow .

‘hennu’ [ ‘girl’ ] could be written as ‘heNNu’ [girl] and ‘hannu’ as ‘haNNu’ to bring out the emphasis on ‘N’.

‘nadu’ for ‘middle’ or plant is OK but for ‘country’ it could be ‘ naadu ‘ than ‘na:du’ .

Similarly, my suggestion : – for ‘now’ – ‘ ‘eega’ , ‘bamboo’ – ‘oede’ , ‘village’ – ‘ooru’ ‘

The main and only creteria should be the ease of use and understanding and yes, without the use of , what I would like to term as, ‘dots’ and ‘quotes’.

(I would like to repeat that I am no expert on languages and no intention is implied to hurt the purists and followers of UNICODE etc]

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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©2019

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For the Badaga community to preserve its cultural heritage, a large share of credit should be given to its women folk. Though, like any other community in our country, enough importance has not been accorded to the hard working Badaga women, it will not be out of place to say that inspite of hurdles and hardships, some of the Badaga ladies have broken out of the shackles and achieved a lot in many fields.

Sabitha Bojan, (Head – P&D – TN, at SMART Training Resources), is one such highly talented lady. Her poems, mainly in Tamil, are a treat to read (in FB). Recently her book “Neelamalai Pookari...” was released at Coimbatore by the Tamil Nadu minister.

Sabitha, we are proud of you!

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Eight Death Anniversary (13-7-2019)

Idyammal Bellie Gowder

You were everything for us in all those glorious 99 years and 10 months when you were ‘here’.

As we were preparing to celebrate the ‘century’, you chose to leave this earth just a couple of months earlier…seven years ago.

How time flies!

Elle idhale’yu engava harachu

[Bless us all from where ever you are]

Idyammal Bellie Gowder
Born	September 02, 1912 Hubbathalai, The Nilgiris
Died	July 13, 2011 (aged 99 years 10 months)
Parents	Rao Bahadue HJ Bellie Gowder and Nanji Hethe
Sister of	Rao Bahadur HB Ari Gowder
Spouse	B.K.Bellie Gowder [Bearhatti]

 

 

[Autographed pencil sketch of Mom by JP in 1968 while she was reading an issue of Femina ]

“I know my mother looks much older than what she is but those wrinkles have the charm of their own. They indicate the signs of her great endurance; and the hard life she has to lead through to bring her children to lead a life that is respected and regarded by others” – JP 24-1-68

Dear Hands

[Grace Noll Crowell]

My mother’s hands were beautiful,
They are not always smooth and white
They were so busy making dull
And lusterless things clean and bright.

They reached so often to caress
A hurt child crying in the night
They moved as quick as fluttering birds
Among the cups and spoons at tea

They did a thousand lovely things
And did them all so graciously
There is no way to sum them up
The countless things she did for us.

[photo of Idy Hethe’s hand by her grandson Abhi Ari -2010]

 

Let us learn Badaga – the unique language of Badagas of the Blue Mountains

” Ollenge iddiya ? – How are you ?”

‘Suddi saddha ella olliththa ? – (Roughly) ‘ How is everything ? ‘

1. Are you a Badaga ? – Nee ondu Badagana?

2. Yes, I am a Badaga – Ha, Na ondu Badaga

3. What is your name ? – Ninna hesaru aena ?

4. My name is Bhoja – Enna hesaru Bhoja

5. Which is your village ? – Ninna Hatti edu ?

[5a. Amme / Thamma, nee ai hatti ? – Girl/ Boy, which is your village?]

6. My village is Bearhatti – Enna Hatti bandu Bearhatti

7. Whose son/daughter are you ? – Nee dara maathi / hennu ?

8. I am Mela thara (top street) Joghi Gowder’s son / daughter – Na Mela thara Joghi gowdaru maathi / hennu

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Numbers in Badugu /Badaga

1. Ondu (One) 

2. Eradu (Two) 

3. Mooru (Three) 

4. Naakku (Four) 

5. Iidu (Five) 

6. Aaru (Six) 

7. eizhu (Seven) 

8. Eattu (Eight) 

9. Ombathu ( Nine) 

10. Hathu (Ten)

11. Hannondu (Eleven)

12. Hanneradu (Twelve)

13. Hadimooru (Thirteen)

14. Hadanaakku (Fourteen)

15. Hadanaidu (Fifteen)

16. Hadanaaru (Sixteen)

17. Hadarizhu (Seventeen)

18. Hadarettu (Eighteen)

19. Hathombathu (Nineteen)

20. Eipathu (Twenty)

30. Moovathu (Thirty)

40. Nalavathu (Forty)

 

50. Iivathu (Fifty)

60. Aravathu (Sixty)

70. Elavathu (Seventy)

80. Embathu ( Eighty)

90. Thombathu (Ninrty)

100. Nooru (Hundred)

Days In Badugu/Badaga

1. Aadivaara (Sunday)

2. Sovaara (Monday)

3. Mangavaara ( Tuesday)

4. Bodavaara (Wednesday)

5. Chikkavaara (Thursday)

6. Bellie (Friday)

7. Sani (Saturday)

Months In Badugu/Badaga

It is said that Badaga month usually, starts on every 10th of the English month. Like for example the first Badaga month Koodalu  starts on 10th January.

1. Koodalu (Jan)

2. Aalaani (Feb)

3. Nallaani (Mar)

4. Aani ( Apr)

5. Aadire (May)

6.Aadi (Peraadi) (Jun)

7.Aavaani (Jul)

8.Perattadi (Aug)

9. Dodda Deevige (Sep)

10. Kiru Deevige (Oct)

11. Thai (Nov)

12. Hemmaatti (Dec)

 

Pleasantly surprised to hear all the Badaga Months being mentioned in this song called ‘Kappu Huttileyu’ . Listen to this great dance number and other Badaga songs here

 

 

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	Hindu-Arabic numeral	Badaga and pronunciation
	1	ஒந்து   (Ondu)
	2	எரடு (Eradu)
	3	மூறு (Mooru)
	4	நாக்கு  (Naakku)
	5	ஐது (aidhu)
	6	ஆறு (aaru))
	7	எழ்ழு (ézhu)
	8	எட்டு (ettu)
	9	ஒம்பத்து  (Ompathu)

Certain peculiarities of Badaga .

Haalu [haa – as in hospital and lu – as in Zulu] means milk

Hallu [ ha- as hurt and llu – as in loo] means tooth [teeth]. note – there is no plural term.Haasu – spread [the bedding], Haasike – beddingHasu – hunger

Maana – Pride, Mana – heartKaanu – see, Kannu – eye[s] (example – Doctor-a Kaanu, kanna pathi hegina – See the Doctor, he will tell about the eyes]

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Peculiar Words

There are some words in Badaga that are truly peculiar. for example :

1. GIJI GIJI ( as in Give & Jinx) – Confusion , mess up / disorderly

GIJI GIJI maada beda – Don’t create confusion

Room aekka ethe GIJI GIJI (ya) hadadhe ? – Why is this room in such a mess?

2. MURUKKU(LU) (Mu ru ku) – Foul mood / mild anger

Amme Ekka maathaduvadu elle ? – Why is sister not talking ?

Ava murukkindu endhave – She is in a foul mood

3. BADAYI (Ba daa ee ) – Show Off (proud)

Appara badayi maadiya – She shows off a lot

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Birds (Hakkilu)

1. Haddu (Eagle)
2. Kakke (Crow)
3. Soray (Dove)
4. Kili (Parrot)
5. Emme Hakkilu
6. Bikkola
7. Karia(n)chitta (Black bird)
8. Gubbachi (Sparrow)
9. Mayilu (Peacock)
10. Koi (Poultry hen/cock)
11. Kaadu Koi (Wild hen)
12. Baathu(koi) – Duck

Mari (chic) –{Koi Mari – chic(ken)}

Also for calf [ for eg) Nei mari – puppy dog]

Animals

1. Aanay (Elephant)
2. Kaade -Kaadu Emme – (Bison)
3. Ottaga (Camel)
4. Kudire (Horse)
5. Kaththe (Donkey)
6. Dana (Cow)
7. Emme (Buffalo)
8. Yethu (Bull)
9. Karu (Calf)
10. Huli (Tiger)
11. Singa (Lion)
12. Siruthe (Panther)
13. Karadi (Bear)
14. Maanu (Deer)
15. Pulli Maanu (Spotted Dear)
16. Kadamay (Sambar)
17. Handi (Black Pig)
18. Kaadandi – kaadu handi – (Wild Pig)
19. Mullandi – Mullu Handi – (Porcupine)
20. Seeme Handi (White Pig)
21. Koda, Korangu (Monkey)
22. Mola (Rabbit)
23. Nari (Fox)
24. Nei (Dog)
25. Koththi (Cat)
26. Eli (Rat)
27. Aame (Turtle)
28. Nalli (Crab)
29. Halli (
30. Haavu (Snake)
31. Kappe (Frog)
32. Meenu (Fish)

Insects

1. Hoo (general for insect)
2. Nona (Fly)
3. Selandhi (Spider)
4. Kunni (Bee)
5. Eruppu (Ant)
6. Kosu (Mosquito)
7. Bendu (Moth/Butterfly)

Anatomy

1. Mande (Head) – also refers to Hair though there is specific word – Orama
2. Heddakku (Back of the skull) – usually Badagas have a long heddakku as they donot use cradles. The reason for not using cradles for babies is a story by itself. It is said to be due to the fact that when they left Mysore many hundred years ago, to escape from forced conversion to Islam by the King (Mallik Kafir /Thipu Sultan ?) in the night in a hurry, they had forgotten the baby which was sleeping in the cradle, each thinking that the other person wiould pick up the child.
3. Moole (Brain)
4. Nethi (Forehead)
5. Kenni (Cheeks)
6. Kannu [eye(s)]
7. Kivi (Ear)
8. Mookku (Nose)
9. Bae (Mouth)
10. Thudi (lip)
11. Hallu (Teeth)
12. Naalenge (Tongue)
13. Dhaade ( Chin)
14. Thonde (Throat)
15. Gaththu (Neck)
16. Maaru – Nenju – (chest)
17. Mole (Breast)
18. Hiththalu – Bennu – (Shoulder)
19. Kai (Hands)
20. Mutti (Elbow – also for knee)
21. Beralu (Fingers)
22. Hebbatte – Katte (beralu) – [Thumb]
23. Ugilu (Nails)
24. Hotte (Stomach)
25. Mollu Kudi (Naval)
26. Nadu (Hip)
27. Pitti (Buttocks)
28. Thode (Thigh)
29. Monakkaalu (Knee)
30. Kaalu (Leg)
31. Midi (Heel)
32. Angalu (Foot)

 

COLOURS (BANNA)

1.Kappu – Black

2.BeLLay – White

3. Keppu (Kechay) – Red

4. Pachchay – Green

 5. Neela – Blue 6. Arichina (Manja) – Yellow

Also see http://badaga-language.blogspot.in/

 

 

The Beauty of Ha sound/word in Badaga

 

Eliminating Ha (word/sound) is sure way of distorting and destroying Badagu language of its originality and purity

Badaga or  Badagu, is a ‘classic‘ and independent language spoken by Badagas of the Blue Mountains or the Nilgiri hills, in north -west Tamil Nadu, bordering Karnataka and Kerala.

Though it is unique by itself, it can be said to be akin to Halaiya (old) Kannada more than any Dravidian language. But due to the geo – political reasons, it is being identified more with Tamil.

Unfortunately, some ‘over enthusiastic scholars’ and a few elders have been trying to eliminate the sound ‘ha -ஹ ‘ (which is an integral part of the Badaga language and) replace it with ‘ah- அ ‘ with some unacceptable justification that these letters (as well as letter like Ja ஜ, Sa ஸ, Sha ஷ ) do not form part of pure/classical Tamil though they are very much in day to day usage.

Let me elaborate and justify why ha and other letters, like ஜ, ஸ, ஷ etc should remain as core letters/sounds in Badaga.

A Badaga village is known as Hatti (ஹட்டி) and not as அட்டி.

Our deity/ Goddess is Hethe – ஹெத்தே and not Athe எத்தே

Some day to day words starting with ha

Haalu – ஹாலு – milk

Habba – ஹப்பா – festival

Hannu – ஹண்ணு – fruit

Haavu – ஹாவு – snake

Jana ஜன – people
Janni ஜன்னி – cold

Jav’voni – Young

Jakkadha –  ஜக்கத –  the famous hatti (village)

Hasu ஹஸு – hunger

Haasu ஹாஸு – spread

Hethe nangava Harichali – ஹெத்தே நங்கவ ஹரிச்சலி

Let Hethe bless us !

Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder’s 48th death anniversary – 28 th June 2019

Rao Bahadur H.B.Ari Gowder

(4-12-1893 to 28-6-1971)

We are celebrating Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder’s 125th birth anniversary this year. Thus, it is with profound sense of gratitude and honour we recall the contribution of this visionary statesman to the society at large and the Badaga community in particular.

The Badagas, a hill tribe of the Nilgiris in Tamilnadu remember with reverence, even forty seven years after his death, Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder, as their greatest leader for his philanthropic service to the society. Particularly he brought the Badaga community out of isolation by his great articulation and arranging visits to all the villages with faithful and committed friends to spread his far reaching vision.

His path breaking social reforms like the importance of education (specially to girl children), elimination of the evil effects of drinks, by successfully pleading with the government to introduce total prohibition in the Nilgiri District during the British Raj in 1924; ensuring that Badaga students would get both free education and hostel facilities at the school established by his father Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowder in Hubbathalai village in late 1920s: and founding the Co-operative Marketing society at Ooty to free the local farmers (growing vegetables, especially, potatoes) from the exploitive middlemen and traders. As the undisputed Nakku Betta leader, his words were respected and considered as final.

The life history of Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder should be understood in the context of the status of Badagas, a primitive tribal group living only in the Nilgiri hills in a few villages (called hattis) tucked among thick forests, a hundred/hundred and fifty years ago. The Badagas are an indigenous tribe living in the hilly region for hundreds of years along with other tribes likeTodhas, Kothas and Kurumas.

The only mode of reaching other Badaga villages called hattis, in those days, was by walk, which, sometimes, that took most of a day to reach from one hatti to another. They were largely unknown to outside world. Some of the early Europeans, mainly missionaries in search of tribes who could be converted to Christianity, missed the Badagas almost completely for a long time. In the mid 1800, when some German missionaries did visit the Badaga Hamlets, the inhabitants would run away and hide themselves in their houses and fields on seeing the strange white skinned Europeans.

But once the British established their foothold and started living in the Nilgiris, things started changing. It may not be out of place to mention that the rail link between Mettupalayam and Ooty and the establishment of Cordite Factory at Aravankadu (both necessities of impending First World War looming large in early 1900) changed the outlook of Badagas, atleast in the villages located around the Cordite Factory and the six railway stations namely Coonoor, Wellington, Aravankadu, Ketti, Lovedale, Fernhill and Ooty.

In Hubbathalai, Bellie Gowder, was the last sibbling and only son among many daughters of one Joghee Gowder and was the favorite child to their parents. Very close to his house, education to the boys was given by a Badaga elder in the front yard (thenai) of his house in the evenings. Bellie Gowder was one of the students. His mother, one evening, was witness to the teacher’s mild caneing of a mischievous student for some prank.

Bellie Gowder’s mother was concerned that her son too would get some corrective caneing, since her only son was very mischievous. She asked the teacher, ” Enna maathiyavu hoodharaiya (will you beat my son also)?”

“yes “, said the teacher, “dhaara kurumbu maadile yu hoolu chikkira (whosover creates mischief, will get a beating (as punishment)”.

Well, that was the last day, Bellie Gowda could go to the school. His mother, mortally scared that her son may get beatings, sent him to graze the buffalos (emmay banda mesodhu). Deeply disappointed at not being able to attend the classes like other boys (girls education was unheard of), Bellie Gowder would ask his friends to teach him what they learnt in the school, and practice them by writing on the earth with the stick that was used to tend the herd.

It is a matter of great ability and intelligence, that he went on to become proficient
in eleven languages, including all the South Indian Dravidian languages like Tamil, Kannada,Telugu & Malayalam, along with English, French, Spanish and of course Toda, Kotha and Kuruma dialects.

And the young Bellie Gowder, took a vow, that he would build a school for the hill tribe pupils and educate his children come what may when he grew up. Remember Hubbathalai, originally known as Ammanalli Hatti, was one of the few Badga hattis, forming the boundary of Porangadu Seemay, surrounded by green fields and thick forests. There was no Cordite factory or Railway Station (Aravankadu) when he was young in the late 1800s.

Ari Gowder was the eldest son of Bellie Gowda and Nanji Hethe born on 4th December, 1983. He had four younger brothers, Haldorai, Bhoja Gowder, Raju Gowder, Joghee Gowder and the youngest sister, Idyammal. The first Badaga woman graduate, Akkama Devi who became a Member of Parliament, was married to his brother Joghee Gowder.

The educational situation at that time in the Nilgiris District was beautifully described in the petition submitted to the Minister of Education,Government of Madras, Hon,Dewan Bahadur S.Kumaraswamy Reddyar, who visted Hubbathalai on 24th June 1932 to Rao Sahib Bellie Gowder Board High School on the occasion of his first visit.

“From time to time, representations were made to the educational authorities inviting their attention to the fact that one of the main causes of the backwardness of the indigenous tribes of the hills was the lack of educational facilities. There had been a few lower elementary schools inadequately serving the needs of a proportionately large population scattered all over the District.”

Petition to the Education Minister of Mardas Government in 1932 by the Hill Tribes of the Nilgiris There were two or three Higher Elementary schools, then, in the whole District. The
demand for a few more such schools became so insistent that a start had to be made somewhere with the result that the school at Hubbathalai was opened by Rao Sahib Bellie Gowder as a private school in 1923 with lower elementary classes to begin with. In 1926 it became higher Elementary school and became a High School in 1932.

The petition mentioned that there was not a single college in the district and hoped that the Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowder school at Hubbathalai would be raised to the status of a College. That remained a dream.

The dream of a college in the hills, materialised much later after many decades, at Ooty (Ootacamund), due to consistent efforts of Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder when he was the President of Nilgiris District Board.

And thus started the story of Ari Gowder becoming the first Badaga graduate. After initial schooling in nearby places of Hubbathalai and Coonoor (upto eighth

standard), he completed the high school studies in Coimbatore and graduation in Madras Christian College at Chennai (then Madras).

Meanwhile, Bellie Gowder became the railway contractor was involved in the laying of Nilgiri Mountain Railways, initially upto Coonoor (completed in 1900) from Mettupalayam and later upto Ooty( completed in 1908). The road bridge (over the railway track) on the road connecting Ooty with Lawrence School and Kundah, near Lovedale railway station, is called Bellie Gowda bridge.
Bellie Gowder in suit and turban

Both Bellie Gowder and Ari Gowder remained as Railway contractors till their death in 1935 and 1971 respectively.

Bellie Gowder was involved in Scouts movement and philanthropic activities in a big way. He united the tribal communities like Todas, Kurumas, Kothas and Irulas of the Nilgiris to preserve their culture and traditions. He organised many functions at his village, Hubbathalai and had even succeeded in many high ranked British dignitaries to preside over the functions. His excellent English articulation and speeches were appreciated and applauded by all.

Hubbathalai Siva, as the Founder President of NSTF society has been relentlessly working for the betterment of the farmers of The Nilgiris, Nakku Betta for the Badagas, for many years now.

NSTF in association with Nelikolu Charitable Trust has been working with The Nilgiris Small Farmers for more than 15 years and brought out many achievements in the Small Tea Growers Sector including winning historic Madras High Court Verdict for fixing Remunerative Prices for the Green Tea Leaves and establishment of District Price Monitoring Committee(DPMC ) to fix the Monthly Green Tea Leaves in advance every month.

Recently, he presented his proposals for sustainable agricultural developments and the proposal for implementation of Nilgiris Organic District Movement to the Agricultural Production Commissioner & The Principal Secretary
department of Agriculture, government of Tamil Nadu Mr.Bedi IAS at Ooty.

Sikkim is the first and only state in India which is a total Organic State in the country, so far.

His petition includes :

……. we kindly request you to take necessary actions to re-establish ICAR-KVK at Ooty either by the Dept of Horticulture or Tamil Nadu Agricultural University for imparting technical training programmes without any further delays.

Import of Carrot Seeds by TAN HODA for supply to The Nilgiris Small Farmers.

You may be aware that Carrot plays an important role in the Nilgiris Horticulture and the market retail price for quality carrot seeds is quite high, which is not at all affordable to the small farmers.

Hence, we request the government to explore the possibilities to import Carrot Seeds and supply through the Horticulture Dept at affordable prices to the Nilgiris Small Farmers.

Establishment of Complete Supply Chain Centres in The Nilgiris Vegetable Clusters

We express our gratitude to the Government of Tamil Nadu for having established Cluster-based Complete Supply Chain Vegetable Procurement and Marketing Centres in Strategic Clusters in The Nilgiris District for the benefits of Nilgiris Small Farmers.

We kindly request the government to take necessary steps to run these centres successfully and sustainably for the long term growth of Horticulture and Agriculture Crops in The Nilgiris.

Hence, in a view to bring back our age old soil fertility, we propose to the Government to take immediate and necessary steps for implementation of procedures to declare our district as ‘The Nilgiris Organic District’

The once well-established ICAR-KVK in collaboration with UPASI in Coonoor has been suddenly closed due to the reasons better known to them, there by leaving Nilgiris Small Farmers in distress.

Finally, we firmly believe that the Government would look into the above proposals and implement the same in true letter and spirit for the sustainable Development and Inclusive growth of The Nilgiris Small Farmers.

Hope Siva’s efforts, that have long term benefits to the farmers, particularly Badagas, will bear fruits in the near future and curtail the cash crop carrot cultivation culture with Pesticides, Weedicides, Fungicides that have done grave damage to the soil and eco system!

Badugu Barey (Badaga Script )

Yogesh Raju (Kadasole)

 

 

Yogesh Raju from Kadasole has been working on a Badaga (he prefers to say Badagu) script for the past fifty odd years. In fact, the script was developed in 1968 itself and was taught in Mael Hosattai of Mael(Mel) Seemay. He is convinced that Badaga – Badagu is an unique Dravidian language by itself (as opposed to being a derivative of Tamil or Kannada, as some over enthusiastic supporters of these languages claim it to be. He has been propagating/teaching Badugu Script ever since.

Badugu Grammar was ‘written’ in two parts eleven years back and was released in a function at Coonoor in a press meet. The script appeared in the Tamil vernacular news paper ‘Dina Thanthi’ in 1991

A language without a script is bound to face extinction sooner or later. No question about it. Earlier, why even today, many Badagas communicate with each other in Badaga by using the scripts of English or Tamil, in which most of the educated Badagas are proficient with. The draw back of using these languages is that there are no equal or suitable letters (alphabets) to truly bring out some sounds/words used by Badagas.

For example, Ha which is extensively used in Badaga does not have an equivalent in PURE Tamil, though in today’s Tamil, ஹ is freely used. But unfortunately, some professionals, have started using ah – அ instead. They have gone to the extent of justifying this by corrupting words like hatti (village – ஹட்டி) as atti – அட்டி. A sure way to destroy the originality of Badaga.

In English, there is no equivalent to  La – ள or Na – ண which is extensively used. oLLIththu – good or haNa – money etc

See the pages on Badaga Barey under Badaga language in this website

Yogesh has been doing very good service to the society to preserve the greatness of Badaga by not only creating a script but teaching the same to youngsters in schools and online

We wish him success in his endevour – Wg.Cdr. Bellie Jayaprakash

(www.badaga.co , http://www.badaga.in)

The HALF-A-CENTUARY OLD BADUGU SCRIPT by  Yogesh Kadasole 

 

BADUGU BARE(Y) – Badugu Script, was conceived in 1968. Now it is reaching a greater number that is growing faster.

LakshaNa (grammar) & Maathartha (dictionary) are enriching Badugu, the language of Badugas, a Prilmitive native tribe of Nigiris from more than 2000 years back.

The Badugu bare was born 50 Years ago, at Mel Hosahatty at southern side of Nilgiris, in Kundhe Seeme though I belong to Thodhanaadu seeme.  Then developed other letters in the course of time (they letters were not developed in a day or two); after long research and avoiding any clash between any letters and avoiding any confusion when writing with speed and considering the psychology and the writing ability and pattern of the young children the script was developed further and experimented. in 1968 Itself, by teaching younger students and conducting tests.

All these happened at Hosahatty- some names I remember: Markanda at kunda, Bheema, Mahalinga, Krishnamoorthi (cousin of GuNa magesa, VC of a University in Gujarath), etc. (one interesting incident: one student(4th) asked me why there are two ‘in’s in Tamil and why they call one ‘in’ as ‘indh’ when that ‘in’ comes in between a word and why this confusion in Tamil. I wondered at his intelligence and it helped me in analysing the language. I. told the ‘students’ that ‘we are learning our Badugu and should forget about other languages when studying Badugu that our Badugu script has only appropriate letters for the sounds of Badugu language.The beauty is they studied in 3 hours and when I dictated some words (which I did not teach) they wrote them correctly!).

 

Then in due course of time the script was corrected for shortcomings and  shape given with writing flexibility- this took some more time, about 6 more months. But at that time the scripts for the words ‘QWA’ and ‘GWA’ were not there, it was Introduced in 1970 only.

After the research in all the ‘sabdha’ (sounds) of Badugu words, by which time Ii had collected and arranged some Badugu words (say around 1000 words). IN 1991 this script was published by a friend from Nandhatty-Gudalur who is a correspondent of  Tamil Daily “Dinathandhi”. 

Seeing this 15 gentlemen (14 from Kotagiri area and one Tamilian lady from Avinashi) studied it through correspondence. We used to write in inland letters and only in Badugu script!! (the name in the address were also written in Badugu apart from English); I still preserve them (please note that at that time there was no tv and mobiles !!!)

Later on I worked for five years for collecting old and rare Badugu words from very old elders – some words like ‘banda’, ‘mammukoosu’, ‘sisukoosu’, ‘burude’, etc,….from Maelseeme (in Hasanur, bordering Karnataka) also. (25yrs back my father, KP.Raju, a freedom fighter, established a school there and my brother (Ganesh) was teaching there and I also used to go on holidays and taught in that school).

Now around 7000 words have been collected and arranged in alphabetical order. Then started writing ‘Maaththartha’ (dictionary); after writng about 50 pages I felt the immediate need for ‘Lakshana’ (Grammar) and worked for 4 to 5 years , wrote two parts (completed in 2010) of GRAMMAR .

After this, the  script was posted in the Face Book, last year(2012). Because of the efforts taken by BWC (convener: Singan Sathu), more than two thousand people around the world are studying our script through internet. Then many youngsters who studied it joined and we under the banner of BLPG (which was instrumental in the formation of BMS) started teaching the Badugu bare at villages in weekends (so far around 50 villages were covered).

Apart from this the ‘Learn Badugu’ lessons are being posted in the FB groups at regular intervals (so far 32 lessons were posted in first phase and in the second phase also many lessons were posted). Now Maththartha(dictionary) work is continuing.

Now FB group BBB has been created and the website- http://www.swadhandhrabadugu.org  started for Badugu and the related history. In April, 2014, we conducted free 3 day camp at Reach Matriculation school, Coonoor, with the help of Prakasam Malla Gowder. Also conducted classes at cities like Coimbatore and Chennai with the support of Badagar Welfare Association, Chennai, and at Gudalur- Gudalur Badugar Nala Sangha, apart from many workshops conducted.Such classes are continuing.

I came out of Indian Bank on VRS, for the purpose of this work and also for services under BBB and BMS. Also visited UAE, at the invitation of Dubai Baduga Association, and taught Badugu script there in Dec. 2014. 

Singhan Sathu (of BWC, and AGM of Corporation Bank, and the previous President of Erode Baduga Association) introduced the Badugu script in face book. BLPG started; then BMS started.Some of the people who are pillars in Badugu teaching are:- Attuboil Raja, Senthil Kerappadu, Harihara Emarald Bhoja, Nijanth G Halagowda, Valli Aanandh, Pavithra, Aneesh, Ajeeth. Sivaraj (Selakore) a 1991 Correspondence student (now a Hindhi and Badugu teacher) has taken the mantle of teaching in many villages with a team, all with the blessings of HirOdayya, the Almighty.

Badugu Badhukku; Long live Badugu.

(From 2016 an exclusive FB group – BADUGU BARE(y) and BAASHE.- has been started. It is dedicated only for Badugu language and Script. Lessons and Videos are posted regularly). 

Yogesh (Kadasolai) mob-8903471808. email: yogeshr070&gmail.com.

Face book group timeline for learning Badugu script:- BADUGU BARE(y)  and BAASHE’ (script and language) -BBB

Website:-     www.swadhandhrabadugu.org

sketch by JP

One of the wonderful and deeply meaningful customs of Badagas, is the seeking of the blessings of elders. That is, whenever any person meets/visits an elder, he or she seeks the blessings of the elderly person [elderly does not mean aged/old but only elder by age] by bowing the head and requesting “Harachu (bless me)”. If any headgear like cap/turban is worn, the same is removed before seeking blessings. Foot wear also removed.

The elder, placing his/her right hand [or both hands] on top of the head of the youngster would bless [broadly] with the following words – footwear [kevaru / mettu]as well as the headgear [cap/kovili or turban / mandare] would be removed before blessings are sought / offered.

The elderly person  blesses as ‘ Ondhu Nooru, Saavira Agili [let one become a hundred and then a thousand];  Somi, harachavu,sogavu kodili [may God give good health and happiness]; Hoppa eday, bappa eday ella ollithay barali [let only good things happen while going out or coming back]‘ This tradition not only ensures respect to elders but also shows the close bond. Incidentally, open palms -where the nerves end, is supposed to transmit positive vibrations. Thus, the open palms placed on the head, is the ultimate way of blessing.

If you are new to this custom, it may make us a bit uneasy [ashamed is a very strong word] but when you get used to it, this is pure bliss. Let us start seeking the blessings from the most neglected elders – our parents.

1. OLLithagi, ondhu saaviraagi, ko endu korasi, bo endu bokki, nooru thumbi, naadu jaradu, dheera p(b)oorana aagi, baddukki ba

 [Let everything become good, let one become a thousand(wealth), let ‘ko’ be the call, let it boil as ‘bo’, let 100 (years) be completed, visit all [over] nation(s), be a great and enlightened person & come back with all these.

2. OLLitha Ethi, Hollava ThaLLi, Olagodho Ellava Geddu Ba

[Leave all that is bad, take all that is good , come back winning all/everything in this world]

3. Enna maathi / hennu, , sangatta salippu elladhe oLLenge iru, paddipperi mundhuga hesarethi baa, Hoppa Dhari, Bappa Dhari yo, edinjillu elladhe oLLange agili, Nee olagava gedhdhu ba !

[ Oh my son/daughter, let you live well without any disease or discomfort, let you become famous and may education take you forward, wherever you go, let there be no interruptions or hindrances and  may you come back safely. May you rule [lead] the nation (with your wisdom)]!

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Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash B.E.(GCT,Madras Univ).,M.B.A (FMS, Delhi Univ)

Contact : bjaypee@gmail.com

belliejayaprakash©2006-2019

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