Badagas of the Blue Mountains

Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder from Hubbathalai remains to be one of the greatest leaders of not only Badagas for for the entire district of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. His services to the community and his philanthropic deeds are still spoken about, though he passed away in 1971. One of his most important achievements was the establishment of NCMS – Nilgiris Cooperative Marketing Society at Ooty that helped a large number of small farmers by releasing them out of the clutches of middlemen. NCMS was considered as the best Co-Op Society in India. Read more about Ari Gowder here.

On the 45th anniversary of his death on 28 June 2015, a function was held at NCMS, Ooty to remember and pay respects to Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder.

[Above report from Dinamalar 29-06-2015]

On behalf of Ari Gowder family, we put on record our deep gratitude and appreciation to the organisers of the above function.

The recent post on International Yoga Day (see below) has brought a lot of positive feed back. YOGA is not an one day ‘affair’ but must remain as a life long practice that should become a daily routine, I take great pleasure in choosing some of the best (out of the hundred of videos available on the net) and presenting it here.

Chosen for ease of explanation and follow up.

Pran Oorja – Anulom Vilom Pranayam

Pawan Muktasana

Your health is in your hands and feet, in a manner of speaking. Take it now for a healthier and happier life.

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Today is International Yoga Day that is being celebrated all over the globe.

Join with your friends if possible, otherwise, do a few YOGA exercises including systematic breathing in your home. Relax. Spend atleast 30 minutes on Yoga.

It is for your health and happiness.

Do it everyday just like brushing your teeth and make it a habit.

See and feel the difference in a month!

Go here to know What is YOGA ?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing an asana at Rajpath on Sunday

Photo: The Hindu

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Yoga to reduce weight

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Badagas of the Blue Mountain in the Nilgiris [Southern India], in earlier days, have given great importance to health. This was amply reflected in their life style. Walking was part of life. Be it going to the fields, hola or thotta, or going to the forests for gathering firewood or long trekking to gather honey and fruits [hannu koovadhu]. Since, festivals, weddings or funerals were essentially social gatherings, relatives would walk long distances to reach the destination usually a hatti/villages located far away.

Known of boys coming all the way from Edapalli & Eethorai to study in Hubbathalai School, located a few kilometres away, in the 1960s. In those days, one had to walk a considerable distance to catch a bus to go to Ooty or Coonoor. Unfortunately, laziness came along with introduction of mini buses connecting the hattis with towns in the Naakku Betta Nilgiris.. Even to go to a shop located a few hundred yards away, mini bus was awaited. Thus, a major source of exercise/good health viz walking became a casualty.

Anyway, here are the benefits of walking. Walking for health and happiness.

• The human body is made to walk.  
• Walking 30 minutes a day cuts the rate of people becoming diabetic by more than half and it cuts the risk of people over 60 becoming diabetic by almost 70 percent.  
• Walking cuts the risk of stroke by more than 25 percent. 
• Walking reduces hypertension. The body has over 100,000 miles of blood vessels. Those blood vessels are more supple and healthier when we walk.
• Walking cuts the risk of cancer as well as diabetes and stroke.  
• Women who walk have a 20 percent lower likelihood of getting breast cancer and a 31 percent lower risk of getting colon cancer.  
• Women with breast cancer who walk regularly can reduce their recurrence rate and their mortality rate by over 50 percent.  
• The human body works better when we walk. The body resists diseases better when we walk, and the body heals faster when we walk.  
• We don’t have to walk a lot. Thirty minutes a day has a huge impact on our health.
• Men who walk thirty minutes a day have a significantly lower level of prostate cancer. Men who walk regularly have a 60 percent lower risk of colon cancer.  
• For men with prostate cancer, studies have shown that walkers have a 46 percent lower mortality rate.  
• Walking also helps prevent depression, and people who walk regularly are more likely to see improvements in their depression.  
• In one study, people who walked and took medication scored twice as well in 30 days as the women who only took the medication. Another study showed that depressed people who walked regularly had a significantly higher level of not being depressed in a year compared to depressed people who did not walk. The body generates endorphins when we walk. Endorphins help us feel good.  
• Walking strengthens the heart. Walking strengthens bones. 
• Walking improves the circulatory system.  
• Walking generates positive neurochemicals. Healthy eating is important but dieting can trigger negative neurochemicals and can be hard to do.  
• Walking generates positive neurochemicals. People look forward to walking and enjoy walking.  
• And research shows that fit beats fat for many people. Walking half an hour a day has health benefits that exceed the benefits of losing 20 pounds.  
• When we walk every day, our bodies are healthier and stronger. A single 30 minute walk can reduce blood pressure by five points for over 20 hours.  
• Walking reduces the risk of blood clots in your legs.  
• People who walk regularly have much lower risk of deep vein thrombosis.  
• People who walk are less likely to catch colds, and when people get colds, walkers have a 46 percent shorter symptom time from their colds.  
• Walking improves the health of our blood, as well. Walking is a good boost of high density cholesterol and people with high levels of HDL are less likely to have heart attacks and stroke.  
• Walking significantly diminishes the risk of hip fracture and the need for gallstone surgery is 20 to 31 percent lower for walkers.  
• Walking is the right thing to do. The best news is that the 30 minutes doesn’t have to be done in one lump of time. Two 15 minute walks achieve the same goals. Three 10 minute walks achieve most of those goals.  
• We can walk 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night and achieve our walking goals.  
• Walking feels good. It helps the body heal. It keeps the body healthy. It improves our biological health, our physical health, our psychosocial health, and helps with our emotional health. Walking can literally add years entire years to your life.

ALL ACUPRESSURE POINTS ARE IN THE SOLE OF YOUR FEET …..JUST LIKE YOUR HANDS !!

[recd as a fwd email]

There are many talented Badaga singers whose captivating voice can keep the listeners enthralled. One such good singers is Bikkatti Nandakumar whose devotional song ‘Baa Kanna’ is a pleasure to listen to.

This live recording was done at Hubbathalai Hatti.

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10 reasons you should eat Curry Leaves [Karembay Soppu] instead of discarding them

Curry leaf (Karembay Soppu in Badaga, kadi patta or kari patta in Hindi, kariveppilai in Tamil, kariveppila in Malayalam, kariveppaku in Telugu) is one of the common seasoning ingredients that is added to almost every dish in India to enhance its taste and flavour. However, rather than eating this humble leaf (which is slightly bitter in taste) along with the dish, most of us segregate it and just throw it away. Have you ever wondered why our ancestors used to add this leaf to every food preparation if you have to just throw it away? Well, it is because kadi patta is packed with numerous nutrients that are actually good for you. Right from helping your heart to function in a better way to enlivening your hair and skin with vitality, it is loaded with health benefits. Here are some of them:

1. Helps keep anaemia at bay Kadi patta or curry leaves are a rich source of iron and folic acid. Interestingly, anaemia is not only about the lack of iron in your body but also about the body’s inability to absorb iron and use it. This is where folic acid comes into play. Folic acid is mainly responsible for iron absorption and since kadi patta is a rich source of both the compounds, it is your one-stop natural remedy to beat anaemia. Tip: If you suffer from anaemia, eat one date (khajoor) with two kadi patta leaves on an empty stomach every morning.

2. Protects your liver from damage If you are a heavy drinker, or eat a lot of fish or indulge in other activities that could be damaging your liver, then you must eat curry leaves. This is because, according to a study published in The Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, curry leaves protect your liver from oxidative stress and harmful toxins that build-up in your body.  Kaempferol, the highly effective anti-oxidative property of curry leaves, when combined with Vitamins A and C, not only protects the liver but also stimulates the organ to work more efficiently. Tip: Heat one spoon of homemade ghee, add the juice of a cup of kadi patta, some sugar and freshly powdered black pepper and take it regularly . Make sure you heat this mixture slightly (and not overheat it) as kaempferol boils at a very low temperature.

3. Maintains your blood sugar levels A study published in the Journal of Plant Food for Nutrition found that curry leaves lower blood sugar levels by affecting the insulin activity. Apart from this, the presence of fibre in the leaves plays a significant role in controlling your blood sugar levels. Additionally, kadi patta is known to improve digestion and alter the way your body absorbs fat, thereby helping you lose weight. This is particularly of significance for people who are obese and suffer from diabetes. Tip: To help keep your blood sugar under check, you should ideally add kadi patta to all your meals. Alternatively, consume fresh curry leaves on an empty stomach daily. Continue reading →

The Ukrainian Card Trick. Performed by: Shlovko

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You must have heard of the great mathematician Ramanujam’s Magic Square given below :

You add up any row, column, diagonal, or ‘four adjacent squares’, you will get 139.

The beauty is that the first row gives his Date Of Birth – 22 Dec 1887.

Well, inspired by this I made a magic square with DOB 24 Apr 1948

Where the addition of the four numbers in each row, column, four corners, diagonal or small squares of adjacent numbers add upto 95.

If you look closely on the above two squares, you can realise that you can easily ‘crack this code’ and MAKE A MAGIC SQUARE with your DOB – where the four numbers will add upto a specific number.

Got it ? If you are too lazy to make your own magic square, send your DOB to me, I will make the magic square. You will find my email id elsewhere on this page.

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Today is International Yoga Day that is being celebrated all over the globe.

Join with your friends if possible, otherwise, do a few YOGA exercises including systematic breathing in your home. Relax. Spend atleast 30 minutes on Yoga.

It is for your health and happiness.

 Do it everyday just like brushing your teeth and make it a habit.

See and feel the difference in a month!

Go here to know  What is YOGA ?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing an asana at Rajpath on Sunday

Photo: The Hindu

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Yoga to reduce weight

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A Badaga funeral at any Hatti(Village) can be broadly divided into the following rites :-

1. At Maney (home) மனெ – where the death has occurred.

1. At Dhodda Maney (the Sacred/Big House) தொட்ட மனெ – where the body is kept in a decorated Kattilu (cot) for paying homage.

1. At Haney (the Village grass ground) ஹணெ – where the most important rites – Karu Harachchodhu (rendering of the Funneral Prayer) கரு ஹரச்சோது, Olay Kattodhu ( formal declaration of Widow/Widower) ஓலெ கட்டோது and Akki Eththodhu (Putting rice/baththa on the face of the deceased) அக்கி எத்தொது take place.

1. At Dhoovay (the grave yard) தூவே – where the formal burial or cremation (in the olden days only cremation) is carried out followed by Baththa Beerodhu (sowing of millet) பத்த பீரோது

Let us elaborate on each of these rites in the subsequent posts.

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Though, comparatively a small community, Badagas have settled in many towns and cities, away from their Hattis -Villages in the Nilgiris, both in India and abroad.

When a death occurs in any family that is settled outside, the first and the most appropriate action would be, to take the dead to his/her hatti in the Nilgiris where the Last Rites – Funeral Ceremony would be conducted by the concerned hatti in the traditional manner.

What happens, if the option of taking the body to the concerned hatti is not possible for some reason?

Is it not possible to conduct the funeral -SAAVU MAADODHU wherever the death has occurred and give a decent and honourable cremation with all the traditional rites like Karu Harachchodhu, Akki Eththodhu etc?

In the followup UPDATES to this post that will be added, let us see how we can go about conducting a traditional Badaga Saavu away from the hattis.

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Update -1

A Badaga funeral at any Hatti(Village) can be broadly divided into the following rites :-

1. At Maney (home) மனெ – where the death has occurred.

1. At Dhodda Maney (the Sacred/Big House) தொட்ட மனெ – where the body is kept in a decorated Kattilu (cot) for paying homage.

1. At Haney (the Village grass ground) ஹணெ – where the most important rites – Karu Harachchodhu (rendering of the Funneral Prayer) கரு ஹரச்சோது, Olay Kattodhu ( formal declaration of Widow/Widower) ஓலெ கட்டோது and Akki Eththodhu (Putting rice/baththa on the face of the deceased) அக்கி எத்தொது take place.

1. At Dhoovay (the grave yard) தூவே – where the formal burial (in the olden days only cremation) is carried out followed by Baththa Beerodhu (sowing of millet) பத்த பீரோது

Let us elaborate on each of these rites in the subsequent posts.

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