Dedicated to the memory of the Great Badaga Leader

Rao Bahadur H B Ari Gowder

HETHE MANE

Madekke mannoondha aaleyu, adhu thirigi mannoo

aagha
Thuppa benne endha aaleyu, adhu thirigi benne aagha
Jenu hoo endha aaleyu, adhu thirigi hoo aagha,
Holladha vakka Hethe Mane ga hodha maele, thirigi
holladhavakka aagharu
[from silver jubilee souvenir 1993, BWA-Madras]
Hethai Habba
‘HETHAI HABBA’ is the biggest festival of Badagas

To read the ‘history of HETHAI AMMA’ Click here

Hethai Habba is always on the first MONDAY (SOVARA), the most sacred day of Badagas, after the full moon (paurnami -
HUNNAWAY ) that falls in (Tamil) Margazhi month, that is the 9th day after eight days of ‘Kolu’. This year the Hethai Habba was
celebrated on 8 Jan 2007 .

It is not fixed on a particular day like say X-Mas which is always on the 25th December of every year & hence the Hethai Habba day
with referrence to English Calender changes every year.

Every year, from various hattis the male members in their traditional dress [white turban - MANDARE, MUNDU & Badagaru
SEELE along with the family DHADI (stick)- see the photo] proceed to Hethai Gudi (mane) in Beragani on thr preceeding FRIDAY by
foot. Every house in the hatti has to pay five HANA (25paise coin) in a ceremonial function called HANA KATTODU in the village
Hethai Gudi ( also known as SUTHUKAL - a stone under a Bikke mora tree that is worshipped - see the photos below). This money
(coins) - KANNIKE - tied in a white cloth will be handed over to the Hethai temple at Beragani.
R. Ramachandran of Kekkatti gives an interesting tit bit : ‘The Hethai Dhadi, considered very sacred, is always kept in the sacred corner
called HAGOTTU, which is situated in the OGA MANE [inner room where the kitchen is located] adjoining EDA MANE.

In the olden days the diary products where stored here. It has the churing stick or the MATTHU which is attached to a pole firmly buried to
the ground. This was used for churning milk and only the men had the rights to enter this place. The diary products were stored in
THATTAE (mud pots) inside the HAGOTTU. Since Hagottu is treated as sacred, it is smeared with cowdung every Mondays with water
gathered from springs (HUTTU NEERU) only.

The HETTHAI DHADHI is kept in the HAGOTTU inside a bamboo that has been bored along its length so that the DHADHI can fit in.
The DHADHI is taken out once a year and cleaned with salt & tamarind and then taken to the HETHAI MANE during the festival and
kept back in its place as soon as the festival is over. Any outside materials that are taken into the HAGOTTU are ’purified’ by applying
camphor vapour (KAPPARANA AATHODHU)).

Here, mention must be made about HONE used for milking of buffaloes (nowadays vessels or buckets are used). This container/sort of
vessel is a broad hollow bamboo mearuing about 2 feet in length with the lower end closed. Ladies during their periods are not allowed into
the room that holds the HAGOTTU. Ladies also, usually, do not eat inside the OGAMANAE where the HAGOTTU is present’.

In olden days, every household had a Hethai Dhadi of its own. Prof.Paul Hockings mentions that HAGOTU is the milk churning place,
adjoining kitchen, inside the house - a place of worship, into which the women are not allowed to enter. But Dodda Mane in a hatti
must have a Hogotu and if it is absent, the front portion of the kitchen is still considered sacred and for men only. Also called OGASU
by Lingayat and Haruva Badagas.

There is a DHODDARU SHULOKA [Badaga proverb] which says,

’sappode sare, hagotu dura’ meaning

‘The milk vessel is nearby, but the churning place is far off’

The villagers give a warm and respectful send off to those proceeding to Hethai Mane (- they would have followed a very strict code of
conduct like not eating non vegetarian food or consuming alcohol). As they (including many young boys) proceed away from the
village, women spread white sheets (mundus) on the path and all those (men, women & children) not proceeding will prostrate ( adda
bubbadu ) and they will be blessed ( harachodu ) by those ‘hethai kararu’. The unique ,Badaga ATHIKKODU - ” Ye Ha Ho ” will be
loudly uttered.

As you listen to this ‘ Ye Ha Ho ‘ you can feel goose pimples rising, eyes welling up with tears and the heart filled with thoughts of the
ALL POWERFUL HETHAI with both happiness and awe.
They will attend to many ceremonies & functions at Hethai Mane - Beraganni /Pedduva/Gasu Gui .

These men will return back to their Villages on the next monday - THE HETHAI HABBA DAY - to a grand and ceremonial welcome.
Usually there will be ‘ Anna Dhana ‘ at their villages.

Every BADAGA (male & female) must visit Hethai Mane gudi (temple) either at Beragani or Pedduva at
least once to have an unique experience and get the
blessings of HETHAI during this fantastic festival
called Hethi Habba.
The visit can be on any day during the ‘kolu’ period when lakhs of Badagas in their whites, throng these holy places and their cars and
other vehicles would have been parked for a few kms on the all available roads. There are many more thousands of non Badaga
devotees also.

EVERYONE WILL BE SERVED FOOD ( HITTU ).

This is the only day the deity - HETHAI - will be shown to the public for a few seconds.

I have added a few photos taken at Pedduva Hatti quite some years back from my archive. The photos of Hubbathalai Hethai Gudi ‘Suthu
Kallu’ and the present ‘Head Pujari’ of Beraganni were taken a few days back (December, 2006) when Hetha Mane people were invited to
Hubbathalai Village prior to the forth coming Hethai Habba as is the tradition. More on this ‘ritual/function’ called “Hethai Mane
Kararuga Hittu Hakkuvadu” later.

On Hethai Habba day at Pedduva

The following snaps were taken at Hubbathalai Village on 15 Dec 2006
 Head Pujari of Hethai Mane (Pedduva)

My favourite ‘HETHE’ songs which can soothen the senses and bring happiness are……

Betta Nakka Suthiaa..Beragani Hethe tha

Bettadha Jana Ealla

Oh Ennu Hethey Osane Kaathi

If you want to listen to more ” Hethe ” songs go to badaga.org

Read the ‘history of HETHAI AMMA’ here

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©2008

Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash’s other website from

 HETHAI -1
The deity of Badagas is HETHAI, the all powerful Goddess whose
history is an epic of inspiration 
Dedicated to the memory of the Great Badaga Leader Rao Bahadur H B Ari Gowder

Website of Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash 

bjaypee@gmail.com

The history of Hethai has been passed on from generation to generation by folklore and ballads. I came across a
booklet in Tamil written in 1935 called 'History of Hethai Amman', probably the first written account. It is my
previledge to reproduce the complete book in its original form. 

Since these scanned pages are in JPEG format, click on any page for enlargement and easy reading.

Hethai - 1 : Introduction

Hethai - 2 : History of Beraganni Dodda Hethai

Hethai - 3 : History of Pedduva Savudi Hethai

History of Hethai
Introduction

The booklet ” Sri Hethaiammal sarithiram ( History of Sri Hethai Ammal) ” written by Mr. N.N. Pokka

(Bogga ?) Madha Gowder, is indeed one of the rare books written on ‘ Hethai ‘, the revered deity of Badagas of the

Nilgiri Hills in Southern India, some sixty/seventy odd years ago.

Given in its original form in Tamil in the following pages.

[Wherever possible, I have tried to give the translation in English - Bellie Jayaprakash ]

 
 English version of the above

Sulogam suya Badaga Bashae

Eiyu hethapparu,aelingi hennu, aeval thoraiyana

ellakkannadi joikindi, jay thaige erasi makkeri emba

hiriya devara hegaluno hoththuthale malei seemai enda

ela malei seemega bappane kaadu kaadu aladu kaare medu bandu

kaala sandu kulindu erasi makkeri hittitu edadariga hogi

makkeria madimaadi, marasi thirigi bandu kaarai mera meda nodu

vane eezhuthalai nagappa erasi makkeriyoge hibbane, kartha ranga

thorida endu kaiethi saranamaadi marasi thirigi bandu sole

sole suthi neela malae ga hathi kaarai morava edirunodi

kalla sele nattu neelagiri rangasamy endu nile naatida

vakkara nenjunoge nenethu barivo.

 
The original cover page and the author Madha Gowder
{ Bellie Jayaprakash adds : The figure shown on the cover is not to be mistaken to be that of Hethai . It appears to be

one of the standard Picture blocks available with any printing press (in this case Blue Mountain Press, Coonoor) in

those days.

[In fact, there are no pictures of ” Hethai ” at all ]}

N.N.Pokka Madha Gowder,

Nadu hatti, Katta Bettu

Family tree
1. Kuruda Hethappan , his son 2. Halli Hethappan his son 3. Ubjja Hathappan, hia son 4. Kakke Hethappan his son 5. Putta

Hethappan, his son 6. Nanjaiya Gowder his son 7. OdaNanjappa gowder, his son 8. Pokka Madha Gowder his son 9. Ranga

Gowder (aged 20) Through my elder daughters there are 11 lineages and from our elder families there are 14/15 lineages - N

N Pokka Madha Gowder

 
 

 
 continued in :
 Hethai - 2 : History of Beraganni Dodda Hethai
Hethai - 3 : History of Pedduva Savudi Hethai
  Origin of Badagas
  
  Badaga Hattis & the SEEME they belong to

  
  History of HETHAI AMMA  
  
  Badaga food habbits, recipes etc
  
 Names of birds, animals, insects etc & human anatomy in Badaga
  
 Rare Photos
  
  Badaga Language
  
  Hethe Habba

 May HETHAI's blessings be showered on all 

HETHAI - 2
The deity of Badagas is HETHAI, the all powerful
Goddess whose history is an epic of inspiration

Dedicated to the memory of the Great Badaga Leader Rao Bahadur H B Ari Gowder

Website of Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash 

Also see http://badaga.wordpress.com

bjaypee@gmail.com

The history of Hethai has been passed on from generation to generation by folklore and ballads. I came across a booklet in
Tamil written in 1935 called 'History of Hethai Amman', probably the first written account. It is my preveledge to reproduce
the complete book in its original form. 

Since these scanned pages are in JPEG format, click on any page for enlargement and easy reading.

 Hethai - 1 : History of Hethai - Introduction

Hethai - 3 : History of Pedduva Savudi Hethai

The History of Sri Dodda HEHAI of Beraganni

 
 end of Beraganni Hethi history

[Continued in ] 

Hethai - 3 : History of Pedduva Savudi Hethai

HETHAI - 3  
Hethai is the deity of Badagas & Hethai Habba is their biggest festival
 

Dedicated to the memory of the Great Badaga Leader Rao Bahadur H B Ari Gowder

Website of Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash 

Also see http://badaga.wordpress.com

bjaypee@gmail.com

The history of Hethai has been passed on from generation to generation by folklore and ballads. I came across a booklet in
Tamil, written in 1935 called 'History of Hethai Amman', probably the first written account. It is my previledge to reproduce
the complete book in its original form. 

Since these scanned pages are in JPEG format, click on any page for enlargement and easy reading.

Hethai - 1 : History of Hethai - Introduction

 Hethai - 2 : History of Beraganni Dodda Hethai

Pedduva (Pethala) Sri Savudi Hethai Amman History

 
 End of Post on ‘History of HETHAI ‘

Those who read the ‘history of HETHAI’ or listen to it ,will be blessed forever !!
  Proud to be an Indian. Proud to be a Badaga.

Hethai Habba is always after the full moon (paurnami - HUNNAWAY ) on a MONDAY
that falls in HEMMATTI (Badaga ) month or (Tamil) Margazhi month or (English)
December/January month, that is the 9th day after eight days of 'Kolu'. This
year(2007) the Hethai Habba was on the 8 Jan 2007.

Incidentally, the Hethai Habba for 2008 falls on 31 Dec 2007 (might sound a little
strange for Hethe Habba falls twice in 2007 but what I have stated earlier holds
good)

It is not fixed on a particular day like say X-Mas which is always on 25th December
of every year & hence the Hethai Habba day with ref to English Calender changes
every year.

Like in every year, from various hattis the male members in their traditional dress
[white headgear - MANDARE, MUNDU & Badagaru SEELE along with the family
DHADI (stick) ] will proceed to Hethai Gudi (mane) in Beragani on FRIDAY, the 5th
of Jan 2007 by foot. Every house in the hatti has to pay five HANA (25paise coin) in a
ceremonial function called HANA KATTODU in the village Hethai Gudi ( also known as
SUTHUKAL - a stone under a Bikke mora tree that is worshipped). This money
(coins) - KANNIKE - tied in a white cloth will be handed over to the Hethai temple at
Beragani.

The villagers will give a warm and respectful send off to those proceeding to Hethai
Mane (- they would have followed a very strict code of conduct like not eating non
vegetarian food or consuming alcohol). As they (including many young boys)
proceed away from the village, women spread white sheets (mundus) on the path
and all those (men, women & children) not proceeding will prostrate ( adda bubbadu
) and they will be blessed ( harachodu ). The unique (Badaga ATHIKKODU ) " Ye Ha
Ho " will be loudly uttered.

As you listen to this ' Ye Ha Ho ' you can feel goose pimples rising, eyes welling up
with tears and the heart filled with thoughts of the ALL POWERFUL HETHAI with
both happiness and awe.

These men will return back to their Villages on the next monday (the 8th of Jan
2007) - THE HETHAI HABBA DAY - to a grand and ceremonial welcome after
attending to various rituals / ceremonies at Beragani & Gasu gui. Usually there will
be ' Anna Dhana '

Every BADAGA (male & female) must visit Hethai Mane gudi (temple) either at
Beragani or Pedduva at least once to experience and get the blessings of HETHAI
during this fantastic festival called Hethi Habba.

The visit can be on any day during the 'kolu' period that is from 01 - 01 - 2007 to 08
- 01 - 2007 this year though the grand 'finale' is on the 8th Jan, 07 when lakhs of
Badagas in their whites will throng these holy places with cars and other vehicles
parked for a few kms on the all available roads. There will be many more thousands
of non Badaga devotees also.

EVERYONE WILL BE SERVED FOOD ( HITTU ).

This is the only day the deity - HETHAI - will be shown to the public for a few
seconds.

R.Ramachandran gives an interesting tit bit about HETHAI DHADI :' a rare site in a
badaga house is the presence of HAGOTTU . This is basically a pooja room as we call
it these days, but other than the temples, this is the only place a HETHAI DHADI is
kept in a house. Hagottu is situated in the OGAMANAE which is the sacred corner of
any Badaga house. In the olden days the diary products where stored here.

It has the churing stick or the MATTHU which is attached to a pole that is
firmly burried. This MATTHU was used for churning milk and only the men had the
rights to enter this place. The diary products were stored in THATTAE ( mud pots)
inside the HAGOTTU. Since this is treaded as the
sacred place this is smeared with cowdung every week on Mondays with
water gathered from the springs only. The HETTHAI DHADHI is kept in
the HAGOTTU inside a bamboo which is bored along its height so that
the DHADHI fits in. The DHADHI is taken out once a year and cleaned
with salt and tamarind and then taken to the HETHAI MANAE during the
festival and kept back in its place as soon as the festival is over. Any outside
materials that are taken into the HAGOTTU are made pure by applying camphor
vapour (kappurana aathothu). HONAE is the container used during milking of
buffaloes (nowadays vessels or buckets are used). This is a broad hollow bamboo
mearuing about 2 to 3 feet, with an opening on the top and but (naturally) sealed at
the bottom.

Ladies during their periods are not allowed into the house that holds
the HAGOTTU. Ladies also do not eat inside the OGAMANAE where the
HAGOTTU is present'.

Prof.Paul Hockings mentions that HAGOTU is the milk churning place, adjoining
kitchen, inside the house - a place of worship, into which the women are not allowed
to enter. But Dodda Mane in a hatti must have a Hogotu and if it is absent, the front
portion of the kitchen is still considered sacred and for men only. Also called OGASU
by Lingayat and Haruva Badagas.

There is a DHODDARU SHULOKA which says,

’ sappode sare, hagotu dura ’ meaning

'the milk vessel is nearby, but the churning place is far off'
(sappode - tender bamboo container)

To add more on HAGOTTU, here are a few more points

This is not a research study and any extra information on this is open.

Hagottu is situated in the OGAMANAE which is the sacred corner of any

Badaga house. In the olden days the diary products where stored here.
It has the churing stick or the MATTHU which is attached to the pole
firmly burried. This was used for churning milk and only the men had
the rights to enter this place. The diary products were stored in
THATTAE ( mud pots) inside the HAGOTTU. Since this is treaded as the
sacred place this is smeared with cowdung every week on Mondays with
water gathered from the springs only. The HETTHAI DHADHI is kept in
the HAGOTTU inside a bamboo which is bored along its height so that
the DHADHI fits in. The DHADHI is taken out once a year and cleaned
with salt and tamarind and then taken to the HETHAI MANAE during the
festival and kept back in its place as soon as the festival is over.
Any outside materials that are taken into the HAGOTTU are made pure
by applying camphor vapour (kappurana aathothu).
Here wish to mention the HONAE the container during milking of buffaloes
(nowadays vessels or buckets are used). This is a broad bamboo mearuing about 2 to 3 feet
hollow inside except the lower end.
Ladies during their periods are not allowed into the house that holds
the HAGOTTU. Ladies also do not eat inside the OGAMANAE which the
HAGOTTU is present.

R.Ramachandran
Kekkatty

Encyclopedia > Badaga Hattis

Badaga Hatti, is a village or hamlet spread around the Nilgiri Hills,a Tamil Nadu district, in Southern
India. The 'hattis' are inhabited by approximately 3 lakh Badaga speaking people.

The total number Badaga Hattis varies from 300 to 400. Rao Bahadur H.B. Ari Gowder is known to have
sent his assistant HAIKA MATHI in 1940s and 1950s to all over the Nakku Betta to know about the
villages and the problems of Badagas, but,unfortunately there are no written records available /
traceable. Nakku Betta literaly means four (Nakku) Mountains (betta) though there are many more bettas
(hills) around which the villages are located.

It appears that initially when the Badagas established their hamlets, they took two very important factors
into consideration. Being very environment conscious, they chose a) Direction - always or to a very great
extent facing the east [ ‘Hothu (sun) uttua (rising) pakka (side)’] and b) Water source - near a stream
(halla) or spring (huttu neeru).

Every hatti had a ’suthugallu’ (sacred triangular shaped stone) at the base of a ‘bikka mara’ (tree) around
which important meetings (Kootu) took place. For the most sacred of all Badaga festivals ‘Hethai Habba’
- always held on a monday (sovara), the collection of money (Hana kattodu) took place at the suthugallu
in an eloborate ceremony on the preceding friday (belli). Let me write about Hethai Habba in a separate
article.

The houses of each village were laid out in parallel rows, each row facing the east. The houses had
common walls (Gode mane) possibly as a measure of security. Every house had exactly the same
configuration of Bayilu (entrance), Nadu Mane (central-living/dining room ),Oge mane (Inner room) which
also doubles up as the kitchen with a 'beskatti' (large basket) above the hearth for drying, Pillay
(bathroom) and Ereh (a separate room adjacent to the bayilu). Of course, there was an attic on top of
beskatti( kitchen having a hearth) the entry to which is from the nadumane.

A cluster of villages, which need not be close or adjacent to each other, is called a ‘Seeme’. The Nilgiri
Hills - Naakku Betta , was divided into four ' Seemes ' and all the hattis were brought under them. What is
the basis apart from the geographical consideration (which is not true always) is not known. But one
unfortunate fallout was that each 'Seeme' considered itself to be superior and hence there was a lot silent
bickering. This carried on till a strong leader like Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowda and after him his son Rao
Bahadur Ari Gowda tried to unite all the Badagas so that their problems could be sorted out and properly
represented to the Government of the day.

Prof. Paul Hockings may be one of the earliest to mention the number and names of the hattis in his
books.
In a laudable effort , Mr. K.H.Madha Gowder edited “NAKKU BETTA” magazine, had attempted to record
all the hattis in one of its issues in late 1970s.

The list of villages or hattis as presented by Bjaypee in the badaga.org website is as follows.

The names have been displayed as known to the Badagas. For example, Jakkada for
Jagathala or Manjida for Manjithala or Pedduva for Pethala

Contents
← 1 Thodha Naadu Seeme
← 2 ‘Porangadu Seeme’
← 3 ‘ Mekku Nadu Seeme ‘
← 4 ‘ Kundhe Seeme ‘

Thodha Naadu Seeme

This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter.
If you are familiar with it, please expand the article, or discuss its significance on the talk page.
This article has been tagged since November 2006.

( Supposed to be our “Dodda Ooru”. Also known as ‘Raja Padagiri Seeme’) The boundaries are from
Solur to Kookkal Thore

← Kada naadu
← Kei Kauhatti
← Baralatti
← Kundeh Soppe
← Edu hatti
← Kodu mudi
← Thore hatti
← Hanni Kore
← Kavilore
← Kavaratti(Nilgiris
← Kara pillu
← Kallatti
← Soluru
← Thalai male
← Kengal
← Bara mannu
← Kenguva mudi
← Ajjoor
← Thatha benu
← Kurumbedi
← Alattane
← Maasigan
← Davane
← Mynale
← Moregallu
← Kendore
← Beragallu
← Ullupatti
← Hosa hatti
← Batta kore
← Mavu kallu
← Malli gore
← Thatneri
← Panju mora
← Bikke Kandi
← Bekkodu
← Kokkulu
← Bendatti
← Osa hatti
← Bana hatti
← Honnadale
← Thegili
← Omeyaratti
← Jakkalorai
← Madithore
← Thummanada
← Kappachi
← Muguttuva
← Nelli Mandu
← Karakkallu
← Nanja nadu
← Ode hatti
← Melur(Nilgiris)
← Akoni
← Kada sole
← Hosa hatti
← Poose kunnur
← Konagatti
← Ebbu nadu
← Kagguchi
← Kalingana hatti
← Kookal
← Seegola
← Aalatti
← Mel Kau hatti
← Kambatti
← Thummanatti
← Billi kambai
← Thooneri
← Ooru malai
← Mara kallu
← Kuruthu kuli
← Hullathi
← Bikkatti
← Athi kallu
← Thattaneri (Repeat?)
← Osa hatti (repeat?)
← Motha kambe
← Moragutti
← Jeenatti
← Bikke mora hatti
← Uyilatti
← Kookal Thore
← Melatti
← Nadu hatti

‘Porangadu Seeme’
Also known as ” Aaila Baila Seeme ” ( Porangadu 19 (Hathombathu) Ooru ).

From ‘Hubbathale‘ to ‘Hulivare‘ constitute the boundaries.

← Thatha Nadu
← Ora sole
← Gundada
← Pudiyangi
← Marle Kambe
← Batta Kore
← Arakkambe
← Mel Ane hatti
← Kil Ane hatti
← Dhimbatti
← Kada kodu
← Sippili kambe
← Kanneri mookku
← Ali ooru
← Are hatti
← Sayil dittu
← Jakkalode
← Kade kambatti
← Kappatti
← Kanneri
← Nara giri
← kunni hatti
← Beraganni
← Sundatti
← Selakkore
← Ker bettu
← Betlada
← Bendatti
← Meedenu
← Ker kambe
← Lilli hatti
← Bamudi
← Nedugula
← Bandime
← Kodamale
← Pedduva
← Baiyangi
← Kallatti
← Hakkeru
← Yeda palli
← Eethore
← Bettatti
← Osatti
← Katta bettu
← Hubbathale Ooru
← Honnore
← Attave
← Natta kallu
← Kerbennu
← Kathigatti
← Eruppu kallu
← Pudu mandu
← Thotha mokke
← Keraiyada
← Jakkanare
← Sakkatha
← Kesalada
← Aravenu
← Thumbooru
← Kallada
← Bangalada
← Thinni ooru
← Onnatti
← Thooneri
← Sulli goodu
← Edukkore
← Kengare
← Hullathatti
← Kottuvana hatti
← Mel Odenu
← Kil Odenu
← Banni ooru
← Bebbenu
← Konavakore
← Kakkul
← Dhabba kambe
← Thogalatti
← Denadu
← Ane ode
← Thalore(Nilgiris)
← Yettkallu
← Odeyaru hatti
← Mudia kambe
← Selave
← Kurukkathi
← Kavilore
← Selakore
← Kottanalli
← Thumbi male
← Jakka kombe
← Avvur
← Bellada
← Osatti (repeat?)
← Embimora hatti
← Bikkatti
← Bagumudi
← Dhodda mane hatti
← Kagakkuthore
← Koon sole
← Jakkada
← Odanatti
← Bearatti
← Malliore
← Kakakore
← Kil Bikkatti
← Mel Bikkatti
← Hubbathale Hatti
← Kari mora
← Kechigatti
← Nadu hatti
← Bettatti (repeat?)
← Manjida

‘ Mekku Nadu Seeme ‘

Also known as ‘ Asala Bisalagiri Seeme ‘ and (Meekunadu Seeme 9 (Ombathu) Ooru).

From Ketti to Keeyur

← Porore
← Sogathore
← Sakkalatti
← Kethore
← Denale
← Dhoddani
← Kil Odayaratti
← Kodangatti
← Kekkatti
← Emakkatti
← Ker kandi
← Ellanalli
← Hullada
← Ketti Ooru
← Achanakal
← Halada
← Theda hatti
← De hatti
← Sora gundu
← Kerada
← Ken Kundhe
← Kammandu
← Mel Odayaratti
← Thambatti
← Athigaratti
← Ane hatti
← Mutti nadu
← Oranai (Kattery)
← Kattery
← Nadu hatti
← Thooratti
← Kenduva
← Koderi
← Mel Koderi
← Oor thittu
← Allattane
← Manja kambe
← Denadu
← Mynale
← Kokkalada
← Maasi kandi
← Bengal(Nilgiris)
← Kothi ben
← Hulikkal
← Panne bennu
← Melur(Nilgiris)
← Attu bayilu
← Porthi
← Bembatti
← Belitho
← Ithalar
← Pudugatti
← Thodhale
← Dhodda appukodu
← Umar kandi
← Angidi hatti
← Byge mandu
← Osatti
← kallakore
← kariyalbe
← Nunduva
← Muduguva
← Balakore
← Meekeru
← Manu hatti
← Thangadu
← Oranai
← Kanneri
← Mandhane
← Godalatti
← Bikkole
← Kasole
 ← Mel Osatti
← Kil Osatti
← Haraguchi
← Bellada
← Nai hatti
← Are hatti
← Aadakore (Thulidale)

‘ Kundhe Seeme ‘
Also known as ‘ Eera Jilla Seeme ‘(?)

← Kinna kore
← Osatti
← Bikkatti
← Hiriya seege
← Mel Kundhe
← Attu mannu
← Mulli male
← Nadu hatti
← Kechigatti
← Kerabadu
← karia male
← Kandi bikke
← Manjooru
← Mani kallu
← Kil Kundha
← Thooneri
← Matta kandi
← Bakore
← Mullegooru
← Osa hatti
← Bikkatti
← Kunjanare
← Gundinaali
← Mukki male
← Kai kandi
← Edakkadu thale hatti
← Edakkadu nadu hatti
← Sundatti

Badagas
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The Badagas (Kannada: ಬಡಗ ಜನರು) are an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri
Hills of Tamil Nadu, southern India. The term 'Badagu' in old Kannada means 'North', so
'Badaga' should mean 'Northerner'. They form the largest indigenous community in the
Nilgiri region, with a population of approximately 150,000 encompassing some 370-odd
villages and smaller settlements.[1] Under the Indian government's Scheduled Castes and
Tribes system, they are not as yet formally recognized as a Scheduled Tribe (Adivasi),
although the people themselves have agitated for this recognition. They are registered as
a Backward Caste, (now referred to as other backward caste(OBC) caste).

Their aspirations to be recognized as a tribe, rather than a caste, is complicated by their

historical and contemporary social relations with other Nilgiri peoples, from whom they
have asserted some differences and even a social precedence. For example, the Badagas
have traditionally hired musicians from other Nilgiri groups (such as the Kota and Irula)
to play at their social functions, which is symbolic of submission and control in that
region.[2] However, they are also known to have paid tribute in grain to other groups, such
as the Todas. In general, neither stereotype of caste or tribe can be readily applied.

They are most likely Dravidian by descent and they are by religion Hindus of the Saiva
sect. Research has indicated they migrated to the Nilgiris from the Mysore region,
sometime around 1600 after the break-up of the kingdom of Vijayanagara.[2] [3]

They are an agricultural people and far the most numerous and wealthy of the hill tribes.
Many have relocated to towns and cities of the region, and earn income from urban-style
employment.

Their language is Badaga, a dialect of Kannada.

[edit] Origin of the Badagas

The badagas have been considered to be of Dravidian origin even though the
language spoken is close to Dravidian but it is also disputed that their customs,
cultural aspects are distinct and not closely related to other Ethnic Groups hence
their origins are in debate.

[edit] Natives of the Nilgiris

Of late the theory put forth by leading scholars have strongly criticised the
migration theory and have said that the badagas are natives of the Nilgiris.
Philology states that in the beginning languages existed without scripts and only
later scripts were developed. Hence this seems to be a justification that the
badagas were completely an indegenous people to due to the absence in their
script, but an ancient indegenous group would have a higher population or would
have been completely extinct which questions the validity of this theory.With
regard to religion, prior to converting to Hinduism the badagas were nature
worshippers, even today worship stones with nature being a central theme can be
found in the Nilgiris, Nature worship suggests that the badagas like the ancient
Greeks and the Egyptians were an ancient ethnic group.
[edit] R1a1 haplogroup
Others state that the badagas have migrated from Central/East Europe. It is
justified that the Badaga ethnic group from Central/East Europe for survival had
to accept the local language after migration to southern India and then to the
Nilgiri Hills (the nilgiris then belonged to the Vijayanagara Empire), hence the
dialect of Kannada. The badagas hence adopted the language for verbal
communication and did not accept the Script as it was Foreign to them. The date
of the second migration from present Karnataka is probably said to be around
1500 AD - 1600 AD. The population vs time graph indicates that the original
badagas were just a handful of about 15 - 30 persons. However, the European
migration theory has no credible evidence but still under debate.
Genomic Studies i.e. a Y-chromosome DNA marker test on the badagas have
resulted in the badagas belonging to the broader R1a and specifically R1a1
Haplogroup. A good percentage of people in Central Europe,East
Europe,Scandinavia and the people of Punjab also belong to this R1a1
Haplogroup. Hence this has been suggestive of the fact that the badagas are of an
Eurasian origin.

There are critics which go on to say a lot of people in Central Europe, East Europe etc are
migrants from India (INDUS VALLEY) years ago, as Indian civilisation was one of the
oldest say 5000 yrs but escavated temple Dwaraka reveal that it could be as old as 30,000
years. In the Hindu methodology, the temple was immersed, which marks the end of an
Avathar(Krishnan) and marks the beginning of a new Avathar (*this is also known as ice
age to the rest of the world, where water level rose through out the world due to melting
of ice).

The above statement of "origin" is further diluted based on the examination of R1a1 in
South Indian tribals and Dravidian population groups Saha et al. (2005) questioned the
concept of its Indo-Iranian origin. Sengupta et al. (2005) claim R1a's diverse presence
including even Indian tribal and lower castes (the so-called untouchables) and
populations not part of the caste system. From the diversity and distinctiveness of
microsatellite Y-STR variation they conclude that there must have been an independent
R1a1 population in India dating back to a much earlier expansion than the Indo-Aryan
migration.

Though R1a1 haplogroup is found in mostly all the communities throughout India
(South/East/West and North), the only other ethnic group from southern India
which belongs to the R1a1 haplogroup is the Kodava whose customs and cultural
aspects for centuries have been said to be related to the Badagas.

The Badagas are very much a part of the large Kannadiga Gowdas. It remained as a
dialect because of the isolation in the hills. The language is also believed to be the older
form of Kannada (Proto-Kannada). Though the practices may be unique, the culture is
very much the same as the Kannadigas. This uniqueness is by shedding out old practices
and adopting new ones to keep the bond among members of the community and the other
tribes like Todas, Kurumbas etc.
[edit] Unique Aspects
There are many aspects about the Badagas that are unique and distinct from other
communities.

[edit] Traditional Attire

The Badagas wear distinctive dresses. The traditional Badaga man wears a dhoti
and a dupatti, which is a long piece of thick special weave of cotton, and a turban.
The Badaga woman's attire consists of the thundu, mundu and pattu. The thundu
is a piece of white rectangular cloth wrapped around the body and reaching the
knee. The mundu is a piece of finer cotton cloth worn like a shawl over the
shoulders. The pattu is a scarf-like piece of white cotton cloth, worn square across
the forehead, and tucked in at the back of the head.

[edit] Music and Dance

Music and dance are an integral part of Badaga culture. Badagas sing and dance at
weddings, births, funerals and nearly all other occasions. Kola-Aata, Mettu-Aata,
Hara koolu etc. are some of the different forms of Badaga dance.