The Badugas claimed themselves as a Scheduled Tribes based on relevant materials such as Historical, Anthropological, Sociological, Economical evidences, Government documents and also Pre-Independence British authors evidences under constitutional basis. The Badugas are presently listed in Backward class, but before Independence the British records and documents has clearly mentioned that Badugas are one of the primitive Tribes of the Nigiris. The census report before Independence has clearly mentioned that Badugas as Tribes of Nilgiris.
The Badugas are paleolithic people. The earliest inhabitants of south India are noticed in Adichanallur, Thirunelvely, Perambur and Nilgiris. The pre Historic evidences are Cairns, Barrows, Kistavaens or Mouriyamanae, Dolmens or cromlech and Azaram. These are commonly burial places. The Badugas inhabiting only in Nilgiris. A small community and their population is around 2 lakh. The census records of 1812 has mentioned that Badugas population was 1647. In 1828, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1896, 1908 and 1973(reprint) Gazetteers, Imperial Gazetteers, Gazetteers of Indian union are clearly mentioned that the Badugas of Nilgiris as Tribes. In 1880, the Nilgiris district manuals has clearly mentioned the Badugas as a Tribes. In 1897, The Madras Government Meusem Bulletin records has clearly mentioned the Badugas as a tribes.
In 1906-07, the administrative of the Madras presidency has mentioned that Badugas as a tribe. In 1819, the editor of the Govt Gazette published that the county is inhabited by three classes of people, Bergies, Todevies and Koties. The first backward class commission was appointed in 1953 under the chairmanship of kaka kalelkar, under the article 340(1) of the constitution. Report was submitted in March 1955. The commission has prepared a list of communities that should be included in tribe list rather in Backward list. Badugas were included in that list. This is based on the 1931 census. The second Backward class commission was appointed by central Government in 1978. Mr. B.P.Mandela was the chairmen of this commission under the article 340. The commission submitted its report in December 1980. This commission included Badugas in OBC list. Mandela commission was recommended to follow in 1993.
Pre-Independent British authors has mentioned that Badugas are important tribes of Nilgiri District. Baduga language is an independent language. Badugar is their comman name. Badugu is their comman language. Badugu language is more ancient than kannada language and has no connection with canarees. In 1908 one of the Baduga had past the matriculation of Madras University. (Thurston 1908).
The Badugas constructed houses in a row no gap found between the houses. Mettupalaym to kotagiri path was started in 1823. There is no roads and vehicles in Nilgiris before the arrival of the Britishers. The nilgiri people has no communication with the plains, they went places by walk. The ancient worhip of Badugas Sun Agni, Tree, Water etc., and its still continued to upto date Badugas another ancestral worship is Lord Hethe and Hiriodaiya. Badugas followed the ancestral greetings.( Blesssins- kumbudusuthu, arakaemaduthu). Before 1860 the Badugas followed the shifting cultivation or food gathering habits. They used hunting weapons like knife, arrows, axe etc., The Baduga men were waist cloth(dohti), upper cloths and turban. Badugas used the cotton from the local plants like Hullathu (Debregeasia valutina) and Thurusay barks and spun the cloths.
The marriageble age of Baduga women has been tatooded on forehead and upper arms. Badugas genrally farmers and also looked after cattels. Even some of the Baduga family had buffalows Every Baduga villages has one Emmaehatty. They had around three hundred Emmaehattys. Badugas are pastrolist groups of Nlgiris. The region Talemalae to Sathymangalam was the ancient pastoral circuit of Badugas.(Nicholson 1872:426, Metz 1864:47-48, Hockinngs 1980:30, Dr.J.Halan 2012, R.Sugumaran, 2014:39).
The Badugas are the primitive tribal people of Nilgiris as per Pre-Independent records. Due to some mistakes Badugas lost their tribal status after Independence. They lost the benefits of 5th and 6th Schedule under the constitution of article 244(1), 244(2) and 275(1).
The 5th Schedule - 244(1) provides the administration and control of schedule areas.
The 6th Schedule - 244(2) and 275(1) provides the administration of Tribal area in Assam, Megalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
