The Badagas are the
largest aboriginal Tribes of the Nilgiri district. Nilgiris was originally a
tribal land.
The Badagas live in nearly
303 villages, called "Hattis", throughout the district. Badaga people
speak the language called "Badugu." Language has no Script.
Some of the villages are Kukal, Kadanad, Ithalar, Nundala, Meluru,
Hulical, Athikaratty, Melkunda, Kilkundha, Ketti, Thanthanadu, Milidenu,
Nandatti, Jakkanari, Aravenu, Thinniyoor, Iyooru, Kannerimukku, Beragany,
Pethuva, Jakkatha, Thuneri etc.,
They are also called as
Gowdas of Nilgiris.
Pre-Historic
Badagas belong to
paleolithic period. Neolithic cultures like Dolmens, Cromlech, Cairns,
Kistavens, Burrows could be found in many Badaga villages, which is considered
as sacred by Badagas("H.B.Grigg,1880:242", "W.Francis,
1908:96", "Thurston, 1913:140"). Ashmound an unique feature of
neolithic culture, was in practice with Badagas. Terrace Cultivation an another
unique feature of Neolithic culture followed by Badagas and still exists
(“Bridget & Raymond Allchin,1968:261”)
Badaga Tribe inhabited
Nilgiris thousands and thousands of years ago even before Lord Christ was Born.
They are inhabiting in Nilgiris over 5000 B.C ("Shobana Swaminathan
1998:66, Reprint 2005", "R.Sugumaran Vol IV, 2009:5").
Precious Stone Trade was
carried on between Indus Valley civilization(3300 B.C) and the Nilgiris. At
Mohanja Daro and Harappa, "The beautiful green amazon stone could be found
near Doddabetta, Nilgiris." Probably Doddabetta derived from Badaga Words
("Dodda - Big"+ "Betta - Mountain", "Doddabetta"),
("Marshall 1913:32","Sakhare M.R.,
1978:39", "Dr.J Halan, 2012:16").
Mouriyan
Dynasty
During Mouriyan period(321
B.C - 184 AD) Buddhist Monks entered Nilgiris to spread Buddhism among the
Badagas in Nilgiris, where came the tree worship among Badagas("H.B.Grigg,
1880:242", " Dr.J Halan, 2012:146", "R.Sugumaran, 2014:12"). Still there is a place called
"Mouria Manae" in Nilgiris, belonging to Badagas.
Kadamba
Dynasty
During Kadamba(2AD - 6AD)
period, the land revenue and other taxes were collected from Badagas of
Nilgiris. Food grains were measured by "Kolaga" and "20
Kolaga" a "Kanduga", "Kolaga" in Badaga is
"Koga". Still the word Koga is used by Badaga people. Food grains
were paid as a tax to Kadambas("B.L.Rice, 1877:468", "Dr.JHalan,
2012:144", "R.Sugumaran, 2014:12").
The
Gangas
Later, during Ganga
Dynasty(200 AD to around 930AD), a Ganga general came to Nilgiris in 908 AD saw
the Badagas living in Nilgiris; says, can find a Fort near Droog. A Badaga
Chief has built the Fort (" Gopala krishnan, 1995:1305"). Gangas
Ruled Nilgirs (M.Gopala Krishnan, 1995:203) No doubt Nilgiris was an
administrative unit of Gangas("Dr.J Halan, 2012:142", "A.
RamaKrishnan, 1993:28", " R.Sugumaran, 2014:12").
The
Cholas
Raja Raja Cholan I, was
crossing eighteen forests for the sake of his emissary to visit Nilgiris and
reached the Nilgiris around 985 - 1014 and found
Badagas("K.K.Ramachandran, 1986, Vol II:184", "M.Gopala
Krishnan, 1995:206", "Dr.J Halan, 2012:140", " R.Sugumaran
, 2014:13").
The
Kala
In 1116 A.D. a Badaga King
called Kalaraja was ruling Nilgiris. Vishnuvardana of Hoysala Kingdom of
Karnataka was the first king to invade Nilgiris, sent his army and tried to
threaten the Badagas and ordered to obey him.
The Brave Badaga King,
Kalaraja refused his order and fought with him. In his second invation, Hoysala
army killed Kalaraj's son, inspite of his son death Kalaraja refused to obey
Vishnuvardana. In third invation, King kala was killed by Hoysalas. Three
inscriptions refers to Kala's rule from his fort in Kukal
Village("B.L.Rice, 1877: Vol:IV, Chp:2"). It testified that King Kala
was ruling from 1116 AD and implied that his ancestors had been living here centuries
earlier. King Kala was killed in a "Dhandu(war)",("B.L.Rice,
1877: Vol:IV, 19", " Dr.J Halan, 2012:139", "R.Sugumaran,
Vol IV 2011:5,6, Vol V, 2014:13"). The Nilgiris came under Hoysala Empire
after Kala Raja's death.
Hoysala
Dandanayaka
The Narashima III(1263 - 1292) was the chief of Hoysala Empire, later succeeded by Great Veera Ballala III( 1292 - 1343). Perumal Dandanayaka, the Great minister of Veera Ballala III of Hoysalas.
His son Madappa Dandanayaka was ruling
Padinalkunadu in the south of Mysore. According to Nicholson, author of
Coimbatore Manual(1898).
Dandanayakakottai was constructed around or after 1292 by Madappa
Dandanayaka, who was ruling Nilgiris and Wyanad. Transaction done by Badagas at the fort, regarding the tax. He was followed by his son
Ketaya Dandanayaka and by Singaya Dandanayaka. They are
the Subduer of Nilgiris. Descendants of these were the Nava Dandanayakas, nine
brothers and chief among them was Perumal Dandanayaka.("Gopala Krishnan,
1995:210").
Vijayanagara
Empire
Later in 14th century, the
Hoysala Kingdom was defeated by Vijayanagara Empire("H.B.Grigg,
1880:266"),so Nilgiri came under Vijayanagara Empire. The tax was
collected at Dandanayaka Kotae, Which was build during Hoysalas, Which is near Pethikotai, Submerged in the river Bavani. The history of Nilgiris
during Vijayanagara period was under two different poligars. The Ummathur and
Danayakas. The Ummathur chief held the taluks of Ootacamund and Gudalur while
Danayakas held the taluks of Kotagiri and Coonoor adjoining the Coimbatore
District("Gopala Krishnan, 1995:211").
Ummattur
Chiefs
During 15th and 16th centuries Ummattur chiefs ruled Nilgiris and
Terakanambi near Myore as a subordinate of Vijayanagara empire. They rebelled
against he suzerain power to become independent but in vain. Nelekota their
important fort in Nilgiris. Certain Ummattur chiefs bore the title Nilgiri
Sadaran(Ruler of Nilgiris).("Gopala Krishnan, 1995:212").
Sulthan
Rule
Later Nilgiris came
under Sulthan rules after the fall of
Vijayanagara Empire("H.B.Grigg, 1880:271"). Later the Dandanayakas in
Dandanayakakottae was dependent on Nayakas of Madurai. Hyder Ali attacked the
King Virapandya Devan at Dandanayakakottae
and captured the Dandanayakakottae. In the inscriptions its mentioned
Nilagiri Sadaran Kotae(the fort of conqueror of Nilgiris). Dandanayakakottae
villages along with Nilgiri ws called as Oduvanganadu. Hyder Ali was succeeded
by Tipu Sultan("Gopala Krishnan, 1995:213").
The
British
Later in 1799, British
defeated Tipu Sultan and captured Nilgiris(H.B.Grigg, 1880:272). Mountain
tracts were unknown to them till 1818, however tax were collected from
Dandanayakakotae("Gopala Krishnan, 1995:223").
Until then Nilgiris was a
part of Mysore Province. Later British merged Nilgiris with Madras province
after defeat of Tipu Sultan. In post Independence, Nilgiris was permanently
merged with Tamilnadu .
In 1800 Buchanan made a one-day visit to
Nilgiris, partly describes its climate, forest collection, swidden farming and
cattle keeping of the Nilgirians and the lifestyle of Badagaru("Buchanan
in 1807:161", " Almanack, 1866", "R.Sugumaran,
2014:15", " Dr.J Halan, 2012:1").
In 1812, Williams Key
visited Nilgiris from the plains of Coimbatore(" H.B.Griggs,
1880:XLVIII", " R.Sugumaran, 2014:15", "Dr.J Halan,
2012:2") Wish and Kindersley visited Nilgiri in 1819. John Sullivan
visited Nilgiris in 1819 with help from Badagas.
Later in 1819, John
Sullivan came to Nilgirs from Coimbatore with help of a Badaga elder named
Muthiya Gowder. He first reached Kotagiri, then Ootacamund. An inscription
about Muthiya Gowder who guided the Sullivan still exist in Milidane village
near Kotagiri. After his arrival The Nilgiris was declared as summer capital of
Madras Province.
Sullivan constructed the
stone house in 1822. In 1868 Nilgiris was separated from Coimbatore and placed
under a commissioner and assistant commissioner. Later commissioner became the
Collector.
After Independence the
Nilgiri was a part of the composite Madras presidency and after reorganization
of states under linguistic basis in 1956, Nilgiri became a part of Tamilnadu.
Even before Britishers arrived to Nilgiris,
a Portuguese Priest called Rev. Jocome Fierier visited Nilgiris in
1602, he reacheda Badaga Village called Melur("James Wilkinson Breekes, 1873:33",Frederick Price 1908:1,
H.B.Grigg 1880:273). He did not stay in Nilgiris. He returned back and informed
that he found a group of Tribal people called Badagas and Todas.
Nilgiris was called as
Badaga Nad or Badaga Country("Frederick Price, 1908:15,16",
"W.Francis, 1908:209", R.Sugumaran, 2014:13").
Lord Hethe worship is in practice since
around 1200 year ago i.e., 826A.D. Their principle object of adoration is named
as "Hette-du"("James Hough, 1826:97", " Dr.J Halan,
2012:141").
Badaga people
distinguished their living place into four categories called Porangadu semae,
Thothanadu (Thodanadu became Thothanadu) seemae, Merkunadu seame, Kundae seame,
where nearly 303 Villages come under these four seame.
The Badagas have no kolas.
Badaga tribal language
called "Badugu" was the contact language between Badagas and other
tribal people before Britishers and other community people arrived to Nilgiris.
Many names of places in
the Nilgiris District are derived from the Badugu language, e.g., Doddabetta,
Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudaluru, Kunda and Othagae(Ooty), Kattabetu, Kodanadu,
Aravenu etc.,
Due to lack of script,
Badaga people could not record their history.
In 1812 William Keys came
from plains of Coimbatore and reached Denad (Kil Kotagiri). He met a group of
Wodeas and had conversations with them and collected information(Dr.J Halan, 2012:2).
At the time Nilgiris was a part of Mysore and every transaction was with
Mysore.
William Keys, by his
obscure notice, he simply grouped them
into three - Badagas, Wodeas, and Toreas migrated from Mysore and thus emerged
the factual error (Dr.J Halan, 2012:2). Thus, in 1897, when Edgur Thurston
wrote a book called "Anthropological Bulletin" and "Cast and
Tribes of South India(reprint) in 1909", he followed work done by William
Keys("H.B.Griggs, 1880:XLVIII") and, Edgar Thurston also gave a wrong
information that Badagas migrated from Mysore.
Badaga men attended the
Toda and kota panchayat ("B.L.Rice, 1877:237", "R.Sugumaran
2014:10").
Many research has been
done on Badaga community and one of the important researches was done by a
French Linguist Called Christian Pilot Raichoor. She has proved that Badagas
are the aboriginal Tribes of Nilgiris and they speak an unique language, not a
dialect of any language.
Badagas worship several Hindu deities,
including Shiva, but their main deities are Hethai and Ayya. They celebrate
Hethai Habba in a grand fashion spread over a month during December–January
every year, and the festival is celebrated all over the district. They also
celebrate Devva Habba yearly once through out the district, considered as an important
festival.
