Badugaru - The Baduga Tribe

Badugaru are one of the native peoples of the Nilgiris. The names of hills and dales, streams and ponds, animals and plants, hamlets and villages bear evidence to the fact that Badugaru have lived on the Nilgiri Hills for more than 2000 years now. The Nilgiri Hills is divided into 4 hill areas namely “Thodhanaadu”, “Porangaadu”, “Mekkunaadu” and “Kundhe Seeme”.

“Badugaga bandatha badukku” means “A herd of buffaloes is the livelihood of a Baduga”. “Banda” means a herd or herds of buffaloes. “Badukku” means livelihood. Badugaru were originally “bandakaarru” (herdsmen). Each Baduga family living in a “hatti” (hamlet), who are the descendants of a common ancestor, owned a “tho” (an enclosure built of stone for a herd of buffaloes). During summer, when water and grass was scarce on the Nilgiri Hills, Badugaru drove their “banda” to an “emmatti” (a temporary settlement of a group of herders usually by a watercourse at about the foothills of the Nilgiri Hills to water and graze their herds of buffaloes). Some Badugaru drove their herds to the "tho" owned by “Thodhavaru” (Todas) for them to tend their herds temporarily.

Badugaru are gatherers. They gather fruits like “mulli hannu”, “jakkalannu”, “kolangalannu”, “bikkannu”, “nerlannu”, “thoutannu”, "kavilannu", etc. that are indigenous to the Nilgiri Hills. Badugaru also collect “jenu” (honey).

Badugaru gathered the grains of the indigenous cereal plants like “keere”, “korli”, “halla ganje”, etc. The grains of the cereal plants especially “korli” and “halla ganje” are cooked and also crushed to a coarse powder and cooked. Later on Badugaru learned to cultivate these cereal plants and the grains of which were ground to powder in a “beesangallu” (a millstone) and cooked. The grains of the cereal plant “keere” were baked and often eaten with honey or ground to powder after being baked and often eaten with buttermilk. Cereal plants like “erigi”, “saame”, “bole ganje” etc. were introduced to the Nilgiri Hills later. These cereal plants were cultivated everywhere on the Nilgiri Hills.

Some of the Badugaru turned hunters. They hunted “mega” (deer) i.e. “keyi” (barking deer), “dhoddakombu” (sambar deer), etc. and “handhi” (pig) i.e. “iiyandhi” (wild boar), “mullandhi” (porcupine), etc. and “mola” (hare) and “kaataadu” (the Nilgiri Thar) and “elangue” (a small-sized wild fowl) and “kaatukoi” (wood fowl) and so on.

Every Baduga family usually held food stocks that would last the monsoon season. Therefore, they had more leisure during the monsoon season because the rains kept them indoors most of the time. They had enough time to teach “hethe-hethappana maathu” (wise sayings of their forefathers) and “harekke” (prayers) to their children thus preserving them by oral transmission. They composed “kadhe” (lyrical ballads), “saavu kadhe” (elegies), etc. and sang them. They told “paame” (stories) usually of their adventures. They played several indoor games such as “harlaata”, etc. to spend their time. When the monsoon was over they had many outdoor games such as “muttaata”, “unippaata”, “hillaata”, etc. to play.

Badugaru worship their “Hethe-Hethappa and Muthe-Muthappa and Ayya-Hethe” (Forefathers). They believe Nature (to them the Nilgiri Hills) is pervaded by the Spirits of their Forefathers. They call upon the Wisdom and the Spirits of their Forefathers for guidance. They also worship Nature or rather the four elements. Dheua (or Dhevva), Hethabba, Dhoddabba, Sakkalaathi, etc. are some of the Badugaru Habba (Baduga rituals) connected with the Spirits of their Forefathers and Nature.

Badugaru are known for their “hospitality” and their dance to the beat of the “hare” (a drum) and to the tune of the “kolu” (a pipe). These musical instruments are played even today by “Kurumbaru” (Kurumbas) or “Irularu” (Irulas). Badugaru bartered “erigi” and “same” with “Kurumbaru” (Kurumbas) and “Irularu” (Irulas) for “hui” (tamarind), “masu” (chillies), “uppu” (salt), “jenu” (honey), etc. Badugaru were supplied with agricultural implements by “Kotharu” (Kotas). Kotharu (Kotas) too played the “kombu” (a long curved pipe) on festive occasions of the Badugaru. Badugaru bartered “erigi” and “same” with “Kotharu” (Kotas) for agricultural tools.

After the British came to the Nilgiri Hills, they came to know that large areas of land remained a wilderness. They thought of bringing them under cultivation. They introduced fruits like pears, peaches, plums, oranges, etc. and vegetables like potatoes, cabbages, carrots, turnips, etc. They introduced trees like acacia, silver-oak, pine, jacaranda, etc. They introduced cereal plants like corn and wheat. They introduced cash crops like tea and coffee and managed large tea and coffee estates. They introduced cows and bulls, goats and sheep, cocks and hens and horses too.

Badugaru are a flourishing tribe. They have learnt to grow vegetables and fruits, tea and coffee, etc. Some of them own large holdings and many small holdings. Many of them are well-educated. Some of them hold government positions in India. Some of them work in the private sector. And some of them live and work abroad.

Despite their development, they still retain tribal qualities which are deeply rooted in their nature thanks to the culture they are born into.