Badaga language
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| Badaga | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spoken in: | India | |
| Region: | Tamil Nadu, Chennai-The Nilgiris | |
| Total speakers: | 250,000 | |
| Language family: | Dravidian Southern Tamil-Kannada Kannada Badaga |
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| Writing system: | Tamil script | |
| Language codes | ||
| ISO 639-1: | none | |
| ISO 639-2: | dra | |
| ISO 639-3: | bfq
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The Badaga language(Kannada:ಬಡಗ ಭಾಷೆ) is a southern Dravidian language (Tamil-Kannada branch) spoken by approximately 250,000 people (the Badagas) in the Nilgiri Hills in Southern India. It is known for its retroflex vowels.
The word Badaga refers to the Badaga language as well as the Badaga community/tribe. The Badaga language is also called Badugu by native speakers. The people in the community/tribe are called Badugu or Baduguru by native speakers.
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[edit] Ethnography
The Badagas are an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, southern India. 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 recognised 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 recognised as a tribe, rather than a caste, is complicated by their historical and contemporary social relations with other Nilgiri people, 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 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 Adi Dravida by descent, though 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 [1].
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 language|Kannada
Nowadays they are well-educated and their life style has been changed according to recent lifestyle. Their food style is also seemed to be different. once agriculture was the only occupation which was running throughout badaga hatti's but now both tea and agriculture is going on.
The last badaga village which ends near palghat border is iriaseegai hatti. The commonest festival which badagas celebrate is Hetthai amman festival. The way of respect they give to other people is really appreciable.
[edit] Origin of the Badagas
The badagas have been considered to be of dravidian origin because the language spoken is 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 indigenous people due to the absence in their script, but an ancient indigenous 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.
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