BADAGA DANCE ON WORLD AIDS DAY 2013
BY P S SUNDAR
Badaga is the predominant community of the Nilgiris hilly district in South India. Badagas have a distinct dialect which Kannadigas and Tamils can follow rather easily. There is no script for this language. Badagas are basically an agrarian community and cultivate tea and hilly vegetables.Now, Badagas live in many countries but all hail from the Nilgiris. Among the specific highlights of Badaga culture are Hethaiamman festival, mass feeding (Annadanam), telling hospitality, white dress, Avara Othukka meals and their dance.
Badagas stage their dance at all important functions. On the World AIDS Day awareness campaign organised on Dec 1, 2013, by Nilgiris Branch of Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) at Kakkuchi village, some 22 kilometres from Coonoor, the villagers, including adolescents, took a vow to keep their hamlet AIDS-free. FPAI Nilgiris President T Rangaiah (who also belongs to Badaga community) and Administrator Dr K S Pothi and Manager G Sundara Raj assured the villagers of their support.
I have captured this in this photo:
Hailing this, the children of Kakkuchi village dressed in traditional Badaga attire staged a captivating Badaga cultural dance. I took a video of it and have updated in Youtube which can be seen in:
FPAI honoured Village Head M Bojan, Youth Leader R Gandhi and Women leader N Sumathi.
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