Badaga Community

Frequent poster Joined: 01 Aug 2001 Posts: 175

' What is in a name, a rose smells the same by any other name' so said a great poet. But is it so ? In the context of preserving the culture of a community, the names given to both persons and places can play a very crucial part.

In our history of many thousand years, naming of places was generaly and literaly linked to NATURE. Be it on names given to villages like 'Bikka Mora Hatti [Olive Tree Village]' or 'Hubbathale [Chinese Pagoda tree]' or 'Osa Hatti [New Village]'. Badagas had [ I am very sad to use 'past tense' here] a great tradition of naming their children after their ancesters, usually a deceased grand parent. By this they not only ensured that the dead are constantly remembered but also to differentiate Badaga as an unique entity as a tribe with their own traditions and customs.

Jayaprakash, Sabbarish, Yudhister, Abhishek, Parmesh, Ramesh, Satish, Vivek, Vinodh Bhuvanesh or Shalini, Shakila, Sudhalini, Nivideta, Kaushalya etc are, hold your breadth, names of the so called modern(?) Badaga men and women. They could be from any part of our country. Contrast these with Bellie, Jogi, Kada, Hala, Sevana, Jevana, Moracha, Nandhi, Ari, Boja, Bella, Ajja, Madha or Kangi, Nanji, Madhi, Kade, Masi, Dhali. Straight away, these names not only point to Badagas but also bring to memory of our great ancestors

I have always wondered why being from a 'STAUNCH BADAGA'fied family I was named Jayaprakash. My mom who is 96 years old now, tells me that when I was to be named in 1948, a much elder cousin who was both a bully and the first of his generation, insisted on this name because he was a follwer of Jayaprakash Narain. Of course, the consolation is that in our generation (one earlier to the present one) everbody was compulsorily given a Badaga name also. For example, my Badaga name is JEVANA. Unfortunately, while registering the name for joining the school, the Badaga name was not included and hence Jayaprakash -and the short form of JP -got stuck. In one of those ironies of fate, when I had to give the [ initals expanded] name to join the Indian Air Force as a commissioned officer, my father's name Bellie became my first name and since we do not have a family name common to all brothers and sisters, Bellie is how I am known as these days and yes, I am quite happy about it.

If we continue to name our children as we do now by following the blind and bad advise of some 'IYER' who advises that the name has to start with X or Y, we can surely and sadly bury one of our best traditions of NAMING our children only with Badaga names and thus preserving and protecting our culture and KULA (clan).

The least we can do is, while naming the new born babies, ensure that a Badaga name is also given and that Badaga name is definitely included in the school records as well as for other important requirements like voter ID, passport etc .

On a personal note on our part we (my wife & I) have ensured that our children's names include Badaga names ARI & NANJI [Rao Bahadur Ari Gowda was great grandfather to my son from my wife's side and Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowda's wife Nanji was great grandmother to my daughter from my side] along with their other names which were chosen by the 'modernites' in which I had no say (sob sob).

As a first step, may I request the readers to list out all the old, original and exclusive Badaga names (both male and female) and give a serious thought to this serious problem. The names of all GODS/GODDESS is not considered original / traditional.

Some names that come to my mind :

Male names :

Ari, Ajja, B(h)oja, Bellie, Bela(Mada), Bella, B(h)eema, Bidia, Bulla, Dona, Gedda, Gujja, Hala, Hiriya, Jevana, Jogi, Kada, Kakkamalla, Kariabetta, Kalla, Kari, Kulla, Linga, Madha, Madiya, Moracha, Nandi, Nanja, Pada, Pokka, Raju, Ranga, Sevana, Sele, Thatha, Thippa,

Female names :

Beeki, Bulli, Chenne, Chinna, Doni, D(h)ali, Gange, Gangamma, Gauri, Giriji, Hali, Hallamma, Hui, Jevani, Kade, Kangi, Lingi, Madi, Masi, Nanji, Panne, Paru, Rukki, Sevani, Sing(a)ri,

Also see the page in http://badaga.wordpress.com

Occasional poster Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 69

Dear Mr JP,
As you mentioned in your article, we are slowly forgetting our Traditional names.
I named my daughter as Aarthi nad my son as Sudharshan.
But I wanted our tradition name to be with their names, and I registered their names as AARTHI BELLIE and SUDHARSHAN BELLIE, (as my name is Bellie), when I put them in school.
This can only I could do to our Community.

Starter Joined: 20 May 2001 Posts: 16

It's good Mr.Bellie you have started a serious debate.It is hightime we start of a campaign on this.
I have my suggestion as follows.
We have been known by the seemai to which we belong, to start a new relationship.For example I do not Know whether I call you Mamma or Anna.If you belong to Merkunad to which I belong, I will call you Anna/Appa/Ayya.I you are from Thodhanad Seemai straight away I can address you as Mamma.This unique identity has to be preserved for posterity.Hence my suggestion is to have names like

MEKKUNAD GODALATTY SINGHAN SATHU- MY NAME
MEKKUNAD GODALATTY JEYANTHI SATHU-MY WIFE
MEKKUNAD GODALATTY PRASHANTH SATHU-MY SON
The generation next wants an identity and I am coming accross names like Santhosh Mallaiah(S/O PROFESSOR KULLA GOWDER)..My younger son calling himself Sevana Yashwant (Sevana is my great grandpa's name)..
So let us start this movement.Great movements have started with baby steps only..

Frequent poster Joined: 01 Aug 2001 Posts: 175

Hello Sathu,

Yes I agree with you about addressing other Badagas properly (Morapadi Koruchodhu). Since I belong to Poragangadu Seeme, it is in order that we address each other (depending on the age of course) as MAMMA.

The disgusting thing these days is youngsters addressing any Badaga elder simply as ANNA or AKKA. Even the general term AYYA or HETHE is so much more respectful.

Though your suggestion to include the SEEME before the Village name carries a lot of merit, there are a couple of catches.

You see, every SEEME (consisting of a large group of villages) is divided into communes known as OORUs (consisting of a particular number of villages in one group).

That is, NAKKU BETTA [of the BADAGA COMMUNITY] consists of Four SEEMES -> divided into many OORUs -> subdivided into individual Hattis.

For example. under PORGANGADU SEEME, 'HATHOMBATHU [19] OORU' and 'AARU[6] OORU' are two of the many communes.

Everybody say, in AARU OORU are ANNA THAMMARU and hence cannot marry within these six villages. But a boy from AARU OORU can marry a girl from HATHOMBATHU OORU. Or vice versa. I am from AARU OORU (Beratty) and my wife is from 19 OORU (Hubbathalai).

That simply means for people of AARU OORU the people of HATHOMBATHU OORU are MAMMA & MAMMI and hence 'madhuve maaduva MORE hadadhe '.

The beauty of the system is that boys from both Beratty & Hubbathalai [belonging to Porangadu Seeme] can marry girls from the SAME village belonging to a different SEEME [say girls from Ketchigatty of KUNDHE SEEME]. Conversly, a boy from Ketchigatti can marry a girl of his choice either from Hubbathalai or Beratty.

Yes, this topic is not only very interesting but very important. Hope more people will participate.

Occasional poster Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 69

[size=12][color=blue]Dear Sri Sadhu,
For your article Mr JP has given a right explanation.
I also belonging to Merkunadu Seeme.(My native Hatty is Achnakal which belongs to Ketti Ooru. Ketti Ooru consists of 14 hatties. We are all brothers and we do not marry among us.
Even Godalatty and Ketti are both belong to Merkunadu Seeme, we are having marriage relations among us. So Seeme is not a creteria for Marriage more.
As you told I give my name as you tried.
ACHANAKAL NANJA GOWDER BELLIEWith Regard.

Occasional poster Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 69

bellielic wrote:

[size=12][color=blue]Dear Sri Sadhu,
For your article Mr JP has given a right explanation.
I also belonging to Merkunadu Seeme.(My native Hatty is Achnakal which belongs to Ketti Ooru. Ketti Ooru consists of 14 hatties. We are all brothers and we do not marry among us.
Even Godalatty and Ketti are both belong to Merkunadu Seeme, we are having marriage relations among us. So Seeme is not a creteria for Marriage more.
As you told I give my name as you tried.
ACHANAKAL NANJA GOWDER BELLIE
With Regard.

Frequent poster Joined: 01 Aug 2001 Posts: 175

Talking about marriage within a village(hatti) which is stictly prohibited, I am reminded of an exception though.

In the village KODHUMUDI hatti, there are two groups belonging to MELA HATTI and KIYA HATTI (roughly, upper and lower streets) and a person from one group can marry from the other group.

Probably, one of the few exceptions of marriage taking place from within the hatti (village).

for a full article visit : http://badaga.wordpress.com/badaga-names-badugaru-hesaru/

Frequent poster Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 194

Thi seems to be a very interesting topic...Im basically from Porangadu seeme and belong to horasholai village....

We have two categories in our hatty one is the people who belong or made the hatty(not sure abt the name- origins) and other is the nattru

There are lot of marriages happening with our hatty, as far as i Know there are more than 20 marriages happened within our hatty...ie., b/w nattru and the origins

Frequent poster Joined: 01 Aug 2001 Posts: 175

Nattaru broadly means 'guests' but a lot many significance is attached to the term. A son in law of a village is basically a 'NATTA". Supposing for some 'unavoidable' reasons the son in law chooses to stay in the village from where he has married (hennu Kondidhane) then the house where he stays with his family becomes a 'Nattaru Mane'.

For all practical purposes, he is part of the village and pays the tax [vari/ gudi vari etc] and participates in 'KOOTUs' ( village meetings] as well as all the functions, ceremonies, customs, rituals etc. But there are two very important occassions when a 'NATTA' does not take part. One is, he does not take 'AKKI (ethodhu)' on funerals as the deceased person is MAMMA, MAMMI MORAE. Secondly, he is not supposed to participate in "KORAMBU KAIPA" SASTRA (ceremony).

Once again, I may be permitted to quote my own example . My father was from Beratty and married my mom from Hubbathalai. Since he was working in Cordite Factory, Aravankadu,he chose to settle in Hubbathai as it is very close to the factory. Apart from that, the sons of Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowder did not want their youngest sibling to be staying away. Hence a house was built in Hubbathalai (on my mother's imsistance a little away from the main Hatty). I and my sisters and brothers were all born and brought up in Hubbathalai. Though, we still live there, our Hatti would always be Beratty.

Apart from a son in law, it may so happen that a person from another village can settle in any hatti other than his father's. He too would be a natta.

Nattaru in a hatti are quite useful in many occassion. During mansoon season in olden days and because of the distance involved the 'MARU MANE HOPPA' sastra could be completed by going to a NATTA MANE. ( ie a newly married bride has to go back to her [father's] place before settling down in her new [husband's] house) to complete the MADHUVE sastharas).

So, a boy /girl in a village can marry a girl/boy from a NATTA MANE staying in the same village. It is perfectly legal. Added attraction is that you can marry a sweet heart known and seen from the childhood.

Incidentally there is a DODDARU SHLOKA which says ," NATTA ELLA-DHA HATTI HOLLA"

Vivek, I hope I could clear some doubts.

Starter Joined: 20 May 2001 Posts: 16

Dear Achanakkal Bellie Mamma,
If I am correct you who belong to Ketti are brothers to Kundhe Seeme.Locationally you may be in Mekkunad,but you don't belong to the seeme by more I suppose.

As for Jaypee Mamm's opinion ,I think broadly there are only four large marital groups with the people in fringe like Athikaris (Athikaratty) who can get married to any of the four groups ...

Some elders can give more light on this.

If there is any THAPPU please Mannichi!

Occasional poster Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 69

sathu wrote:

Dear Achanakkal Bellie Mamma,
If I am correct you who belong to Ketti are brothers to Kundhe Seeme.Locationally you may be in Mekkunad,but you don't belong to the seeme by more I suppose.

As for Jaypee Mamm's opinion ,I think broadly there are only four large marital groups with the people in fringe like Athikaris (Athikaratty) who can get married to any of the four groups ...

Some elders can give more light on this.

If there is any THAPPU please Mannichi!

Bear Sathu,
You are right. We from Ketti Ooru(Achanakal) are not have marriage relations with Kundhe Seeme, as thy are known to be our brothers.
I was told by my father (Ex Member of Parliament-late Sri M K Nanja Gowder) that four brothers came from Thumbur(Kotagiri) to choose a Different place. One by one stayed in different places.The first brother choose to stay at Jagathala, the second brother at Ketti, and third bother choose one place, but I forget it(I will try to find it from my elders shortly), and the fourth brother settled in Kundhe.
Aprt from this some group of people from my village, Achanakal, went away from Achanakal and settled in Dhimbatty in Kotagiri. We are still having good relations with them as our Achanakal people, by takking AKKI in funerals and other Sadangu.

In my previous post I forgotten to mention the Nattru factor, ehich was explianed by Sri JP very perfectly.

With Kind Regards.

Frequent poster Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 293

Some more names:

Male: Hutcha, Dimba, Chenna, Loga, Peela, Shaja...

Female: Honni, Kuniki, Koli, Michi, Pooji, Masthi, Pomai, Seethi, mariki, Nimmi...