UDHAGAMANDALAM: With Pongal just a fortnight away and the entire State is gearing up to celebrate the harvest festival with much fanfare, the tribals in the hill district of the Nilgiris, don’t seem to be too enthusiastic about the farmer’s favourite.
Since the hills are the land of potato and tea, the primitive Toda, Kota, Kurumba tribals and the agrarian community of Badagas do not have paddy to harvest in January. Instead these tribals, whose livelihood is rearing buffaloes and milk production, hold their traditional festivals either one or two weeks ahead or after Pongal every year.
This year, Todas gathered at Muthanad Mund near Thalaikunda on Ooty-Mysore Road on New Year day to celebrate ‘Morpath’, their traditional festival.
Similarly, the Badagas celebrate their traditional harvest festival called ‘Chakkalathi’ on Saturdays in January so that it does not clash with Pongal.
“On our festival day, Badagas make wheat dosas along with potato and beans curry. In a bronze plate, we then place three dosas, the curry and a handful of cooked rice and keep it in front of our houses.
Youngsters will decorate their cows and take them from one house to the other to eat the food on the plate,” explains Bellan, a senior citizen in Ketti firka.
“After the cows are taken to their sheds, we take wheat dosas in a basket and throw it either in a nearby bush, forest or river. The entire ritual is usually over before dusk,” he said.
Days after this ritual, Badagas’ Ethaiamman (Grand Mother) festival will be celebrated zone-wise before the end of January or February first week. Interestingly,
Badagas celebrate the festival of harvest twice a year - in January and July. In July, potato and beans are harvested extensively throughout the district. And the festival of harvest is celebrated on the occasion of Badagas’ Thevva Habba (Grand Father festival).
However, people who have migrated from the plains purchase fresh raw rice and a earthen pot a day before Pongal and celebrate it here.
