I am sure the mystery of migration is far from over. When there is no definite evidence about the origin of Todhas or Kothas, how can we presume that they predated Badagas as natives of the Nilgiris?
Based on the name ‘Badaga’ or on the so called 'legends ' that are open to many interpretations or on the basis of similarity of Badaga with haliya /mid Kannada, can we conclude that Badagas migrated from Southern Mysore? Migration theory is an attempt by historians and anthropologists to explain away a ‘historical puzzle’. Though I am in agreement with Bala that Badaga migration, if at all, took place much earlier then Tipu’s time in late 1700s, I am firmly of the view that “It is possible that Badagas have lived in the Nilgiris for thousands(?) of years like the Thodas or Kothas. But, B.Balasubramaniam, a highly educated Badaga, feels that Badagas migrated from Southern Karnataka about 700 years back, much before Tipu’s time, around 1311 AD during the plundering raid of Malik Kafir. Also sited in support of migration is the resemblance/similarity of Badaga (language) to Haleya Kannada. The one person who has done a lot to highlight about Badagas, in 1960s, Prof.Paul Hockings has chosen to go along with his predecessors in concluding that since Badaga means north, they have migrated from southern Mysore during Tipu Sultan's rule over Mysore to avoid being forcibly converted to Islam. For obvious reasons, most of them are/were 'outsiders' - like the early European missionaries and British. There is a lot written about the migration from Mysore theory by many anthropologists, researchers and others.
0 kommentar(er)
