Why in News?
- Press Information Bureau (PIB) addressed the Badaga community's push for ST status; Tamil Nadu proposed their inclusion in 2021, but the Registrar General of India (RGI) did not recommend it, and a related Madras High Court petition was dismissed in March 2025.
Demographics
- Population centres in nearly 400 villages across Nilgiris; they are the largest ethnic group there, with land-owning agricultural lifestyles.
- Speak Badaga (a Dravidian language), alongside Tamil, Kannada, and English among educated members; New Testament and JESUS Film available in Badaga.
- Classified as Backward Class by Tamil Nadu government, not ST; middle-class profile due to land ownership, education, tea/tourism economy, and no internal caste discrimination.
History and Origins
- Name derives from "vadugar" (northerner); legends trace migration from Mysore plains (North India) to escape Muslim invasions, settling with Nilgiri relatives.
- Labeled "important primitive tribes" in 1931 Census; status dropped post-Independence (no 1941 Census due to WWII); petitions since 1970s, including 2014 Madras High Court case.
- Over 150 Badagas joined freedom struggle, including Gandhi's Salt March.
Culture and Traditions
- Hindu agriculturalists growing millet, tea; semi-isolated lifestyle preserves customs like unique attire (borrowed from Irulas), dances (from Kurumbas), and temple rituals led by Kurumbas.
- Non-tribal appearance and practices align with mainstream Hindu civilization; strong community bonds without caste hierarchies.
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