All abut the Badagas of the Blue Mountains
A website of Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash
Which is nearing the historic One Million Mark of visitors hits !
1,00,000 !!!
happy New Year
Wishing all the visitors to this website, a very Happy New year!
May I, also, take this opportunity to thank all the 261 friends who regularly follow and have made https://www.badaga.co the Number One website on Badaga!!
Nearing the milestone of 1,000,000 hits.
Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash
Ari Gowda, a great Indian, a great Badaga !
Rao Bahadur H.B.Ari Gowder
Birth anniversary 4th December
For more details about Ari Gowda go here or see Wikipedia
[ Ref : Hockings, Paul; Christiane Pilot-Raichoor (1992). A Badaga-English Dictionary. Walter de Gruyter. p. 47. ISBN 311012677X, ISBN 978-3-11-012677-8]
Air Gowder Street in Mambalam, Chennai
Ari of KURU CHRONICLES, we are proud of you!
[Article published in THE HINDU, Bangalore Metro Plus 18 July 2013]
Ari Jayaprakash is the great grandson of Rao Bahadur HB Ari Gowder and grandson of Mrs.Idyammal Bellie Gowder
VISUAL EFFECTS, TO CONCEPT ARTIST TO ILLUSTRATOR AND EVEN AN ILLUSTRATOR And now Kuru Chronicles, says Ari
Ari Jayaprakash Kuru Chronicles to be released shortly has a lot of tantric influences. The artiste tells Preeti Zachariah the book is for a mature reader
Spatters of black ink across thick paper with charred edges and sepia tones unravel into a story. A story of a dysfunctional, morbid word plagued by death, disease, destruction, vices and suffering. Barriers crumble, beliefs disappear, insanity becomes a spectrum not a border, darkness is allowed to not just permeate but flourish. Nothing remains sacred or perhaps everything is.
But for artist and photographer, Ari Jayprakash who has created the Kuru Chronicles (which derives its name from a disease affecting cannibals when they consume human brain matter) in collaboration with writer Anisha Sridhar, this is nothing more than an artistic expression of an interesting form of spirituality, “We knew there was stuff here that may make people uncomfortable but we will stick to that,” he says, rather vehemently. “Freedom of thought and expression is an essential aspect of artistic evolution and we have restricted ourselves too long.” He believes however, that this is changing for the better, “People are beginning to push boundaries. I think India will produce a lot of interesting art, music, dance and theatre over the next few years,” he adds.
His own artwork (he refers to it as Kuru art) certainly not just pushes boundaries but tramples all over them, leaving the viewer too enthralled to even notice that they existed in the first place. “Kuru uses black ink done mainly with a calligraphy pen. At the end of the execution the pictures are burnt. The burning was done as an offering to the fire God and also because it gives it an old rustic sort of look and an interesting shading.”
Ari, a self-taught artist has dabbled in various forms of visual art as long as he remembers, “I have done different things in my career. I’ve done visual effects, worked as a concept artist and even an illustrator. I do a lot of photography and was a photographer for sometime in Boston and New York,” he says adding that his tryst with photography helped him in Kuru art. “A lot of the photographs got translated into drawing. I do a lot of digital manipulation; it gives photographs an abstract, surreal feel.”
Talking about the origin of Kuru, he says, “It all began December 2010. I was watching a documentary on Kuru on TV and met a few aghoris at the Ganga Sagar mela later that year and then I read Svobodha’s Aghora. One thing lead to another and what happened was the chapter names came up one night. I had no idea what were in the chapters and what it was going to be about. I didn’t know it would be called the Kuru chronicles. But obviously these things were at the back of my head subconsciously and seven drawings of abstract faces came out one night in Calcutta. I don’t know who they were but I know it had to fit into the story somewhere.”
It was a friend who ran a festival at Bombay who invited him to display his work there, “People liked what they saw and over time I developed more art work. Over a couple of years a substantial amount of work came out, around 800 pages — four books, 26 chapters.”
The story, which is set mostly in a dystopian version of Calcutta follows the lives of five characters —Dakini, Sen, Kala Hari, Shivali and Devika, “Kuru begins with the five of them and also kind of ends with them,” says Ari adding that Kuru spans a 17-year period. “They are all in their late teens when it begins. Dakini is the protagonist of the Kuru Chronicles and this is more or less her journey and evolution. There is complete disintegration all around her and she basically needs to keep it all together. ”
The book is certainly not for the faint-hearted however, “It is for a mature reader. All the philosophy is from the left hand path. It has a lot of tantric influences and magic. The Rig Veda was another big influence. A lot of dark themes are touched upon — cannibalism, rape, graphic sexuality, violence, modern-day issues like police brutality, attitudes and reflection on capitalism and communism,” says Ari, adding that, “Kuru is totally a work of fiction. It is dedicated to the Gods, the city of Calcutta, to Ma Durga — all of that. It takes from the scriptures and borrows from the Vedas but its modern day tale.”
In addition to the Vedas, “There is an Aghori influence and also influences from the Kalki Purana, Upanishads. I also read a book called Aghora: At the Left Hand of God by Robert E. Svoboda. I went out there; got to know more about the aghoris, spoke to some of them. There is also a lot of modern influence — varies from Pink Floyd to Michael Haneke to Lars von Trier and Takashi Miike, Japanese anime, heavy metal music,” he says.
The book, which is self-published, is slated to be released at the New York comicon later this year and Ari hopes to translate it into different languages and also attempt a psychedelic coloured Japanese version, “I have travelled to festivals all over the country with my art. I must say, people have been very supportive.”
He has recently come out with the Kuru circus — a haunting, ethereal track that seeks to explore the sound scape of the Kuru Chronicles and is also looking at a cinematic translation of Kuru.
It certainly seems that for Ari, there is no looking back. “Working on this project has over times changed my own ideas and Kuru is at some level definitely an expression of my own spiritual leanings. I am not the same person who I was when I started the book.”
Photos: Sreenivasa Murthy V.
Ari, a self-taught artist has dabbled in various forms of visual art as long as he remembers, “I have done different things in my career. I’ve done visual effects, worked as a concept artist and even an illustrator. I do a lot of photography and was a photographer for sometime in Boston and New York,” he says adding that his tryst with photography helped him in Kuru art. “A lot of the photographs got translated into drawing. I do a lot of digital manipulation; it gives photographs an abstract, surreal feel.”
Talking about the origin of Kuru, he says, “It all began December 2010. I was watching a documentary on Kuru on TV and met a few aghoris at the Ganga Sagar mela later that year and then I read Svobodha’s Aghora . One thing lead to another and what happened was the chapter names came up one night. I had no idea what were in the chapters and what it was going to be about. I didn’t know it would be called the Kuru chronicles. But obviously these things were at the back of my head subconsciously and seven drawings of abstract faces came out one night in Calcutta. I don’t know who they were but I know it had to fit into the story somewhere.”
It was a friend who ran a festival at Bombay who invited him to display his work there, “People liked what they saw and over time I developed more art work. Over a couple of years a substantial amount of work came out, around 800 pages — four books, 26 chapters.”
The story, which is set mostly in a dystopian version of Calcutta follows the lives of five characters —Dakini, Sen, Kala Hari, Shivali and Devika, “Kuru begins with the five of them and also kind of ends with them,” says Ari adding that Kuru spans a 17-year period. “They are all in their late teens when it begins. Dakini is the protagonist of the Kuru Chronicles and this is more or less her journey and evolution. There is complete disintegration all around her and she basically needs to keep it all together. ”
The book is certainly not for the faint-hearted however, “It is for a mature reader. All the philosophy is from the left hand path. It has a lot of tantric influences and magic. The Rig Veda was another big influence. A lot of dark themes are touched upon — cannibalism, rape, graphic sexuality, violence, modern-day issues like police brutality, attitudes and reflection on capitalism and communism,” says Ari, adding that, “Kuru is totally a work of fiction. It is dedicated to the Gods, the city of Calcutta, to Ma Durga — all of that. It takes from the scriptures and borrows from the Vedas but its modern day tale.”
In addition to the Vedas, “There is an Aghori influence and also influences from the Kalki Purana, Upanishads. I also read a book called Aghora: At the Left Hand of God by Robert E. Svoboda. I went out there; got to know more about the aghoris, spoke to some of them. There is also a lot of modern influence — varies from Pink Floyd to Michael Haneke to Lars von Trier and Takashi Miike, Japanese anime, heavy metal music,” he says.
The book, which is self-published, is slated to be released at the New York comicon later this year and Ari hopes to translate it into different languages and also attempt a psychedelic coloured Japanese version, “I have travelled to festivals all over the country with my art. I must say, people have been very supportive.”
He has recently come out with the Kuru circus — a haunting, ethereal track that seeks to explore the sound scape of the Kuru Chronicles and is also looking at a cinematic translation of Kuru.
It certainly seems that for Ari, there is no looking back. “Working on this project has over times changed my own ideas and Kuru is at some level definitely an expression of my own spiritual leanings. I am not the same person who I was when I started the book.”
You are always in our thoughts !
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Second Death Anniversary (13-7-2013)
Idyammal Bellie Gowder
You were everything for us in all those glorious 99 years and 10 months when you were 'here'.
As we were preparing to celebrate the 'century', you chose to leave this earth just a couple of months earlier...two years ago.
How time flies!
Elle idhale'yu engava harachu
[Bless us all from where ever you are]
Idyammal Bellie Gowder |
|
| Born | September 05, 1912 Hubbathalai, The Nilgiris |
|---|---|
| Died | July 13, 2011 (aged 99 years 10 months) |
| Parents | Rao Bahadue HJ Bellie Gowder and Nanji Hethe |
| Sister of | Rao Bahadur HB Ari Gowder |
| Spouse | B.K.Bellie Gowder [Bearhatti] |
[Autographed pencil sketch of Mom by JP in 1964 while she was reading an issue of Femina ]
"I know my mother looks much older than what she is but those wrinkles have the charm of their own. They indicate the signs of her great endurance; and the hard life she has to lead through to bring her children to lead a life that is respected and regarded by others" - JP 24-1-68
Dear Hands
[Grace Noll Crowell]
My mother's hands were beautiful,
They are not always smooth and white
They were so busy making dull
And lusterless things clean and bright.
They reached so often to caress
A hurt child crying in the night
They moved as quick as fluttering birds
Among the cups and spoons at tea
They did a thousand lovely things
And did them all so graciously
There is no way to sum them up
The countless things she did for us.
[photo of Idy Hethe's hand by her grandson Abhi Ari -2010]
General Election for Badagas
Read in the news papers about the announcement of General Body Meeting on 21-07-2013 of the Young Badaga Association and elect NEW office bearers. This General Body Meeting is being held after many years, in fact many decades, instead of being an annual affair.Deepak from Nanjanadu asks :
Hope this Young Badaga Association will elect really new apolitical, young and dynamic Badagas instead of the same old elders who claim to be 'forever young'.
By the way, why can't we have a great and grand meeting of all Badagas, spread all over the world, on the same day to elect a NAKKU BETTA GOWDA [leader] in a truly 100% democratic way like in a general election?
Is it not high time?
At my age I am not very well aware of the BADAGA GENERAL BODY or the politics.After the scrutiny of our website I am in a doubt whether such a mass election is possible.If so then who will undertake such an enormous election.Well if happened, I will be very glad for such happening.
Hello Deepak, good questions. There are two issues involved here.
One is about YBA - Young Badagas Association that was formed some 50 odd years back with a few hundred members and now, as per THE HINDU, there are about 3800 members. It was started with some very good intentions aimed at improving and enlarging awareness of ALL Badagas and for better interaction with other communities. YBA successfully obtained land at a prime place at Ooty, next to Breeks School, Charring Cross and built a hall with a a few shops. This hall is being rented out for marriages and other functions.
As is the case with most of our affairs, politics crept into running the association; many factions emerged and there were/are serious allegations of financial irregularities. Annual General Body Meetings [AGM] were not held and it became a 'personal fiefdom' of some persons with affiliation to a particular political party. Over a period of time, it resulted in many factional fights and took some ugly turns and police had to intervene. The recent one being as late as 24-5-2013. Truly shameful.
The million dollar question is - who is the governing body of YBA now? In the absence of AGMs, can some people elected decades ago, claim to be the true representatives of Badagas in general and
YBA in particular and hold on to the chairs for ever?
In that respect, I welcome the announcement of the much delayed meeting to be held in July. Only hope is that, this meeting will be held in cordial atmosphere and elections held in a democratic way.
Again the doubt is, whether there is a proper record of the members? If so, YBA should come out with a list in the open - news papers or online in a website.
Since, YBA does not seem to have a website of its own, I can publish the list of members in my websites like www.badaga.co, www.badaga.in etc. if it is sent.
Lastly, what is the criteria for becoming a member of YBA and its rules and regulations?
The second issue involves in conducting a sort of General Election for choosing a Nakku Betta Leader - will write about that in detail soon.
Greatly appreciated
I found the following information given by E.B.Hariharan very interesting and educative. The initiatives and efforts of Badaga Mahajana Sangha are greatly appreciated.
This article/info raises some hitherto unknown facts. Was there a ‘reverse migration’ of Badagas from the Nilgiris to the plains [of Karnataka]? Apart from the four [Nilgiri Nakkubetta] Seemays known to us, Mel Seemay seems a completely new and geographically different one.
Of course, we have all heard of Hasanur but not much about Punajanur and other Badaga Hamlets in Chamrajnagara. The famous Badaga Proverb [Dhoddaru Shloka] – “Hasanuru haalu kudippudhuga, Neelagiria neera kudi (The water in the Nilgiris is better than the milk of Hasanur)”- Wg Cdr JP
Punajanur and Mel Seemey.
Punajanur is a Badaga Village, about 45-50 Kms from Chamrajnagar town, falling within Karnataka State, Chamrajnagar Taluk and District. It has got about 50 Badaga houses and about 15 Wodeya houses (Lingayat Clan). Some other castes like Nayaks and others live nearby as well.
All the Badagas in Punajanur trace their heritage to Ebbanad and Kookal villages in the Nilgiris, a few of them are from Kadanad and Kottanalli as well. 300-400 years ago they moved from the Nilgiris and settled there, in search of better pasture for their Buffalo herds. Life was good until the last 15-20 years, their main source of income was supplying milk to the Co-operative milk societies, mainly NANDINI in Karnataka. After Veerappan issue cropped up, the people were stopped from grazing their herds at HEMMATTIES (in Badugu meaning Buffalo Grazing Villages) and most of them were sold. Thus started their economic decline. Their overall socio-economic condition is in bad shape, education is at abysmal levels, health is an area of serious concern. In our view, they seem to be atleast 30-40 years behind mainland (Nilgiri) Badagas. Hence, we, a group of volunteers across varied age groups having genuine love towards the Community, decided to take up the challenge and work for the betterment of our own people in Punajanur.
Similar to Punajanur, there are 8 small villages in an area called as Mel Seemey which is about 40 Kms from Punajanur, but falling under Erode District, Sathyamangalam Taluk, Hasanur Panchayat of Tamilnadu. Mel Seemey has about 200 houses in total and our work is going there in full swing. We have successfully paved the way for upgrading the school in Kotada (The biggest village with 80 houses in Mel Seemey) upto High School level (10th Std) spending Rs.100000/- (One Lakh), helped change the bus timings for the school going children, created a pool of Rs.300000/- (Three Lakhs) towards agricultural funding at no interest. We paved the way for 3 young students to join an Engineering Degree with full fee waiver for all 4 years of their study. We successfully conducted a medical camp in both Punajanur and Mel Seemey on 28/04/13 for the benefit of our people residing there in association with KBGA Bangalore. Four prominent doctors conducted a marathon medical test for nearly 300 people in one single day.
There is much more to be done and we are moving one step at a time. Together, we believe we can do wonders……..
Henry Marriott from Australia writes....
Henry Marriott from Australia
It is always a pleasure to get emails from visitors to this website expressing their association with the Nilgiris and/or Badagas many many years ago. In their views and opinions, we learn a lot. If one such visitor is a person who is comparatively ‘young at heart’ and wise by age, then we are in for pleasant surprises.One such person is Henry Marriott from Australia. Henry is 80 years young.
I am fascinated about the suggestion he makes about ‘the statement a Seemay Gowda can make about Badaga ancestors in any function like what the aborigines do in Australia.
I thank him for permitting his emails to be published. – Wg Cdr JP
Henry Marriott writes :-"I have been studying some articles on the Badaga peoples, who I am convinced are of European or Aryan descent as they belong to the R1a1 haplogroup (but it is necessary to assign the correct clade to these people as confirmation). It is thought that as Badaga means “people of the north” they are from Karnataka, and their language is a form of ancient Kannada. In fact it is believed they migrated from there in the fourteen hundreds, but now it is also believed that this could have been a second migration.But there is also the belief that they are the indigenous people of the Nilgiris (or Nakku Betta to the Badagas). If this is the case, then as in In Australia at any function in Ketti (a hatti in the seemay of Mekkunaadu) the MC should commence proceedings with a statement in a form such as this:
“I would like to acknowledge the Badaga people who are the traditional custodians of Mekkunaadu and I would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present of the Badaga nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people present.”
I was educated in Ketti in the 1940s, and still have contact with St Georges School.I was born in Sri Lanka and was educated at St Georges from 1940 to 1950. I then did further studies at MCC Tambaram . I then went to England where after National Service I qualified as a Chartered Accountant. I have now retired and live in Melbourne.During my time in Ketti I had no contact with Badagas in school apart from school servants and the women who worked in the surrounding fields. We also attended at the Shantoor Temple to observe the Hubba and fire walking, which coincided with the Christian Palm Sunday (a week before Easter). I am now 80 years old".
Who is a BADAGA?
Who is a BADAGA?
Do not take this question lightly, for this affects our lives - now and in future.A Badaga who marries a NON – Badaga, is he/she STILL a Badaga??
Can a Badaga be put ‘down’ and ‘condemned’ for life, just because he/she has/had married a non-Badaga???
By the way, WHO decides who is a Badaga???
What is the so called ’Badaga Associations’ in the major cities which is filled up with almost 100% literate Badagas doing about bringing SOCIAL AWARENESS and eliminating the stigma attached to ‘married outside’ Badagas??
Are we so scarred that just because a handful of Badagas marry outside, our culture and customs are in a position of peril??
When we have no hesitation to acclaim the achievements of Badagas in all fields [even when a spouse is non Badaga] and seek donation for the hattis -for building temples and other social causes, why this ‘heads stuck in the sand’ mentality ???
We may have some restrictions imposed on certain and specific rites like in funeral, but should not deny or denigrate the dignity to those who are very much our ‘blood and flesh’.
We are considered to be very forward looking by many ‘social’ indicators and should not squander that with narrow mindedness.
Think about it.
Are we still living in the stone age?
Are we still living in the stone age?
UPDATE ; 28-3-2013 29-3-2013
Dr.S.Mahesh BabuUsually, I am careful about publishing letters/incidents like the one sent to me by ARUN
[given below in the post 'Are we still living in the stone age?']. He never mentioned his hatti and the country he is living in….…………..Unfortunately, now I am told that there is a BIG TWIST to the story. ……….. I also understand that his deceased mother would not participate in other functions of the hatti and during funerals, she would not take part but lock herself in……
As I have mentioned elsewhere, I am a proud Hindu. And the customs followed by the hattis during the funerals, is based on Hinduism.
In my opinion, it is nice of Arun’s hatti elders to forgive the past mistakes and give a decent burial to his mother AS PER BADAGA RITES though there was considerable delay.
Arun, I know that you live in NZ, and if you want to clarify please do so.
Wg Cdr JP
commented on Update on ‘Are we still living in the stone age?’
Dear JP Sir,
Thanks for the info you have updated. It’s really good of you to have traced the truth and let us know. As you have discussed, let the hatti people of Arun decide this issue.
It will be better to convene some useful meetings amongst us to discuss further on these issues for the betterment of our community. Let us work together.
[The post on 'Are we still living in the stone age?' based on ARUN's letter is withdrawn - Wg Cdr JP]
Badaga Calendar -2013
Third Month - NALLAANI [Mar-Apr]
First Month - KOODALU
Second Month - AALAANI
Like in any other calendar, there are 12 months and each month starts on the 10th of English Calendar month but for a few exceptions due to the fact that the month of Feb has 28/29 days [leap year].
I have attempted to make the Badaga Calendars for 2013 keeping in mind that a Badaga month should start on the 10th of an English month as far as possible and also to ensure that the number of days in a month is either 30 or 31 days.
Since Badagas consider ‘Sovara’ (Monday) as the most auspicious and ‘holy’ day, they have attached a lot of importance to that day. Generally, no non-vegetarian food is taken on Mondays. This is also the weekly holiday and hence shown on top in red colour. No ‘Hola Gelcha’[field work] is usually done on ‘sovara’s in olden days.
The biggest festival of Badagas is day-specific and not date-specific. That is to say that this festival – HETHE HABBA – always falls on a Monday [after the first Monday of the thirteenth fullmoon]. By the way,full Moon (‘Pournami’ in Tamil) is ‘HUNNAVE’ and New Moon is ‘MUTTU’ in Badaga.
Badaga Months
1)Koodalu, 2)Aalaani 3)Nallaani 4)Aani 5)Aadire 6)Aadi 7)Aavaani 8 )Perattaadhi 9)Dhodda Devige 10)Kiru Devige 11)Thai 12)Hemmatti
Badaga Months in 'Kappu Huttileyu' Dance Song
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/475353" params="" width="75%" height="150" iframe="true" /]
A book by Ari Jayaprakash
A book by ARI JAYAPRAKASH - great grandson of Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder
Kuru Genesis
(Paperback)
Author: Ari Jayaprakash, Anisha Sridhar
Publisher: The Kuru Press (2013)
available online 
Kuru Genesis serves as a prelude to the upcoming novellascape 'The Kuru Chronicles' which releases later this year. The book includes chapters, panels,concept art, visions and words behind the KuruChronicles.It features the art and philosophy behind the chronicles from the four books of Kuru; Nasadiya, Soma, Aghora and Yuga.
The Kuru journey involved expeditions to The Ganga Sagar Mela in Bengal, The Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya, Assam, Tanjore, Calcutta and a lot of other places. The city of Calcutta, where the artist - ARI JAYAPRAKASH lived for years and where the story is set serves as a major inspiration. The original art of The Kuru Chronicles traveled the length and breadth of India across various music and art festivals including venues at Rishikesh, New Delhi, Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Naukuchiatal amongst others. The art of Kuru is not your standard graphic novel offering. The style is splash ink art on paper that has been treated with tea and coffee. In the end the paper edges are burnt as offerings to Agni and sometimes additional shading is done using fire and water. Materials include A3 size drawing sheets, black/red ink and a calligraphy pen."It is Ari's avant-garde art and the Tantric theme which inspired me to write the article. He also became the first Indian artist to be featured on Heathen Harvest! - Ankit Sinha"
click the link below :
http://heathenharvest.org/2013/03/17/kuru-chronicles- the-occult-art-of-ari- jayaprakash/
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