Badagas
The largest single ethno minority in the Nilgiri District of the NBR, this community numbers approximately 2,00,000. Principally tillers and herdsmen, now the community members are in all walks of life. They are supposed to have come to the Nilgiris, after the break up of the Vijaynagar Empire in 1565 and settled here. After the […]
Sholigas
These hunter-gatherers are mainly located in the Karnataka part of the NBR, bordering towards Biligiri Rangan Betta. This area is covered with forests, which is their largest resource base for livelihood and sustenance. They also practice shifting cultivation but are now settled in villages, where they undertake seasonal agriculture. They are good honey collectors from […]
Kadukuruba
This community mainly lives in the Mysore district of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, just north of the area where most Betta Kurumbas are located. It is difficult to distinguish between the two communities as they are very similar in their lifestyle. However, detailed studies of kinship reveal different communities. These people also depend on different […]
Paniyas
This community is significant in the Wynad region. They number approximately 6000 and many of them were (are) bonded labourers to landlords in Wynad. They have now been rehabilitated but a large number do not have land and go back as labourers. In recent times, protests in the Muthanga area of Wyanad were related to […]
Chetties
Small but significant populations of Chettis are found in the region. These are both Wynad Chettis and the Mandhadan Chettis. The latter live in the Gudalur region around the Mudumalai Sanctuary. They practice paddy cultivation and have links with other communities of the region
Kasavas
The Kasavas live in the northern part of the Nilgiri District and have large settlements, averaging 80 households. Their houses are small and neat. Presently, they are mainly built with the support of the Panchayat or the Forest Department. Living close to a wildlife rich area, these adivasis are adept in the forest. They are […]
Kurumbas
Mostly residing in the southern and eastern belts of the Nilgiris, this group was historically known for their sorcery powers and providing medicine from the forest. They were the `people of the jungle’ and lived in caves inside thick forests. Kurumbas collected myrobalans, barks and roots, both for personal use and exchange for grain and […]
Jenu Kurumba
Living in the northern part of the reserve, they are named such due to their skill in honey collection – jenu means honey. These communities are concentrated in the Mysore and Kodagu districts in the Karnataka part of the NBR. Cultivable land has been given to these communities, though they are traditionally hunter-gatherers. Some of […]
Mullu Kurumbas
by Kunal Sharma — last modified 2007-12-27 15:35 The Mullu Kurumbas are concentrated in the Wyanad region, including parts of Gudalur. Known more for their hunting and bird catching traditions, they now practise agriculture in the vyals of Wyanad. The women engage in fishing traditionally. Today, most people are educated and hold jobs. They take […]
Cholanaickens
The Cholanaickans live in the Karulai Forest Range of Nilambur in Kerala, forming part of the western NBR. They are the most primitive indigenous community, still in the pre-agricultural level of development. The people live in temporary shelters alongside rivers and shift to caves in the monsoons. Their lives are closely linked to the semi […]
