| Also Known As: Baduga,Badugu,Badag,Badagu,Vadagu
Description:
The Badaga language (Tamil: படகா, Kannada: ಬಡಗ ಭಾಷೆ) is a southern Dravidian language (Tamil-Kannada branch) spoken by approximately 50,000 people (the Badagas) in the Nilgiri Hills in Southern India. It is known for its retroflex vowels.
The word Badaga refers to the Badaga language as well as the Badaga community/tribe. The Badaga language is also called Badugu by native speakers. The people in the community/tribe are called Badugu or Baduguru by native speakers.
The Badagas are an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, southern India. They form the largest indigenous community in the Nilgiri region, with a population of approximately 350,000 encompassing some 370-odd villages and smaller settlements. Under the Indian government's Scheduled Castes and Tribes system, they are not as yet formally recognised as a Scheduled Tribe (Adivasi), although the people themselves have agitated for this recognition. They are registered as a Backward Caste, (now referred to as other backward caste(OBC) caste).
The Badagas aspirations to be recognised as a tribe, rather than a caste, is complicated by their historical and contemporary social relations with other Nilgiri..... full article at Wikipedia |
