Toda tribe, Tamil Nadu

The mystical Nilgiri plateaus of Tamil Nadu, are occupied by the simple yet sophisticated, pastoral community of Todas, also known as Tudas or Tudavans, who have been living here since centuries. They have always found themselves to be closely associated with nature. Todas got their name from the word ‘tud’ which is the sacred Tud tree. Their houses called ‘Mundh‘, are constructed using natural resources and are interestingly decorated using Toda art form- rock mural painting. 

Regular farming and nature adds a consistent amount of monotony in a Toda’s life who’re purely vegetarian. Tribal people are endowed with enriched traditional wisdom to use available resources around them. They are well versed in the usage of plants for treating various diseases.

Buffaloes are considered the supreme power and are worshipped in Toda temples. The prosperity of each house is judged by the number of buffaloes owned by it. The magnificent water buffaloes bred by Todas can be fierce and also life-threatening. Buffalo horn design is a significant factor, since they’re worshipped by them. Their fascinating range of customs and beliefs, during festivals and funerals, songs about the cult of the buffaloes are composed and chanted. Poetry and music are an essential part of the Toda culture and men and women often compose songs about important events, using a special poetic language.