BADAGA - FUNERAL CUSTOMS AND RITES

In his book,

THE GOLDEN BOUGH - A STUDY IN MAGIC AND RELIGION published in (1922)

Sir James George Fraser (1854 - 1941) mentioned in

Chapter LV. The Transference of Evil (To Inanimate Objects) the following :

Among the Badagas of the Neilgherry Hills in Southern India, when a death has taken place, the sins of the deceased are laid upon a buffalo calf.

For this purpose the people gather round the corpse and carry it outside of the village. There an elder of the tribe, standing at the head of the corpse, recites or chants [known as - "KARU HARUCHODU"] a long list of sins such as any Badaga may commit, and the people repeat the last word of each line after him.

The confession of sins is thrice repeated. By a conventional mode of expression, the sum total of sins a man may do is said to be thirteen hundred. Admitting that the deceased has committed them all, the performer cries aloud, - "Stay not their flight to Gods pure feet". As he closes, the whole assembly chants aloud "Stay not their flight."

Again the performer enters into details, and cries, "He killed the crawling snake. It is a sin." In a moment the last word is caught up, and all the people cry "It is a sin." As they shout, the performer lays his hand upon the calf. The sin is transferred to the calf. Thus the whole catalogue is gone through in this impressive way.

But this is not enough. As the last shout "Let all be well" dies away, the performer gives place to another, and again confession is made, and all the people shout "It is a sin". A third time it is done. Then, still in solemn silence, the calf is let loose. Like the Jewish scapegoat, it may never be used for secular work.

At a Badaga funeral witnessed by the Rev. A. C. Clayton the buffalo calf was led thrice round the bier, and the dead man`s hand was laid on its head.By this act, the calf was supposed to receive all the sins of the deceased. It was then driven away to a great distance, that it might contaminate no one, and it was said that it would never be sold, but looked on as a dedicated sacred animal�. The idea of this ceremony is, that the sins of the deceased enter the calf, or that the task of his absolution is laid on it. They say that the calf very soon disappears, and that it is never heard of.

Bellie Jayaprakash comments

Badaga "Karu Haruchodu"

Roughly translated Karu - Calf : Haruchodu - Blessing but in the context of a Badaga funeral 'karu haruchodu' means transferring the sins of the deceased to a calf. By releasing the calf into wilderness, the deceased is considered to be free of all sins. At present, though the 'Karu Haruchodu' is said three times no calf is involved in this rite.

'Ayya Nanja '(name of the deceased) satha dhondhu saavu
Bhutta dhondhu basava
Semakotta sivilu semaga serali
Manisana kattey mannuga serali
Arthi loga-endha marthi logaga
Therthirupathi ondhigey payana
Muthey ethappana maadidhadhu
Ethey ethappana maadidhadhu
Avar edhu avar maadidhadhu
Annathammana agala maadidhadhu
Thitta thevara odathadhu
Natta kalla kithadhu
Bhutta basaviya thottadhu
Uttobey hora thattidhadhu
Kattobey kai aakkidhadhu
Hotti morava bettidhadhu
Pattey mulla eladhadhu
Eava payila mova jillidhadhu
Asila kithu bisiluga aakkidhadhu
Atcheya asila sigathadhu
Barala bhaakkidhadhu
Uliya uthadhu
Jannigeya karadhadhu
Karadha emmeya kannethi nodidhadhu
Bhedha olaga berala thoridhadhu
Oora meley uradhadhu
Naadaa meley jaradhadhu
Arthamaga anna kodaadhadhu
Bherthamaga bhekki kodaadhadhu
Dhaariya thorendhamaga kaada thoridhadhu
Angisi nudidhadhu
Gangiga ugidhadhu
Maadidha dharumaga adalaadhadhu
Aradhoppa gangiga appanagillaadhei laga earidhadhu
Thumbidha bhaaviya tharadhadhu
Kattidha kereya odathadhu
Uradha kichuga utchey odadhadhu
Sooriya meley inda sellidhadhu
Sandhirana sabana nunguvaney nodithu nithirey maadidhadhu
Uttidha uttu mundhaadu allu kiradhadhu
Soseya siseya maadidhadhu
Horeya kannethi nodidhadhu
Maamana bheethu machaaga earidhadhu
Maamiya bheethu jagali earidhadhu
Aavaa govaa kodhadhu
Honji oonava kodhadhu
Akkiya idathu bhikkiga kottadhu
Annaga nanja aakkidhadhu
Aramanega morey eagidhadhu
Sarvandha kodi pappa attaleyu
Bhutta basavana koda serali
Pappa parigaara aagali
Karuma kadega serali
Dharumadha dhaari bhudali
Saggadha adiyu tharayali
Savundhoora nereyili
Noolaa paalaa bigiyali
Oonaa bheyu muchili
Mullu mora mettu kodali
Karumadha kaiyu surunali
Dharumadha kaiyu nigiyali
Sinnadha kambhuga saerali
Bhelliya kambhuga oreyili
Uridha kambhuga thaniyili
Adhaa kadhaa ondhaagi
Kadhaa dhikkena thareyili
Athi pathi ondhaagi
Paribu janaga saerali
Athigal aaru saavira paadha idithu
Pathigal anneradu saavira paadha idithu
Andhu kotta bhirumana paadha idithu
Indhu bhutta basaviya paadha idithu
Siva sandhanaga saedhundogu...

(Courtesy : Dr.Rams at www.badaga.org)

Bellie Jayaprakash comments

"Karu Haruchodu"

Roughly translated

Karu - Calf
Haruchodu - Blessing

but in the context of a Badaga funeral 'karu haruchodu' means transferring the sins of the deceased to a calf. By releasing the calf into wilderness, the deceased is considered to be free of all sins. At present, though the 'Karu Haruchodu' is said three times no calf is involved in this rite.

In one of the funerals I asked an elderly gentleman (Ayya in Badaga) the exact meaning of these verses said during this rite. What he mentioned about a couple of them was really thought provoking :-

'Hava Koddadu Pappa' - (Havu - snake ; koddadu - killing ; pappa - sin ).

It is just not that killing a snake is a sin but killing any "wild life" just out of fear or without any reason is (a sin) since Badagas have attached a lot of importance to flora and fauna.

'Hatchaiya kiththadu Pappa' - (Hatchai - green or young ; kiththadu - pulling out).

Pulling out anything which has not grown fully is nothing but murder. It would also mean that molesting young ones is a big sin. One may wonder why would anyone pull out 'Hatchai' - it could be due to jealousy that the crop growing in the field is pulled out (destroyed) or an young girl is molested due to lust.

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