Toda Tribe : Modhweth Festival
The Toda tribe residing in the Nilgiris Hills of Tamil Nadu, celebrated their traditional ‘Modhweth’ festival to mark the New Year.
- It is one of the oldest ethnic groups residing in the Nilgiris Hills in Tamil Nadu.
- It is divided into five clans, namely: Paiki, Pekkan, Kuttan, Kenna and Todi.
- Language: They have their own language, without a script.
- They live in a closed community or hamlet called mund.
- It is a patrilineage descent group whose membership is based upon a rule of patrilineal descent.
- Their community is divided into two endogamous groups, namely Tharthazoll and Theveioll.
- To maintain the social harmony or solidarity among the Toda tribal population of Todas are controlled for many generations by their own traditional Government called ‘Noim’.
- This Noim is headed by a Toda tribal head-man is called Monegar.
- He has the full power to control the Todas and he also dispenses justice in the Toda community
- This tribe is largely dependent on buffalo herding and embroidery for its livelihood.
- Its members are incredibly skilled artisans known for the red-and-black embroidery on white fabrics that has even earned them a GI (geographical indication) tag.
- They celebrate ‘Modhweth’ festival, which is also called buffalo festival every year during the last Sunday of December or on the first Sunday of January.
