August 2026 · 8 min read
In this story
If you have ever traveled or trekked through the Western Ghats, you would have certainly heard of the Nilgiris, “The Blue Mountains”. You probably know them for their mist-shrouded peaks, vast shola grasslands, or the sprawling tea estates that blanket the hillsides. But what meets your eye is not only one of South Asia’s most complex and saturated biodiversity hotspots but also the home of multiple communities of people who know the mountains like no other. Through Unexplored India we get to meet the people who call the “Blue Mountains” their home, experience their culture and view the natural world through their eyes.
I want to bring you the Unexplored India’s stories of the six ancient tribal communities of the Nilgiris: the Toda, Kota, Kurumba, Irula, Paniya, and Kattunayakan. After you read this, the next time you look toward the Nilgiris, I am sure you will feel a deeper connection to the land and the culture they have shaped.
During the nineteenth century, early British anthropologists and administrators focused heavily on the plateau dwellers, with evident cultural markers and identity dynamics- the Toda, Kota, Kurumba, and Irula. They even coined the term "the four tribes of the Nilgiris."
Meanwhile, the Paniya and Kattunayakan lived deep within the dense forest belts, remaining largely invisible to colonial observers.
To truly understand these mountains, we have to look past that old colonial gaze and explore the distinct worlds these six communities created.
Occupying the high grasslands are the Toda people, widely regarded as the earliest inhabitants of the Nilgiris plateau, with roots tracing back over two millennia.
Early European travelers, struck by the Todas’ tall stature and unique facial features, romanticized them with a mistaken theory that they were descendants of Alexander the Great's army. Modern genetics and linguistics have thoroughly debunked this myth, proving their indigenous Dravidian roots.
Their lives warmly revolve around a deep, spiritual bond with their sacred buffaloes. They treat milk not as a commodity, but as a holy blessing and men’s lives were largely centred around the dairy temple. (The men also participated in rhythmic circular dances, holding sticks. The stick represents authority, protection, and the pastoral staff used in daily buffalo herding. The dance is not performed for entertainment but as a ritual act meant to maintain harmony between the natural and spiritual worlds.)
The Toda women held a respected position within society, they pass down generations of wisdom through pukhoor, a beautiful, geometric embroidery stitched entirely by hand. A distinctive cultural marker is the Toda womens‘ hairstyle- long, thick curls arranged in a distinctive pattern unlike other South Indian curl styles.
The Toda people live in settlements called mounds, traditionally semi-nomadic in nature. Toda houses were barrel-shaped structures made from bamboo, wood, stone and that clay, with a very small entrance that required one to bend to enter.
Today, just 2,000 strong, they continue to preserve this ancient, soulful way of life. Unexplored India opens a window to their community, their way of life and a true understanding of what they bring to our ever modernising world.
As part of our Unexplored Nilgiris Program, we take you on a guided tour through the Tribal Research Centre Museum in Ooty. It is a fascinating experience to learn about the indigenous communities who've shaped the region over eons. Photo by Pritish Bhanushali.
Living in transitional zones near the Toda are the Kota, the traditional artisans, metalworkers, and musicians of the hills. Operating out of permanent villages called koks, the Kotas served as crucial cultural bridges. They forged agricultural tools for neighboring communities, crafted pottery, and provided the vital musical accompaniment required at funerals and festivals. To the Kota, music is cosmic communication, utilizing long horns and drums to guide spirits to the ancestral realm.
Descending into the steep slopes and shola forest margins, we find the Kurumba, whose name derives from the ancient Tamil word for "hill people."
Historically, the Kurumbas functioned as the ritual specialists and shamans of the Nilgiris. Feared and respected by other tribes, they were regularly called upon to mediate with forest spirits, heal sickness, control rainfall, and counteract malevolent forces. The Kurumbas maintain small, temporary settlements made of bamboo and mud, reflecting an ecological wisdom that avoids leaving permanent footprints to keep from disturbing forest deities.
Further down the forest fringes live the Irula, a tribe whose name stems from irul (darkness), signifying their intimate familiarity with the deep, shadowed forest. The Irulas possess a trained, inherited sensory science, capable of tracking wildlife by smell, soil disruption, and animal dung. Renowned for their ability to read bird warning calls and mimic animal behavior, they were historically celebrated and are even more popularly now called upon for their master snake catching skills and healing capabilities.
Deep within the forest interiors lived the Paniya and Kattunayakan, whose histories took very different paths when outside forces arrived. Our Unexplorations shine light on their “whys, what’s, where’s and when’s”.
The history of the Paniya (a name linked to pani, meaning work) is uniquely marked by historical trauma. With colonial expansion and the rise of local landlord systems, they were systematically displaced from their traditional shifting cultivation and forced into bonded agricultural labor on tea, coffee, and spice estates.
Conversely, the Kattunayakan, literally meaning "forest kings", actively resisted integration. Their livelihoods centered entirely on the forest, famously relying on wild honey harvesting. Even today, their harvest is accompanied by sacred rituals where they ask the bees for permission before extracting the honey, a testament to their deep respect for the living forest.
The onset of British colonial rule severely fractured this delicate mountain civilization. Large swathes of ancestral grasslands and forests were declared state property and systematically cleared for commercial plantations, timber, and non-native species like eucalyptus.
Yet, the Nilgiri tribes unanimously refused to participate in the British plantation or military systems. To them, industrial wage labor directly violated their sacred geography, ritual calendars, and ecological ethics. Instead, their resistance took the form of a quiet withdrawal, retreating deeper into the dwindling forest zones.
The survival of these communities is not a question of whether they can adapt to modernity. It is a matter of preserving the unparalleled ecological intelligence they have cultivated over millennia. In a modern world facing unnatural living, these ancient communities are not footnotes of the past, they are our teachers.
Written by Thaniya Kanaka Mahalakshmi S
Thaniya is a performing artist who interned with the Content Team at Indiahikes and wrote this story for Unexplored India.
Go beyond Ooty and deeper into the hills. Discover shola grasslands, forest trails, waterfalls and spend time with indigenous communities. 150 Unexplorers have already experienced this side of the Nilgiris. The next season is now open.
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