a number of tribal communities have resided in every nook and corner of the state of Karnataka

These tribes of Karnataka have built their settlements in several hilly and mountainous areas. As far as the languages are concerned, the tribes of Karnataka state converse with each other in different languages.

The various tribes found in Karnataka include-the Todas, the Jenu Kurubas, the Kadu Kurubas etc.

The Todas are seen as a pastoral tribe who herd buffaloes that roam the Nilgiri hills. Where they originally came from remains a mystery.

Toda tribal community converse with each other in the language of the same name.

The recent population counts of the Toda tribal community is near about 1,100.

The earliest record about them dates back to about 1117 AD when a ruler of Karnataka came to the Nilgiris and dedicated the highest peak in the area to the Goddess Lakshmi.

Like most of the tribal communities of Indian subcontinent, the Toda tribal community has got huge inclination towards religion and spiritualism. This Toda tribal community worships their dairy-buffaloes with lots of veneration.

Toda tribes have taken up the occupations of cattle rearing and dairy farming. Most of the members have huge herd of buffaloes. This Toda tribal community sustains their livelihood from milk products. Toda tribes have also developed expertise in silver smiting.

In the Kannada language, the term Jenu signifies honey and kuruba stands for caste. Therefore inferring from the name, it can easily be concluded that these Jenu Kuruba tribes have adapted the profession of honey gathering.

Jenu kuruba tribes are said to be the original residents of the forests regions of the Western Ghats and also other places of South India.

Jenu Kuruba tribes lead a carefree lifestyle of a typical nomad, adopting to various occupations like conventional food collectors, shifting cultivators. . These Jenu Kuruba tribes also carry on cultivation as a supplementary profession.

As far as the language is concerned, these Jenu Kuruba tribal community converse with each other as well as with other tribal communities in the beautiful dialects of the same name.

Thus Kadu Kuruba constitutes of the people residing in forest areas, as a whole. These Kadu Kuruba tribes are one of the sub castes of the famous Kuruba tribal community.

Just like many of the tribal communities of the whole of the Indian subcontinent, these Kadu Kuruba tribes also are the ardent followers of Hinduism. To top of it, these Kadu Kuruba tribes practice Halumatha, also known as Palamatha by many people of the Indian Territory.

Members of Kadu Kurubas tribe

Over the years, this Kadu Kuruba tribal community have adapted to diverse occupational activities. The common practice is that in all the famous temples like Beeralingeshwara and Milaralingeshwara ,all the priests that are being duly appointed belong to this Kadu Kuruba tribal community.

These indigenous people are devoid of land rights and stay marginalized even today.

This tribe is also known as Beda ,Boya , bydar etc .The name ‘bedar’ is originated from from the word ‘bedaru’ which signifies Hunter .

This tribe is known for the jewellery its women wear .

Bedar women

Bedar tribe

Though the Konda Kapus tribes live in great numbers in Karnataka.They are also found in states like Andhra Pradesh ,Orissa etc . They claim themselves to be the descendents of the famous Pandava Kings and practice Hinduism

A Konda Kapus tribe woman

Konda Kapus tribe

Sholaga tribes are found in various places of the state like Mysore District, Biligiri Rangana Hills etc.

As far as the languages are concerned, these Sholaga tribal community carry on conversation in the beautiful language of the same name. There are some people who also have given alternative names to this language. These are namely Kadu Sholigar, Sholiga, Sholigar, Solaga, Soliga, Soligar, Solanayakkans, Sholanayika.