The Todas, dressed in traditional attire, danced at the 'Modhweth' festival organised by the tribal people of the various villages (Mandus) to welcome the New Year in Ooty.
The Nilgiris: There are six types of tribal people living in the Nilgiris district namely Todas, Kurumba, Irula, Paniyar and Kattu Naicker.
Of these, the Todas Adivasis live in 70 villages called “Mundus”, adjacent to dense forest areas in Ooty, Kotagiri, Coonoor, Kunda and surrounding areas.
They live in a traditional way with traditional attire and a separate culture and they rear buffaloes for livelihood.
To welcome the New Year every year, they celebrate a traditional festival called Modweth in their traditional temples such as conical Munbo and semi-circular mark Vel temples in the Muthanad Mundu area near Ooty.
To welcome the New Year, Todar men from more than 70 Mundus dressed in traditional attire, attended the event.
They offered one rupee per person and offered prayers. Then all of them came to the semi-circular Temple of Amarkvel and offered prayers. Following this, they performed a traditional dance in front of two temples.
On the occasion, the youth displayed their strength by lifting the “Ilavatta Kal”. While only 1,500 people of Todas have survived to this day.
Modhweth festival is celebrated to get the heavenly favours for prosperity and sustenance of agriculture and buffalo rearing.