TODA TRIBE
ethnic group of Nilgiri Hills southern India
ABOUT
The vast spread plateaus of Tamil Nadu, are occupied by the pastoral community of Todas,
settled since centuries. A style of life simple and organised, yet sophisticated defines the Toda tribe.
The Todas can be easily identified with their attire, a single piece of white beautifully wrapped in rich red black and white shawl adds to their demeanour. The Todas have their own set of customs and traditions which have close association with nature and life around them. Apart from an interesting range of customs and beliefs, the Toda tribe is famous for their distinctive style of embroidery. Passed on through generations,
the embroidery is done on stripes of red and black colour. Locally called Pugur, meaning flower, the fine and intricate Toda embroidery is done by tribal men and women on shawls.
The shawl adorned with the Toda embroidery is called Poothkuli.
CULTURE
The entire lifestyle and beliefs of the Toda tribe revolves around farming and nature, where their religion is based on buffaloes and their milk, and the dairies revered as temples. During festivities and funeral, songs about the cult of the buffalo are composed and chanted.
DETAILS
The embroidery on the shawls which is done on the left of the black stripe (around the two red stripes) is called the karnol, while the embroidered pattern on the right is called the karthal. This is an important symbol of a tripartite belief system involving a symbolic colour scheme where Black indicated the Underworld, Red the intermediate realm of Earth, and White the Celestial-the colours of the Toda.
MOTIFS
Motifs are worked, by counting the threads. Patterns used in the embroidery are similar to the ones used as tattoos by the Toda men and women in the earlier days, so fine that it resembles weaving. Reversible embroidery, on unbleached white cotton woven in a balanced weave structure are woven with three stripes- two of red and one of black. It is in these stripes that the embroidery is worked before the two lengths of the fabric are sewn together with the embroidery motifs and patterns in darning stitch.
ACCESSORIES
The community traditionally adorn themselves with silver and iron finger rings and gold earrings, bracelet of silver, copper and iron and wear above the elbow. Heavy iron ornaments from which bunches of cowine shells are sometimes suspended. They also wear Silver chain necklace. Another form adornment, the tattooing of women was mandatory at maturity. The chin, chest above the breasts, back arms backs of the hands legs and feet were all tattooed in pattern of rings and dots. Using a paste of soot from the cooking pots, mixed with breast milk, she would draw on the skin with a particular kind of thorn.
INSPIRATION
Toda embroidery, was granted Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2012. Today, the new generation of Toda’s are drifting towards the wave of modern city culture.
Intrigued by the sophistication Toda embroidery motifs have, I made a block print pattern resembling a motif. This is to bring the craft in our modern culture in any format and keep the creativity and hardwork of the tribe alive.
In frame : Vaishnavi Sarda and Tamanna Santra
