Exploring the Life of Paniya Tribes of Nilgiris
There is always something special about Nilgiris, It has a magical power to cool down every man’s soul and body. The mesmerizing beauty of the blue hills and refreshing chillness of air makes Niligiri a perfect destination for all nature lovers.
Elder paniya women standing under the sun to kill the freezing cold at Nilgiri . The average temperature during winter drops below 15 degree Celsius . Paniyas usually stay near open fire or under sun to heat up their body.
Cow grazing in a small hill top near Paniya settlement.
Travelling has always been my way of finding peace from a boring life. This time it wasn’t just for relishing Nilgiri’s beauty, but for experiencing and being with an energetic group of tribes called 'Paniya'.
A Panichi (Paniya women) with her child .
I am lucky to closely interact and experience the daily lifestyle of 'Paniya' tribes of Kavundankolli village, located nearly 12 km away from valley town Gudallur, Tamil Nadu during this journey.
A teen Panichi girl.
'Paniyas' (also called 'paniyar') live in a small hut settlements called ‘padis’. Each padi contains 10-15 families. The exact root of Paniya is not yet clear but its is said to have been brought to Wayanad, Kerala by the king of Malabar as agricultural laborers during late 19th century. Following the abolishment of slave holding system ,they were resettled in different areas like Nilgiri , Kozhikode , Kannur, kodagu .
.A Panichi buying tobacco from a local shop near their settlement.
Panichi cleaning her teeth with powdered charcoal.
Portraits of two paniya kids.
Historically Paniya reputed for their boldness and energy. The main reason behind this is their healthy food habits. They grow vegetables and fruits for themselves .Their stable diet includes fresh water crabs, fishes , colocasia, leafy vegetables etc.
Hands of a Panichi . The stains in fingers are due to their daily use and consumption of betel leaf and arecanuts .
Smoke coming from a small hut.Paniyas still use open fire for cooking.
The unexpected excitement .
Paniyas do a variety of work for livelihood . It includes growing and selling plants roots which have high medicinal value, rearing goats and cow, agriculture , working in tea estates and so on.
Thanks to the government education system , almost all paniyar children are getting quality primary education very near to their padi.
Portrait of a young paniya boy.
Closeup of a Paniya child.
An old Paniyan (Paniya man ) sitting near a wall painting of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam which quotes ,
" Your Birth could have been an incident but your Death should be History" .
Paniya girl playing with her pets in front of her tiny hut .
Closeup of a fancy ear ring worn by a Panichi.
As a traveler and a photographer , I feel so blessed to experience the lifestyle and culture of tribes like paniya which is not much known to the outer world. I am so happy to share my travel experiences with you. Keep following my website and blog for more interesting photographs and content.
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Thanks Sruthi Chandran and Sharath Chandran for guiding me during this photo walk .
Copyright @ Praphul G Krishna
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