TODA TRIBE CELEBRATES MODHWETH FESTIVAL

PRELIMS BITS

The Toda tribe, an ancient Dravidian ethnic group residing in the Nilgiris Hills of Tamil Nadu, recently celebrated their annual Modhweth Festival at Muthanad Mund, their community headquarters. This vibrant event, observed in December 2025, marked the tribe’s New Year and highlighted their rich cultural heritage and spiritual beliefs.

Significance of Modhweth Festival

• Cultural Importance: Modhweth is the most significant festival for the Toda tribe, symbolizing health, prosperity, agriculture, and unity.
• Timing: Celebrated on the last Sunday of December or the first Sunday of January.
• Purpose: Community prayers to the deity Shakti for blessings, adequate rainfall, good health, and the well-being of livestock.

Rituals and Celebrations

1. Prayers and Offerings:
   • Held at the Moonpo Temple, dedicated to the deity Tenkish Amman.
   • The Toda community prays collectively for health, harvest, and prosperity.
2. Buttermilk Ritual:
   • A shared buttermilk ceremony symbolizing unity and togetherness among tribe members.
3. Traditional Performances:
   • Devotional songs and dances performed outside the temple, celebrating their spiritual connection and cultural heritage.
4. Stone-Lifting Ceremony:
   • Young men demonstrate strength and balance by lifting an 80-kg greased boulder, showcasing masculinity and physical prowess.

The Moonpo Temple

• Architectural Significance:
  • Features a vertical thatched roof with a flat stone atop.
  • Among the last of its kind in the Nilgiris.
• Cultural Hub:
  • Serves as a focal point for the Modhweth celebrations.
  • Attracts not only the Toda community but also tourists exploring their rich heritage.

The Toda Community

1. Lifestyle:
   • Primarily engaged in cattle-herding and dairy work.
   • Live in settlements called mund, featuring distinctive half-barrel-shaped houses.
2. Dietary Practices:
   • Strictly vegetarian, abstaining from meat, fish, and eggs that can hatch.
3. Religious Beliefs:
   • Worship a pantheon of gods, with Tökisy and Ön being central deities.
4. Language:
   • Speak the Toda language, part of the Dravidian language family.