Badagas of the Blue Mountains

A Badaga Dance number automatically plays [streaming music] welcoming  you to this site.

To switch it off go to the control at the  bottom

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 The audio quality may not be good as these songs were originaly recorded on a mono tape recorder

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Kerben Bella Gowder

Over a period of time, I have listened to a lot of Badaga singers [some were as good as professionals] but the best in my opinion is KERBEN BELLA GOWDER who had a golden voice. I met him for the first time all most three decades ago. He could play harmonium, bull bull tara or ‘thambutte’ [drum] with equal elan, His greatest ability was to compose and render songs on the spot, some times suitably changing the verses to suit the occassion.

He was a much sought after singer in any function be it a wedding, savu or anniversary. Just with a couple of his collegues accompaning on the thambutte [mathalam] and jalra [cymbals], he would sing while playing the harmonium. Sadly, no songs were recorded in any studio.

His savu [sad] songs would bring tears streaming down even in the hardest of hearts.

Another, great contribution of Bella Gowder is his rendering of many Badaga Ballads - the best being ” BERADA BELLIE “

I had the great fortune of recording [on a tape recorder] some of his songs when he had visited my home at Hubbathalai on a few occassions. Luckily I could trace them recently.

It is with a great sense of honour and as a tribute to this great singer I have uploaded some of his BERADA BELLIE songs on the net so that all can listen to his golden voice. The voice quality may not be good due to the original recording having been done on a tape recorder.

I bow my head in dedication to Kerben Bella Gowder who passed away a few years back.

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 Listen to the songs by clicking the play > button on the SONIFIC music widget given below. You can go to the next song by clicking >>  button.

There may be delay of a couple of seconds before the music starts streaming.

Happy listening !!

 Remember to switch off the  dance song  by pressing the OFF button of the control shown below at the bottom of this page, otherwise both songs will be playing at the same time.

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There are 19 songs in the album ‘Berada Bellie Ballad’.

The audio quality may not be good as these songs were originaly recorded on a mono tape recorder

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There are 3 songs in the album ‘Best of Bella Gowder’.

The first song from this album  - ’Gava Illeyo Gava Illeyo’ is based on the theme that God Shiva & Goddess Parvathi give a contest to their sons God Ganesha & God Muruga saying ‘whosoever goes around the world and comes back first’ would get the ‘hannu’ - fruit. While Lord Muruga takes off on his vahana [ vehicle] mayilu [peacock] to go around the world, Lord Ganesha just takes a circle around the parents saying ‘you are the world’ and wins the contest. He eats the fruit won as the prize sitting on the banks of the ‘halla’ [river]. Looking at him, Muruga sings this song, ‘ …Gava Illeyo Gava Illeyo, oh ennu anna…., Ninna thammana mele gava illeyo, Uria Hotte [dont you have affection for your younger brother, oh jealousy elder brother]?

The audio quality may not be good ad as these songs were originaly recorded on a mono tape recorder

 Remember to switch off the  dance song  by pressing the OFF button at the bottom  of this page, otherwise both songs will be playing at the same time.

Kothagiri (Kurudu) Kada

Another great singer of yester years is Kada from Kothagiri. He was blind but was very very spontaneous and could keep the audience spell bound.

I had known him personally and he was a great human being with a huge sense of humour. He had great VISION of the future without having vision.

It is once again my honour to upload some of his songs from my private collection - recorded on tape and these songs are dedicated to him

Some times I feel we are insensitive to others’ feelings. We call them Nondi Rama, Kividi Sevani & Kurudu Kada etc. More than the individual’s disability, it is our disability that is truly appalling & blinding!!

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There are 7 songs in this album

The audio quality may not be good as these songs were originaly recorded on a mono tape recorder

 Remember to switch off the  dance song  by pressing the OFF button at the bottom of this page, otherwise both songs will be playing at the same time.

To read about Badagas in French Click here

To read about Badagas in Spanish

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Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash’s other website from the heart for some ‘light’ reading

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Ollenge Iddhara?