Soliga

The Indigenous tribes of Soligas are spread in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, they majorly
distributed in Chamarajanagara, Mysuru, Kodagu, Mandya and Ramanagara districts of
Karnataka and they live inside and periphery of the forest areas of Western Ghats, the
forest play very important role in Soliga livelihood and culture .

Soligas celebrate important traditional harvesting festival of Rotti habba, Hosa Ragi
habba and Mari habba and also they celebrate Hindu festivals. Among the traditional
festibal Hosa Ragi habba ( (Finger millet) Ragi boll making and offering to goddess) and
distributed to whole community people, this festival celebrate in the month of November
to January , Soligas have different clans and each clans different days usually celebrate
in Monday or Friday.

Harvesting festival of Rotti habba (after harvesting the finger millet (Raagi) from their
land, they celebrate the Rotti habba in the month of February to May every year, this is
very important festival for Soligas during the festival all the Podus (settlements) peoples
gather in the festivals places. Among Soligas worship different god, goddess, Rotti
habba festival celebrate for Gods, Mainly they worship Gods like Jadeswamy,
Kethappa, Huliveerappa, Kumbappa, Hullu Pache deveru, Mahadeswara, Basappa, etcs
during the festival day they distributed the food for everybody and in the night they sing
songs of Aduke, Holaga, Kagga, Gorukana songs and Gorukana dance starts from 9 PM
to morning 6 AM.

Oolaga song: the Oolaga songs sung during the Rotti habba time 10 to 15 elders and
younger stand in front of the temple gods, front or some time they take procession form
the tank to temple that time before they sing about the oolaga songs, they sing songs
and calling the god to passion on the priest (Thammadi) during singing songs in between
god passion on the priest.

Kagga songs: Tha Kagga songs sing during the procession from the tank to temple that
time some elder person sing the songs and other groups of people give course by using
the traditional instruments

Gorukana song and Gorukana dance: Gorukana means the sound from the evergreen
forest, Goruu means sound from the forest and Kana means evergreen forest and another
meaning Gurukana means ‘spider’, so the Soligas observed the nature, animals, trees,
birds, rain , agriculture, god, goddess, flowers, girls, clans, all the songs narrate the about
the wildlife, trees, flowers etc. so the elder people and younger people sing and do the
Gorukana dance that time children will learn the songs and dance, each time they sing
different songs and dance steps based on the songs. This Gorukana dance and songs they
do it whole night from 9 PM to morning 6 AM .

Jenu Hadu: Jenu hadu means honey harvesting songs, this songs sing during the Rotti
habba time that is in Aduke (means narrate the stories about the honey bees, flowers, god,
goddess, wild animals, rain, agriculture) that is called aduke, the aduke also have the
honey harvesting songs and also songs sung during the honey harvesting in the trees and
rocks that time Soliga honey harvester sing the songs .

Gubbi yale sons and dance: this Gubbi yale song and dance women groups perform
during Rotti habba and Mari habba time in Chamarajanagar taluk, the songs about the
agriculture, forest and life.

Mari Kunitha: Mari dance perform during the Mari habba means sacrifice goat an offer
to goddess, then in the evening people do the Mari dance in front of the temple using
music instruments and dance from around 10 PM to morning 6 Am.

Tandana Tanana: this song about Biligiri Rangaswamy, Soligas worship Biligiri
Rangaswamy in B.R.Hills of Chamarajanagar district, the historical story about
Rangaswamy that Rangaswamy visited to Soligara Podu and he fallen love with
Kusumale, daughter of Soligara Bommegowda, and he eloped the Kusumale and he
married the Kusumale that is why soligas call Biligiri Rangaswamy is brother in law, this
song about the Biligiri Rangaswamy.