“Oh karayya, call our Lord Kara,
(we’re) the one who has come from the leaves…..”
Softly carried by the wind, the verses of an age-old song tells the story of the Soliga's origins and why they are known as the children of the bamboo. While various legends surround the name 'Soliga,' one speaks of Lord Karayya and his profound connection to the community. According to Soliga legend, Lord Karayya, a disciple of Male Mahadeshwara (an incarnation of Lord Shiva), once sought refuge in the forest, hiding beneath the roots of a bamboo plant. It is said that the new shoots emerging from the bamboo became the ancestors of the Soligas, forever intertwining their destiny with Lord Karayya, Male Mahadeshwara, and the forest itself. Over time, this relationship has formed the cornerstone of the Soligas' culture and identity.
Primarily residing in the Biligiriranga Hills and Male Mahadeshwara Hills of Karnataka, the Soligas have long practiced a semi-nomadic lifestyle rooted in their deep connection to the forest. Traditionally, they engaged in shifting cultivation, hunting, and foraging. Today, sustainable harvesting of minor forest produce continues to be central to their livelihood. Yet, the forest is far more than a source of sustenance. It is their home, their faith, and their very way of life.
“Living in the forest, with animals, was and is our way of living,” says Basavaraju Soliga, President of the Pusumale Soliga Kala Abhivruddhi Sangha. For the Soligas, nature is sacred. They worship deities embodied in trees, animals, and natural elements such as the sun and rain. Among their most revered symbols are the Dodda Sampige and Hulidevaru. The Dodda Sampige, a towering Champaca tree believed to be over 2,000 years old, is at the heart of the Soligas' worship, whereas Hulidevaru, or the Tiger God, is seen as the protector of both the people and their crops. The reasons why these particular species became such central figures in Soliga worship remain open to interpretation. In the case of the tiger, the overlapping habitats of the Soligas and the Bengal tiger may have played a part. Having experienced the raw power of the tiger in their living area, the people could have preferred to worship it as a god, wanting harmony through appeasement rather than fear of being consumed. Interestingly, the Soligas also call the tiger Doddanayi or "big dog". As for the Champaca tree, its deep spiritual significance remains speculative.
Beyond worship, the Soligas possess a profound understanding of the forest, its creatures, and the intricate cycles of life within it. “Our ancestors could track animals like tigers, elephants, and snakes just by their scent,” says Basavaraju. “While in the forest, they would observe various animals carefully. When they returned home, they’d share their observations with the community and come up with plausible explanations.” This knowledge was then passed down through the generations and forms the basis of what the Soligas know and believe in today.
But with such rich knowledge, one might wonder: How is it preserved and passed down?
Instead of being written down, Soliga knowledge is passed down orally—through stories, rituals, and most importantly, songs. During festivals, or Habbas, the Soligas sing Hadukes, traditional songs that honor their deep connection with nature. Performed from dusk till dawn, these songs weave tales of the forest, celebrating its creatures and the rhythms of life it sustains. Thus, these songs are not a mere cultural tradition but more of a living archive of the Soligas’ intimate relationship with the natural world.
To get a glimpse into the Soliga way of life, let’s delve into some of their songs.
1. About the Sloth Bear
LINK TO THE SONG
“The Sloth bear breathes like thunder.
It feasts on Kakke (Casia Fistula) seeds.
It is digging an ant hill, which is as tall as a person.
It is climbing a fig tree.
It is climbing a tree which has bee hives.”
- An English translation of the Soliga language.
What’s interesting is that Soligas didn’t just observe the bear and move on, they carefully noted its behavior and what it was eating. While these feeding habits of the sloth bear are widely known today, thanks to scientific research, the Soliga have been singing about it for generations.
2. Where the Bison lives
“Hey Bison,
you are feasting happily (Bison),
in the rocky forest (and),
in the Beerajji swamp.....”
“In the mountain slopes, you are feasting
You are also sleeping while you are on the slopes…”
“In the grasslands, it is feasting
It is putting its tongue out…”
“In the hill filled with kare (Catunaregam spinosa) plants,
It is cautiously sleeping…..”
- Snippets of the song translated in English.
Unlike the song about the sloth bear, which focuses primarily on the animal’s behavior, this song takes it a step further. It not only describes the actions of the Indian bison, or Gaur, but also explores how the animal interacts with the diverse ecosystems it inhabits. From scrublands and dry deciduous forests to moist deciduous woods, shola forests, and montane grasslands, the song not only covers the full spectrum of the landscape but also details how it moves between them—whether feeding in the grasslands, resting on the slopes, or escaping from predators like wild dogs by seeking refuge in water bodies.
3. Ode to the honeybees
LINK TO THE SONG
“...The bees at the round stone (cliff) are roaring.
As the eagle comes, the bees hide.
In the red stone (cliff), the bees are angry.
In the deep stone, there are a lot of beehives.
We have a wild creeper to send the honey pot.
We have a bamboo ladder which has 12 steps to climb.
We also have a creeper to tie the ladder.
The creeper to tie the pot is also ready…..”
- Snippets of the song translated in English.
For the Soligas, honey has long been, and still is, an important part of their diet. Naturally, they have developed a number of songs dedicated to honey harvesting and the bees that produce it. The belief is that singing these songs before harvesting helps put the bees to sleep, ensuring they won’t be harmed. “In the past, we used to find honey hives during the day, but for other types of honey, we’d go out at night. We didn’t have torches or modern light sources, just fire. We would tap on the tree bark, place our ears against it, and listen for the buzzing of the bees. That’s how we knew which tree had honey,” elaborates Basavaraju. He also talks of another Soliga song that tells the story of Soligas heading into the forest to harvest honey, but also describes how other creatures like the tiger, bear, and wild boar would come for their share of the sweet treat. This could explain why, after harvesting, the Soligas leave some honey behind for the birds and animals of the forest, ensuring that nature continues to benefit from the forest’s bounty.
Each Soliga song holds deep meaning, from describing animal behavior and ecosystems to narrating stories about their livelihood. Through these songs, the rich cultural heritage of the Soliga community has been passed down from generation to generation. However, this tradition is now facing challenges. “The younger generation isn’t as interested in learning these songs anymore,” says Nagamma from the Kanneri colony. “Another issue with this generation is mobile phones. With these devices, children are always glued to their screens and show little interest in our cultural practices,” she continues, expressing concern over the gradual loss of traditional knowledge that has been a vital part of their community for centuries. “On top of that, our access to the forest has changed over time due to increased restrictions. The forest department no longer allows us to enter the forest as freely as we once did,” she adds as someone who has spent most of her life roaming among the trees.
After the introduction of the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972, the Karnataka government declared BR Hills reserve forest as the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary, halting the Soligas’ practice of shifting cultivation and evicting them from their ancestral land. In 2006, the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFP), which the Soligas depended on for their livelihood, was also banned. In response to this, the Soligas took their case to the Chamarajanagar district court in 2008, seeking recognition of their rights under the Forest Rights Act of 2006. Two years later, the court ruled in their favor. But the battle didn't end there. In January 2011, the sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve, and another case was filed against the Soligas for collecting NTFP. In October of that year, the court dismissed the case and upheld the Soligas' rights to the land, making them the first tribal community living within the core area of a tiger reserve in India to have their forest rights officially recognized by law.
While the Soligas may have won the battle to win back their rights to forests, the challenges they are now facing extend far beyond legal battles. As Nagamma aptly pointed out, their fight had shifted to a quieter but equally pressing issue, one against the tides of social change. And in an ever-changing world, the gap between generations is growing even more pronounced. Elders strive to preserve the age-old traditions that define their identity, while the younger generation are increasingly drawn to the allure of technology.
The Hadukes that once echoed through their forests, passed down with care and pride from generation to generation, now face the threat of disappearing altogether. Will these melodies continue to be sung throughout the woods? Or will they fade into distant memories, much like countless traditions that have disappeared over the years ?
Edited by Sheema Mookherjee
Insights: Basavaraju Soliga
Special thanks: Madegowda C and the entire Soliga community
