Toda Tribe Celebrates Modhweth Festival

January 9, 2025

The Toda tribe, an ancient Dravidian ethnic group, resides in the Nilgiris Hills of Tamil Nadu. In December 2025, they celebrated their festival, Modhweth, marking the New Year. This vibrant occasion took place at Muthanad Mund, the tribe’s community headquarters, and involved members of various ages. The festival embodies their cultural identity and spiritual beliefs, emphasising health, agriculture, and unity.

Significance of Modhweth Festival

Modhweth is the most important festival for the Toda tribe. It occurs annually, either on the last Sunday of December or the first Sunday of January. The festival is a time for prayer and reflection, where community members seek blessings for health, prosperity, and the well-being of their livestock. Modhekuttan, a tribe member, brought into light the festival’s purpose, stating that prayers to their deity, Shakti, are believed to fulfil wishes.

Rituals and Celebrations

The celebration commenced with prayers at the Moonpo temple, dedicated to the deity Thenkish Amman. The Toda community gathered to offer prayers, seeking good health, adequate rainfall, and abundant harvests. Following the prayers, a shared buttermilk ritual symbolised unity among the tribe. Mandesh Kuttan explained that men pray together for everyone’s welfare, a tradition that strengthens communal bonds.

Traditional Performances

After the prayers, the festivities included devotional songs and dances. The Toda tribe showcased their cultural heritage through traditional dance, performed outside the temple. This vibrant display of dance serves not only as entertainment but also as a way to honour their deities. The culmination of the celebrations featured a unique stone-lifting ceremony, where young men lifted a greased boulder weighing approximately 80 kg, demonstrating strength, balance, and masculinity.

The Moonpo Temple

The Moonpo temple holds historical significance for the Toda tribe. It is known for its distinctive architectural design, featuring a vertical thatched roof with a flat stone atop. This temple is one of the last remaining examples of its kind in the Nilgiris. It attracts not only the Toda community but also tourists interested in their rich cultural heritage. The temple serves as a focal point for the Modhweth celebrations, reinforcing the tribe’s spiritual beliefs.

The Toda Community

The Toda tribe consists of around 50 members, primarily engaged in cattle-herding and dairy work. Their settlements, known as mund, typically feature small thatched houses arranged in half-barrel shapes. The Toda people are strictly vegetarian and abstain from consuming meat, fish, and eggs that can hatch. Their religious practices revolve around a pantheon of gods, with Tökisy and Ön being central figures. The Toda language belongs to the Dravidian family, reflecting their deep-rooted cultural identity.

Modhweth is celebrated on the last Sunday of December or first Sunday of January.
The Moonpo temple is one of the last of its kind in the Nilgiris.
The Toda tribe is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
Todas live in settlements called mund, shaped like half-barrels.
The tribe’s primary occupation is cattle-herding and dairy work.

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