To protect their tradition and culture, Toda community, one of the existing primitive tribal groups in the Nilgiris district, today formed a forum.
Todas, with a population of about 2,000 and living in 63 villages in the district, known as Mands, were mainly involved in agriculture and rearing buffaloes, since ages.
In a meeting organised here, 300 members, including a few women participated and elected Manides Kuttan, as president and Sathyaraj as secretary, and vowed to protect and preserve the culture and tradition of the community.
In a memorandum, the community urged Tamil Nadu government to provide necessary drinking water supply, approach roads and also power to the villages.
They also wanted the Forest department to return the 'patta' lands, so that they can remove eucalyptus being grown there and develop grazing land for buffaloes and also wanted to change the land deeds, which were hitherto in the names of their forefathers, to their name.
