Date:20/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/20/stories/2006042017710200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

CDs on Badaga songs released

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: R.S. Sundarrajan, a state government employee from Ootucamund, recently released two audio CDs in Badaga, a language spoken in the Badaga tribal belt of Nilgiris.

The 43-year-old amateur musician says that it was his dream to nurture his mother tongue.

He says he realised that producing audio CDs was the best and only way to make his dream come true, as the language has no written script.

"The language will sound like a colloquial mix of Kannada and all the other south Indian languages. Of course, there are a few words that are unique. This is the first CD in the language, and hopefully more persons will be inspired [to do other things to popularise the language] through this venture," he says.

The State Highways Department employee got established singers, including P. Susheela, to sing devotional and folk songs.

For details, contact Sundarrajan at 9442720351.