God is leading us in the ministry step by step, now we are the leaders of Bit-Lit Ministries which is working among Tribal People of south india namely Irulas and other three Tribes of the same Hill area. We are doing the ministry of strategic co-ordination for church Planting along with Bible Translation among Irulas and church Planting among Badagas ,Toda, Kurmbas ,Kadar and Paniyas.Now and wish to continue in every possible tribal people group of India according to His leading and purpose. There are 24 Missionaries working in BIT-LIT at present.We have HOME Group leaders,Irula Evangelists,Badaga Evangelists,Toda Evangelists,Literacy workers, Mother Tongue translators,Administrative staff members and Voluntary Lay leaders. Please uphold all our staff members and their families to stand firm in the field for the Kingdom of God.And help us to provide their needs every month. | | THE IRULA The name irula is supposed to be drive from tamil word irul meaning darkness. Since they live in the dark places in the forest. They speak Irula language which is in south Dravidian language group.Irula settlement is called as Arai. BADAGA The Badaga are an agricultural community who live in the Nilgiri Hills. They are concentrated in the Coonoor and Ootacamund taluks of the Nilgiris District. They migrated to the Nilgiris about two centuries ago due to famine, political turmoil and oppression in the Mysore region. They prefer to call themselves Badaga, Badaga Gounder and Badugu, while others refer to them as Baduguru, Badaga Gounder and Vadugar. Some of them use the title Gowda as a suffix to their names. The size of the Badaga population was2,43,075 according to the 1991 Census. THE TODA The name TODA supposed to be derived from “tud” the sacrad tud tree of toda. Toda dialect is an independent language of the Dravidian family. The uniqueness of their half barrel shaped houses given speculation regarding their origin ranged from Rome to Sumeria. The toda village is called a mund, means a herd or a cattle- pen . THE KOTA The derivation of the name kota is from the Dravida root Ko or Ku meaning mountain. They speak kota language. The Kota village is called a Kokkal represents linear type with two or three localities called Keris. Their traditional government is known as varad a white bed spread cloth is thrown around the body by men and women. THE KURUMBA It is possible that their name originated from the tamil word kurumbu (mischief) because in their savage state they were very arrogant and mischievous on the basis on their residents in nilgiris the kurumbasare identified as six district kurumba tribes. The kurumba settlement is called muttom . |