the focus of divinity within the temple. And as these categories of sacred waters have their own kwa(r)shm, or sacred words, that are chanted in the prayer by the priest, an element of sanctity is frequently reinforced. From these prayers that are recited at the dairy-temples and major hamlets we can discover the kwa(r)shm of the most important sacred streams, pools, rivers, waterfalls, wetlands and springs. Close to 150 such sacred names are listed in Table 1 below.7 Finally, it is the people in general who periodically pray for the wellbeing of the sacred water sources. For instance, on the migration day to Konawsh, the people present pray not only for the general wellbeing—especially of the priest—but also specifically for the sacred waters. This portion of the prayer may go like this: kirsneer pehdry maww, or, “May the waters of the dairy stream gush forth.” Similarly, on the migration day, when the men link hands and sing the konn ezht composition, the sentence relating to the sacred waters could be: atwaa(r)sh vehll(zh) nehddanawdr / apahh koott.zh nehddanawdr // Sacred hamlet that is situated at the pathway to a shola / Sacred hamlet that is located near a sacred stream//. Conclusion As the urban population the world over becomes more and more used to water that flows through pipes and out of faucets, they need to understand and learn from the sacrosanct relationship that indigenous people have had and still have with their surrounding water bodies. Partly due to the fact that many of the major as well as smaller river systems that originate in and around the Toda heartland in the Upper Nilgiri Plateau have been venerated by Toda people as deities, and thus accorded a great degree of protection, this area has been the principal freshwater source for the surrounding plains and hills located in three Indian states, since ancient times. This has made several key advancements possible: 1. By according sacred status to several hundreds of smaller freshwater sources situated in the vicinity of each hamlet, and whose waters are associated with their dairy-temples and rituals, the Toda people have simultaneously ensured that the surrounding ecosystems, including the hydrology conserving species of plants, are also preserved in addition to all these local, sacred waters. 2. By according sanctity and importance to numerous freshwater sources— both large and small—that are mentioned in the Toda mythical and cultural heritage, the Toda people have ensured their protection over the centuries. 7 In addition, there are numerous less-sacred waters that have kwa(r)shm that are not mentioned in the prayers. These are omitted in Table 1.
Chapter 11
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