Manihatty

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Manihatty (also known as B.Manihatty) is a Badaga village in the Nilgiri District of Tamil Nadu, India. Manihatty is 16 km to the south west of Ooty, the district capital of the Nilgiris.

Manihatty consists of two hamlets: Kunna Hatty (Meaning "Small village" in native Badaga language) and Dodda Hatty ("Big village"). Kunna Hatty is the Ooru (a Ooru is a "primary hatty", supposedly built by the ancestors) while Dodda Hatty is a branch out from the Kunna Hatty. Over the years, Dodda Hatty has grown considerably in terms of the number of households and relative population. At present, Kunna Hatty has about 100 households and Dodda Hatty, about 350 households.^{[citation needed]}

The Manihattians (as they are popularly referred to) belong to the "Haaruva" subdivision of the Badaga Community and practise total Vegetarianism. The other Haaruva villages within the vicinity of Mercunad Seeme are Thangadu, Puduhatty and Melur-Hosahatty. The Haaruvas fall next in line to the "Hodeyas" in Badaga hierarchy.

The economy of Manihatty is dependent on Agriculture and Tea plantations. Of late, increased importance to education has resulted in many professionals coming out in the fields of Medicine, Business Management and Information Technology.

Jangura Habba (Sacred Thread Festival) is the main festival of Manihatty. During this festival, the natives pray to Lord Shiva, supreme God of the Hindus and seek his blessings.

Manihatty is known in Badaga Community for pioneering the refined version of the famous Mettu Aata (Foot Tap Dance) with its slow articulated movements.

The generous and equable nature of Manihattians is well known in Badaga Folklore, a saying thus goes

"Uttile Aravenu-no UttoDhu, Satthale Manihatty-ya SaavaDhu"

which translates as

"To be born in Aravenu is good being a rich village, still better to die in Manihatty for its generous and impartial people"