Nilgiris Archaeology Project: From Archaeological Landscape to Living Tradition of the Toda’s and Kota’s Tribal Community
Speaker : Dr. S. Udayakumar
Assistant Professor, NIAS
@ : udayarch@nias.res.in
Chairperson : Dr. Debosree Banerjee
Assistant Professor, NIAS
@ : debosree@nias.res.in
Date : 15 April 2026
Time : 9.30 AM
Venue : Lecture Hall
Abstract: This research presents the results of recent field seasons of the Nilgiris Archaeology Project, integrating remote sensing, historical cartography, and indigenous mapping practices, including place-name knowledge and ritual landscape understanding, to relocate sites recorded in colonial archives. The study foregrounds the role of traditional knowledge systems in shaping cultural continuity among the Toda and Kota communities of the Nilgiris. Focusing on the Todas’ buffalo pastoralism and sacred dairy rituals, and the Kotas’ specialized craft traditions such as pottery, metallurgy, and music, the research highlights the deep interconnections between landscape, livelihood, and belief systems. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining archaeology and anthropology, the study demonstrates how material culture embodies adaptive strategies to ecological conditions while reinforcing social identity.
The research further examines landscape archaeology, key cultural practices, including secondary funeral rites, Kota women’s pottery production, Kota iron-smithing traditions, Toda marriage systems, ritual practices associated with buffaloes, and the construction of Toda temples using locally sourced materials. It argues that, despite contemporary transformations, traditional knowledge systems remain dynamic and resilient, continuing to play a crucial role in sustaining cultural identity in the Nilgiris.
About the speaker: Dr. S. Udayakumar is an Assistant Professor at the School of Humanities, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), IISc, Bangalore. He holds a BFA in Traditional Bronze Sculpture from the Government College of Architecture and Sculpture, Mamallapuram, and an M.A. in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology and Ph.D. from Deccan College, Pune. His research specializes in archaeometallurgy, experimental archaeology, and Indian craft traditions. He has conducted extensive fieldwork across sites Harappan sites and South Indian Iron Ages sites and has led workshops on bronze casting, pottery, and ancient technologies across India. His work integrates experimental studies on iron smelting, bone toolmaking, and pottery traditions. Dr. Udayakumar has published in leading journals and presented at national and international conferences. A recipient of several prestigious fellowships and grants—including ICHR, INTACH, the Tylecote Memorial Fund (UK), and INSA Young Historian Award—he is also a collaborator in the Nilgiris Archaeology Project with Ghent University, Belgium. He actively engages in public archaeology through workshops and lecture series on heritage and traditional knowledge systems.