The Koguvolu temple, of the Toda deity, Koguvalli, is unique to the Toda culture as the temple and the deity are intrinsically linked to the Toda buffalo, a variety of cattle bred only by the indigenous tribe in the Nilgiris.
However, the temple now faces an existential threat as the Toda buffalo herd, which used to number around a 100, has declined sharply to just 21 in the last few decades.
The mund or hamlet of the Todas in Tharanadumund is unique in that the tribal population that lives here do not consume the milk or any of the produce of the buffaloes, which are considered to be sacred.
Only the temple priest can milk the buffaloes, and use it to make butter which is used to light lamps inside the temple, said A. Sathyaraj, a resident of Tharanadumund.
“We believe that the buffaloes all belong to a single lineage, which can be traced back many centuries, and if they get wiped out, it will be the end of the temple and its deity, said Mr. Sathyaraj.
Recently, the residents celebrated Iruweth festival, and prayed for the health, fertility and well-being of the remaining Toda buffaloes at the hamlet.
