Hyderabad 25 August : Hyderabad, Aug 25 : Thotis are among the tribes of the tribes that are endangered and that are declining in their number of members.According to the census of 2021 Thotis’s population of Thotis is just 4,811.
The traditional ways of life of the Thotis people are under threat as only a few members have traditional occupations.
The documentation and protection of their traditions is a vital task and a necessity of the moment.
Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, has taken on the task of researching and document the ancient practices of the Thoti community living in the Adilabad district of Telangana.
The Thotis are a tribal group who are associated with the Raj Gonds.
The main job of the Thotis was to sing Gond Gatha, and keeping the past of the Gondwana kingdom alive in the form of oral history.Thotis made a living by relying upon the Gond patrons.
The women of Gond community are traditional tattoo makers.They practiced the traditional tattoo making among Gond women as element of healing and cures.
The traditional practice of the Thotis are gradually fading and a few families are following the age-old traditions with them, and are preserving the traditions of their people by keeping their traditions alive.
Under the direction and principal research of Professor Deepak John Mathew The research team made an excursion to the Thoti Guda at Tosham Village located in Gudihatnur Mandal, Adilabad district.
The music of the traditional of Thotis is being recorded using the latest technology to preserve the culture of the Thoti community.
The project’s creator Professor Deepak John Mathew, Head, Department of Design, said: “This documentary beautifully describes the long-standing traditions and scientific basis behind them.Our goal is to show these incredible techniques and assist the community maintain its values as a cultural entity.It’s also a step towards bringing our present urban generation to the rich culture and social history of the communities”.
“We have defined IITH as inventing & innovating in technology for Humanity.Conserving Traditions & Cultural Heritage using the Design Concept & encouraging future generations to maintain them is our goal.
IITH also operates an Rural Development Centre to uplift the livelihood of rural people with the help of technology.There is also the Department of Heritage Science and Technology which has similar goals.” Prof.B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad.
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