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{{One source|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Soliga
| image = Soliga Girl DSC 7287.jpg
| caption = A Soliga girl
| pop = 40,000
| popplace = {{flag|India}}
| languages = '''[[First language]]''' <br/> [[Sholaga language|Sholaga]] '''[[Second language]]''' <br/> [[Kannada language|Kannada]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]],
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| religions =
| region1 = [[Karnataka]]
| region2 = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| pop1 = 33,819
| pop2 = 5,965
| related = [[Koraga people|Koraga]], [[Irulas|Irula]], [[Yerukala people|Yerukala]]
}}
[[File:Castes and tribes of southern India. Assisted by K. Rangachari (1909) (14587489297).jpg|thumb|A Soliga man]]
'''Sholaga''', ({{ipa|sle|ʃoːlɐɡɐ, s-|ipa}}, also spelled '''S(h)olega''', '''S(h)oliga''' and '''S(h)ōlaga'''), is an ethnic group of [[India]]. Its members inhabit the mountain ranges mostly in the [[Chamarajanagar]] district of southern [[Karnataka]] and [[Erode]] district of [[Tamil Nadu]]. They are also found in [[Bengaluru South district|Ramanagara district]] in smaller numbers. Many are concentrated in the [[Biligiriranga Hills]] and associated ranges, mainly in the [[taluka]]s [[Yelandur]], [[Kollegal]] and [[Chamarajanagar]] of Karnataka. The Soliga speak [[Sholaga language|Sholaga]], which belongs to the [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian]] family. Under Indian law, they are recognised as a [[scheduled tribe]], they have a population of around 40,000.

==Etymology==
The term comes from ''śōla'' "forest" and ''-ga'' "people".{{sfnp|Zvelebil|1990|p=}}

==Origin==
The Soliga tribe trace their origin to Karayya, son of the deity Maleya Mahadeshwara, swamy of Maleya Mahadeshwara Hills, Karnataka.<ref name="singh "/> Legend says that on seeing Karayya's affinity towards wild animals, Maleya Mahadeshwara swamy asked Karayya to reside in forests, whereas the other son Biliyayya resided in plains and became the forefather of Lingayats.<ref name="singh "/>

==Language==
The Soliga speak the [[Sholaga language]] (Soliganudi) as a mother tongue. A member of the [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian]] family, it is most closely related to [[Kannada]] with several [[Tamil language|Tamil]] influences.<ref name=Buchanan>{{cite book|last=Buchanan|first=Francis|title=A Journey from Madras Through the Countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar|year=1870|publisher=Higginbotham and Co.|isbn=1108116302|url=https://archive.org/details/ajourneyfrommad00compgoog}}</ref>

==Groups==
There are five sub groups of Soligas:<ref name="singh "/>

* Male Soliga: Kannada speakers residing in [[Karnataka]]
* Urali Soliga: Kannada and Tamil speakers, residing in border areas of [[Tamil Nadu]]
* Pujari group: reside in Maleya Mahadeshwara Hills
* Kadu Soliga: reside near Bandipur Forest
* Burude Soliga: reside in [[Heggadadevanakote]] Taluk and [[Kodagu]]

Furthermore, these groups have several sub-groups.<ref name="singh ">{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Nagendra Kr |title=Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's Ethnography, Volume 1 |year=2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xcpa_T-7oVQC&q=soliga&pg=PA760 |accessdate=6 September 2012 |edition=2006 |publisher=Global Vision Publication House |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788182201682 |pages=759–763}}</ref>

==Occupation and social status==
The Soliga used to practice [[shifting cultivation]], but have more or less given up this practice now. They grow ''Ragi'' ([[Finger millet]], ''Eleusine coracana'') for subsistence. Their main source of income is harvesting and sale of Non-timber Forest Produce (NTFP) like honey, ''nellikai'' (gooseberry, ''[[Phyllanthus|Emblica officinalis]]''), bamboo, ''Paasi'' (Lichen), algae, wild turmeric, Indian blackberry, soapnut and nennari (wild root). They also make baskets using bamboo.<ref name="singh "/>

They are increasingly being brought to the "mainstream" with active Government and NGO initiative. Many have been given lands closer to 'civilised areas' and most of the forest-dwelling population have been brought together into clusters called ''Podus''. Most of the forest area they stay comes under wild life protection area. The Biligiriranga Hills is a Wildlife Sanctuary under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Male Mahadeswara Hills is a Reserve Forest, and [[Bandipur]] is a National Park. Their rights on harvesting NTFP is being sought to be withdrawn citing conservation concerns, sparking a debate about the rights of indigenous people. The Soligas later won a court case to stay on their land.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rajappa|first=Amoolya|title=How a tribe in Karnataka fought and won a legal battle to stay in a tiger reserve|url=https://scroll.in/article/896580/how-a-tribe-in-karnataka-fought-and-won-a-legal-battle-to-stay-in-a-tiger-reserve|access-date=26 June 2020|website=Scroll.in|date=5 October 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Religion==
Soliga people follow naturism and animism along with following Hindu practices and their main deities are Madeshwara, Rangaswamy of Biligirirangana Hills (who is considered the brother-in-law of the clan), [[Karayya]], [[Kyate Devaru]] and [[Jadeswamy]].<ref name="singh "/>her deities worshipped by them include Madeshwara, Basaveshwara and Nanjundeshwara and Sri Alamelu Ranganayaki smetha Sri hanuma.<ref name="singh "/>

==See also==
*[[Koraga language|Koraga]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.survivalinternational.org/news/7843 Indian tribe secures unprecedented rights to tiger reserve ] Survival International
* [http://www.biodiversityofindia.org/index.php?title=The_Soligas_of_Karnataka_and_their_intimate_relationship_with_nature The Soligas of Karnataka and their intimate relationship with nature] ''on Biodiversity of India wiki''

[[Category:Dravidian peoples]]
[[Category:Indigenous peoples of South Asia]]
[[Category:Social groups of Karnataka]]

Sholaga people - Revision history

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