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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Soliga
| image = Soliga Hut DSC1620.jpg
| caption = A Soliga man with a child.
| pop = 40,000
| popplace = {{flag|India}}
| languages = [[Sholaga language|Sholaga]]
| related = [[Irulas|Irula]], [[Tamil people|Tamil]], [[Yerukala people|Yerukala]]
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| religions =
| region1 = [[Karnataka]]
| region2 = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| pop1 = 33,819
| pop2 = 5965
}}
'''Soliga''', also spelled '''Solega''', '''Sholaga''' and '''Shōlaga''', is an ethnic group of [[India]]. Its members inhabit the [[Biligiriranga Hills]] and associated ranges in southern [[Karnataka]], mostly in the [[Chamarajanagar]] and [[Erode]] districts of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Many are also concentrated in and around the [[BR Hills]] in [[Yelandur]] and [[Kollegal]] Taluks of Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka. The Soliga speak [[Sholaga language|Sholaga]], which belongs to the [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian]] family. Under Indian law, they are recognized as a [[scheduled tribe]], they have a population of around 40,000.

==Origin==
The Soliga tribe trace their origin to Karayya, son of Lord Maleya Mahadeshwara, swamy of Maleya Mahadeshwara Hills, Karnataka.<ref name="singh "/> Legend says that on seeing Karayya's affinity towards wild animals, Lord 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|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 "/> Other deities worshipped by them include Madeshwara, Basaveshwara and Nanjundeshwara and Sri Alamelu Ranganayaki smetha Sri ranganatha.<ref name="singh "/>

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://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]]

Soliga people - Revision history

imported>Beesechurg: Undid revision 1031763055 by 122.162.145.75 (talk)