The Nilgiri hills have a history going back a good many centuries. It is not known why they were called the Blue Mountains. Several sources cite the reason as the smoky haze enveloping the area, while other sources say it is because of the kurunji flower, which blooms every twelve years giving the slopes a bluish tinge.

In 1602. the first European set foot into the jungles. A Portuguese priest going by the name of Ferreiri resolved to explore the hills and succeeded. This priest seems to have been the only European to have explored this area. The Europeans in India more or less seem to have ignored the ghats for some two hundred or more years.

It was only around the beginning of the 1800s that the English unsuccessfully considered surveying this area. Around 1810 or so the East India Company decided to delve into the jungles here. An Englishman Francis Buchanan made a failed expedition. John Sullivan who was then the Collector of Coimbatore, just south of the Nilgiris, sent two surveyors to make a comprehensive study of the hills. They went as far as the lower level of Ooty, but failed to see the complete valley. The two men were Keys and Macmohan (their first names seem to be lost to the annals of history) and their mission was significant because they were the first Englishmen to set foot in the Nilgiri hills which soon led to the complete opening up of the area.

The original discovery however, is attributed to J.C.Whish and N.W.Kindersley, working for the Madras Civil Service, who made a journey in 1819 and who reported back to their superiors that they had discovered "the existence of a tableland possessing a European climate."

The first European resident of the hills was John Sullivan, the Collector of Coimbatore, who went up the same year and built himself a home. He also reported to the Madras Government the appropriateness of the climate; Europeans soon started settling down here or using the valley for summer stays. The complete valley became a summer resort. Later on the practice of moving the government to the hills during summer months also started.

 Badaga Hatti, is a village or hamlet spread around the Nilgiri Hills,a Tamil Nadu district, in Southern India. The 'hattis' are inhabited by approximately 3 lakh Badaga speaking people.

The total area of the Nilgiris is 25, 425sq.kms. The total population is around 8 lakhs as on date. Out of this BADAGAS are the single largest population. Badagas speak Badagu, since there is no script for the language they write in Tamil only. The hamlets - villages are called as HATTI. There are 362 Hatties in the Nilgiris.

The total number Badaga Hattis varies from 300 to 400. Rao Bahadur H.B. Ari Gowder is known to have sent his assistant HAIKA MATHI in 1940s and 1950s to all over the Nakku Betta to know about the villages and the problems of Badagas, but,unfortunately there are no written records available / traceable. Nakku Betta literaly means four (Nakku) Mountains (betta) though there are many more bettas (hills) around which the villages are located.

Doddabetta is the highest mountain in The Nilgiris District, at 2623 meters. It is a popular tourist attraction, and is about 8 km from Udagamandalam. The Chamundi Hills can be viewed from the peak. The name "Doddabetta" traces its roots from the Kannada language, in which "Dodda" means Big and "Betta" means Mountain

It appears that initially when the Badagas established their hamlets, they took two very important factors into consideration. Being very environment conscious, they chose a) Direction - always or to a very great extent facing the east [ ‘Hothu (sun) uttua (rising) pakka (side)’] and b) Water source - near a stream (halla) or spring (huttu neeru).

Every hatti had a ’suthugallu’ (sacred triangular shaped stone) at the base of a ‘bikka mara’ (tree) around which important meetings (Kootu) took place. For the most sacred of all Badaga festivals ‘Hethai Habba’ - always held on a monday (sovara), the collection of money (Hana kattodu) took place at the suthugallu in an eloborate ceremony on the preceding friday (belli).

The houses of each village were laid out in parallel rows, each row facing the east. The houses had common walls (Gode mane) possibly as a measure of security. Every house had exactly the same configuration of Bayilu (entrance), Nadu Mane (central-living/dining room ),Oge mane (Inner room) which also doubles up as the kitchen with a 'beskatti' (large basket) above the hearth for drying, Pillay (bathroom) and Ereh (a separate room adjacent to the bayilu). Of course, there was an attic on top of beskatti( kitchen having a hearth) the entry to which is from the nadumane.

A cluster of villages, which need not be close or adjacent to each other, is called a ‘Seeme’. The Nilgiri Hills - Naakku Betta , was divided into four ' Seemes ' and all the hattis were brought under them. What is the basis apart from the geographical consideration (which is not true always) is not known. But one unfortunate fallout was that each 'Seeme' considered itself to be superior and hence there was a lot silent bickering. This carried on till a strong leader like Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowda and after him his son Rao Bahadur Ari Gowda tried to unite all the Badagas so that their problems could be sorted out and properly represented to the Government of the day.

Prof. Paul Hockings may be one of the earliest to mention the number and names of the hattis in his books. Mr. K.H.Madha Gowder edited “NAKKU BETTA” magazine, had attempted to record all the hattis in one of its issues in late 1970s.

The Badaga community now numbers around 300,000 worldwide, where they are successful in many different professions, but for weddings they return to their roots.

Unlike other Indian weddings the Badaga bride and groom are both dressed in white and the sacred fire is conspicuous by its absence. The wedding procession leaves the bride’s home the previous night so as to reach the groom’s place at daybreak.