Juliana Juje. Harnodkar.

Founder, AKSSADA | Voice of a Siddi

Juliana J. Harnodkar is a Siddi and the founder of AKSSADA, which is a non-profit organisation.  Voice of a Siddi is her personal voice and perspective as a Siddi, shaped by the community, culture, people and natural surroundings she grew up with.

Through this space,Juliana J. Harnodkar want to help people discover and better understand the Siddi community beyond what they may already know — our culture, traditions, heritage, everyday lives, challenges, aspirations and the many experiences that shape our communities. I hope to share stories that offer a more personal and grounded understanding of Siddi life, while creating space for different voices, memories and perspectives.

Being connected to the Siddi community has shaped the way I see people, places, culture and the natural world around me. There are stories that deserve to be remembered, experiences that are rarely written about, and everyday details that may seem ordinary to us but can help others understand Siddi life and culture better.

Through Voice of a Siddi, I, Juliana J. Harnodkar, want to document some of these stories in my own way — honestly, respectfully and without reducing the Siddi community to a single description. I want to share stories about Siddi people, culture, heritage, livelihoods, communities and the places we call home, while also writing about the wider world around us.

This is a personal space for stories, experiences, observations and things I have learned along the way.

I also want to share the places and experiences that have shaped me over the years — from the forests, rivers, villages and wildlife around us to travel, food, culture, nature and the simple experiences of everyday life. Some stories will be about the Siddi community, while others will simply be about the people, places and moments that have influenced the way I see the world. I want this space to be broad enough to include curiosity, learning, memories, observations and the things I continue to discover.

There is also a connection between my personal journey and my work with AKSSADA. I founded AKSSADA to contribute to the social and economic development of Siddi communities in Karnataka and to support opportunities that can strengthen community life and livelihoods. The work is rooted in the community and continues to grow through learning, participation and practical experience.

Through this space, I will share the work and journey of AKSSADA, including our efforts towards sustainable livelihoods, cultural preservation, environmental protection and community development. Some of these stories may come from the work we are doing on the ground, while others may reflect the lessons, challenges and experiences that come with building something at the community level.

For the organisation itself, AKSSADA.org is the place to learn more about AKSSADA as a Section 8 organisation, its purpose, projects, initiatives and community-focused work. Voice of a Siddi and AKSSADA are connected, but they have different roles. This website is my personal storytelling and perspective space, while AKSSADA.org represents the organisation and its work.

Voice of a Siddi is my voice, my perspective and my space to share the things I know, love, experience and continue to discover. It is a place where community, culture, nature, people and everyday life can come together through stories and experiences.

I also hope this space can encourage people to look beyond familiar assumptions and take the time to learn about the Siddi community through real stories, experiences and perspectives. Not every story will answer every question, and not every experience will be the same. That is part of what makes communities and people worth understanding.

There is still much I want to learn, record and share. Some stories come from memory, some from conversations, some from places I have visited and others from the work I continue to do. This is my way of bringing those pieces together and creating a space where they can be remembered, explored and shared.

Welcome to Voice of a Siddi — a space for my stories, experiences, observations and perspective, and for the many things I continue to discover along the way.