tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60967294606547946212024-03-12T18:28:29.076-07:00HistoriesMookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-30570562371333071732023-04-19T20:50:00.001-07:002023-04-19T20:50:43.973-07:00Tales of Temple Festivals (Unique temple festivals of Kodagu)<p><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1fe43716-7fff-e888-14c4-83ec47dabd5f" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">(This article was published in the Spectrum, Deccan Herald on 20th April, 2023)</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many annual village temple festivals happening in Kodagu in the months of March, April, and May. The temple idols, called thadamb, are carried by a priest on the head and taken in processions. Therays where performers wear colourful red costumes, imitate deities or ancestors, dance in trances and advise devotees, are organised in the temples and some of the ancestral homes of some clans. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The main festivals are the Bhagwathi Namme, and the Boad Namme, happening in honour of village deities, among others. Two important temple festivals got over in the second week of April this year. One was at the Puthu Bhagwathy temple in Birunani village. The other was at Pannangalatamme in Yavakapadi village. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the Puthu Bhagwathy festival, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the people of Birunanni make vows to the goddess in order to fulfil their wishes, often for the good health of their children.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Parents who have made such vows get their children cross-dressed and have a ceremony done for them. Boys will be dressed as brides and girls as grooms. They will have a single muhurta ceremony done, a wedding done without a partner. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPB_5mIrIBnf456KHNd7Wfw2X0OE7sz4AZPB7QJ2zRI0uuDXq-azY7HZWTq9svAGp0mtetD3Y55vIOhVD_gAZqfg4kiT0JLTp2ioUBV5XJcNezbv7IgiEMVub33Y-yJFJF-cbVj8q6fGstgKWWInnlNClIkJS4uPNOZyUL7-a1BAghJcQyQZjDuMK/s1040/Boys%20in%20sari%20and%20girls%20in%20male%20attire%20at%20Puthu%20Bhagwathy%20temple.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPB_5mIrIBnf456KHNd7Wfw2X0OE7sz4AZPB7QJ2zRI0uuDXq-azY7HZWTq9svAGp0mtetD3Y55vIOhVD_gAZqfg4kiT0JLTp2ioUBV5XJcNezbv7IgiEMVub33Y-yJFJF-cbVj8q6fGstgKWWInnlNClIkJS4uPNOZyUL7-a1BAghJcQyQZjDuMK/s320/Boys%20in%20sari%20and%20girls%20in%20male%20attire%20at%20Puthu%20Bhagwathy%20temple.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Boys are dressed as brides in Kodava saris and girls as grooms in kupya-chele (Kodava male attire) at the Puthu Bhagwathy temple. Photo courtesy: Nellira Ananya</div></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Legend has it that once five sibling gods – two brothers and three sisters – came to South Kodagu from Kerala. The eldest brother Mattlappa settled in Mathur near Ponnampet. The eldest sister </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Puttilamme devi, also called Putha Bhagwathy, settled in Birunani. The younger brother Ogerelappa settled in the forests of Ogerelappa. The youngest sisters, twins, settled in Rudraguppe near the Kammaratappa temple and hill. They were known as Rudraguppelamme or Jodi Bhagwathy. </span></span></p><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Members of the Kembatti, Kodava, Airi, Kudiya, Kaniya and other communities participate in the Pannagalatamme festival. They bring bolle kall (toddy) umbrellas and other articles to the festival. During this festival, a few members of the Kembatti community wear red or white kuppyas (native coats) and perform thirale, i.e. go into trance. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag3CQ-umNERpPl-InQiU-6ygt1I1s_awdUksGZZjyyP0zxgycvEuzj3gZ4XKGOpK81rrraR8wQuWfS1AftIeLWTgCh5jhPrIa6inHSzq009TMMv54u_7eBn3xt0UK7JyUzKuximU-AyPG4jRkF87D1H8Z6z9-c2Ka-413bs9n3SHB_juFBnUDieYB/s1464/Pannangalatamme%20Thadamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag3CQ-umNERpPl-InQiU-6ygt1I1s_awdUksGZZjyyP0zxgycvEuzj3gZ4XKGOpK81rrraR8wQuWfS1AftIeLWTgCh5jhPrIa6inHSzq009TMMv54u_7eBn3xt0UK7JyUzKuximU-AyPG4jRkF87D1H8Z6z9-c2Ka-413bs9n3SHB_juFBnUDieYB/s320/Pannangalatamme%20Thadamb.jpg" width="157" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The thadamb of Pannangalatamme. Photo courtesy: Anjaparavanda Sharan</span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Long ago, seven sibling gods - six brothers and one sister - lived in Kerala. The eldest brother settled in Tali Parambu and built a famous temple there. He sent his younger siblings eastward towards Kodagu to establish temples. Today, three of these other temples are in Kodagu while the other three are in Kannur and Wayanad. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Among the seven it is four - three brothers and one sisters - who came into Kodagu. When they were hungry in Kakkabe, the brothers asked the sister to cook rice for them. Igguthappa, the eldest among them, provided the rice grains. The sister agreed to cook the rice without a fire if the brothers would eat it without salt. Salt was added to plain rice for taste, since there was no other curry or dish to accompany the rice. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The farm they were camping in belonged to the Pardanda joint family in Kunjila. The sister milked a cow belonging to the family which was grazing there. She used the milk to cook the rice. The rice was placed in a clay pot and buried in the hot sand beside a stream. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were banana trees growing on the farm. The siblings cut a few leaves to use as plates. Ummavva of the Pardanda family saw this and scolded them. The sibling gods then cursed the family that no bananas would thereafter grow on their farm. Muthanna the head of the Pardanda family then came and sought their forgiveness. But the curse took effect. However, the Pardanda were made the deva thakka (hereditary temple managers) of the Igguthappa temple which was built in the nearby Padi hamlet. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After lunch, the siblings chewed betel leaves. They spat out the betel onto their palms to see whose was reddest. After that, in a sleight of hand, the brothers flung the betel behind their heads. The younger sister who was beside them saw this from an angle where they seemed to put the betel back into their mouths. Trying to imitate them, she put the betel back into her mouth. The brothers found this disgusting. They decreed that this act caused her to lose her caste. This way, she became the goddess of the Dalits and the low castes in Kodagu. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon the advice of Igguthappa, she took the form of a crane and flew down to the nearby hamlet of Pannangala. There she found a labourer working on a farm belonging to the Karthanda family. She took possession of the labourer and he then danced in a trance. A temple was built for her in that hamlet and she became known as Pannangalatamme, the mother at Pannangala. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another brother settled in Palur and became known as Palurappa. The last brother settled in Thirunelli across the Kodagu border in Wayanad and is called as Pemmaiah. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While the main temple of Pannangalatamme is in Pannangala, there are two other Pannangalatamme temples in Kedamallur and Armeri villages of Kodagu. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5prk2tUhETpMz3awRBIKW9q4h8DxgD4HvFI87oNq7-k5NVC-58VVAAHbaWt_NDe8RYV9Xpa_IgXQuFK7rdHZZFhgHlx47kzeJC5C1mZZ6kTmEkQFC1Pqt02ZYugGSMYM3Tl_NzQVg7AKWwDRQHdnVlwqsRfWjrIGYKsrRfrhg8RGjI3QAOIUAXQp/s1600/Devotees%20in%20trance,%20Pannangalatamme,%20by%20Sachin%20Uthappa%20Ketolira.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5prk2tUhETpMz3awRBIKW9q4h8DxgD4HvFI87oNq7-k5NVC-58VVAAHbaWt_NDe8RYV9Xpa_IgXQuFK7rdHZZFhgHlx47kzeJC5C1mZZ6kTmEkQFC1Pqt02ZYugGSMYM3Tl_NzQVg7AKWwDRQHdnVlwqsRfWjrIGYKsrRfrhg8RGjI3QAOIUAXQp/s320/Devotees%20in%20trance,%20Pannangalatamme,%20by%20Sachin%20Uthappa%20Ketolira.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunwu9b0b8K9lgIeRtryB_uCT_A23jkHMAHZBiL0XdJr8L_xsWtg5pB_eWpodYrSO1yvuc8PXrO3tQSpGqtAXrvPgjOXYCzFD3HrboNgryeFUWfmGQMs6uI0WBDTOZb_qGURouzvc3f72KexMLuhlFDElsSpv2JwN7w9nZabndVLdlEX0G2-DS2jUY/s4160/Some%20devotees%20in%20trance%20holding%20weapons%20while%20long%20umbrellas%20are%20seen%20in%20the%20background;%20Photo%20courtesy%20Sachin%20Uthappa%20Ketolira%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; 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margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWTuYLvjWwqdl4Ibr0z-yy0_qSLZ4wIPNAnUhP65oBTvfKIHOcCLPIxM7PFXqinD4Oh2_ZeIUqaIkbhs4MsaVqQBCp0FVAQCBLXgArJAxVP-xv5h7yPqfw15dgMHpZX4UimGNJkWmo1ah9RJnsy9Fu8V6CFbl0B-Q3kI6MEWhx5YIOZSwLwOyUjWY/s320/Trance%20devotees%20with%20idol%20and%20weapons,%20Pannangalatamme,%20Photo%20by%20Sachin%20Uthappa%20Ketolira.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NKzqMgfPgsyzI6lMRot1VHOGCcjJf4wQSx1AEgOOmW0Xs3lJ0j2dV7OFV43hUl7AFh6W9_6RkU8zVd6c0H93Q7ESxXmB4Be_Z-xcgGtS8UsjvEdNj2hhVaUnXHQpSJkGX7qhUG0StpaOT1Jm51M4GmkbPxFJcuTNrrvlyO9HJ2wwThsZwN_LA1gT/s1600/trance%20devotees%20with%20idol,%20swords,%20long%20umbrellas,%20Pannangalatamme,%20by%20Sachin%20Uthappa%20Ketolira..jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NKzqMgfPgsyzI6lMRot1VHOGCcjJf4wQSx1AEgOOmW0Xs3lJ0j2dV7OFV43hUl7AFh6W9_6RkU8zVd6c0H93Q7ESxXmB4Be_Z-xcgGtS8UsjvEdNj2hhVaUnXHQpSJkGX7qhUG0StpaOT1Jm51M4GmkbPxFJcuTNrrvlyO9HJ2wwThsZwN_LA1gT/s320/trance%20devotees%20with%20idol,%20swords,%20long%20umbrellas,%20Pannangalatamme,%20by%20Sachin%20Uthappa%20Ketolira..jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Pannangalatamme temple devotees in trance wearing red and white kupyas (regional coats) and holding weapons, in front of the temple deity. A devotee holds the thadamb. Two long parasols are leaning against the wall in the background. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Photo Courtesy: Sachin Uthappa Ketolira</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-C0KrsaQAZ7a_RkjSjAfXRnd5u_iEkToFk5YLWJ5_0Kai_1D66JOHBBIzTTM9a8OomwOTJ69R1eteHQawPd0EpAELIozHTucALwg8hEoLuP-uFefJeH5BjVu4wGLZdio4OpYnd4mj2Ars9J8CffLW0a6ObxOG0pKwbJh0_WSfGqa-GGzh0A5m0kQ/s1988/Temple%20tales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1988" data-original-width="992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-C0KrsaQAZ7a_RkjSjAfXRnd5u_iEkToFk5YLWJ5_0Kai_1D66JOHBBIzTTM9a8OomwOTJ69R1eteHQawPd0EpAELIozHTucALwg8hEoLuP-uFefJeH5BjVu4wGLZdio4OpYnd4mj2Ars9J8CffLW0a6ObxOG0pKwbJh0_WSfGqa-GGzh0A5m0kQ/s320/Temple%20tales.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span></div>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-12357112510610137132023-03-06T12:40:00.009-08:002023-03-08T20:16:14.545-08:00The 35 naads of Kodagu<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px;">Historically Kodagu comprised 35 small naads. These were grouped into three bigger naads: Elnaad Surlabi, Mendele naad and Kiggat naad.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roughly, the naads to the north of the river Kaveri (and approximately south of Patti River) was considered to be Mendele naad and the naads to the south of the Kaveri was called Kiggat naad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Patti River is also called Hatti hole. It almost formed the border between Elnaad Surlabi and Mendele naad. It flows between Madapura and Suntikoppa and joined the Harangi river and dam reservoir. The Harangi in turn joins the Kaveri.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Surlabinaad was called Elnaad Surlabi because it consisted of seven small naads. Mendele naad consisted of 14 naads and Kiggat naad consisted of 14 naads. All these total up to 35 small naads.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">However, now Kiggat naad is a smaller place and consists of only seven naads. The remaining seven naads were joined to Mendele naad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Lingayat Rajas of the Haleri dynasty who ruled from around 1600 to 1834 reorganised the original naads completely.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The seven naads or hoblis of Elnaad Surlabi were Kodali, Bilhada, Nidhata, Yedavanaad, Surlabi gadi naad, Ramaswami Kanive and Nanjarayapatna. This roughly formed the Nanjarayapatna or Somwarpet Taluk. The main towns in this region are Somwarpet, Kushalanagara, Madapura, Kodlipet and Shanivarsanthe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The original fourteen naads of Mendele were Madikeri-Haleri naad, Ulugulimudigeri naad, Horuru-Nurokkal naad, Kagodl naad, Kuyyankeri naad, Beng naad, Hudikeri Kantha Moo naad (comprising three naads, simply called Moonaad or Murnad), Thaavu naad and Padi naal naad (comprising four naads and simply called Naal naad or Nalknad). The main towns in this region were Madikeri, Bhagamandala, Suntikoppa, Murnad, Napoklu and Kakkabe. This region roughly formed the Madikeri and Padinalknad taluks during the British Raj.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The original fourteen naads of Kiggat were Thavalageri Moo naad (a set of three naads), Anjikeri naad, Mare naad, Pattgatt naad, Bottiyat naad, Ammathi naad, Ede Naal naad (a combination of four naads), Bepp naad and Kadiyat naad. Today, the seven naads of Kadiyat naad, Bepp naad, Ede naal naad (four naads) and Ammathi naad are part of Mendele naad. Thavalageri Moo naad (the three naads), Anjikeri naad, Mare naad, Pattgatt naad, and Bottiyat naad, remain in Kiggat naad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The seven naads which were moved from Kiggat naad to Mendele naad, is a transitional region between Kiggat naad and Mendele naad where both subcultures mix. Therana wedding ceremony and Boad name festival is celebrated in these seven naads and the seven naads of Kiggat naad but not elsewhere.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">During Boad festival, the villagers will wear different disguises and go from house to house before finally reaching the temple. Kadanga-Maroor<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in Kadiyat naad, Chembebelloor, Maggula, Kukloor and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Arji in Ede naal naad, Kavadi and Bilugunda in Ammathi naad, Kunda and Hebbale in Bottiyat naad, Kottageri in Pattgattnaad and Hudikeri in Anjikerinaad are some of the villages where Boad festival is held.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The therana wedding ceremony is where the person to marry has their palms and feet marked with therana (henna) by their relatives. This ceremony is held during the oorkuduvo, a day before the main wedding. The therana wedding ceremony is observed in Ede naal naad (in Maggula and other places), Ammathi naad and Kiggat naad but not in Kadiyat naad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mendele dialect of Kodava thakk used to be spoken in Mendele naad and Kiggat dialect of Kodava thakk in Kiggat naad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Baithurappa was the chief god of Ede naal naad, Ammathi naad, Bepp naad and Kiggat naad. Igguthappa was the chief god of Padi naalnaad. Palurappa was the chief god of Kuyyankeri naad. Payyavurappa was the chief god of Kadiyat naad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">In the past, Baithur (Vayathur), Payyavur and Thirunelli temple places were in Kodagu. Now they are in Kerala. Just like how Igguthappa is the main god to Naalnaad, Baithurappa is the main god in Kiggatnaad. Since time immemorial, every year, or after a certain number of years, each family in Kiggatnad would send their representatives to the Baithurappa Namme (which happens in January). They would carry the ayudha (weapons), such as the kadthale (sacred zig-zag blade sword), kaththi (sword), thurekol (cane) of their guru karona (ancestors), but not the gejje thand, to Baithurappa temple. Every thiralekaara who is possessed by a god, other than Maari, goes there. The person possessed by Baithurappa takes the weapon, blesses it and gives it to the respective representative. In the night there will be anuvaada or a spiritual discussion.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-11626636148929076402023-02-24T13:33:00.010-08:002023-03-08T20:15:35.737-08:00Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold<p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi16CUZJUkrTcS4lQVb9eoLPRTbNbRQ3ZlDeatOi28hTzIlHxXMgWuBQAgyn-YBp7_XEkfPNDfW59yn7uKxHW-c_7BWuVMkyQt0L4ZnklcifRa-o6yDY8UoqR7QUZCUaunAtBZXMI067bsyHxcg9dWJxBsy93HWR9d9k5GMlzs0K3u1mDZFGEq3Iy5Z" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="424" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi16CUZJUkrTcS4lQVb9eoLPRTbNbRQ3ZlDeatOi28hTzIlHxXMgWuBQAgyn-YBp7_XEkfPNDfW59yn7uKxHW-c_7BWuVMkyQt0L4ZnklcifRa-o6yDY8UoqR7QUZCUaunAtBZXMI067bsyHxcg9dWJxBsy93HWR9d9k5GMlzs0K3u1mDZFGEq3Iy5Z=w261-h399" width="261" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold<br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;">Nitin Kushalappa MP</h3><br />Dive into this treasure trove of fifteen opulent folk tales, myths and fables from vibrant southern India. Travel down the banks of the Kaveri to the shores of the Indian Ocean; from the depths of mysterious jungles to the towering Nilgiris; from the lavish abode of kings to quiet villages in Coorg; and finally, meet the enchanting fairies, elves, gods and goddesses along the way!<br /><br />Laugh at the funny deeds of a miser. Cry at the misfortunes of the naïve. Wonder at the courage of the weak against the mighty. Come, revel in these fantastic folk tales!<p><br /><br /><u>Link on Penguin Books: <br /></u><a href="https://penguin.co.in/book/dakshin-south-indian-myths-and-fables-retold/"> https://penguin.co.in/book/dakshin-south-indian-myths-and-fables-retold/</a></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Amazon link :</i> <a href="https://www.amazon.in/dp/0143454994">https://www.amazon.in/dp/0143454994</a></p><p><i>Flipkart link : </i><a href="https://www.flipkart.com/product/p/item?pid=9780143454991">https://www.flipkart.com/product/p/item?pid=9780143454991</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-1895642679966081802023-02-09T00:19:00.006-08:002023-02-09T00:52:59.090-08:00 The Sandooka-makers of Kodagu<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">by Mookonda Kushalappa</span></h2><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>In the village of Bilugunda, is a Bhadra-Kaali temple. At its annual festival, Airira Devani goes </span><span>into trance, like his father Boju before him. He then accompanies the kudure procession, a </span><span>group of Kodavas centred around one boy wearing a hollow frame with the head and body </span><span>of a horse.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Kodava is both the name of a tribe and a language. Around twenty castes of Kodagu, </span><span>besides the Kodava tribe, speak the language. The Airi are one of them. Airira is the most </span><span>common family name among this community’s members.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>According to researchers Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa, the Airi were skilled </span><span>artisans, often either achari (carpenters), thatta (goldsmiths) or kolla (ironsmiths) by </span><span>profession. Many of them are now farmers.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Kodagu has a local mythology around six gods and one goddess. Lord Igguthappa is the chief </span><span>among these siblings. Pannangalathamme, the younger sister of Igguthappa, has three main </span><span>temples in the villages of Yavakapadi, Kedamallur and Armeri.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9VztIYq6dRpbDVjX-wZ5e6ze4Tr_oExqS0Fo9SaKCG5JsDxVJBHDkgC9IgOY7uE_43a2K6mXdjNNoZMokZkM8DHbCkUdFW06qlDfohQLBbpHI_8oUctHzkcyNlAN6Qcxi8G5tDEvSv9YZxvAc_kJ0Gp6f34iYEJ_0xfIuy14gRsnX9C6vQSOuxz9/s4032/The%20Pannangalatamme%20temple%20gateway%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9VztIYq6dRpbDVjX-wZ5e6ze4Tr_oExqS0Fo9SaKCG5JsDxVJBHDkgC9IgOY7uE_43a2K6mXdjNNoZMokZkM8DHbCkUdFW06qlDfohQLBbpHI_8oUctHzkcyNlAN6Qcxi8G5tDEvSv9YZxvAc_kJ0Gp6f34iYEJ_0xfIuy14gRsnX9C6vQSOuxz9/s320/The%20Pannangalatamme%20temple%20gateway%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Near the Armeri Pannangalathamme temple, lives an Airi family. Kaveriappa, an elder from </span><span>this family was my guide and he led me from the temple to his ainmane in Ettmani hamlet. </span><span>It was an old, two-storeyed house with a red-tiled roof and in need of maintenance.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The front yard was roughly paved with large stones. The veranda has traditional wooden </span><span>pillars rising from a low wall and a plank used as a seat between the pillars. Inside the </span><span>house, there were pictures of various Hindu gods on the wall behind a Gajalakshmi hanging </span><span>lamp. A wooden container to hold holy powder applied on the forehead was hanging from </span><span>the ceiling.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY4s9ZeTqVfgX-kZtaMrCdZgzWrwjYUcOG0P5gUGqiJPlAR8_kOdBogZgoi4tPGR_jsN0m9v1RNp119S6ZfZyV8xJ4z0BRJiJRqwiwJ5316bpJYAawlB75Qmpa3rl_Ph0MrBEnTHWrUboi1KKC40lUKxJGqx-SE_mR8K_m9-plijJZsexGv5k6RKe/s4032/Sideview%20of%20the%20Pannangalathamme%20temple%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY4s9ZeTqVfgX-kZtaMrCdZgzWrwjYUcOG0P5gUGqiJPlAR8_kOdBogZgoi4tPGR_jsN0m9v1RNp119S6ZfZyV8xJ4z0BRJiJRqwiwJ5316bpJYAawlB75Qmpa3rl_Ph0MrBEnTHWrUboi1KKC40lUKxJGqx-SE_mR8K_m9-plijJZsexGv5k6RKe/s320/Sideview%20of%20the%20Pannangalathamme%20temple%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>This family in Armeri is called Mookairira. They were also called Moopairira or Moothairira. </span><span>The word Mooka means eldest in Old Dravidian. The family got its name because they were </span><span>the elder of two branches of an Airi clan. The younger branch was called Ele (younger) </span><span>Airira.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RDUWer0lDjWrNCU6oZ_ejUUPj9Ls28-_ZrGZtZy2ZeAP8WA6Zk9Oewn-wYmqh20vXDWOVoQEtWiWmcs7xCSupkVEGH5bLN9lu2rLuHaEG_JhWXWM-mIM6jUtj9oyydWc_LU_zGcbJgThn4WVj3TsZl5jJWB0cxKgyOzt_Lx-VkZ2ETznfdx6uH2u/s4032/An%20Airi%20Ainmane%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RDUWer0lDjWrNCU6oZ_ejUUPj9Ls28-_ZrGZtZy2ZeAP8WA6Zk9Oewn-wYmqh20vXDWOVoQEtWiWmcs7xCSupkVEGH5bLN9lu2rLuHaEG_JhWXWM-mIM6jUtj9oyydWc_LU_zGcbJgThn4WVj3TsZl5jJWB0cxKgyOzt_Lx-VkZ2ETznfdx6uH2u/s320/An%20Airi%20Ainmane%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXiLS0PaaGtohAnyIwEFK4VUr2RRdiHe9q59YBomYkr2bxxvMYjFpHk5Uu32bEb65FEuF5_IYQ3f0IMIJCamZWq6gpxjqssmNwkIxHzF38LgvhSCEFIfw9X34HrrDMsy9dLphjkT2xsMwtPAeCeZ2mDBb2HYDBN_dAMTdyaknPeKR7kV2fGI7Ym-f/s4032/An%20Airi%20Ainmane%20in%20Armeri-1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXiLS0PaaGtohAnyIwEFK4VUr2RRdiHe9q59YBomYkr2bxxvMYjFpHk5Uu32bEb65FEuF5_IYQ3f0IMIJCamZWq6gpxjqssmNwkIxHzF38LgvhSCEFIfw9X34HrrDMsy9dLphjkT2xsMwtPAeCeZ2mDBb2HYDBN_dAMTdyaknPeKR7kV2fGI7Ym-f/s320/An%20Airi%20Ainmane%20in%20Armeri-1.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The Mookairira clan used to make sandookas and troughs for the kings and lords of </span><span>Kodagu. Sandooka is a wooden box used to store jewellery, documents, and other objects </span><span>and has a hinged lid. It is called a chandooka in Kodava. The family showed me an old one in </span><span>their possession which had several small compartments inside. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTV4KA4IpWzIYVBBb5ZbqwZPvu89fRVRrUtz6aXa_PBb_pk1ENVIkL1f7p-1dSRnAvCoFHyjGDT6D6MZpuYPIUms7giDlMPJVimpN5VFmO3sQ0aHkrZtLmNTFX23dKdnnRMZKwadS3JtyxT-9eFjuC-se9cGxggNpnXnWwYLjEkXucMzdr20Vi8QZD/s4032/A%20Sandooka%20made%20by%20the%20Airis%20of%20Armeri%20-1%20.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTV4KA4IpWzIYVBBb5ZbqwZPvu89fRVRrUtz6aXa_PBb_pk1ENVIkL1f7p-1dSRnAvCoFHyjGDT6D6MZpuYPIUms7giDlMPJVimpN5VFmO3sQ0aHkrZtLmNTFX23dKdnnRMZKwadS3JtyxT-9eFjuC-se9cGxggNpnXnWwYLjEkXucMzdr20Vi8QZD/s320/A%20Sandooka%20made%20by%20the%20Airis%20of%20Armeri%20-1%20.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zgXtE5bNqbKunuZaS_HlFj4vnCRO8wYp88OrVlWAW9zlRcg62zH1lWBIkF-cLKfEZVu_vVEn3zPtwbJCZdgsFkHe4Zu14vU90khnGvYNIMq5kgQt60NHPHT7o7MJ_d88uyUv-O_rrVWzPUojfh23N3FIzxEeEYd0es2hTPQBDD5UKHAfYTfJfV3N/s4032/A%20Sandooka%20made%20by%20the%20Airis%20of%20Armeri.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zgXtE5bNqbKunuZaS_HlFj4vnCRO8wYp88OrVlWAW9zlRcg62zH1lWBIkF-cLKfEZVu_vVEn3zPtwbJCZdgsFkHe4Zu14vU90khnGvYNIMq5kgQt60NHPHT7o7MJ_d88uyUv-O_rrVWzPUojfh23N3FIzxEeEYd0es2hTPQBDD5UKHAfYTfJfV3N/s320/A%20Sandooka%20made%20by%20the%20Airis%20of%20Armeri.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2SkbQhfiB5emVAgTyXfiOXEWzHZ-hywkWzpf7BspIp-8HaGaBhYOUYA22CWWgtZu96MqGTKeQhRFWmc_3kFyuUwfVs3J5cAg7XKSnlDi7b9EsnT3B5A__o6BjYtwRoBd0KF9bREYQImjNWCniUKFpsRJfnNWFo1ZpgncIXEKMYmTOjlR9LdQl9jN/s4032/The%20sandooka%20of%20the%20Airi%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2SkbQhfiB5emVAgTyXfiOXEWzHZ-hywkWzpf7BspIp-8HaGaBhYOUYA22CWWgtZu96MqGTKeQhRFWmc_3kFyuUwfVs3J5cAg7XKSnlDi7b9EsnT3B5A__o6BjYtwRoBd0KF9bREYQImjNWCniUKFpsRJfnNWFo1ZpgncIXEKMYmTOjlR9LdQl9jN/s320/The%20sandooka%20of%20the%20Airi%20in%20Armeri.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Kaveriappa got his family members Sujay Cariappa and Kiran, a ninth standard schoolboy, to </span><span>help him explain things to me. “We were originally from the Vishwakarma caste. We </span><span>brought our family goddess Cheerambe with us and established her nearby. Every year, </span><span>around April 25th , we offer her paal-pann (cow’s milk and fruits).” A woman in a Kodava style </span><span>sari offered a plate of kodubale and another plate of biscuits as snacks.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Syx4mcQ49tcliQvki2hgucncmvI_WbW6F3D6lcG15x8l9wW7tBTC6KMFmC7aR-E4MFfhIH_fE9QKEpmsf829U1Gn-3GqMGDW4UgCrwNPIfJN-PQO_Q5NoLd4k6XKOdCPSwsMJoGmT4qQ_1TtcNG1uhb5eNLba4N5DXKeZWVNBq3u2RhwIP81Ifwy/s4032/The%20odikaththi%20of%20the%20Airi%20in%20Armeri%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Syx4mcQ49tcliQvki2hgucncmvI_WbW6F3D6lcG15x8l9wW7tBTC6KMFmC7aR-E4MFfhIH_fE9QKEpmsf829U1Gn-3GqMGDW4UgCrwNPIfJN-PQO_Q5NoLd4k6XKOdCPSwsMJoGmT4qQ_1TtcNG1uhb5eNLba4N5DXKeZWVNBq3u2RhwIP81Ifwy/s320/The%20odikaththi%20of%20the%20Airi%20in%20Armeri%201.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>They were given to hunting in the past. A large odikaththi war knife, probably made and </span><span>used by their forefathers, was shown on a yellow, plastic stool. Like the Kodavas, the family </span><span>worships their Guru Kaarana (principal ancestors) and offers them food and drink during an </span><span>annual ceremony. They showed five small metal plates with crude human figures in relief on </span><span>them representing their deceased relatives.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5Mzec6OmQWYQOvGLpt4AqM8JR7jxeR0yV91emNSuyvfZrs40tLzYAh1ZVKriq2izvsuPBp1N9RZsEiFWepuCSj_UE-us61Ml6NpT5VgBjfD0-5byS1NPhrzb1HsHDmtZ1IcjibrZUJgIX-dT8giWdmR2AaNCkXVsC-Q1Te4Erq6Tq0iwZlclgRgM/s4032/Small%20metal%20plates%20with%20images%20of%20deceased%20family%20members.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5Mzec6OmQWYQOvGLpt4AqM8JR7jxeR0yV91emNSuyvfZrs40tLzYAh1ZVKriq2izvsuPBp1N9RZsEiFWepuCSj_UE-us61Ml6NpT5VgBjfD0-5byS1NPhrzb1HsHDmtZ1IcjibrZUJgIX-dT8giWdmR2AaNCkXVsC-Q1Te4Erq6Tq0iwZlclgRgM/s320/Small%20metal%20plates%20with%20images%20of%20deceased%20family%20members.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>During the month of Adare (June-July), the family has offerings made to the guardian deity </span><span>Kuliya. They preside over a few annual rituals at the nearby Ponnangalatamme temple. They </span><span>visit the Beppunaad Bhagwathy in the same village regularly. The family members also </span><span>worship a spirit deity called Pashanamurthy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The periphery of their settlements was lined with stone piles. They had two small stone </span><span>troughs in their garden. There was an old bent stone post in the yard. A pair of old stone </span><span>posts and a lane with stone steps which led down to the fields were nearby. There was a </span><span>large stone trough in their fields. It was said that this was made for the elephant of Uththa </span><span>Nayaka, a Kodava ruler from Armeri.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaT8214duaO4GWYHCPdL-8OwEKESVJfvnjhQbDLZvIVXVSEKgfhFN2t-OL0SKQvTI2NdOONzRplRNyrTzKweekqDcuSrYpDKA8RS57LQ6cNMKogJzrvddovzq5VroseQBab43KvhKjwVAi3SzR9EptSwhoDDLx--CAXUSFNcnwVJaLSk1xzwcROLNj/s4032/The%20stone%20trough%20of%20Uththa%20Nayaka's%20elephant-2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaT8214duaO4GWYHCPdL-8OwEKESVJfvnjhQbDLZvIVXVSEKgfhFN2t-OL0SKQvTI2NdOONzRplRNyrTzKweekqDcuSrYpDKA8RS57LQ6cNMKogJzrvddovzq5VroseQBab43KvhKjwVAi3SzR9EptSwhoDDLx--CAXUSFNcnwVJaLSk1xzwcROLNj/s320/The%20stone%20trough%20of%20Uththa%20Nayaka's%20elephant-2.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Kiran led me across the fields to a stone quarry nearby. This must have been the place </span><span>where the family procured stone for making troughs and other objects in the past. The </span><span>quarry forms a depression in a hillock and hence holds a large pool of water.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The family reportedly used to make traditional knives, and the woodwork in ainmanes, </span><span>temples, forts, and palaces. They were employed as goldsmiths and carpenters by the kings. </span><span>Largely forgotten, these skills are no longer being learnt by the family descendants and their </span><span>community. But there are people from across castes making some of these articles nowadays.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(This article was submitted to the Deccan Herald and a version of it was published on 9th February 2023)</span></p>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-14536519346855062162022-04-01T21:26:00.016-07:002022-04-02T06:11:38.205-07:00Arms Act Exemption not on the basis of loyalty to Imperialists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0RUmKZNKn30wH84Oj2TcD3imVySQXyrtZR8BIJi0UqGkq1b4f7foTEpyI2Pc4wSVOLeQfIADDTLDdq3mDwz0F-FvDWOHvJpfqdIRevsw9Pq0Tviabx9XVPNjbGSKgKBpKyVM_RP3UEk0BHiUmKfxiH3-vC-_0ZNcuCgsUnL0Tpqip5setEBbWvP9/s252/kodava.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="220" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0RUmKZNKn30wH84Oj2TcD3imVySQXyrtZR8BIJi0UqGkq1b4f7foTEpyI2Pc4wSVOLeQfIADDTLDdq3mDwz0F-FvDWOHvJpfqdIRevsw9Pq0Tviabx9XVPNjbGSKgKBpKyVM_RP3UEk0BHiUmKfxiH3-vC-_0ZNcuCgsUnL0Tpqip5setEBbWvP9/s1600/kodava.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">1. The Kodavas used early guns at least ever since the times of Kalyatanda Ponnappa (who lived around 1600). They used guns under the Kodagu Rajas who were Lingayats settled in Haleri village and ruled from 1600 to 1834. These Haleri Rajas adopted the local Kodava culture. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">2. The Mysore-Kodagu wars from the years 1766 to 1789 had depopulated Kodagu. Many martial Kodava families had been wiped out. When the Kodagu Raja returned to power he gave some of the farm lands of the deceased families to Arebhashe families from Sulya. Among them were the Arebhashe who settled in Gaalibeedu village such as the Kochana and Yaladalu families. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">3. In 1834, the region of Amara Sulya requested the British and got separated from the Coorg province. Being Tulu majority, it was added to the South Canara (Dakshina Kannada) district of Madras province. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">4. The revenue collection in Coorg and Madras were different. In Coorg, since the times of the Rajas, a portion of the agricultural produce was paid as tax. This continued under the British as well. But in Madras, money was collected as tax. The South Canara collector refused to accept agricultural produce and only accepted cash. The people of Sulya were not used to this. They came under the power of money changers and resented this. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">5. A Lingayat monk called Kalyanaswamy who was initially from Tumkur claimed to be related to the Rajas of Kodagu. However, the people of Kodagu knew that he was lying. But the people of Sulya and Dakshina Kannada did not know this. Kalyanaswamy came to lead the rebellion in 1837. Yet, there were people from Kodagu who supported the Sulya rebellion, in sympathy with the farmers. The rebellion was suppressed by the British authorities. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">6. The Kodava Subedar Nerpanda Madaiah (Subedar of Nalknad) initially supported the Sulya rebels. But due to some misunderstanding the rebels held him captive in Sulya. Upset by this, after his escape, he showed the British the hideouts of the rebels who were then captured. This was the turning point for the rebellion. The British then put Madaiah to prison for seven years. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">7. The Kodava officers Mandira Uthaiah (also known as Padinalknad Uttu) and Shantheyanda Mallayya (also known as Shanthalli Mallayya) had supported the rebellion as well. They were imprisoned for 14 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">8. The Kodava Diwan Apparanda Bopu’s brother along with his neighbours and relatives supported the rebellion. So Bopu was suspected of supporting the rebels as well. To save his life, Bopu was forced to help the British suppress the rebels. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">9. An Arebhashe leader Parupatyagara Kochana Doddaiah of Gaalibeedu supported the British. There were two Muslims chieftains as well who supported the British: Jahagirdar Chabhumiya and Fakre Ali. These three mentioned chiefs acknowledged Diwan Bopu as their leader and followed him. Along with others, they helped the British capture the rebels and they received the Coorg medal in 1837 for their loyalty. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">10. The list of Coorg medal recipients was published in several places. A copy was reproduced in the Kannada version of the Pattole Palame as well which was first published in 1924 and has had many editions since. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">11. In 1857, there was a rebellion supposedly planned by Muslims in Srirangapatna. This was suppressed by a force from Kodagu. However, we don’t have any details about this event. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">12. The Kodavas worship arms. They (called Coorg by race) apply for exemption certificates in lieu of gun licenses. This is part of the exemption they received from the Arms Act. This has helped them since weapons are part of their rituals, whether birth, funeral, housewarming or during Kail Podh the annual festival of arms. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">13. Today, despite supporting the British, the descendants of Kochana Doddayya, Chabhumiya and Fakre Ali don’t have the arms act exemption unless they own Jamma farmland. Also, despite rebelling against the British, the descendants of Uthaiah, Mallayya, Bopu’s brother and Madaiah, have exemption to the Arms Act. This exemption was given on the basis of Chief Commissioner Mark Cubbon’s recommendations. It is possible that the Kodavas met him and had enlightened him about their traditions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">14. Y K Chethan, who belongs to the Yaladalu Arebhashe family who settled in Gaalibeedu, is fighting a court case claiming that the Kodavas got the arms act exemption for loyalty to the British. What he doesn’t know is that his fellow Arebhashe community member, neighbour and even probable ancestor, Kochana Doddaiah of Gaalibeedu, was in fact rewarded by the British for his loyalty while a number of Kodavas didn’t support the imperialists. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">Main References:</span></b><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">-Manual of Coorg, by G Richter, published in 1870.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">-Pattole Palame, N Chinnappa, 1924.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">-South Kanara, N Shyama Bhat, 1998.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">-Kodagina Haleri Rajavamshavu, M G Nagaraj, 2004. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">-Long ago in Coorg, M Kushalappa, 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-33616863601283297922021-01-15T19:14:00.007-08:002021-01-16T00:27:05.763-08:00Of rice, oxen and pilgrimages<div class="s3" style="margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></span><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; line-height: 21.6px;">Of rice, oxen and pilgrimages</span></span></h1></div><div class="s3" style="margin: 0px;"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 21.6px;">Mookonda Kushalappa</span></span></div><div class="s3" style="margin: 0px;"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="margin: 0px;"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 21.6px;"><div class="s3" style="font-size: medium; font-style: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: medium; font-style: normal; margin: 0px;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><h4 style="font-size: medium; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In the past, political and administrative boundaries were fluid and largely dependent on the conquest of villages and territories by kings and their armies. The people of Kodagu used to pilgrimage to various temples which are now present in the two states of Karnataka and Kerala. Today, they still do although the frequency of pilgrims to the Kerala side has decreased. However, Baithurappa is one temple which is regularly visited by the people of Kodagu, especially the Kodavas and Keimbattis, two Kodava speaking castes of agriculturists and labourers, during its annual festival. </span></span></h4><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><p style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">During festivals and ceremonies, after Kodavas first invoke the names of the </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">kuladevi</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> Kaveramme and </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">mahaguru</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Igguthappa, quite often the very next deity they might invoke is Baithurappa. Baithurappa is the deity of Baithur, which corresponds to present-day Vayathur in Kerala's Kannur district. In Kerala, Baithurappa is known as Vayathur Kaliyar Mahadeva (Shiva) and is located in Ulikkal village in the immediate vicinity of Vayathur. </span></span></span></p><div><br /></div></span></span></div></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="margin: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1120" height="359" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4mOkdr32dGo/YAKeuh4mg4I/AAAAAAAAHMQ/QaNKJPGfovEzwy_mMhZNz66Y4jDQj2pNwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h359/A%2Bpujari%2Bdoing%2Bpuja%2Bbefore%2Bthe%2Beth-porata.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pooja done before the eth-porata</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4mOkdr32dGo/YAKeuh4mg4I/AAAAAAAAHMQ/QaNKJPGfovEzwy_mMhZNz66Y4jDQj2pNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1120/A%2Bpujari%2Bdoing%2Bpuja%2Bbefore%2Bthe%2Beth-porata.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div></div><div class="s3" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">The main town in that region is Iritty which is accessible across an iron bridge over a river while travelling from Kodagu. As one goes on the road from Makkuta in Karnataka towards Iritty in Kerala, one will find advertisement signs which read 'Little Coorg' or 'Coorg valley'.</span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s5" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">During the around two-week long festival, the people of Kodagu will board buses and vehicles towards Iritty and Mattanur. A few of them will also perform </span></span><span class="s7" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">thirale</span></span><span class="s5" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> (a ritual dance in the worship of spirits) at the temple. The Kodava men will wear black or white </span></span><span class="s7" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">kupya</span></span><span class="s5" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> (traditional robe) while the Keimbatti men will wear red kupya. </span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s5" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Baithurappa has many temples but the main ones are in Baithur, Bendrukolur near Taliparamba (in Kerala) and in the Kariabana forest in Beppunad in Kodagu. </span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Another important Baithurappa temple, but relatively recent one, is the Baithurappa Poovavadi Basaveshwara in Kodagarahalli near Suntikoppa in Kodagu.</span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Oral tradition states that thousands of years ago there were six brothers and one sister living in Malabar. The eldest brother remained in his place and sent his younger siblings east towards the hills of Kodagu. They crossed into Kodagu at the Padi ghat and were guests of the Pardanda family for a while. Igguthappa became a chief god of the Kodavas while his younger sister Ponnangalatamme became a chief goddess of the Keimbattis. Baithurappa, a local manifestation of Shiva and also known as Bendrukolappa, is an elder brother of Igguthappa and Ponnangalatamme.</span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-45WRFWpahXU/YAKe4u4i89I/AAAAAAAAHMU/uB7tXxRpxf8HP4Fr8MuC40WI10cbXeJPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/oxen%2Bbefore%2Beth-porata.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-45WRFWpahXU/YAKe4u4i89I/AAAAAAAAHMU/uB7tXxRpxf8HP4Fr8MuC40WI10cbXeJPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/oxen%2Bbefore%2Beth-porata.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oxen before the eth-porata</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 1.5em;"><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Meanwhile, there were two brothers in the Kalyatanda family from Kunjila in Kodagu. One brother moved to Kerala where he married a Nambiar woman. His descendants became the Kalliat Nambiar family. They were </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Jenmidars</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> (landlords) and the Baithur temple was within their dominion.</span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Around five hundred years ago, Monnayya was the Palegara of a region of five villages in Ede-nalnad in Kodagu. One day Andamada Chetticha came with his men at night. They captured Monnayya’s cattle and occupied his paddy fields. Monnayya and his servant Banna Karimbu then prayed to the family deity Baithurappa. A tiger came and attacked the army who fled freeing Monnayya’s farmland. His relative Ajjinikanda Mandanna then attacked the retreating army. Legend has it that it was Baithurappa (Shiva) himself who sent Chavundi (Parvathi) in the form of a tigeress.</span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">In gratitude to his family deity, Monnayya went to the various villages in Ede-nalnad, Beppunad and other regions of Kodagu and convinced the people to send rice grains for the annual feast of the Baithurappa temple. Thereafter, every year, Monnayya and his descendants, the Puggera family, used to send 12 oxen with bags of rice loaded on their backs to Baithur. Now they send atleast three oxen with rice loads. </span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ2npuJLlrM/YAKeZ4uvnaI/AAAAAAAAHMI/LDQ-DPu12T0zrtcdNao6FwILelnmKYjlACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Puggera%2Belder%2Bholding%2Ba%2Bceremonial%2Bsword%2Band%2Bshield.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ2npuJLlrM/YAKeZ4uvnaI/AAAAAAAAHMI/LDQ-DPu12T0zrtcdNao6FwILelnmKYjlACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Puggera%2Belder%2Bholding%2Ba%2Bceremonial%2Bsword%2Band%2Bshield.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An elder holding a ceremonial sword and shield </td></tr></tbody></table><span class="s6" style="line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="s6" style="line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>Sacks of rice are placed on the backs of oxen which are led to the temple. This is called </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">eth-porata</span></span><span class="s6" style="line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> and happens before the annual temple festival. The rice is cooked in the temple and given as </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Prasada</span></span><span class="s6" style="line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">oota</span></span><span class="s6" style="line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> (meals for devotees). This is called the </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">oottu</span></span><span class="s6" style="line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> festival. </span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">The oxen and their handlers walk 47 kilometres from Devanageri village (where the Puggera ancestral house is located) to the Baithurappa temple. They halt at the forest office in Makkuta, on the Karnataka-Kerala border, where they cross a foot bridge and turn right towards Vayathur. A few other families also send eth-porata to Baithurappa during the festival.</span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">The Puggera family are the Deva thakka (hereditary temple managers) of Baithurappa.</span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">The temple is now managed by a trust of Kodava and Malayali members. Likewise, the thakka at Payyavoorappa, another Shaiva deity, in Payyavoor village in Kerala and near the banks of the river with the same name, are the Boverianda and Mundiolanda families of Kadiyathnad in Kodagu. They also send eth-porata to Payyavoorappa and help organise the oottu festival there. These temple festivals speak of the several centuries-old friendship between the Kodava and Malayalam speaking people. </span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">A temple representative called a </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Korathachcha</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> (aka </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Komarathachcha</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> or </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Korathajja</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">) goes around Kodagu many days before the festival, inviting families from various villages. He comes with a </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">thiruayudha</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> (a holy, crooked sword) and a wooden umbrella to Kodagu and stays at the thakka's ancestral house for a night. He will sleep in front of the nellakki prayer lamp in the central hall. </span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w24NoeHdVSQ/YAKdvg3DbGI/AAAAAAAAHL4/CNhRC_KcF6cPj68Czf0NnUHFwiMbFGvfACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/The%2BPuggera%2Bnellakki%2B%2528traditional%2Bprayer%2Bcorner%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bcentral%2Bhall%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bancestral%2Bhouse%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nellakki prayer corner of the ancestral house</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">The Baithurappa Korathachcha visits certain village temples (Peggala, Chembebelloor Eshwara, Devanageri Eshwara, Thalatkeri Bhagwathi, Halgunda Bhagwathi, Maithadi Aiyappa, Kadangamurur Bhagwathi, Arameri Bhagwathi, Kedamulloor Eshwara, Kadanur Bhagwathi, Maggula Aiyappa and Balagodu Bhadrakali) and ancestral houses (Kunjalageri Muckatira, Puliyanda, Kodandera, Machettira and Ammanakuttanda Ainmanes) around Virajpet. This time he was in Kodagu between December 30</span></span><span class="s8" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 8.4px; vertical-align: super;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 12.6px;">th</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">, 2020 and January 3</span></span><span class="s8" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 8.4px; vertical-align: super;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 12.6px;">rd</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">, 2021. Likewise, the Korathachcha of Payyavoorappa comes to invite the people of Kadiyathnad some days before the festival. </span></span></span></div><div class="s9" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">During the month of January, the people in and around Beppunad and Ede-nalnad send rice offerings to the Baithurappa temple. During the month of February, the people of Kadiyathnad offer rice to the Payyavoorappa temple. </span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Usually there are five main Baithurappa temple festival days. On the first day is the arrival of eth-porata. The Puggera and the other Kodava families visit the temple and meet the Malayali management on the second day. Kodava men will sing the </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Dudikottu paat</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> while beating small, hand-held drums. The main </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">oottu</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> festival happens on the third day. The </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">nai abishekam</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> ceremony (smearing ghee on the deity's statue) would be on the fourth day. On the fifth day would be the </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">arattu abhishekam</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> ceremony. </span></span></span></div><div class="s9" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">This time the festival is between January 14</span></span><span class="s8" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 8.4px; vertical-align: super;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 12.6px;">th</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> and 25</span></span><span class="s8" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 8.4px; vertical-align: super;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 12.6px;">th</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">, 2021. The main days are around the 21</span></span><span class="s8" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 8.4px; vertical-align: super;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 12.6px;">st</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> and 24</span></span><span class="s8" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 8.4px; vertical-align: super;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 12.6px;">th</span></span><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">. Due to Covid-19, strict restrictions are in place. Only four bulls are allowed inside the temple and not more than 100 devotees (with appropriate permission, and among them 70 from Kodagu) can enter in a day.</span></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCHY4520ImM/YAKeHXBb6XI/AAAAAAAAHMA/TeB-aqisbtoaYaDVUw_-holWQKeumXGLACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/one%2Bof%2Bthe%2Boxen%2Bcarrying%2Ba%2Brice%2Bsack.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCHY4520ImM/YAKeHXBb6XI/AAAAAAAAHMA/TeB-aqisbtoaYaDVUw_-holWQKeumXGLACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/one%2Bof%2Bthe%2Boxen%2Bcarrying%2Ba%2Brice%2Bsack.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bull during eth-porata</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 18px;"><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><span class="s6" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>Edited and published in the Deccan Herald (17.01.21):</span></span></div><div class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/spectrum/of-rice-oxen-and-pilgrimages-939586.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/spectrum/of-rice-oxen-and-pilgrimages-939586.html</span></a></div>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-87622613027882795702020-10-02T20:45:00.005-07:002020-10-19T20:49:56.456-07:00A house for a king<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Linga Raja I was the Raja of Kodagu and a subordinate ally of Nawab Haider Ali of Mysore. In 1780, the raja passed away. The raja's first son Dodda Vira Rajendra was only 16 years old at that time. This was a convenient moment for the nawab to bring Kodagu under his complete control. So, he removed the raja’s family members from the Madikeri fort in Kodagu and moved them to the Gorur fort in Hassan. In this manner the Raja's family lost possession of their Madikeri residence.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Displeased with the displacement of the raja, Kodagu rose in rebellion against Haider. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Elsewhere, the second Anglo Mysore war was raging at that time. In 1782 Haider died of cancer and his son Tipu Sultan succeeded him. Linga Raja’s family was shifted and imprisoned at Periyapatna fort in Mysore.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In December 1788, Dodda Vira Rajendra, his wife, daughter, brothers Linga Raja II and Appaji Raja and other family members managed to escape from their confinement. According to scholar H Moegling (in 1855) ‘some faithful Coorg friends assisted him (the raja) and conducted him safely’. Historians I M Muthanna and D N Krishnaiah identified these friends as Kulletira Ponnanna, Pattacheruvanda Boluka, Appaneravanda Achaiah, Ketolira Achuvanna and others. They disguised themselves as oil-vendors and reached Periyapatna where they were able to release the royal family. Meanwhile, Linga Raja I’s wife (Vira Rajendra’s mother) had died of smallpox during the years in Periyapatna.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The people of Kodagu declared Vira Rajendra their king. But the new raja and his family had no place to stay. The fort of Madikeri was still in the possession of the Mysore Sultan. The raja first stayed at Kurchi where he made a temporary, makeshift residence. Unfortunately, one day, when the raja was away, bandits from Wayanad attacked Kurchi. They killed the rani, stole the household ornaments and burnt down the place.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The raja and his people were living in near poverty, caused due to intense warfare, at that time. During this time of exile, according to historian M G Nagaraj, the raja stayed with a branch of the Cholanda family in Kunda-Echoor, near the Barapole river for some time. This family was renamed Maneypanda, since they had provided a <i>mane</i> (‘house’) to the king.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">D N Krishnaiah wrote that Ketolira Achuvanna recommended his own native village Yavakapadi near Kakkabe as a suitable place of residence for the raja until at least the war was over. Kakkabe was a remote location at that time, surrounded by mountains and jungles. Achuvanna accommodated the king and his family in his own ancestral house until a new palace was built.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Achuvanna scouted the place and found the farmland of the Puliyanda family to be the most secure site for a palace. This place, being hidden by natural barriers from all sides was relatively inaccessible to invaders. Four brothers of the family lived there. They were asked to vacate and were promised compensation. The eldest brother Ponnappa agreed to move with two of his brothers to his wife’s native village. His wife was from the Chokanda family in Maggula. But the youngest brother Karichcha refused to budge from the land of his forefathers.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The construction for the palace began. However, Karichcha would trouble the construction workers during the day and hide in the forest at night. The raja was displeased with this. So, he got Karichcha captured and put to death. But the ghost of Karichcha was said to continue to torment the place. Hence, the king and his family continued to stay with the Ketolira family for some time until a puja was performed at the palace.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The palace which came at that place is called Naalnaad <i>aramane</i> or Nalknad aramane, after the name of the region. Due to financial constraints, this palace was actually relatively simple. It was a large farmhouse built in the native <i>Ainmane</i> tradition. This two-story building initially had a thatched roof which was replaced later with tiles.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The descendants of Achuvanna and his two brothers became the <i>Aramane thakka </i>(palace chamberlains); they were the hereditary chieftains in-charge of the Naalnaad palace. Achuvanna moved to Kolakeri village near Napoklu where he settled down. His brothers remained in Yavakapadi.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Meanwhile, Kodagu became completely free of Tipu’s rule in 1792. This way the Raja also gained possession of the old residence of his father as well. Life had come a full circle for Dodda Vira Rajendra.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dodda Vira Rajendra, who titled himself <i>Vodeya</i> (‘ruler’), compiled his dynasty’s official records in 1807 and called it the <i>Rajendraname</i>. Translated from Kannada into English by Lt. Robert Abercrombie, it was edited by Moegling (in 1857), and quoted by Richter (1870), B L Rice (1878) and Suryanath Kamath (1993) in their gazetteers.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Published in the Deccan Herald on 3rd October 2020</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvTDlnzn-aw/X45eWX2QhtI/AAAAAAAAHA0/D9YQ4LoMlu4a8v23J7-W5EntUT7Tt5UewCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="700" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvTDlnzn-aw/X45eWX2QhtI/AAAAAAAAHA0/D9YQ4LoMlu4a8v23J7-W5EntUT7Tt5UewCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/spectrum-statescan/how-the-modest-nalknad-palace-sheltered-kodagu-s-royals-896589.html">https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/spectrum-statescan/how-the-modest-nalknad-palace-sheltered-kodagu-s-royals-896589.html</a></span></span></p><br /><br /><p></p>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-14637626029336795232019-12-31T19:41:00.001-08:002020-10-19T20:43:03.517-07:00 The Kodava tribe of Kodagu<p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><i>Kodagu</i> </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kodagu was a separate kingdom from around 1600 until 1834, ruled by its own Rajas. Thereafter the British annexed it and made it a province. They pronounced the name Kodag(u) as Coorg. It was during the Raj that Coorg became a well-known hill station of India. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In 1947, Coorg was made a C-state of the Union of India and known as the state of Coorg. In 1956, it was joined to the state of Mysore. Mysore state later became known as Karnataka. Thenceforth, Coorg was again called by its old name Kodagu. Presently, Kodagu is one of the smallest districts of Karnataka.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Kodavas</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Kodavas were the largest and dominant tribe of Kodagu. They were the earliest agriculturists and the largest endogamous group of the region as well. The names of the native tribe and the land were synonymous to each other. The race was called Kodava and the place was called Kodavu in the native tongue Kodava thakk. In Kannada, the people were Kodaga and the province Kodagu. Likewise, in English, the people were named Coorgs (or Koorgs) and the region Coorg (Kurg or Koorg). </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In 1398 Abhinava Mangaraja wrote a Sanskrit-Kannada dictionary called the <i>Mangaraja Nighantu</i>. Sections of it were translated by Rev. Ferdinand Kittel in his Kannada-English dictionary in 1894. The Mangaraja Nighantu has a few references to Kodagu and the Kodavas. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In this dictionary, Kodagu is “the Coorg country” and a Kodaga is “a Coorg man” in Kannada. Also, in the same work, Kodavu is “Kodagu, the Coorg country (in the language of the Coorg people)”, while a Kodava is “a Coorg man (in the language of the Coorgs)”. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Kodavas were farmers and soldiers. They grew paddy and hunted wild animals. During wartime, they carried swords and guns and fought for their kings and lords. In 1870, the Mysore and Coorg Chief Commissioner L B Bowring called the Kodavas (Coorgs) as the “primitive Kodagaru”. The Kodavas were called so because they were the ancient people of Kodagu.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Culture</i> </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Kodavas are nature and ancestor worshippers. Since they were nature worshippers they dedicated forest land to the gods and called them <i>deva kad</i> (sacred groves). Likewise, the Kodava families have shrines called <i>kaimada</i> built for their ancestors. Every year the families worship their ancestors during the <i>karana kodupo</i> ceremony. There was no idol worship among Kodavas. The daily prayers were done to the <i>nellakki bolcha</i> (holy lamp) in the <i>balliamane</i> (ancestral house). </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Language</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kodava thakk is a separate Dravidian language which is younger than Tamil and Kannada but older than Malayalam. The Kodavas and 21 other castes from Kodagu speak this language. There is a demand to include Kodava thakk in the official 8<sup>th</sup> schedule list of Indian languages in the constitution.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Castes and Sub-castes</i> </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In ancient times, the Kodavas were divided into four branches: Amma, Sanna, Malla and Bodda. The Amma were most religious and the Sanna were most numerous. The Sanna Kodava, found all over Kodagu, got their name from the Sannakki or the fine, rice grains they ate and hence were known as the 'fine' or the proper Kodavas. This was not a name they called themselves by but was a name given to them by others. The Sanna Kodavas called themselves Jamma Kodavas and were looked upon as the custodians of the Kodava culture. They were further divided into Surlabi Kodava, Naalnaad Kodava, Mendele Kodava and Kiggat Kodava on the basis of the regions they lived in. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Malla Kodavas were found in North Kodagu and were often associated with the Kodagu Rajas, in whose government service they were. Thus they took the name Malla, meaning warrior. The Sanna Kodavas and the Malla Kodavas are now not distinguishable from each other since they have intermarried. The Boda Kodava were less in number and were comparatively poorer in wealth and appearance. But they are now part of the main-body of Kodavas with whom they have married. So the Sanna, the Malla and the Boda became Kodavas and are no longer differentiated. Presently, the Ammas form a separate caste of Amma Kodavas.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There are 22 related castes and tribes (now collectively called the Kodagas), such as the Amma Kodavas, the Kodagu Heggades, the Keimbattis, the Kudiyas, the Medas, the Maleyas, the Kapalas, the Boonepattas, the Bannas and others, who speak Kodava thakk and follow the Kodava culture. </p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Status</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Kodavas have a high literacy rate due to the interest their leaders took in getting the community educated since British times. However, now the community is losing out on socio-economic, political and educational opportunities because they don't have government reservations. This way they are not getting government jobs and seats in educational institutions. Since Kodavas generally are good looking and dress well their poor socio-economic status is relatively unknown. Most Kodavas own only a few acres of land and are quite poor. Now, many Kodavas are losing their farm lands due to various reasons. If the Kodavas get the ST tag then the younger generations will benefit.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Reservations</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">These days many other communities have made more progress in this competitive world and left Kodavas to become backward. The Kodavas are listed as an OBC in the Karnataka State List. Although some sources wrongly claimed that the Kodavas belonged to Category 2A the actual caste certificates that we received showed that we are part of Category 3A, which has lesser reservations. The Bunts and some of the Vokkaligas are also in the same 3A category. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kodavas were listed as Kodagaru and the Codava National Council opposed this and wanted the government to correct it. As of 2017, the CNC was still agitating for replacing the offensive word Kodagaru in the government records. The term Kodagaru sounds similar to the Kannada word for a monkey. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">However, in the Central List for the Karnataka state the Kodavas (or 'Kodagaru') are not mentioned. This Central list is necessary to ensure reservations in Central Government jobs and educational institutions. In 2012 the 'Kodagaru' caste was recommended to be added to the Central list but was rejected. The Kodagu Kapala, Banna, Kodagu Heggade and Amma Kodava communities who speak Kodava thakk and are from Kodagu district are included in the Central OBC list. Some of the Vokkaliga Gowda, Lingayat and Muslim communities are mentioned in the central OBC list as well. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Main References</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><ol class="ol1"><li class="li3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Manual of Coorg (Coorg Gazetteer), Rev. G. Richter, 1870 (book)<br /></li><li class="li3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eastern Experiences, L B Bowring, 1871 (book)<br /></li><li class="li3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Karnataka State Gazetteer: Kodagu District Gazetteer Volume, Dr. Suryanath Kamat, 1993 (book)<br /></li><li class="li3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Government okays plea to mention 'Kodavaru' in caste certificate, Deccan Herald, August 17 2012 (newspaper article)<br /></li><li class="li3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ethnographic survey under way to establish Kodava tribal status, Times of India, December 12 2016 (newspaper article)<br /></li></ol><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p>Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-11554130785311655362019-09-04T09:52:00.003-07:002020-06-04T21:48:01.706-07:00The House of Awadh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bigfoot publications has brought out my novella 'House of Awadh'. Given above is the cover page. Inspired by the Indian epics, this can be called the modern-age Ramayana.</span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u>Book Blurb</u></span></span></div>
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Shashvat is married to Maithili. He is the heir to his father’s business empire. But, all of a sudden, he is disinherited. Can he gain back his inheritance?</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The powerful Thaskara is married to Madhura. He and his goons are feared by many. As if things can’t get worse, Thaskara desires Maithili. How will Madhura keep him away from Maithili?</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">What will Shashvat do to protect his wife? </span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In what way should </span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">he </span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">battle Thaskara? Will Shashvat fall on the wrong side of the law? </span></span></div>
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<span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Join the scion on his road of challenges in this modern retelling of </span><span lang="\"EN-US\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">an epic. Enter a world where </span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">kings, demons </span><span lang="\"EN-US\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">and </span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">monkeys</span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">come alive as ordinary humans</span><span lang="\"EN-US\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Below are the two YouTube promos for the book. </span></span><br />
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A traditional reading of the blurb:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy5KY1rBsQOXi1XLJU8Jap687zKTJLZ7N6e__gSH9fyQlFCOFPFX_NnWBLbPUKFHkbbldldY8zHe9EqVo4Q6A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="\"EN-IN\"" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A modern take on the blurb:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdcLo6L1A-0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdcLo6L1A-0</a></div>
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<span lang="\"EN-US\"" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif;">The Star of Mysore, a South Indian daily prominent in the Mysore region, featured my book in their newspaper: </span><a href="https://starofmysore.com/the-house-of-awadh/" style="font-family: "open sans", arial, sans-serif;">https://starofmysore.com/the-house-of-awadh/</a><br />
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;">The book is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle versions:</span></div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.in/House-Awadh-Nitin-Kushalappa-MP/dp/8194302447">https://www.amazon.in/House-Awadh-Nitin-Kushalappa-MP/dp/8194302447</a></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-15859305880632230112018-08-20T20:58:00.003-07:002020-07-04T02:00:30.283-07:00Kodagu's floods and landslides<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The flood in Kerala brought great disaster with it. More than 350 people had been reported dead, illustrating the seriousness of the situation. The situation was being reported over a number of days.<br />
News about the flood in neighbouring Kerala had been going on for quite some time.<br />
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On August 17th 2018, a Friday, news about floods in Kodagu began to trickle into the news media. Three people were reported dead in Katakeri on Friday (17th August) and four dead in and around Madapura on Saturday (18th August) in the national news. Villagers whose houses were likely to collapse were warned and advised to leave their houses.<br />
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Many residents reported missing had gone to stay at their relatives' places, as soon as they were advised to vacate the unsafe places. A few of them had even managed to reach places in Bengaluru. </div>
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However most of the farm workers had chosen to stay at the relief centers.<br />
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A team from Somwarpet had identified people with jeeps and other vehicles who could help. Boys from Madikeri and Kushalnagar joined them. They would load people walking distances onto their jeeps and take them to safer places. Elderly, sickly and physically weak people stuck in remote, flooded or denuded places were rescued and carried upon the backs of volunteers.<br />
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The General Thimmayya river-rafters team and a rock climbing team from Bengaluru were also involved. Jagat Nanjappa, a well-known motorcar rally driver from Kodagu, drove his jeep around to help move people. Machaiah, called Max or Machu by his friends, from Ammathi was also part of the team.<br />
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Bopanna Rakshith and Ashith Achchappa, two brothers from Kushalnagar, along with their friends, were part of the rescue team. Ashith used to regularly lead trekking teams into Kodagu. Their aunt Rita who stays at Madapura had vacated her house and was living at her daughter's place. They narrated these incidents to me. </div>
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A team of volunteers from Mysore were also involved in the rescue missions. News channels such as Suvarna News and BTV had sent in their journalists and personally handed over provisions to the people. A few journalists were also involved in the rescue mission.<br />
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80 villagers had left their houses and walked to a resort called Valley Dew in Mukkodlu on Saturday (August 18th). Meanwhile, a group of around 40 local people (including the Somwarpet team and the two brothers) had managed to reach the place on Sunday (August 19th).<br />
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Some 35 boys and men among the group of 80 had found their way out of the Mukkodlu resort place by climbing the nearby rocks. The remaining people were rescued by the local team. The team also found 25 people sheltered in one house owned by a Kannanda family member. Most of those rescued were labourers and others.<br />
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The Indian army, which was involved in the rescue mission, was unfamiliar with the terrain. By the time the Dogra regiment arrived, the affected villagers had been vacated to safer places.</div>
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A few people refused to leave their houses. In one house there were five people, disabled and elderly, who were unwilling to leave their houses. They were later rescued by the rafters team. An old lady who was rescued from her house was misunderstood and dropped back at her house. Then rafters returned again and rescued her a second time. Across the river were some more people who could not be rescued that day. On Monday (August 20th) drones were sent to survey the neighbouring place.<br />
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As reported by a journalist Jagadish, around 40 people walked from Mukkodlu and Hebbatagiri villages to Ambukote near Devarapura. There they were sheltered by one Vivek and a Mayamudi village group in a building. Thirthesh, Mohan, and Dhananjay from Bangalore helped them during their stay. </div>
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Mahesh and Pramila Nachaiah operate a local news agency called Poomale in Kodagu. They regularly share Suddi Seve ('News Service') audio clips on social media groups. From experience, the news is known to be authentic and reliable. On 20th August, they had shared one such audio clip. </div>
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There are 41 relief centers, rightly called <i>Parihara Kendra</i> by the news agency, but popularly and wrongly called <i>Ganji Kendra</i> ('gruel center'), in Kodagu. Among these, 18 are in Madikeri taluk, 14 in Somwarpet taluk and 7 in Virajpet taluk. Nearly 4000 were reported to have been rescued so far.</div>
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More than a 1000 people have been involved in the rescue operations in Kodagu. These included NCC cadets, State Police personnel, Reserve police force personnel, Air Force personnel, Revenue department officials and Home Guards. The Indian Army was operating in Mukkodlu to carry people to safer places. The National Defence Relief Force was operational in Jodupada and Monnangeri II villages, the National Navy in Devasthur and Kalur village and General Thimmaiah Adventure Team in Thanthipala village.</div>
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H D Kumaraswamy, the CM of Karnataka, was in Kodagu on two days. He gave compensation to Ganapathy, the father of Achalpadi Yeshwanth who died in a landslide in Katakeri, and to Meena Kumari, the wife of a person deceased in the floods.<br />
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He claimed that 12 people were dead so far. 845 houses had been washed away. 773 houses, 58 bridges, 123 kilometers of road, some 300 government buildings and 3800 electric poles were damaged.<br />
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Provisions, including food, clothes, medicine, and essentials, had been collected and transported by nearly 5000 volunteers over four days in the Kodava Samaja in Bengaluru. The supplies were sent in 40 trucks to Makkandur, Ammathi, Kudige, Bettatur, Gonikoppal, Virajpet, Cherambane, Balugodu, Kushalnagar, Ponnampet, Suntikoppa, Madapura, Somwarpet, and Madikeri. Among various godowns, these things were stored in the KSRTC bus depot and the SP office in Madikeri.<br />
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Suntikoppa town is a major refuge to the flood victims from various villages. Many victims were sheltered in a Church, a Hindu temple and a Madrassa (Islamic school). Buddhist monks from the Bylekuppe Tibetan settlement came to help the flood victims. This news was reported by The Quint, an Indian news website. </div>
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Many government employees will be donating their one day salary towards the relief fund. Many Kodavas and other people of Kodagu have decided not to celebrate Kail Polud, a major local festival occurring on September 3rd, this year. Instead, they would contribute the money to be spent on the festival towards the relief work.</div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-52921741926606084042018-08-05T22:35:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:30:31.604-07:00The Kapla community in Kodagu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/tribe-nestled-hills-kodagu-685587.html">https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/tribe-nestled-hills-kodagu-685587.html</a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont"; font-size: large;">(Mookonda Kushalappa, Spectrum, Deccan Herald, </span><br />
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont"; font-size: large;">5th August 2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">In the village of Yavakapadi is the second palace of the Kodagu Rajas (1633-1834). This is called the Naalnaad, or Nalknad, </span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Aramane</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">. The first palace is inside the Madikeri Fort. The Naalnaad palace was built in a remote location amidst the jungle and among the hills. Naalnaad Aramane is a two-storey structure built in the style of the traditional houses of Western Karnataka and Kerala. Beside this is the Aramane Government school. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">It was raining continuously at the palace at 9.45 in the morning. One could hear students singing Kuvempu's composition, the state song </span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Jaya Bharata Jananiye Tanujate</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">, nearby. They were assembled in the portico of the school building and facing the headmaster. Umbrellas were hanging to dry upon a line between pillars under the eaves outside the classrooms. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The school has three classrooms, one for the headmaster Basavaraju, who is from Gorur in Hassan, and another teacher. The next room is for students studying in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd standards. The last room is for students in the 4th and 5th standards. Students of each standard are given cards pertaining to their respective classes. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The students seemed to be distracted by tourists who come to the palace. Altogether, 13 students from the neighbouring tribal settlements study from classes 1 to 5. Nearby is one such settlement called the Kaplakeri hamlet, the only one with members of the Kapala tribe.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The <i>Kapla</i> </span></span></span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont";">(or <i>Kapala</i>) </span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont";">tribe is claimed by some scholars to be mixed descendants of the Siddis. In the ancient past, Arab and Portuguese sailors brought Bantu speaking Africans from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) to India. These Africans were called Siddis and employed by Indian kings, both Hindus and Muslims, as bodyguards and executioners. Some of them settled down in Gujarat and Karnataka in India while others settled down in Pakistan. While some of them became Muslims others settled in the forests and lived a relatively primitive existence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The Siddis came to settle down in Uttara Kannada, Belgavi and Dharwad districts of Karnataka. The Rajas of Kodagu had relatives ruling kingdoms such as Nagara, Sode, and Kittur in parts of these regions. If the Kapala really has Siddi ancestors, then the Rajas must have brought their ancestors to the place. But only a DNA genetic study can verify the link between the Siddis and the Kaplas.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">A phone call had prompted my visit to Kaplakeri. Ketolira Sunny Somanna, a coffee planter and former army-man from the Kodava community, had introduced me to his farm supervisor Dhanu and an anthropologist Ashok Patel from the Dharwad University. Dhanu is from the Kapla community and was my guide during the trip. Nachappa Kapla's hut and regular meals by the Kaplas were arranged for researchers during their stay.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The theories about the origin of the word Kapla are various. According to Sunny, the word Kapla comes from the word Kapali, meaning a devotee of Shiva. According to the Kaplas and the researchers, the word Ka-paala meant a protector, as they guarded the king in former times. Yet another theory says that the word Kapaala comes from the word </span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Kafir</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">, 'infidel' was used by the Arabs for non-Muslim African natives at one time. This became corrupted as Khapiri in Konkani, Kaapiri in Sinhalese, Kaapili in Tamil and then Kaapaala in Kodava <i>thakk</i> </span></span></span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont";">(the Kodava language).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">Like the mainstream Kodavas, the Kapala community speaks the Kodava language, dress like them and believe in the same religious practices. Even their marriage and funeral customs are similar. Every April at around the 17th or the 18th they propitiate their gods in the <i>theray</i> ceremonies, the spiritual worship of Kodagu. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">Socio-economically, they are relatively poor, but they identify themselves as being superior by caste to the Kembatti and Meda labourers. The Kapla consider themselves to be of the same status as the Kodagu Kudiya and the Tulu-speaking Paales, with whom a few of them have married. The Kodagu Kudiya, the Kembatti, and the Meda also speak Kodava thakk and follow the same culture and religion, having the same food and dress habits, the same festivals and the same ceremonies. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">According to researchers Ashok Patel and Sumitra, the tribe has 159 members and 33 families. One member in his 50s died due to jaundice recently, bringing down the count to 158. The man had the disease for over a year and came to know of it when his children got him admitted to the Napoklu government hospital.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The Raja had settled them behind the palace and given them a piece of land. But the land was not enough for them to make a living. Hence, the Kaplas earn by working in the neighbouring farmlands, which belong to the Apparanda, Ketolira and Natolanda Kodava families.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The Kaplas belong to three different <i class="">kudi</i> (clans): <i>Aranat</i> Kapla, the <i>Bollaat</i> Kapla, and the <i>Paalekat</i> (or Paalekoot) Kapla. Members of a clan marry outside the clan. The different clans differ in the religious activities they take part in. The Paalekoot Kapla claim to have married with the Paales.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">Aranat Kapla is one among the different families remembered during festivities at the Padi Igguthappa temple of Kakkabe. They claim to be from Arangutur village in North Malabar. Members of this family are ceremonially possessed by the spirit of Kunhi Boltu. During Shivarathri and other festivals the children of the Aranat Kapla dress themselves up in disguises as part of the festivities. In the past, the adults used to disguise themselves as well, as part of the Shivarathri night vigil. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">Thammi, a Paalekoot Kapla, is a member of the local Grama Panchayat village council. He says that the Kaplas are politically significant at the village level but insignificant at higher levels because of their small number. They form blocks, or administrative divisions, along with the Adia, the Paale and the Kudiya tribes of the village. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">The children study until the 5</span></span></span><span style="color: #353535;"><sup><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="font-family: "applesystemuifont";"><span style="font-size: large;"> standard at the Aramane school, where they are taught Kannada and English. Then they go to the Kakkabe Government school which is three kilometres away. The parents save money and send their children to the </span></span></span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont";">Kakkabe</span><span style="color: #353535; font-family: "applesystemuifont";"> school in auto-rickshaws.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: none; text-align: left; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption" style="font-family: inherit;">Temple built for the Kapala forest community by the Apparanda, a family of Kodava coffee farmers</span></span></td></tr>
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A Kapala worship place</div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-8052297727468510142018-05-26T20:14:00.000-07:002022-07-27T20:53:35.587-07:0019th Century pictures of a Kodava family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
These pictures show early members of the Mathanda family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Appachu, with his sons, paying respect to his father Karicha (c.1859)</span></td></tr>
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<br />The first picture is of a grandfather, his son, and young grandsons. This photograph was taken by Rev. G. Richter, who was in Kodagu between 1856 and 1870. As the principal and inspector of Central School, Mercara, Richter wrote the Gazetteer of Coorg (or Manual of Coorg) in 1870. This picture is dated 1859. This picture made its way to the 1875 People of India photographic series.<br />
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The elderly man in the picture is Mathanda Karicha, called Mattana and mistaken for the Subahdar of Mercara by Watson and Kaye (in 1875). His son is the distinguished but unassuming decorated war hero Mathanda Appachu. He is the real Subahdar, albeit of Beppunad, in Mercara (Madikeri) taluk, and recipient of the war medal his father wears. As a mark of respect and humility, Appachu gave his father and clan elder the medal to wear. His eldest son wears the <i>kokkethathi</i>, or moon pendant, worn by both men and women. The male members of this family are seen wearing Kuppya Cheles of different colours. The grandsons are Chengappa, Nanjappa, Belliappa and Poovaiah in an unknown order.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Subahdar Appachu among other <i>thakkas </i>(c.1865)</span></td></tr>
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The second photo shows Appachu among eight Kodava <span class="">thakkas in the 1860s</span>. They are mistakenly called 'Coorg priests' by the Europeans, while in fact, they were actually native leaders. Appachu was Subahadar of Beppunad in the 1850s. In the 1860s, he became Head Sheristadar (native judicial official) at Madikeri.<br />
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The third photo shows Appachu and his four grown-up sons in 1870, some 20 years after the first photo. The children in the 1859 photo are now young men. The middle-aged Appachu in the same 1859 photo is now an old man.<br />
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Between 1867 and 1876 Appachu was Diwan of Kodagu. Mathanda A. Chengappa was claimed to be South India's first Barrister. He studied in London but died young in 1875. Mathanda Nanjappa was an Assistant Commissioner of Coorg (Kodagu) and died the same year, in 1875. Diwan Appachu died the following year in 1876. Another son, Poovaiah, also died early, as a bachelor. Two other boys in this picture are relatives who have not been identified.<br />
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-15230849787906390482018-04-17T19:50:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:30:31.522-07:00Kodagu soldier's trist with the British<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="background-color: clear; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Mookonda Kushalappa (text and images), </span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appachu's mausoleum, Bollumad (2015)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In Kodagu, a certain folk song describes the local government in the region. Eight chieftain clans called the desa thakka (regional chieftains) resided in places spread across Kodagu. The Mathanda was one of these. In Bollumad village of Beppunaad region, I chanced upon the sepulcher of Appachu. It lies in the lands of his descendants. This tomb has a small dome and turrets on top with four bulls at the corners of the flat roof. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are also memorials of his predecessors, one is a white stone upon a platform on the grave of Mathanda Maanu and under a tree. The other is a small red shrine, called Kaimada, which is dedicated to Maletira Karicha of Kedamallur, the common ancestor of all Mathanda clan members. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mathanda Kaimada, Bollumad<br />
(built in honor of common ancestor Maletira Karicha from Kedamallur)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In 1834, the British East India Company (EIC) sent an army of 6,000 sepoys to invade Kodagu. </span><span style="font-size: large;">This infantry of the Company’s Madras Army was divided into four columns. One column was to march into the region from the east, one from the north and two from the west until they reached Madikeri, the capital of the principality. The Kodagu army defended it fiercely, using weapons they had purchased from the Portuguese and other colonial powers along the western coast of India. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The northern column of the company’s infantry was to meet the eastern one near Harangi village. In order to do that they had to pass through another village near Somwarpet, which was secured by a bakka (a stockade comprising of a mud ditch, fortified with thick bamboo tree-trunks) in the forest hills. This village was also the base of the Kodagu resistance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mathanda Appachu was a tall young man from Beppunaad, Kodagu, who rose within the ranks in Chikka Vira Rajendra the Raja of Kodagu’s army to become a karyagara (officer). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Appachu and his men were in defense of the bunker and fought hard against the northern column. They aimed their guns through the wooden palisades of the bakka and killed 48 soldiers and injured 118, within four hours. No casualties were reported on Kodagu’s side, and thereby, the native army was able to beat the well-organised EIC army. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, Chikka Vira Rajendra was not keen on angering the British and wanted to avoid further conflict. So he sent his diwans to surrender on his behalf. The eastern column was escorted from Kushalnagar to Madikeri. Three days later the Raja emerged from hiding and the British had by now taken over Kodagu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The British were now keen on maintaining order and thereby, there was no retaliation for Appachu’s actions. Rather his bravery was appreciated and he was made a Subahdar (native governor) after he swore allegiance to them. A few years later, Subahdar Mathanda Appachu and 60 men suppressed some rebels, who had planned to take over Madikeri. He was awarded the Coorg Medal for this. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mathanda Appachu, <br />
the Coorg grandfather and Mercara Subahdar, <br />
with his son and grandsons</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Appachu resisted Christianity but promoted western education. In a letter related to an endowment for the Mercara Central School (Madikeri Government School) dated 17th October 1863 in Madikeri, among the 13 signatories, the third was ‘Madanda (misspelt) Appachoo, Head-Sheristadar’. Thus, he was one of the founders of the School Endowment Plantation Fund which later became the Coorg Education Fund. Since Appachu was also the highest ranking native official of his time, he was known as the Diwan of Kodagu. This was an unofficial designation. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: clear; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tuesday, 17.04.2018, Deccan Herald, Spectrum</b></span></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-50842367547429911822017-12-30T03:02:00.000-08:002020-06-04T21:30:31.577-07:00"In the spirit of worship" Deccan Herald<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thanks Deccan Herald.</div>
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In the spirit of worship, </div>
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MOOKONDA KUSHALAPPA,<br />
NOV 27 2017, 21:50 IST, Deccan Herald,</div>
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The worship of spirit deities is prevalent in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kodagu districts of Karnataka. The spirit worship ceremony, performed annually in the village temples and ancestral households, is called theray in the Kodava language. A traditional dancer dons face paint or mask and the costume, often red coloured, of a deity, and prances around. Later, he behaves as a medium of the spirit of the deity and advises the devotees as they come to him with their problems.</div>
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The Vishnu Murthy shrine</div>
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The Vishnu Murthy shrine, located near the Choli Povvadiamme Bhagawathy Temple in Arapattu village, has one such ceremony where spirit deities are worshipped. It is generally called Choundi theray, although Choundi (also Chamundi or Chavundi) is not the only deity propitiated here. The Choundi theray takes place after the Bhagwathy temple festival.</div>
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The deity in this temple is said to be in the form of Narasimha, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Upon the gable of this red-tiled shrine is the face of a moustached deity, its face painted in yellow colour. Near the base and on either side of the entrance is the face of a lion.</div>
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The deity of this shrine is offered non-vegetarian food. The Brahmin priest of the nearby Bhagawathy Temple and his family visit the temple to seek blessings. The local Muslims, called mappilla, also pay obeisance here. The priest of this shrine traditionally belongs to the Maleya community. The Maleyas travel to nearby villages during the theray season to perform and help in the arrangements.They wear a saffron panche during the preparations. The Banna and the Panika are other communities who perform such ceremonies in parts of Kodagu. Bhadrakali worship is conducted by the Panikas.</div>
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The Maleyas come from the villages of Kirundad, Marandod and Parane for the Arapattu ceremony. The theray begins with the opening performance of a spirit deity called Thota, at night, and it is followed by performances of the Anji Koot Murthy, the five spirits. They are Kutti Chatta, Kari Baala, Kala Bhairava, Kuliya and Nuchchute. The Choudi and Vishnu Murthy performances happen the next morning.</div>
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Anji Koot Murthy theray</div>
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I visited Arapattu in the theray season. The village stalls were set up, they sold food items and other goods. The preparation for the theray began in the evening, in the adjacent threshing ground. A shelter for the performers to rest was placed beside the ground. The performance started after dinner. The preparation for the performance began with the nooth kuripo (face paint) and alankara (dressing the performer) began. The performers were dressed in red. A thoodu (bamboo torch) was carried along by one of the people accompanying the performers.</div>
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The first performer arrived from the threshing ground in the guise of a Thota. As part of the act, he kept turning his head to look behind him every now and then. Then, he pranced around for a while in front of the shrine and then went to the shrine and seated himself on a stool before the inner sanctum. Devotees came to him with their prayers. He listened to them and answered. Later, the Thota was carried out of the shrine by another performer.</div>
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Similarly, the other performers came to the temple. Kutti Chatta held a stick and a bell, and had decorative eyes. His eyes were covered with large shells with holes in the middle. Bhairava, on the other hand, didn't have such eye coverings. Kari Baala, a fierce avatar, held two swords. In the middle of his performance, he took the musicians to task for not playing vigorously enough and demanded that the devotees also dance along with him. Nuchchute, the last of the five, walked comically and made the people laugh. Supposedly a female deity, the performer wore grass upon his head. He went from person to person and whispered into their ears as they gave him money.</div>
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A different enactment called the Thirale was performed after the five performances. The performer was subjected to mystic experiences. He performed a frantic trembling dance dressed in white kuppya chele(a traditional costume) as he held a staff and an oide-katti, a billhook shaped war knife. He took turns performing as Bhagawathy and Vishnu Murthy throughout the night.</div>
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Choundi theray</div>
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Next morning, the Choundi and Vishnu Murthy performances were enacted. There were six chenda drummers. There was another drummer and one gong player as well, both belonging to the Meda community and the elderly drummer was dressed in white kuppya chele. The Choundi performer wore a hay skirt and walked around what remained of the bonfire, that was lit by the villagers at night. He was held by both hands as he was thrown on the smouldering bonfire and then dragged away from it a number of times.</div>
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The Thota performer gave the Vishnu Murthy performance as well. He wore a steel mask, which depicted a moustached face, and a hay skirt. His legs were plastered with mud. He performed first at the Vishnu Murthy shrine and then at the Bhagawathy shrine. In the evening a non-vegetarian feast called bharani was served to the families of the village.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">caption - the Thirale (a whirling dance) performer in white and the Choundi (Chamundi) theray<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "sf optimized" , , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: left;"> (a dance-worship) performer in grass over-wear; </span>Photo by <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=815440583&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/john.napier.3762?fref=mentions" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; font-family: "SF Optimized", system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none;">John Napier</a> (Online version)<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "sf optimized" , , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "sf optimized" , , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px;">Text by yours truly, </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1486522584&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/nitin.kushalappa?fref=mentions" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; font-family: "SF Optimized", system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-decoration-line: none;">M P Nitin Kushalappa</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "sf optimized" , , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px;"> (Mookonda Kushalappa); </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "sf optimized" , , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px;"> </span></div>
Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-36877998493307543182017-12-28T20:30:00.000-08:002022-07-27T20:53:46.533-07:00Mathanda Appachu (Part 4) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>His forefathers</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>The chieftain's family</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In Kodagu, a certain folk song describes the ancient local government in the region. Eight hereditary chieftain clans called the </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">desa thakka</span></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (regional chieftains) resided in places spread across Kodagu. The Mathanda pronounced as 'Maa-ththan-da', clan were one of these eight. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When I had been to Bollumad village of Beppunaad region I chanced upon the sepulchre of Diwan Mathanda Appachu. It lies in the family lands of his descendants. This tomb has a small dome and turrets on top with four </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">basava</span></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> bulls at the corners of the flat roof. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Appachu's sepulchre</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Nearby are two memorials to his predecessors. One memorial is a white stone upon a platform on the grave of Mathanda Maanu and under a tree. Maanu has no living descendants. The other is a small red shrine, called a </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kaimada</span></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">, which is dedicated to Maletira Karicha of Kedamallur, the common ancestor of all Mathanda members existing today. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oral tradition claims that a particular sorcerer had troubled a Raja of Kodagu. The Raja had a reward placed upon the sorcerer's head. Karicha, as a young boy, had befriended the sorcerer who gradually took the boy into his confidence. The boy followed him everywhere and the sorcerer didn't mind at all. Karicha noticed that the sorcerer never put down his weapons as he didn't trust anybody enough, not even Karicha. </span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once the two came to a stream where they wished to wash their faces and limbs before having lunch. Karicha put down his weapons and washed his hands and feet first. Not suspecting anything to be amiss, the sorcerer also put down his weapons and stood on the bank of the stream. Finding this to be the opportune moment, Karicha sprang up, grabbed his weapons and killed the sorcerer. When the Raja got the news he was highly pleased and so rewarded Karicha. </span>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-61269292775458088982017-12-24T18:07:00.000-08:002022-07-27T20:53:49.875-07:00Mathanda Appachu (Part 3)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Coorg grandfather </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>by Mookonda Kushalappa</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>The archival picture</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The 1870 'Gazetteer of Coorg' by Rev. G. Richter, a British missionary, and educationist, has a photograph labeled as 'Coorgs: grandfather, father and grandsons'. The seated grandfather sports a handlebar mustache, a mark of distinction. According to the 1875 volume of 'People of India' series, where the same picture is labeled as 'Coorgs. Hindoos. Coorg', he is called 'Mattana', 'Soobadar of Mercara', shown along with 'his younger relatives'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Based on a list replicated in folklorist Nadikerianda Chinnappa's 1924 book </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pattole Palame</span></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">, I have been able to identify this 'Mattana', 'Madanta' and 'Appachanna' as Subahdar Mathanda Appachu, later Head Sheristadar and Diwan. The picture hence shows Mathanda Appachu, his son, and grandsons.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In his book, Richter speaks of 'the present Head Sheristadar Madanta Appachu, a fine old Coorg, of tall stature and martial bearing' on page 337. Again on page 363, Richter talks of 'Subedar Appachanna the present Head Sheristadar'. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><u>Update:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Later photos have come up. It appears that the father </span><span style="font-size: large;">and not the grandfather </span><span style="font-size: large;">is Mathanda Appachu. According to the family tree, this makes the grandfather Karicha, father of Appachu. His son is Appachu and Appachu's</span><span style="font-size: large;"> four sons are the grandsons.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The eldest male member of an okka (Kodava family) was called the Pattedara. He owned the land and the property of the family. Like Manu the Hindu law-giver said in his Manusmriti, the man owned his son, wife, and servant. This way Karicha wears his son Appachu's medal. </span><br />
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-15721172331835005992017-12-17T19:08:00.000-08:002022-07-27T20:53:54.057-07:00Mathanda Appachu (Part 2) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Headman</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">by Mookonda Kushalappa</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A letter from Chief Commissioner Mark Cubbon to the Superintendent of Coorg mentioned the name of 'Subadar Appachoo'adversely. Appachu, like others of his times, had shown his extreme displeasure to the conversion of one Almanda Somaiah and his family into Christianity. This was despite the British Government's assurances to Somaiah. Yet, years later, Appachu was promoted to Head-Sheristadar, the highest native judicial position.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Although Appachu strongly resisted Western religion, he was an active promoter of Western education. In a letter related to an endowment for the Mercara Central School (Madikeri Government School) dated 17</span><sup><span style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: large;"> October 1863 in Madikeri, among the 13 signatories, the third was 'Madanda Appachoo, Head-Sheristadar'. Thus he was one of the founders of the School Endowment Plantation Fund which later became the Coorg Education Fund. </span>
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In his 1870 Gazetteer of Coorg, Richter notes that though Coorg was jealously guarded by the antagonism of its conservative headmen, it had to yield to the onward march of civilization. </span></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-70048142345400369052017-10-28T10:20:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:30:31.659-07:00Religion among the Kodavas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">-<i> by Mookonda Kushalappa</i></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Baalo, baalo nangada</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Deva baalo Madeva<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">“Rule, our deity, Great God.”</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This verse, which most Kodava folk songs begin with, summarises the Kodava religion. God, or the all-powerful superhuman who is pursued with devotion, is named <i>Madeva</i> (or <i>Mahadeva</i>), the great Deva. The Devas are a class of eternal beings who include gods, demigods, angels, spirits and other deities. Every sect or faith on this earth has its own beliefs. But, sadly, they are dismissed as superstitions by those who don't belong to that religion.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Kodava way of living is based on the following of certain rituals and ethics. The laws and beliefs of the Kodava community are from oral tradition. Every Kodava reveres Kodagu, the holy land of their forefathers. In Kodagu, each family and village has a protector deity. The families are guarded by ancestral spirits. The villages are guarded by temple deities and land spirits.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">God worship</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">God, to the Kodavas, is popularly manifested as the local trinity Kaveramme, Igguthappa, and <i>Guru Karana</i>. Kaveramme, the river deity of Kodagu, is the <i>Kula Devathe</i> (a community's patron god) of the Kodavas. Igguthappa is the <i>Mahaguru</i> (chief preceptor) of the community. Guru Karana, roughly meaning the supreme ancestor, is a common word by which an <i>okka</i> (extended family) addresses the single ancestor who gave rise to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every <i>okka</i> (family) has a <i>karana</i> (literally meaning cause, but, here, the ancestor) every <i>keri</i> (hamlet) or <i>oni</i> (lane) has a <i>nata</i> (snake), every <i>oor</i> (village) has a <i>Bhagwathy</i> (mother goddess) temple, every <i>deva</i> <i>kaad</i> (sacred forest) has an Ayyappa shrine and every <i>naad</i> (shire) has a Mahadeva (Lord) temple. Ayyappa is the god of the forests and of ancestors. Kaimada shrines are also built for the ancestors.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Daily and festive practices</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every day, in each Kodava household, at dawn and at dusk, the house floor is swept clean and the prayer lamp is filled with oil and lit. The prayer lamp is usually a <i>thookbolcha</i>, a hanging ornate lamp, as often seen in South India's temples. This is hung in the <i>nellaki nadubade</i> or as in the present day, in the <i>pooje kombare</i> (prayer room). The nellaki nadubade is the northwestern corner of the central hall in a traditional house. Also, when a Kodava wakes up in bed, he or she says a prayer. When they go to sleep in the night, again they utter a prayer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Kaveri</i> <i>Changrandi</i>, the festival of the goddess Kaveri, is a festival when Kodavas refrain from meat and alcohol. <i>Puttari</i> the harvest festival and <i>Kail Polud</i> the festival of arms are the important feasts of celebration in Kodagu. <i>Karana Kodupo</i> is an important annual observance when offerings are made to a clan's ancestors. The food and drink habits of deceased members of the family are remembered. Accordingly, offerings are made to the dead. The <i>Karana</i>, or the dead Patriarch, is prayed to. Offerings of food and drink made to gods and ancestors are called <i>Medi beppo</i>. Offerings are made to <i>kuliya</i>, or Gulika, the main spirit of the land, as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Beliefs</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kodavas hold a reverence for life. Hunting animals was done only for the purpose of providing meat (that of rabbits, bats, deer, boars, and others) to the family or to protect the people, livestock and the land from predators (like tigers and elephants). During days that lead to the village temple festival, certain religious restrictions called the <i>deva kattu</i> are observed. Eating meat, consuming alcohol, physically or verbally hurting animals or humans, pulling out plants and cutting trees are forbidden in the period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The reverence of cattle is said to be the chief practice the Kodavas have in common with the Hindus. Cattle, with the exception of buffaloes, are not worked on Mondays. Beef is prohibited among Kodavas. Pork and meats of certain birds and animals are generally allowed for consumption. The consumption of insects, reptiles, and amphibians is not allowed. Drinking alcohol and wine is not prohibited.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The dead are either cremated or buried in the family graveyard. The Kodavas believe that the spirits of the dead will linger on after death on earth. The spirits are also believed to be invoked by shamans who are called the <i>thiralekara</i> in <i>theray</i> ceremonies. The possessed dance in a frenzied manner and prophesize to believers who come before them. <i>Botekara</i> Ayyappa, the hunter god who rules the forests, leads the male spirits on hunts in the <i>deva kaad</i> (sacred groves).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kodavas also believe in helping out others. During marriages and funerals, they come together to help organize the arrangements and to pool in their individual contributions in order to help the family carry the expenses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><i>(Update: This article was also published in the Kodagu English weekly "Coffeeland News" on 30th March 2018)</i></u></span></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-16246484204474968642017-10-25T22:03:00.000-07:002018-07-05T09:32:08.284-07:00Achchu Nayaka<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ancient Kodava (Photo by Richter, 1870)</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">by Kushal Mucon (Mookonda Kushalappa)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Haleri Rajas ruled Kodagu from around 1600 until 1834. Southern Kodagu, or Kiggat nad, remained outside Haleri control until the reign of Raja Dodda Virappa. Previously, Chittiappa Nayaka had ruled Anjigheri nad (‘nad of five villages’), Mathth Mukkati (short form for Maththur Mukkatira family name) Nayaka ruled over Maththur and Machangala (another form of Machangada family name) Nayaka ruled some other parts of Kiggat nad. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">According to the </span><span style="font-size: large;">Kannada records,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Chittiappa Nayaka belonged to the Katte family (</span><span style="font-size: large;">manae</span><span style="font-size: large;">) of Kiggatnad. The Kattera (long form of Katte family name) of Kiggatnad were an ancient Kodava clan. The Pattole Palame speaks of one Kattera Chengappa who helped build a temple to one of the 'Anji Deva' (five gods) of Kiggatnad. Likewise, there is a Kattemada family and a Katteyangada family in Kodagu's Kiggat nad. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Periya patna (now in Mysore district) was under relatives of the Ikkeri Rajas and allies of the Haleri Rajas. Nanjunda arasa</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">('ruler')</span><span style="font-size: large;"> was the Raja of Periyapatna. Many Coorgs lived in Periyapatna at that time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A feud arose between Chittiappa Nayaka and Machangala Nayaka. A tiger was killed in the forest, which bordered both their territories, and both claimed to have killed it. Chittiappa’s claim was widely accepted and so Machangala grew jealous. One night, along with his ally Mukkati Nayaka of Maththur, he had Chittiappa’s house burned down and it’s inmates killed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, Chittiappa’s son Achchu was saved by the housemaid who then escaped to Periyapatna where she sought and obtained refuge. Nanjunda arasa became a mentor for Achchu and got him educated in his palace. Upon his coming of age, he returned home and with assistance from Nanjunda arasa he defeated and killed his two sworn enemies who had destroyed his family. Then he annexed their territories and established himself as the Nayaka of Kiggat nad. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Achchu Nayaka later got a memorial built for his mentor Nanjunda arasa of Periyapatna. The Kattera line ended in Kiggat nad but branches of the family exist in other parts of Kodagu. Hence Achchu Nayaka's property went to his relatives the Ajjikuttira.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A number of Kodavas used to live in Periyapatna in those days. Later after Periyapatna was taken over by the Mysore Wodeyars, those Kodavas left that place and settled among the Kodavas of Kiggat nad. Hence the language and culture of Kiggat nad and surrounding parts have a slightly Kannada influence. The 'H' sound is largely absent in the Kodava language (which uses the 'P' sound instead) but present in the Kiggat dialect due to the Kannada influence. Hence Paal (milk) becomes Haal and Pann (fruit) becomes Hann in Kiggat. Otherwise Kiggat is the same as the rest of Kodagu. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Bibliography:</span></i></b></div>
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<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Belliappa, C. P. 2008. Nuggets from Coorg History. New Delhi: Rupa.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Chinnappa, Nadikerianda. 2003. Pattole Palame (Translated by Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa into English) Delhi: Rupa.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Chinnappa, N. 2006 [1924]. Pattole Palame (Kannada), Madikeri: Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Akademi.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Krishnayya, D. N. 1974. Kodagina Ittihasa (Kannada), Mysore: University of Mysore.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Moegling, Rev. H. 1855 Coorg Memoirs: An Account of Coorg and of the Coorg Mission, Bangalore: Wesleyan Mission Press.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Muthanna, I. M. 1971. The Coorg Memoirs (The Story of the Kodavas), Mysore.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Richter, Rev G. 1870 Gazetteer of Coorg Mangalore: Basel Mission.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>Rice, B. L. 1914. Epigraphia Carnatica Vol 1. Madras: Madras Government Publications.</span></li>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-66621550260507242042017-10-23T21:08:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:30:31.632-07:00Karnataka's legislature and the Vidhana Soudha (a chronology)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: justify;">Vidhana Soudha, the largest state legislature and secretariat building in India, is spread over 60 acres. Known as the ‘people’s palace’, it is built of Bangalore granite and </span><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: justify;">p</span><span class="s2" style="letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: justify;">orphyry</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: justify;">.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: justify;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bangalore first became the capital of Mysore State in 1831. The Bangalore Fort Palace was made the administrative building. But, later, the palace partly fell in, was deemed unsuitable and thereafter demolished. Hence, in 1868, the administration was moved into the Public Offices building inside Cubbon Park. This two-storied, Grecian building, surrounded by verandahs, was later to be called the Attara Kacheri, meaning 18 offices in Hindi. The name came because Mysore had 18 administrative departments. The British transferred powers in the Mysore State to the Maharaja in 1881. The State headquarters was moved back to the city of Mysore. That year, C V Rungacharlu, the then Dewan of Mysore, founded the first Representative Assembly of British India in Mysore. Thereafter, Bangalore’s Attara Kacheri came to the High Court of Mysore.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Assembly had 144 members, to begin with, and comprised landowners and merchants. It would meet twice in session every year at Jaganmohan Palace in Mysore. In 1891, the first Assembly elections were held for citizens above the age of 18. The Legislative Council was founded in 1907 with the view that it would assist the Government of Mysore in making laws and regulations. <span class="s3">In 1923 the Legislative Council's strength was fixed at 50. The term of each assembly member was fixed at three years. </span>While the semi-annual Assembly sessions continued to be held in Mysore, the budget session came to be held in Bangalore’s (<span class="s3">K P Puttanna Chetty</span>) Town Hall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On August 15, 1947, Mysore was made part of the Indian Union. Bangalore became the capital of Mysore State, once again. K Changalaraya Reddy was the first chief minister of Mysore State. The Assembly was held in the Library Hall of Attara Kacheri. This was continued until a separate hall was built on the third floor of the same building. The Council was also held on the third floor. The joint session of the two houses would be held in the Town Hall by the Rajpramukh, the Maharaja of Mysore.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The need was felt for a separate and more spacious building. In 1948, the government wanted the chief engineer to construct a suitable office building. In 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect. Under the new constitution, the first Mysore Legislative Assembly was formed. It had 99 elected members and one nominated member. Mysore came to have a bicameral legislature, with two houses: the Vidhana Sabha lower house (Legislative Assembly) and the Vidhana Parishad upper house (Legislative Council).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Symbol of democracy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The 'House of Legislature' was first planned and decided by the KC Reddy cabinet. B R Manickam, a government architect and chief engineer, prepared the design. It was to have an Assembly hall for 200 members and a gallery for 500 visitors. It was also meant to accommodate a joint session of 261 members. In April 1951, plans for constructing the House of Legislature were ready. Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone on July 13, 1951.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">A stone plaque, now near the main staircase, was installed to mark PM Nehru's visit. A huge procession went out until Town Hall to welcome the then President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad. </span>In February 1952, the plans and estimates for the roof of the auditorium were conveyed by the legislature secretary to the government. In April 1952, Kengal Hanumanthaiah succeeded KC Reddy as the chief minister.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hanumanthaiah dismissed the first design citing that the design was like that of a plain, American building. Meanwhile, members of a Russian delegation who were taken around the city stated that all the notable buildings in Bangalore were by Europeans. They further enquired whether there were no buildings that were designed and built indigenously. Subsequently, Hanumanthaiah travelled across the country to gain ideas on how to build an administrative structure. He started preparations for a building which combined the two legislative houses, the offices of ministers and government secretaries, a library, archive rooms, party rooms, etc. Funds were allotted in the 1952 budget and the work began in the same year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Manickam led a team of engineers and architects from the state public works department. As many as 5,000 people were employed as unskilled labourers and almost all of them were convicts. Over 1,500 chisellers, masons and wood-carvers were also employed. The result was the neo-Dravidian Vidhana Soudha legislative building, completed in 1956. <span class="s1">Later, President </span><span class="s4">Dr</span><span class="s1"> S. Radhakrishnan came to inspect the place. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On November 1, 1956, Coorg (Kodagu), as well as the Kannada-speaking parts of Bombay, Hyderabad and Madras were integrated with the old kingdom of Mysore to form the new Mysore State. This resulted in the elected assembly seats increasing from 99 to 208. The first sitting of the Legislative Assembly in the Vidhana Soudha happened on December 19, 1956. In 1973, the then chief minister D Devaraj Urs renamed Mysore State as Karnataka.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elaborate patterns</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vidhana Soudha has 172 rooms, the largest among them is the chief minister’s office. The front portion has a 20-metre central dome with the four-headed lion capital of Maurya Emperor Ashoka above it. The main foyer has eight columns. Enclosed balconies, each called a jharokha, a traditional Rajasthani feature, are seen jutting forward from the walls. The top of the building has the motto ‘Government work is God’s work’ engraved upon it in Kannada and English.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">According to the Karnataka Shilpa Kala Academy, the Vidhana Soudha domes were designed by the Mysore royal family’s sculptor Sri Siddalinga Swamy and his son, Nagendra Stapathi. The pillars and the arches were chiselled by Nagendra Stapathi and his disciples.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.12px;">Floral designs, ornamental motifs and geometric designs decorate the walls and ceilings. Inspired by Dravidian temple art, the lotus and other floral patterns are distinct and have not been repeated. The inner passages also have floral designs. The wooden doors have fine details. Some of the pillars are of different colours. Most of the chisellers employed were highly skilled and were from Soraba and Sagara regions. Porphyry has also been used along with granite. Different coloured granite stones such as the Magadi pink and the Turuvekere black have been used.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.12px;">The Building</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.12px;">The northern wing has a ground and three upper floors. The southern wing has a cellar floor, a ground floor and three upper floors. The central wing has a banquet hall on the ground floor and the Legislative Assembly Hall above it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Legislative Assembly Hall can seat 254 members and with some adjustments, it can accommodate 100 more members. Its visitors’ gallery has 500 seats. Teakwood panels enclose the hall. The ceiling is curved and is made up of acoustic material. Uniform illumination lighting is provided in order to avoid shadows. Ventilation is provided by an evaporative cooling system. The Cabinet room has a door made of sandalwood. The Speaker’s chair is made of Mysore rosewood. <span class="s3">Every member has separate microphones and earphones whose master control is with the Speaker. </span>The Legislative Council Hall can accommodate 88 members. Its gallery can have 250 visitors. The Banquet Hall has an 800-seat capacity. The Secretariat accommodates ministers, secretaries and general staff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s4">With all these unique features, Vidhana Soudha is not just an epitome of democracy, but also an architectural wonder. </span>The building is illuminated during the evenings on Sundays and public holidays. Entry is prohibited to the general public. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 2005 Chief Minister S. M. Krishna built the Vikasa Soudha as an annexe to the Vidhana Soudha. On 30th April 2016, an underground metro station was opened near Vidhana Soudha. This is named after Dr B. R. Ambedkar. It was constructed by means of carefully blasting the underlying rocks without disturbing the Vidhana Soudha and Attara Kacheri premises. Karnataka has got 225 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and 75 Members of the Legislative Council () today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Celebrations</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On October 25 and 26, this year, a two-day state celebration is being held to commemorate the diamond jubilee of the Vidhana Soudha. President Ram Nath Kovind will address a joint session of the Karnataka Legislature on October 25th. His 90-minute speech is on the Vidhana Soudha and Karnataka's contribution to the nation. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Families of the first three Chief Ministers of Mysore - K. C. Reddy, Kengal Hanumanthaiah and Kadidal Manjappa will be honoured. Several people will receive the ‘Lifetime Achievement Awards’ for their contributions towards the development of the State.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Girish Kasaravalli’s documentary on the Vidhana Soudha and T. N. Seetharam’s documentary on the Karnataka Legislature will be screened. Master Kishan, former child artiste and director, will produce a 3D mapping and virtual reality show on the Vidhana Soudha. This will give viewers a 360-degree view of the structure. Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej and his team will present a musical symphony. The PWD will wash and renovate the Vidhana Soudha and also spend Rs.3.5 crore on the lighting alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The people's palace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mookonda Kushalappa, Oct 24, 2017, 0:00 IST</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Tomorrow is the two day Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Vidhana Soudha.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Online version :<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/639023/peoples-palace.html">http://www.deccanherald.com/content/639023/peoples-palace.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile web version :<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://m.deccanherald.com/section.php?url=/content/639023/peoples-palace.html&secid=56&p=1">http://m.deccanherald.com/section.php?url=/content/639023/peoples-palace.html&secid=56&p=1</a></span></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-85440366206315416152017-09-30T05:17:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:30:31.687-07:00HAL articles in DH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by <b>Mookonda Kushalappa</b><br />
<b>Deccan Herald, Spectrum</b><br />
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I. July 24, 2017<br />
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<b>Flying back in Time </b><br />
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<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/content/624489/flying-back-time.html">https://www.deccanherald.com/content/624489/flying-back-time.html</a><br />
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II. September 25, 2017<br />
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<b>Unravelling HAL's heritage</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/content/634901/unravelling-hals-heritage.html">https://www.deccanherald.com/content/634901/unravelling-hals-heritage.html</a></div>
Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-2281086315171851272017-09-03T05:09:00.007-07:002023-08-22T11:14:28.185-07:00Kail Podh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h1 style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">KAIL PODH: THE UNIQUE FESTIVAL OF ARMS CELEBRATED BY THE PEOPLE OF COORG</span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="lazy wp-image-1217 alignright lazy-loaded" data-attachment-id="1217" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="KAILPODH1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?fit=960%2C540" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 423px) 100vw, 423px" data-lazy-src="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?resize=423%2C238" data-lazy-srcset="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?resize=300%2C169 300w, https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?resize=768%2C432 768w, https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?w=960 960w" data-lazy-type="image" data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?fit=300%2C169" data-orig-file="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?fit=960%2C540" data-orig-size="960,540" data-permalink="http://www.coorgnews.in/kodagu-culture/kail-podh-unique-festival-arms-celebrated-people-coorg/attachment/kailpodh1/" height="238" sizes="(max-width: 423px) 100vw, 423px" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?resize=423%2C238" srcset="https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?resize=300%2C169 300w, https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?resize=768%2C432 768w, https://i1.wp.com/www.coorgnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/KAILPODH1.jpg?w=960 960w" style="border: 0px; float: right; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 18px 0px 18px 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; transition: opacity 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;" width="423" /></a>(Photos by Joyappa Palandira)</span></div><h4 style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To a Kodava living outside Kodagu, Kail Podh is one of those days when one gets to encounter unique cultural traditions. While in Kodagu the festival is celebrated on different days, elsewhere Kail Podh is observed at homes on the third of September. </span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After the <em style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Putthari</em> harvest festival, Kail Podh is the next important festival for the people of Kodagu. On this day the community usually gathers in their public spaces and celebrates the event.</span></span></span></h4><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;">The Kail Podh day begins with the youngsters touching the feet of their parents. Traditional and household weapons, such as guns, war knives, swords, spears, bows, and arrows, are cleaned and placed near the </span><span style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;"><i>house's thookbolcha (hanging prayer lamp)</i></span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;">. </span><i style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;">Thokk Poo</i><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;"> (Glorioso Superba flowers) are placed upon the nozzles of guns placed upright against the wall. Prayers are made facing the </span><i style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;">thookbolcha. </i><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;">The Kodava deities, the river deity Kaveramma, the chief preceptor Mahaguru Igguthappa and the supreme ancestor Guru Karana are invoked.</span></span></span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The women get together in the kitchen and prepare Kodava cuisine. Traditional rice dishes such as steamed dough balls called <i>kadambuttu</i>, <i>voti </i>bread, <i>paaputt</i> plain cakes, and <i>nooputt </i>noodles, along with meat dishes such as <i>Pandi</i> (pork) curry, <i>Koli</i> (chicken) curry, and <i>Yerchi</i> (mutton) curry as well as desserts like <i>akki payasa</i> (rice kheer) are cooked and served. The family members then partake in these meals with relish.</p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Outside Kodagu, the Kodava Samajas organise folk dances, and sports, such as shot put, rifle shooting, and other cultural events. In Kodagu, these events happen at the various village greens, or <i>Mands</i>, of Kodagu. The Kodavas usually wear traditional costumes on this day. Kodava cuisines are prepared and served at these events, especially pork and rice dishes.</p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Kodavas maintain the weapons of their ancestors as far as possible. They are handed down from generation to generation. During weddings, male representatives of families related to the bride and the groom cut banana stalks each with a single stroke of the Odi katti (large Kodava war knife). A gun is fired in the air during the birth of a son and at the death of an individual. This is meant to announce the news to the neighbours. Upon hearing the gunshot the villagers will gather at the house.</p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Kodavas worshipped weapons in keeping with their martial traditions. Their ancestors owned arms of various kinds. They had different native war knives, among them billhook-shaped <i>odi katti</i>, ornate, sheathed, small <i>piche katti,</i> and straight-bladed <i>baal katti</i>. They also had spears and straight-bladed long knives known as <i>Barchi</i>.</p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Wishing all the Kodavas and other people from Kodagu a very happy Kail Podh.</p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><h1 class="post-title" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -1px;"><a href="http://www.coorgnews.in/kodagu-culture/kail-podh-unique-festival-arms-celebrated-people-coorg/">http://www.coorgnews.in/kodagu-culture/kail-podh-unique-festival-arms-celebrated-people-coorg/</a> (dead link now)</span></span></h1></span></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-56294224060953502042017-08-31T20:01:00.000-07:002018-07-05T09:32:12.510-07:00Save Kodagu, Save Kaveri<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Save Kodagu, Save Kaveri</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A double-event at Kutta, Kodagu and Town Hall Bangalore raises eye brows in environmental and political circles. </b></span></span></span><b style="font-family: Calibri, serif; font-size: large;">The event was held to protest against the eco-destructive railway & highway projects set to enter Kodagu.</b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">WHAT TRIGGERED THE PROTESTS?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A new railway line from Mysore to Kushalnagar has been proposed since long by the government. This is being considered for extension through Kodagu to Madikeri and further south into Kerala. The existing roads in Kodagu are also being considered for widening into highways. Ensuring more connectivity between Kerala and Karnataka via Kodagu would result in rampant cutting down of trees.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS?</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Urbanisation is causing forests and coffee estates to be cleared and new residential layouts are coming up in Kodagu. Deforestation will cause the Kaveri, the lifeline of the people of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to eventually dry up. It already dries up for two months in a year. The government policy on development projects will lead to drinking water problems in Bangalore. Local communities will be displaced. Illegal sand mining is one more serious issue in Kodagu, which is killing the rivers here. The Lakshmanateertha, which is just a few puddles in summer, is a sad example of this trend.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Environmentalists claim that Kodagu is the water tank of Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya and Tamil Nadu, and that every tree cut here robs some citizens of their fundamental right to water.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">THE DOUBLE-PROTEST AT TWO LOCATIONS</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On 26th August the “Save Kodagu, Save Kaveri” campaign took place. Many people gathered at Ponnampet and marched towards Kutta. They were led by Col. C. P. Muthanna the President of the Coorg Wildlife Society. Environmentalist Pattamada Sundar Muthanna had started an online petition to gather support for the cause. Until the day before the proposed meeting, some of the people were undecided about whether to attend it or not. However, a large crowd gathered in the morning at 10.00 on D-day.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A parallel protest was organised at the entrance of the Town Hall in Bangalore at 10.00 am on the same day. But not more than 50 people attended the Bangalore event. They were Kodavas and people from different environmental organisations.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Arun Prasad was responsible for organizing the Bangalore event. The protesters held placards and passionately shouted slogans to save trees, Kodagu, the Western Ghats and the Kaveri.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Green activist Sundar Muthanna, golf coach Nikki Ponnappa, Kandrathanda Robin founder of Coorg Economic Council, Gummatira Kishoo Uthappa of Kodavaclan, Entrepreneur Codanda Devika Devaiah, Western Ghats activist Sahadev from Chikkamagaluru, youth leader Prathik Ponnanna and others were part of the event. </span></span></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">UNITED BY A DYING RIVER, BUT DIVIDED BY POLITICS</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The small community of Kodagu is divided by politics. Its individuals are aligned according to their loyalty to the national parties, the BJP and the Congress, and likewise to the local organisations, the Codava National Council and the United Kodava Organisation. During the protest in Kodagu, a few people were upset when Manju Kokkalemada, the UKO head, spoke in favour of the Kasturirangan report. A road block was setup at T. Shettigeri village to stop the procession so that locals could air their opinions and fears.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Kasturirangan report was intended to create a balance between economic activities and environmental conservation in the Western Ghats. It was meant to stop industrial and other commercial activities, such as sand mining, in the forest zones and not small farmers from pursuing their profession. According to the report, some buffer areas of 1 km width around forest areas in the Western Ghats have been tagged as Ecologically-Sensitive Zone. Unverified claims are being made that the people living in such buffer zones will be moved to other locations. </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Going by the stipulations of the Report, this is completely untrue. Since locals value their firearms as part and parcel of their martial culture, they are being told by vested interests that weapon ownership will not be permitted. It is the responsibility of the Govt to clarify such issues.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some farmers, from remote villages such as Birunani, have only agriculture to depend upon and have never lived outside Kodagu. They want ‘development’ because this means better road access to them which would make their lives more bearable. To them, the implementation of the Kasturirangan Report means losing their farmlands and the sole profession they know. So they find the creation of a highway more favourable than the implementation of the report.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because environmental protests held in 2014-15 to stop the high-tension power line to Kerala, could not stop the cutting of 50,000 plus trees, some people argue that protests will not stop the government or large companies from clearing forests. They believe that local politicians are involved in the timber business and in looting the forest wealth. It is the small landowners, several farmers who own a few acres of land each, who actually suffer eventually.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">- Mookonda Poonacha '</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Nitin' Kushalappa</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-85026648711371624622017-06-16T04:30:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:31:12.904-07:00Lifes of the Generals - Part 2 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(Anecdotes about Field Marshal Cariappa)</div>
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<b>by Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa</b></div>
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Field Marshal Cariappa was commissioned into the army in 1919. This was just after the first world war and he was sent to Mesopotamia (Iraq). During World War II Cariappa served in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Burma (Myanmar). For his service during the Second World War, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He was the first Indian to command a battalion. In 1944 he became the first Indian Brigadier. In 1947, as a Major General, Cariappa was one of two Indian army officers sent to the Imperial Defence College in Camberley, U. K., to receive training. He also helped re-organise the Indian army and worked on the partition of the Army between India and Pakistan that year.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos of Cariappa's parents and the statue of the Jawan, on a mantel.<br />
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Cariappa had begun to urge India to prepare against China. As C-in-C, Cariappa first informed Nehru about a possible threat from China around a decade in advance. But Nehru dismissed the statement harshly, believing that China would indeed defend India's North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) rather than attack it!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cariappa was religious and a devotee of Sai Baba. While Cariappa was fluent in Kodava, Kannada and English, people used to make fun of his Hindi. According to his son, K. C. Nanda Cariappa in his 2007 book Field Marshal K M Cariappa on his father, “he made gaffes and dropped bricks” when he addressed the troops in the language. But despite that drawback the Field Marshal made an effort to verbally reach out to the families of the Indian soldiers.</span></div>
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Cariappa at his regiment's temple, 1960.</div>
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According to Major General Arjun Muthanna, Cariappa and Thimayya belonged to a generation of Indian officers who set the tone for making the Indian army apolitical and ensured that the army served the nation and not the other way around. Their belief in democracy contrasted the state in Pakistan where military dictatorships became the norm. Cariappa was a pioneer, the earliest among Indians to rise up the British Indian army ranks. It was a time when the British army were leaving India. Hence the early Indian officers had to rise to the challenge and shoulder additional roles in a very short time.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1992 Bangalore photo.<br />
Ailing Cariappa taken care of by Havildar Vijayan who was by his side upon his death.<br />
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G. G. Rajendra Kumar, grandson of freedom fighter Gundugutti Manjunathayya, recalls being accompanied by his grandmother as a kid on a visit to Cariappa’s house. Upon the grandmother’s insistence Cariappa had tea served to her exceptionally in a native lota (small steel cup) instead of the regular European ceramic teacup.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roshanara, Cariappa's house.<br />
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Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa narrates an anecdote about the Field Marshal, on their <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ainmane.com%2F&h=ATM7hhdR04WQtgXcbyRr6vqVt4iGbmmqQ1GKss1kT-3LOwy6uX4QgRidSEyxIUd_5KYEQqyMvyqJDQ4b3iicUFHzimP_lNMCzUL6i6yAI7fUbTBwN3U96FbQJB1_gBgANw" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">www.ainmane.com</a> website. “During the 1965 war, Cariappa’s son K. C. Nanda Cariappa, an Indian Air Force pilot then, was shot down over Pakistan and was taken as a POW. Ayub Khan, the President of Pakistan who knew Cariappa well, having worked with him before Independence, informed him that his son would not be kept in a POW Camp like other Indian POWs and would be moved to better accommodation. Cariappa politely declined the offer, saying every soldier in the Indian Army was his son, so he could not request special privileges for only one son.”</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Field Marshal Cariappa's statue, Madikeri.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Photo by the Author (Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa).</span></td></tr>
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From the book 'Field Marshal K M Cariappa' (Niyogi books, 2007) by his son Air Marshal K C Cariappa.</div>
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1. <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Cariappa, fifth from right, back row, 1920, Mesopotamia.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">2. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Cariappa (in white, in the middle) during his wedding, 1937, Bangalore.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">3. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Cariappa with his son, in Quetta, 1940.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">4. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Cariappa seated at the right end, at a Commanders' conference, Delhi, 1948.</span><br />
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096729460654794621.post-75542572025395468842017-06-11T04:20:00.000-07:002020-06-04T21:31:12.875-07:00Lives of the Generals - Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(Anecdotes about Thimayya)</div>
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<br />by <b>Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa</b></div>
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In 1948 Pakistani raiders invaded Kashmir and war with India was imminent. The then Lt. Gen. Kodandera Madappa Cariappa became head of the Western Command and led Lt. Gen. S. M. Shrinagesh and Maj. Gen. Kodandera Subayya Thimayya. It was during this war that Thimayya helped India secure Ladakh.</div>
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Without oxygen cylinders, the famed fighter pilot Mehr Singh, who later became Air Commodore, flew Major General Thimayya 23,000 feet above sea level over uncharted mountainous territory. After Thimayya landed safely in Leh, Ladakh, he commanded tanks in the 11,500 feet high Zojila pass and destroyed 25 enemy army bunkers, despite heavy snowfall. This showed that Thimayya was not afraid to take risks and that he was able to lead dangerous operations because of his dynamic personality.</div>
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Thimayya was commissioned into the army in 1926. During WWII, he successfully commanded active operations in Burma and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his services. He represented India during the surrender of the Japanese and was awarded the 'Keys to Manila' in the Philippines.</div>
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Thimayya became the chairman of the Neutral Nations Repatriation Committee after the Korean War (1950-1953). It was a delicate task since he had to manage troops from different nationalities. It was his team's responsibility to ensure that the large number of North Korean and South Korean PoWs were safely sent to their respective homes. For this role Thimayya won accolades internationally.</div>
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The two generals from Kodagu, Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa and General K. S. Thimayya, eventually rose to become chiefs of the Indian army. Officers such as Cariappa and Thimayya were able to create awe in their seniors as well, which was no easy task. Even Nehru, the first PM of India, who felt this way, had to do something about it.</div>
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Khushwant Singh, the novelist and journalist, states that during government ceremonies V K K Menon, the then defence minister, would take General Thimayya around in his car. Menon would sit next to the driver and hence make Thimayya to sit in the back seat. Thimayya found this awkward; he was being treated as more important than his boss, the Union minister in-charge of the armed forces. But Thimayya found a way to get out of this. He would take up the driving wheel himself and make the driver sit behind. Then he would chat with Menon as he drove the car.</div>
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Wing Commander (retd) R V Parasnis writes in the Rediff Special : “The differences between Menon, the defence minister, and General Thimayya, chief of army staff, grew over the former's interference in military matters and promotions and postings of officers, as Thimayya refused to be browbeaten. There came a time when he resigned in protest (possibly on the matter of promoting Gen. Kaul out of turn). Nehru worked his charm and managed to get Thimayya to withdraw his resignation, but eventually spoke in Parliament criticising the general, contrary to what he had promised.”</div>
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Cariappa had already demanded that India must face China. But Nehru didn't heed. While Thimayya informed the PM and the defence minister about the possibility of war breaking between India and China he was not taken seriously. In 1961 Thimayya retired as the army chief and China had already started attacking India.</div>
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General Pran Nath Thapar succeeded Thimayya as the Army Chief. China invaded India and then the 1962 Sino-India war broke out. Lt. Gen. Brij Mohan Kaul was put in-charge of the war efforts in the north-east. The war ended with China voluntarily withdrawing its offensive while it was still winning. Gen. Kaul then resigned from his post.</div>
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Major General Kodandera Arjun Muthanna is related to both Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya. He was commissioned into the 10th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment, then served in the 18th Battalion which was posted in Sri Lanka and later commanded the 12th Battalion. He had the following anecdote to narrate.</div>
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“Timmy was known to the family as Dubbu, a loving diminutive for his real name of Subayya. My uncle (father's younger brother) told us how he was sent to live with Timmy's family at Sunnyside in late 1920s (their residence in Madikeri, which after being the office of the District Transport Office is now being converted into Gen Thimayya Museum). My uncle used to peep into the ballroom, from the the stair case, watching, in wonder, guests of Timmy's parents dancing to the music of the band which was brought in from Bangalore. My uncle resented having to dress up and wear shoes and a couple of days later my uncle kicked off his shoes and fled back to his mother.”</div>
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“Both the Generals were known to be charismatic leaders. Cariappa's insistence on form and rules was apparent in all aspects of his life, professional and personal. He was always dressed formally as respect to the person who was visiting him. While Cariappa was a stickler for rules and form, Thimayya was more informal and jovial.”</div>
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The photographs are from the books 'Field Marshal K M Cariappa' (Niyogi books, 2007) by his son Air Marshal K C 'Nanda' Cariappa, 'Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw', by Brigadier Panthaki and Mrs. Panthaki (Niyogi books, 2014) and the article's author.</div>
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<i><b>Captions :</b></i> 1. A 1962 cartoon in The Pioneer newspaper, Lucknow, showing Cariappa waking up the politicians as China attacks.<br />2. Cariappa awarding Dhyan Chand a trophy in 1951.<br />3. Field Marshals Manekshaw and Cariappa, 1986<br />4. General Thimayya's statue in Madikeri.<br />5. General Thimayya with the then Major General Manekshaw in the Gorkha regiment barracks.</div>
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Mookonda Kushalappahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07276404364054766960noreply@blogger.com0