Cairns of Megalithic Era Found

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UNEXPLORED:A view of the cairns at Doddamalte village in Kodagu.

UNEXPLORED:A view of the cairns at Doddamalte village in Kodagu.Legend has it that the relics at Doddamalte date back to the Mahabharata . ASI took up a survey of the area two years ago. Survey discovered rich deposits of granite

Madikeri:

Antique cairns that have been sighted in a few places in Kodagu have so far remained a mystery. One of the sites where a number of such structures are found is at Doddamalte village, close to the picnic spot of Honnammanakere,  in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which had conducted a survey of the area a couple of years ago, had concluded them as megalithic burial monuments. These are called cairns. These cairns remain at the ground level or in some cases their tops crop out of the ground a little bit. They resemble a stone chamber about six or seven-foot long, three-and-a-half to four-foot wide and about four to five-foot in height. In some cases, granite pillars raised at four corners are surmounted by a granite slab.

These burial structures, which could date back to 2,500 to 3,000 years, (megalithic period) appear either as solitary structures or in groups or in columns at Doddamalte village. One could surely conclude that human civilisation thrived at that age in Kodagu. However, not much of an effort has gone into the mystery to ascertain what exactly those cairns contained, residents of Doddamalte, who call the spot as “Pandva Pare”, say.

There are two hillocks towards both ends of Honnammanakere, one of the popular picnic spots in Kodagu, near Somwarpet town. The hillock towards left of the Honnammanakere temple has these megalithic burial monuments.

Shivanand, a resident of Somwarpet, says the ASI did take up some kind of survey of the area two years ago, but nothing happened afterwards. The areas had rich deposits of granite. Quarrying took place in one portion of the hillock but it had now stopped, he told The Hindu.

Legend also has it that the Pandavas, celestial heroes of the yore, travelled the place and stayed at the spot by which the name Pandava Pare was derived.

According to another version, people who dug up the Honnammanakere did not get water. Water came in abundance only after human sacrifices were made. Those bodies were buried at Pandava Pare. Whichever theory is correct, the ASI has failed to protect these monuments, including fencing, leave alone ascertaining the facts.

The ASI had two circles in the State, one at Dharwad and another in Bangalore. These monuments came under the purview of the Mysore sub-circle of the ASI.

Similar sites were found at Bavali village in Madikeri taluk ( The Hindu reported it two years ago) and also in some places such as Kedamullur in Virajpet taluk.

According to information gathered here (from the Gazetteer of Coorg), one such cairn was first noticed in Kodagu in 1856 and several others were found near Virajpet in 1868 and also near Fraserpet (now Kushalnagar) later.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / by Jeevan Chinnappa / National / Karnataka / Apr 07th, 2010

Kodava Community’s Service to Society’s Betterment Hailed

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AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING: The Secretary of the Department of Kannada and Culture, B.R. Jayaramaraje Urs, inaugurating a Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy function in Madikeri on Thursday.

AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING: The Secretary of the Department of Kannada and Culture, B.R. Jayaramaraje Urs, inaugurating a Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy function in Madikeri on Thursday.

New body of Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy installed

Madikeri:

The Secretary, Department of Kannada and Culture, B.R. Jayaramaraje Urs, on Thursday hailed the contribution of the Kodava community to the betterment of society in all spheres of life.

He was inaugurating a function here at the Cauvery Kalakshetra organised to mark the assuming of charge by the new body of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, headed by Iymudiyanda Rani Machaiah.

Expressing anguish at the small and well-knit communities, including the Kodava, losing their identity, Mr. Urs said the fear of extinction had made many a community to remain alert and active to save its culture for posterity. The Kodava was one such community.

If the language of a particular community could be saved, it would result in fostering its culture. Mr. Urs suggested to Ms. Machaiah to initiate action with regard to translating several landmark Kodava literary works into other languages. Similarly, books could be published on native medicines, festivals, folklore, different Kodava speaking groups (other than Kodavas), Devarakadu (sacred groves) and land tenures.

Mr. Urs lauded the unique culture of Kodagu where the concept of “nad kachcheri” (Government office to deal with all revenue matters at the hobli level) originated and the noble concept of preserving Devarakadu (sacred groves) had been in vogue for centuries. Women had always enjoyed freedom and security, which was worth emulating, Mr. Urs said.

He appealed to Ms. Machaiah to seek the help of all to run the administration of the academy efficiently and help foster the cause of Kodava.

The president of the Akhila Kodava Samaja, Matanda C. Monnappa, who was a guest, appealed to the academy members to propagate Kodava literature in schools, especially the literary works of Haradasa Appacha Kavi, one of the earliest literary figures of Kodagu.

He said the academy members should display unity and work as one team to further the cause of Kodava language and spread its culture.

Mr. Monnappa suggested to Mr. Urs to appoint a fulltime registrar to the academy who was conversant with Kodava.

Kalegowda Nagavara, former president of the Karnataka Janapada Academy, said that Kodava culture was an ancient one and it needed to be nurtured by the State Government through the academy.

Documentary filmmaker S. Srinivasamurthy suggested to Ms. Machaiah to prepare a long-term development plan and solicit the support of the youth to run the administration of the academy meaningfully.

Ms. Machaiah, who presided over the function, said the academy had approved an action plan to cover 23 different programmes across Kodagu in the next one year.

 

source: http://www.thehindu.com / by Staff Correspondent / National / Karnataka / Jun 05th, 2009

 

Mukkatira Family Keen on Forging Unity

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The family members have formed an association

It is to bring all members under one roof

Madikeri:

Mukkatira family members in Kodagu and outside the district have formed an association called Kodava Mukkatira Family Association with a view to bringing all members living in different villages in Kodagu and outside the district under one roof, the president of the association, Mukkatira Uthaiah, said on Monday.

Mr. Uthaiah, a retired police officer, and members of Mukkatira families from different parts of the district, were speaking to presspersons here. Mukkatira family members had spread out and settled in various locations in the district during the times of the former rulers of Kodagu. Most of them had now expressed willingness to forge unity, Mr. Uthaiah said. Forming the association was the first step in bringing all Mukkatira family members under one platform, he added.

The secretary of the association, Mukkatira G. Aiyappa, who is an industrial lawyer and plantation workers union leader, said the coming together of the members was to usher in cooperation, assist the poor to pursue education and lend a helping hand to the deserving in times of crisis.

The association would also aim at encouraging sports and games activities among family members and promote cultural activities as well, Mr. Aiyappa said. The rules governing a particular Mukkatira family as of now, wherever they lived, concerning deaths, births and other traditional practices, except marriage, would continue, he clarified. Matrimonial alliances (between different Mukkatira families) may not continue in future, he said clarifying a question.

The treasurer of the association, Mukkatira Appaiah, a retired Superintendent of Police, said that 19 Mukkatira families living in different pars of the district had given consent to forge unity and become members of the association. They were Mukkatira families from Harihara, those from Gonicoppa to Kutta, Bondha, Pulikotu, Nelaji, Kunjilageri, Bavali, Arapattu, Aruvatoklu, Kumbaladalu, Kadagadalu, Madapur, Betri, Bittangala, Balamuri, Moovatoklu, Mukkodlu, Toochamekeri and Kunda. A few more families had sought time to join the association.

Mukkatira T. Nanaiah, a member of the association and advocate from Bangalore, stated that the bylaw of the association was being prepared and the association would be registered soon. The objective of the association would be to achieve all-round development involving all Mukkatira family members. The families now identified themselves by the name of the village they lived in. Mukkatira Vasant, another member, gave an account of the history of the family.

Mukkatira Vani Devaiah, a member of the association, was present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / National / Karnataka / by Staff Correspondent / May 19th, 2009

Meet on Achievements of Gokak in Madikeri

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It will be held at the Patrika Bhavan on June 23

Kodagu District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, in association with the V.K. Gokak National Trust, Haveri, is organising a one-day programme on the life and literary achievements of V.K. Gokak, a Jnanpith award winner, on the Patrika Bhavan premises here on June 23.

The programme will be inaugurated by the former president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Bangalore, Chandrashekar Patil (Champa), the president of the parishat, T.P. Ramesh, told presspersons here on Friday.

Many writers and intellectuals did not believe that Gokak would provide justice to Kannada when the Gokak Commission was set up by the State Government during R. Gundu Rao’s regime. However, when the reports came out on according top priority to Kannada as a medium of education everyone was surprised, he said.

The Gokak movement went on successfully in Kodagu for one and half months where Kannada activists staged dharnas in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here, organised a Kodagu bandh and took out torchlight parades, apart from programmes in the taluks, Mr. Ramesh said.

He recalled the incident of Kannada activists courting arrest for waving black flags during the visit of the then Chief Minister, late R. Gundu Rao, demanding the implementation of the Gokak report.

Mr. Ramesh would preside over the inaugural function while Taltaje Vasanth Kumar from Uppinangadi would deliver the main speech.

An elocution competition would be conducted on the Gokak movement in the State involving pre-university students, teachers training college students and ITI students on June 20 at the Patrika Bhavan, Mr. Ramesh said.

On the same day, a folk song competition would be conducted for SSLC students.

Teachers from schools would be involved in an essay competition on the life and literary achievements of Gokak.

They would have to submit the essays to the president of the Kodagu District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Madikeri, before June 22, Mr. Ramesh said.

M. Ramakrishna, professor from Bharati College, Mandya, would deliver the valedictory address at 3 p.m. the same day.

Writer N. Mahabaleshwar Bhat would preside over the function. The president of the Madikeri unit of the parishat, K.T. Baby Mathew, and the honorary secretary of the district unit, Bharati Ramesh, were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / Staff Correspondent / National / Karnataka / Madikeri / June 19th, 2010

 

Stamp Exhibition on Sunday

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Madikeri:

A district-level philatelic exhibition “Kodagupex 2009” will be held on February 8 at the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Multipurpose Indoor Auditorium here.

Superintendent of Post Offices, Kodagu, Division, K. Thammanna made this announcement at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Postmaster General, South Karnataka Region, Shanti Nair will inaugurate the exhibition.

On the same occasion, Ms. Nair will release a special cover with the Madikeri Fort in the background. Lt. Gen. B.C. Nanda (retd.) will be the chief guest. In the philatelic exhibition, 35 people will participate in the junior category; seven in the senior category; and eight in the invitee category, Mr. Thammanna said.

Timings

The exhibition will open at 9 a.m. Prizes will be distributed at 3.30 p.m., he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com /Staff Correspondent / National / Karnataka / Feb 04th, 2009

Tribals Karnataka Convention on Apr 25

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Mysore:

More than 1000 tribals would take part in the first tribals’ convention to be held in Karnataka here on April 25. The convention is focussing on legalising forest land, distribution of `Anthyodaya’ ration cards for tribals, site and rights and self-respect of tribals. The convention will be inaugurated by President of Tribals Rights� National Forum MP Bajuban Riyang, Forum State General Secretary G C Bayyareddy told reporters.

He said there were more than eight crore tribals in the country.The tribals had no self-owned land nor houses and were residing in the outhouses of farm owners. The names of the tribals do not find a place in the voters’ list and they were deprived of government facilities, he said. More than 1,000 tribals from Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada,Udupi, Chikkamagalur, Shimoga and Ramanagar Districts would participate in the convention

source: htttp://www.ibnlive.in.com / PTI /Apr 22nd,2011

First Woman IFS Officer Muthamma Passes Away

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C B Muthamma, the first woman Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, died here on Wednesday. She was 85. 

She passed away in a private hospital where she was undergoing treatment, her family members said.

Chonira Belliappa Muthamma was born Jan 24, 1924, in Kodagu. In a career that began in 1949, she served as ambassador and high commissioner to a number of countries. She retired in 1982.

Muthamma had fought against gender bias in the foreign service and had taken the Indian government to court in 1979 for bypassing her for the coveted foreign secretary’s post.

Though the Supreme Court dismissed the petition, it noted that there was truth in Muthamma’s contention that there was gender discrimination in the foreign office.

Muthamma brought out in the form of a book essays she had written over the years. Titled ‘Slain by the System – India’s Real Crisis’, it was published in 2003.

She had also co-authored a book on Kodava cuisine.

 

 

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / IANS / Thursday  Oct 15th, 2009

Surgery Pumps New Life into Her

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Wockhart doctors perform rare operation that helps 13-year-old girl’s left ventricle pump more blood to the body

 

Looking at her sitting with quiet dignity, facing the glare of harsh lights, you would never guess what her tiny heart has been through.

Indira, 13, a farmer’s daughter from Kodagu, was born with her heart on the right side of her body, while the heart’s pumping chambers and arteries had got inter-changed.

She got a ‘new life’ after Dr Devananda from Wockhardt Hospital and his team performed three surgeries her – all within a year which has worked miracles for the child.

Ever since she was a year old, Indira used to fall sick frequently. She made trips to many hospitals, where she was prescribed medicines for for ailment. When she grew older, she had difficulty in breathing and used to turn blue after even after a little work.

Options open

Fortunately, Dr Devananda met her and explained to her family that surgery was the only chance for her survival.
Indira’s heart was unable to pump blood to the entire body as her ventricles had got interchanged. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs and the left ventricle to the rest of the body. As her left ventricle wasn’t strong enough to pump blood at required pressure, doctors had to train her heart by creating obstructions in the blood flow to increase blood pressure.

There have been only a handful of cases in the world where the ventricle has been trained to pump blood after the age of 12. As her parents could not afford the surgery, the Needy Heart Foundation stepped in along with Wockhardt Hospitals to facilitate the same. The final step, the ‘double switch’, was completed successfully. The girl was on artificial ventilation for two weeks as she had developed pneumonia after her surgery, on May 26 this year. Before the final surgery, doctors had given her a 25-50 per cent chance of survival. But Indira insisted she wanted the surgery and her parents relented.

Dr Prakash Vemgal, who monitored her after surgery till her discharge, spoke about how, after the tubes were removed from Indira’s mouth and she could speak, she told doctors that her birthday was on June 16.  A surprise party was arranged for her and she cut the cake.

After speaking to the press, she quietly left with her mother in an autorickshaw.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / Monday, Sept 22nd, 2008

A Tiger Wedding in Coorg, India

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A Tiger Wedding in Coorg, India

The Illustrated London News,   Dateline: December 06th, 1873

A TIGER WEDDING IN COORG.
“The small province of Coorg, in Southern India, is situated among the mountains that separate Mysore from the Malabar coast to the west. Its late Rajah, being of cruel and treacherous misrule, was deposed in 1834, and the Coorgs, being put to the vote, unanimously desired to become complete subjects of the British Government. In 1852, the deposed Rajah visited England, accompanied by his daughter Gauramma, and paid his former enemies the compliment of seeking for her an English and Christian education. In June 30, 1852, she was baptized, the Queen herself standing sponsor, and giving her the name ‘Victoria.’ The Princess Victorian Gauramma, who was a constant visitor to her Majesty at Osborne and Windsor, eventually married an English officer of the name of Campbell. She died in 1864; her tyrant father lies buried in the Kensal-green Cemetery.
“A good description of Coorg will be found in ‘Eastern Experiences,’ by Mr. Lewin Bowring, late Resident or Governor of Mysore. The natives are distinguished for their fine appearance and warlike temper. They are skillful hunters, being trained for this from infancy; at the birth of a boy, the first thing done is to place a little bow and arrow in his hands, and to fire a gun outside the house, thus initiating his career as a huntsman and warrior.
“In the accompanying illustration there is abundance of music, feasting, torchlight, and dancers; and the owner of the mansion is brought in with triumph to graces the festival.
“A curious ceremony takes place when a tiger has been shot by a Coorg man. Tigers are not numerous in the country, and this ceremony has only occurred twice within the past four years. On the last occasion, March 9 of this year, the successful huntsman was Mr. Colovanda Carriapah, Head Sheristadar of the Mercara Talook. In this ceremony the man is wedded to the soul of the dead tiger.
“As shown in the Illustration, he is seated under a canopy in full warrior costume. On each side are placed his weapons and the household emblems of plenty, vessels of rice and milk, and burning lamps, analogous to the Masonic corn, wine and oil. So he sits, receiving the homage and congratulations of his relatives and friends. Each scatters a few grains of rice over his head, and gives him a sip of milk from a brass vessel resembling a teapot, and makes an offering in money, varying in value according to the means of the donor. The hero of the day is afterwards carried in triumph round the tiger, which is suspended to a high bamboo grame in the garden. The officers and ladies of the regiment stationed at Mercara, who reside in the late Rajah’s palace, were specially invited to attend.
“Mr. Carriapah is a native Coorg gentleman of high merit and distinction. He wears the gold Coorg medal, which was presented by the British Government to his father, for suppressing an insurrection in South Canara. Our correspondent would further testify to Mr. Carriapah’s unvarying support of English education among the Coorgs. A wealthy and influential man, he spares neither time nor money in this cause, and has, at his sole expense, erected schools for Coorg girls as well as boys, and has on several occasions received the thanks of the Government of India, as well as of the local Government of Mysore and Coorg.
“We are indebted to Captain Belford Cummins, of the Staff Corps at Mercara, for the sketch we have engraved.

source: http://www.harappa.com

Baban Triumphs

Sports
Bangalore’s Baban Khan won the 1400-1600cc race in the four-wheeler category in the VASA Autosports autocross event here on Sunday.
Suhem MK of Coorg took the second spot while Amjad Ali of Mudigere finished third. Rajshekar of Bangalore clinched the Novice class ahead of the second-placed Harsha Natraj of Mysore.

Results:
Two-wheelers, Novice class: Mohammad Asif (Tumkur) 1; Shaan (Hassan 2; Salman Baig (Tumkur) 3. Expert class: Madhu S (Tumkur) 1; Rajendra RE (Shimoga) 2; Mohammad Azgar (Mysore) 3. Intermediate class: Rajendra RE (Shimoga) 1; Madhu S (Tumkur) 2; Syed Dastagir (Shimoga) 3. Indian Open: Tanveer (Mysore) 1; Madhu S(Tumkur) 2; Mohd Azgar (Mysore) 3. Local Boys: Syed Dastagir (Shimoga) 1; Rajendra RE (Shimoga) 2; Nathaniel Soans 3.

Four wheelers, 1400-1600cc: Baban Khan(Bangalore) 1; Suhem MK(Coorg) 2; Amjad Ali (Mudigere) 3. Novice Class: Rajshekar(Bangalore) 1; Harsha Natraj (Mysore) 2. 1001cc-1400cc: RD Patel (Mudigere) 1; Baban Khan (Bangalore) 2; Veeresh Gowda Kalasha (Mudigere) 3. Novice class: Divakar (Mudigere) 1; Lokesh Gowda(Bangalore) 2. Upto 800cc: Rajshekar (Bangalore) 1; Baban Khan (Bangalore) 2. Ashok (Mudigere) 3.

Novice class: Sree Hari (Mudigere) 1;  Divakar 2. Indian Open class: RD Patel (Mudigere) 1; Rajshekar (Bangalore) 2; Ashok (Mudigere) 3. Novice class: Harsha Natraj (Mysore) 1; Kiran (Bangalore) 2. Ladies class: Ashika (Bangalore) 1; Harshitha Gowda (Bangalore) 2; Veena Ponnappa (Mysore) 3.
Fastest driver: RD Patil (Mudigere). Best rider: Tanveer (Mysore)

 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com/ Shimoga / DHNS / Jun 13th