That its men are brave and the women beautiful is an oft-remarked blanket statement about Coorg. The British called it the Scotland of India when they fell in love with this cool nook in the Western Ghats and its warm people.

The Kodavas or Coorgis are an ethnic minority. But unlike other minority communities, the Kodavas are largely privileged. In fact, a pleasant colonial hangover stays with the people who enjoy a good life with evening drinks, golf, and hockey.

Although a Hindu community on paper, their language, customs, and traditions are distinct.“Easily one of the most martial cultures in the country, these are a people who ritually worship their guns and swords. Interestingly, till a few decades ago, the birth of a male child was marked with a gun shot, announcing to the world the arrival of a warrior,” writes Pattamada Sundar Muthanna in a coffee table book on Coorg tourism, brought out by journalist PT Bopanna.

Thanks to the outstanding contributions of this community to the country’s defence sector, Coorg is also called the Land of Generals.Field Marshal Kodandera ‘Kipper’ Madappa Cariappa, the first Indian Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, was a Kodava. General KS Thimmayya was another brave soldier, who led the army during crucial conflicts with China and brought laurels to his homeland in the hills.

“The people’s right to carry arms was originally granted by the Kodagu kings, who did not maintain a standing army, but called on the people to fight when an invasion threatened. This right was formalised by the British when they exempted the Coorgis from the Arms Act. Today the Coorgis and a few other communities have the right to own guns without having to go through the process of getting a licence,” said Muthanna.

Characteristically, Kodava weddings are not exempted from the martial element either. The bridegroom, wearing his smart traditional costume— the knee-length kupya (similar to the Scottish kilt )—would chop banana trees with their carved daggers called pichekathi and odi kathi, symbolically to portray the duels he fought for the bride. The pichekathis are a part of the groom’s wedding gear, stylishly tucked into the cotton cummerbunds that hold their wraparound cloaks together. The ceremonies are tribal in nature more than Hindu, and are devoid of any Brahminical rituals. There is no chanting of mantras and slokas, and family elders direct it.

Like the Scots, Kodavas too stress upon their clan lineage. Their surnames indicate their clan, and inter-clan marriage is forbidden. Another distinguishing characteristic of this community is the high status given to women. According to the Gazette of Coorg, compiled by G Richter, published in 1870, “Young persons under 16 years of age are not married in Coorg. Exceptions from this rule are very rare. It is to be hoped that the Coorgis will ever be preserved from the misery of child marriages.” Dowry is forbidden, and widow remarriage is encouraged. Probably owing to the cool climate and the secluded terrain, the Kodava community is known for its liberalised outlook to alcohol consumption.

“Alcohol is offered to gods and ancestors during ceremonies. Children who have come of age enjoy a drink or two with parents,” said Muthanna.

A main festival in the Kodava calendar is called Puthari. It is an annual fest to celebrate the first harvest of paddy. Under full moonlight, stalks of paddy are cut and joyous gunshots mark the occasion.

The Kodava language is a mix of its geographical neighbours with many surprises thrown in. Malayalam, Tulu, and Kannada influences can be easily spotted, but the language is also unique as its people.

source: http://www.anhourago.in / DNA www.dnaindia.com / Home> Bangalore> Report / by Malavika Velayankkal / Sunday, Nov 13th, 2011

The famous ‘teertodbhava’, emerging of the sacred or holy water from the tiny pond called ‘Brahmakundike’ at Talacauvery, foothills of the mighty Brahmagiri Hills in Kodagu, will occur at 11.43 p.m. on October 17 under the ‘Mithuna Lagna’.

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner N.V. Prasad said this at the preliminary teertodbhava meeting at the Old Assembly Hall in Madikeri on Tuesday. The puja rituals concerning the teertodbhava would start from September 28 at both Bhagamandala and Talacauvery with the patreyalli akki hakuvudu (filling rice in the vessel) at 8.45 a.m. on September 28, Aajna Muhurta on October 5 and Akshaya Patra on October 13.

Mr. Prasad gave a call to officials of all departments to take steps to ensure a successful teertodbhava. He instructed the Public Works Department engineers to repair the Madikeri-Bhagamandala-Talacauvery road a week ahead of the Cauvery jatra that ensued after the teertodbhava.

He said the officials of the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) should make arrangements to avoid power disruptions. The Talacauvery-Bhagamandala Temple Committee should keep diesel generators as stand-by to meet emergencies since the occurrence was in the night, Mr. Prasad said.

Sampath Kumar, Manager of the Temple Committee, said four generators would be kept ready to meet emergencies.

Mr. Prasad said the KSRTC Depot Manager Lachme Gowda should take steps to provide buses to the devotees visiting the temples on the teertodbhava day and on other jatra days. Mr. Gowda said 30 buses had been deployed during the last year’s teertodabhava and jatra, and the same number would be available this year as well.

Superintendent of Police Manjunath Annigeri said the police would regulate the movement of vehicles to and from Talacauvery in view of the lack of space for parking at Talacauvery. The Public Works Department should take steps to look into the parking problems, Mr. Annigeri said.

Mr. Prasad told the Department of Health officials to equip themselves with medicines, ambulance, and related facilities to attend to health needs during the occasion.

Additional Deputy Commissioner K.M. Chandre Gowda said this was a preliminary meeting and the Legislative Assembly Speaker and legislators would attend the next meeting to oversee the preparations. Every government department should cooperate to make the teertodbhava celebrations a success, Mr. Gowda said.

Seven sub-committees, including reception, transport, cultural, and publicity, were formed on the occasion.

Mr. Gowda asked the Assistant Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture to organise cultural programmes during teertodbhava at Talacauvery. The Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy president Iymudiyanda Rani Machaiah, Madikeri Deputy Conservator of Forests K.S. Anand, and Senior Assistant Commissioner M.R. Ravi, were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / by Staff Correspondent / National> Karnataka / Mysore, September 21st, 2011