In 1837, this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat, says N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje, Writer.
The Jangama Kalyanaswamy’s flag used during the Sullia rebellion was hoisted by Guddera (Guddemane) Appaiah against the British in 1837 was later adopted as the Kodagu Gowda coat of arms. They are also called Arebhashe Gowdas
Mangaluru:
It was the first armed uprising against the British, which took place 20 years before the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. The men who laid down their lives in this uprising of 1837 in Mangaluru are not forgotten.
The Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike and several others organisations marked the 179th anniversary of the uprising on Tuesday at Bavutagudda, where the rebels hoisted the Indian flag to mark their victory over the British on April 5, 1837.
“The people of Kodagu and Canara (coastal Karnataka) were unhappy with the British for various reasons. In 1837 this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat,” recalls writer, N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje.
Mr Sampage , who wrote the book ‘Amara Sulliyada Swatantrya Sangrama,’ detailing this early struggle for freedom, says it was a mass movement and not restricted to some villages or caste.
“It received unprecedented support from the people of Dakshina Kannada. However there were efforts to tone it down by labelling it ‘Kalyanappa na Katakayi, or ‘loot of Kalyanappa’.
But in reality it was a major movement for freedom in the region, which scared the British. The reports of the then Collector of Dakshina Kannada, Leven, reveals this,” he says.
The rebellion was led in Kodagu by leaders such as Aparampara, Kalyanappa and Putta Basappa and continued in Sullia, Puttur before culminating in Mangaluru, the seat of the British Collector.
It is said the rebels held control of the city for 13 days before British reinforcements arrived in Mangaluru and recaptured it.
But it took two months more for the British to arrest the rebels and hang them in public to silence the movement.
“The government must do a proper study of the entire movement so people get to know its importance,” emphasises Mr Sampaje.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation>Current Affairs / by Gururaj A. Paniyadi, Deccan Chronicle / April 06th, 2016
Many men and women serve in Indian defence forces from the small hill district Kodagu, known for coffee. Each family tries to ensure that at least one joins the defence force and the trend continues.
Life has not changed though many lost lives during service. The immense desire to serve the nation has not stopped women too. The latest to join the ranks as wing commander in Indian Air Force (IAF) is Pandanda Wilma Bheemaiah, wife of Pandanda Bheemaiah.
Daughter of Alamengada Muddappa and Tara from Hudikeri in Kodagu, Wing commander Wilma is presently stationed in Agra.
She served in African nation Congo on a united peace keeping mission and has many proud moments in her career.
Kodagu District In-charge minister M R Seetharam receives the guard of honour during the Republic Day event in Madikeri on Friday.
The state government is committed to the development of the state and is working relentlessly, surpassing the barriers of caste, religion and language, said District-In-charge Minister M R Seetharam.
He was speaking after hoisting the Indian flag during the Republic day celebrations at General Thimmaiah ground in Madikeri on Friday.
The Indian Constitution upholds the value of ‘unity in diversity’. The contribution of Dr B R Ambedkar and others in providing us with a written constitution will be remembered by all the generations to come, he said.
The lives of the general public hold utmost importance for the government. Harmony and brotherhood is the mantra of development. Thoughts of people in a secular country should be based on secularism and equality, he said. All must take a pledge to respect the constitutional values, he said.
M R Seetharam said that during his recent visit to the district, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had initiated projects worth Rs 122 crore. 94,011 families have been benefited by Anna Bhagya scheme in the district. 5514 and 799 people have been provided with title deeds under 94 C and 94 CC respectively. The construction work of 528 houses for Diddalli evacuees is on. Around 8,200 families of Jenu Kuruba and Erava Soliga communities are being provided with nutritious food. Forest Rights have been provided to 1,392 forest dwellers.
The minister further said that Indira Canteen will be set up in Somvarpet, Madikeri and Virajpet.
Troupes from DAR Police, Civil Police, Home Guards, MFC College, Koodige Sainik School, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Government PU College, Government High School, General Thimmaiah School and St Micheal High Schools carried out a march past on the occasion.
MLC Veena Acchaiah, Zilla Panchayat President B A Harish, CMC President Kaveramma Somanna and Deputy Commissioner P I Srividya were present among others.
Schoolchildren presented cultural programmes on the occasion.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service, Madikeri / January 26th, 2018
7th edition of India International Coffee Festival 2018 hosted at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru saw a host of activities including the coffee workshops, exhibition, keynote sessions, Fireside chat with Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, Coffee Quiz Competition for Coffee enthusiasts ending the day with Café Awards ceremony.
The day started with workshops on ‘Role of sustainability in Post-Harvest Processing Equipment to secure the right quality, type and quantity of coffee.’ The session was led by Carlos Brando and Joao Alberto Peres Brando from Pea Marketing Ltd.
Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Government of Karnatakagraced the occasion and attended a fireside chat session along with Mr. Anil Kumar Bhandari, President, India Coffee Trust where he emphasized on experiential tourism.“Today people want to experience and learn from their outings, hence experiential tourism is leading to a lot of buzz around homestays. We have offline and online strategies in place and are ready to build infrastructure and jointly manage it with associations. We have opened up 11 new eco-trails that will benefit the homestays and provide exhilarating experience to travelers,” said Shri Priyank Kharge while addressing the gathering.
He further said that, “I am privileged to have a unique opportunity to bring together information technology and biotech to further tourism in the state. I urge the startup fraternity and innovators to come forward with solutions that will help us build a sustainable tourism ecosystem in Karnataka.”
Commenting on this occasion, Anil Kumar Bhandari, President, India Coffee Trust said,“This year the festival focused on skill-building workshops, showcase of products and services, key sessions by delegates on Global Coffee Outlook and Future of Indian Coffee Sector.”
“The Indian coffee sector is growing at a rapid pace. And to sustain this growth, the dependence on government subsidies needs to come to an end,” said Shri Srivatsa Krishna, IAS, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary, Coffee Board of India.
Also, addressing a keynote session here, Jose Dauster Sette, Executive Director, International Coffee Organization said, “India is the sixth place in internal coffee consumption. In future by 2050, the production of world coffee might further decrease due to factors such as climate change that facilitates spread of pests and diseases. Both Arabica and Robusta are also negatively affected by the climate change.”
source: http://www.everythingexperiential.in / Everything Experiential – Business World / Home / by EE News Desk / January 24th, 2018
The International Coffee Festival brings growers, sellers, and lovers together in the same mug
Coffee love is serious love, and Bengaluru knows how to keep up with it. Just last month, Coffee Santhe celebrated your favourite brew with a three-day carnival. It had the best estates in India showcasing their blends and coffee-related demonstrations to coffee-related food and art.
Cut to the present. Coffee love is hogging the limelight yet again, thanks to the ongoing India International Coffee Festival (IICF) 2018. The expo, which is in its seventh edition, organised by India Coffee Trust – an NGO formed by various stakeholders of the Indian coffee fraternity, is on till Friday. And the event is dotted with different kinds of activities – from panel discussions to exhibitions by various growers.
Today, for instance, you can flaunt your knowledge of coffee at a quiz. Or, sit down for a workshop about the ‘Role of Sustainability in Post-Harvest Processing with the Right Processing Equipment to Secure the Right Quality, Type and Quantity of Coffee’ by Carlos Brando of Pea Marketing.
Over two days, you can listen to coffee experts and policy-makers talk about the trends in the coffee market, innovation in the production and packaging segment, startups making coffee ‘cooler’, alternate brewing techniques, and how to turn India into a ‘Coffee Nation’.
Jose Sette, executive director of International Coffee Organization, will speak about ‘Global Coffee Outlook – addressing challenges to meet future demand’; Dr Joseph K Kimemia, chairman of African Fine Coffee Association, will talk about ‘Initiatives on Promotion of African Coffee’; Dr Peter Baker, director of Climate Edge UK, will share his thoughts about ‘The Changing Climate for Coffee – farming in a time of extremes’; Sanjay Khajuria, senior VP (Corporate Affairs), Nestle India, will discuss the topic ‘Creating Shared Value –
How responsible business and communities work together’. The fest will also felicitate the best in the business.
Anil Kumar Bhandari, president of the India Coffee Trust, says that the coffee industry owes a lot to the country’s café culture that has grown rapidly in the past decade or so. “I need to give a little background into this festival. We started this expo in 2002, which begun in tacit with the Coffee Board, commerce industry, and ICT. However, we never asked for funds from the government because we didn’t want the show to come with strings attached.
There are only 4-5 large corporate houses that are part of this trust. Initially, it was started by a bunch of coffee growers like me, and the idea was to generate domestic consumption of coffee, and to help the growers market their coffee better. In India, 98 per cent of coffee growers are small, which means they farm on less than 10 acres. Now in 2002, the industry across the world suffered a massive slump because the global market was saturated. There was no strength in the industry to combat this deep depression. It is at that time that we considered generating a new idea – something that will increase domestic consumption – instead of the going to the government to ask for waivers and subsidies.” And this where cafes have come into play.
However Bhandari also adds that the coffee drinking habit remains mostly out of home, but “yes, it created a whole new lifestyle. Before the modern version of cafes, the smaller places had no focus, no identity, barring a few landmark places.”
Yes, the expo is quite industry-oriented. It is an ideal networking ground for people engaged in the growth, production, packaging, and promotion of coffee, or are planning to make a career switch in the direction. Nonetheless, platforms such as these provide common man a chance to learn what goes into bringing their latte, espresso, cappuccino, or the humble filter coffee to their tables.
Besides these talks and coffee quiz, an exhibition is being held across two halls – Kalinga 1 and Siddhartha. On showcase are a range of coffee beans and blends, with Coffee Board of India itself displaying and selling 15 varieties (light, medium, and dark) hailing from Coorg to Chikmagalur, Araku Valley, Nilgiris and Wayanad. Plus, you can sift through coffee filters, including a cute, ceramic one. Needless to say, there’s a lot of coffee for you to sip on, from the regular instant brews to the speciality. Moreover, a few vendors will also teach you the method to making a cuppa of your choice.
Two stalls are interesting. One is selling coffee paintings – painting with coffee powder (see pic on left). It is the handiwork of Himabindu, an IT professional who’s currently on sabbatical. She has put up 30 paintings, and had managed to sell quite a few by Wednesday afternoon. The second one will have you scratch your head as it promises to print your selfie on coffee broth. The set-up will be fully operational today.
If you want to take your coffee expertise a notch up, you can enquire about the ‘Q Grader Arabica Training & Certification’ programme, which will take off towards the end of February. Or drive down to coffee estates in the state and learn about the bean-to-cup process there. You can get information at the tourism stalls.
Catch IICF 2018, January 18-19, at The Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds Details: iicf.in
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Entertainment> Lounge / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / January 18th, 2018
Boverianda Nanjamma And Chinnappa Recollect The Efforts Of Their Late Grandfather In Documenting The Folklore And Songs Of The Kodava Community.
Much as we admire him and are inspired by him, we have never seen our grandfather Nadikerianda Chinnappa; he died before we were born. We—Nanjamma and Chinnappa—are cross cousins. The narrative of our grandfather that follows is based on the recollections of our parents, aunts and elder cousins, gleaned from casual conversations over the years.
Our grandfather, who worked with the police, had gone to a remote village, riding his horse across a stream and through a forest path to investigate a quarrel over the ownership of a strip of land. On his way back, he stopped by the stream to eat the akki (rice) roti sweetened with jaggery his wife had packed for him. The sun was setting behind the hills and had painted the skies in brilliant hues of red and gold. Captivated by the scene, Nadikerianda Chinnappa sat lost in thoughts, when he heard the distant sound of Kodava dudi (small handheld, hourglass-shaped drums). Mounting his horse, he set out to locate the origin of the drumbeats. He found four men seated around a bonfire singing Kodava folk songs, practising for Puthari, the harvest festival. It was getting dark but he waited for them to finish. Recognising that our grandfather was in the police, the singers touched his feet respectfully. Our grandfather took the leader of the team home on his horse.
This was not uncommon; his wife Nanjavva knew he had brought a singer home for the night. She made a bed for the visitor in the attic and served them a hot meal with a drink of frothing toddy. Refreshed, grandfather and the singer sat in the hall; while the singer sang a ballad, Chinnappa transcribed the words late into the night. After many such sessions with various singers, he had a good collection of Kodava songs sung during weddings, funerals and festivals, and ballads in praise of deities and heroes.
Himself a good singer, Chinnappa’s passion for Kodava songs and ballads prompted him to transcribe them. During his travels around Kodagu as a police officer in the early 1920s, he observed that the unique customs and traditions of the Kodava community were being forgotten or altered. Chinnappa feared that Kodava traditions and songs that had been handed down orally over generations would be lost because of the dominance of English, and the influence of the cultures of neighbouring areas. So, he decided to document them.
Late in the evenings, after work, he neatly wrote down all the songs, proverbs and riddles by the dim light of a kerosene lamp, while smoking his favourite cigars. When he started documenting the customs and traditions, he consulted his mother Ponnavva who was well-versed in them. Meanwhile, his wife would read the draft first to ensure that it was clear to a layperson. If there were parts she did not understand, Chinnappa rewrote them. It used to be said that the waste paper basket would always be full in the morning.
British officials in Coorg—as Kodagu was called by them—got his draft reviewed by some prominent Kodavas. On their recommendation, C S Sooter, commissioner of Coorg, authorised financial assistance to publish it. Chinnappa chose the name Pattole Palame, meaning ‘silken lore’, for his book, which was first published in 1924. The 6th edition was printed in 2012.
Pattole Palame is a precious document of the heritage of the Kodava community. In the second edition published by the University of Mysore in 1975, the editor describes it as “one of the earliest, if not the earliest, extensive collection of folklore of any Indian community written in an Indian language by an Indian”.
The text of Pattole Palame is in Kannada and the folk songs, proverbs, etc, in it are in Kodava thakk, the language of the Kodavas, an oral language written using the Kannada script. Nearly two-thirds of the book consists of folk songs transmitted orally down generations, which are sung even today. Traditionally known as Balo Pat, these songs are sung by four men beating dudi. The songs have haunting melodies and evoke memories of times long past. Kodava folk dances are performed to the beat of many of these songs, which are a rich source of information on the culture, language and history of the Kodava people.
Chinnappa himself began translating Pattole Palame into English but could not complete it, as he died of cancer in 1931 at the age of 56, a few months after his retirement. It was in 2003, nearly 75 years after Pattole Palame was first published, that we, his grandchildren, translated it into English and published it.
Although he was best known for Pattole Palame, Chinnappa’s major literary work as a poet was Bhagavantanda Paat, his translation of the Bhagavad-Gita into the Kodava language, composed in the style of Kodava folk songs, published in 1929.
When Grierson, a British linguist, embarked on the first Linguistic Survey of India (1913 to 1920), he looked for knowledgeable representatives of the various Indian languages. Chinnappa, who was fluent in both English and Kodava thakk, was chosen for the Kodava language. As required, he translated the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son’ into Kodava thakk and narrated it, and sang his own poem, Sri Moola Kanniye, an ode to river Kaveri. These were recorded in 1922 on gramophone records; copies of the recordings were kept in the British Library in London and the Madras Museum. They were digitised recently by the Linguistics Department of the University of Chicago.
Born in 1875, Chinnappa was the fifth of eight children. After matriculating in Madikeri, he went to Mangalore for further studies. But when his elder brother Subbayya died suddenly, Chinnappa returned to Kodagu to take on family responsibilities. In accordance with Kodava tradition, he married Subbayya’s widow, Nanjavva.
His career took many twists and turns. A teacher at first, then a revenue inspector, and then an officer in the Coorg Regiment of the Army, he joined the police department when the regiment was disbanded in 1904, and rose to the rank of a prosecuting inspector.
Our grandfather was fond of sports. He was a bowler in the All Coorg XI Cricket team, which in those days consisted mainly of Englishmen. When he played billiards at Victoria Club in Virajpet, his British opponents would often swear under their breath on losing a game to him. On one such occasion, Chinnappa lost his patience, broke the billiards stick on his knee and threw it on the floor. This was a very daring act for an Indian in those days.
Chinnappa was also involved in establishing the Police Officers’ Cooperative Society, Coorg Cooperative Society, Coorg Central Bank and the Coorg Education Fund. He was fond of children and always carried peppermints in his pockets. He was a caring father to his own three children, the two stepchildren by his elder brother, and to his deceased sister’s daughter, whom he and Nanjavva adopted. He sponsored the education of many poor children, and there were always a few students boarding in his residence, free of cost.
Our grandfather was a man of vision and talent, and was self-driven. He was a folklorist, poet, police officer, sportsman, historian, singer, philanthropist, and caring householder. Above all, he was a man who lived life to the fullest and left a lasting and invaluable legacy for his people in his writings.
The authors are translators and scholars of Kodava studies
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
August 2016
source: http://www.harmonyindia.com / Harmony / Home> Columns / August 2016
Codava National Council members stage a protest in Madikeri on Tuesday to urge the government to conduct a genealogical study of Kodavas.
Codava National Council (CNC) members staged a protest in Madikeri on Tuesday to urge the government to restart the genealogical study of Kodavas, which has been stagnant.
The report on the study should be submitted to the centre by the end of this month, the protestors demanded.
Gathering in front of the deputy commissioner’s office, the members urged the government to complete the study so that the Kodava community could be added to the list of tribes.
Council president N U Nachappa said that the demands should be considered seriously. The elected representatives should exhibit will power in fulfilling the aspirations of the Kodava community.
During Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s visit to Kodagu recently, MLC Veena Acchaiah had submitted a memorandum to him, requesting to restart the genealogical study of Kodavas, he said, and added that the study should not become an election gimmick.
A memorandum was submitted to the deputy commissioner on the occasion.
Codava National Council leaders Katumaniyanda Umesh, Pullera Kalappa and Chambanda Janat participated in the protest.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by DH News Service / Madikeri – January 16th, 2018
A Kodavn takes aim: a shortage of bullets threatens his way of life
An acute shortage of cartridges is threatening the way of life of the Kodavas, a martial race living in Kodagu (Coorg) district in south-west Karnataka. The Kodavas are one of the few tribes in India allowed to possess a gun without a licence. Cartridges are sold like any other commodity in Janata bazaars, cooperative stores and by private traders throughout the district.
But every time a fresh consignment of cartridges is received by the 36 licenced ammunition dealers, long queues are formed in front of these shops. The cartridges are rationed and usually-one box is allotted per person. At least four private dealers have closed shop because of the shortage.
C.U. Kalappa, president of one of the Janata bazaars, told India today in Mercara: “We had indented for 20,000 cartridges but the Government supplied us only 5,000. Now there is such a big rush for them that quarrels are frequent.” Of course, there are no shoot-outs as bullets have become a scarce commodity. Of the district’s demand of two-and-a-half lakh cartridges, the Government was able to supply only 1.3 lakh last year.
Shortage of bullets had been reported in the past few years after the Government banned manufacture of ammunition by private dealers and made the Government ammunition factory at Kirki the sole supplier. But it is only now that the shortage is being felt acutely and has restricted certain rituals of the Kodavas for whom guns are as common as ploughs.
Exception: The Kodavas have been exempted from the Indian Arms Act right from the time it was introduced by the British in 1834. The British made an exception for this tribe in appreciation of their valiant support to them in their fight against Tipu Sultan. Of the 3.8 lakh people living in Kodagu, almost every family possesses a gun, some even ten. The only regulation is that the Kodavas should obtain an exemption certificate from the Government, which gives them the right to possess any gun without a licence. Borkar, the district superintendent of police said: “In the past five years 12,189 exemption certificates have been issued. We can roughly estimate that about 40,000 weapons are in the district.”
Kodagu is perched on the summit of the Western Ghats and its numerous hills are covered with thick forests. Panthers, tigers, wild boars, bisons and elephants abound in large numbers and the Kodavas are adept hunters. The 1973 Wild Life Preservation Act put an end to one of the important traditions of this tribe. But even now, clandestine hunting goes on.
Legend has it that in the good old days no Kodava was allowed to cultivate a handlebar moustache unless he had shot a tiger. Even as late as 1970 there were nine forests reserved specially for hunting and licences were issued to people who wanted to shoot tigers. Today most of the ancestral houses are decorated with stuffed bisons or boar heads and tiger skins.
The Kodavas are one of the few races in India who worship a god for sports and hunting called Sarthau. Every year a special festival called Kiel Poldu (worship of arms) is held in which Kodavas perform poojas for their guns and swords. Every festival is usually accompanied by a shooting competition in which three coconuts are placed and the men are expected to knock them down. The Kodava festive dress, a black robe with a white turban, is embellished with jewelled guns and swords.
The men usually carry an ornamental dagger and a sharp sword. According to tradition, whenever a male child is born two rounds of ammunition are fired in the air. When a male member dies, two rounds are fired simultaneously and if it is a female, only one round. During the death ceremony, every time a group of mourners pay homage to their dear departed, a round is fired.
Complaint: Because of the acute shortage of cartridges, these customs have to be curtailed drastically. The more affluent families still observe these customs with the full paraphernalia and usually buy the bullets in ‘black’ at double the controlled price. Said B.D. Ganapathy, a noted Kodava writer: “We don’t use the guns as indiscriminately as before because of the cartridge shortage. But it has not drastically affected our culture because we are still willing to buy cartridges from other sources. But I don’t know how long we can continue.”
Said K.N. Ponappa, vice-president of the Mercara Kodava Samaj: “Our major complaint is that our crops are systematically being destroyed by wild animals and we are helpless because of the Government Act banning shooting. The Government must modify these laws.”
The present law stipulates that if a wild animal is troubling a village then the forest officer should be called to shoot it. But one planter said: “Who can afford to wait till a government officer comes to shoot the animal?” Many planters kill the animal themselves and have a feast at dusk.
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Magazine> Coorg / by Raj Chengappa / November 20th, 2013
There is opposition to releasing the findings of research
Blood samples of 100 couples to be drawn for DNA tests Kodava tribe is said to be 2,000 years old Research team asked to be cautious while dealing with sensitive issues There is apprehension that research findings may divide the community
Virajpet (Kodagu Dt.) :
Kodagu Natural Sciences Society has launched a unique initiative to trace the origin of Kodavas by ascertaining the ancestry, customs, culture, language and a study of genealogy by the Kodagu Natural Sciences Research Society.
A research professor from Delhi University has drawn 150 blood samples of selected Kodava families for conducting the DNA test. This was revealed at a seminar organised by the Akhila Kodava Samaja here on Friday, attended by representatives of various Kodava Samaj units, prominent Kodavas and office-bearers of society. The significance of the research will be to carry out DNA tests on Kodavas to trace their origin and roots.
Society president Lt. Gen. B.C. Nanda said Kodavas inhabited Kodagu 2,000 years ago. The first recorded instance of Kodavas was found in 1174 AD during Hoysala dynasty in the State. Kodava was the only community that accepted the “gotra” system other than non-Muslim and non-Christian communities, he said.
Speaking in favour of tracing the origins of Kodavas, Gen. Nanda said modern scientific inputs gave ample opportunities to take up research work. Along with the DNA test, socio-cultural aspects, somatometry (physical measurements on various attributes) and demography should go hand-in-hand to corroborate the theory. The final report will be submitted to Akhila Kodava Samaja president Matanda.C. Monnappa.
Gen. Nanda said the pilot project started involving nine couples aged between 20 and 40. As many as 100 DNA samples will be drawn from Kodavas living in all parts of Kodagu. The outcome of the study will be kept confidential.
The former president of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy B.P. Appanna, who did not approve of the idea, said a report on the scientific study on Kodavas can turn out to be sensitive. The principal investigator of the study team is M.A. Abdul Kalam, Department of Anthropology, University of Madras, Chennai, and the project coordinator is Xavier Raj from the Social and Environmental Research Centre, Chennai. The cost estimated for carrying out the study is Rs. 11.80 lakhs.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Jeevan Chinnappa / February 18th, 2006
A view of the General Thimayya Memorial Bhavana in Madikeri.
The work on converting Sunny Side, the abode of late General K S Thimayya in Madikeri into a memorial has been re-started.
The state government, through the Department of Kannada and Culture, released Rs 2.30 crore for the purpose last week. The memorial is expected to be ready within a few months.
At the same time, a war tank, a long-pending demand, has finally arrived at the ‘Sunny Side’.
Demand for tank
Owing to shortage of fund, the work on converting ‘Sunny Side’ into a memorial could not be taken up. Ex-servicemen have been demanding that a war tank be kept in the museum of ‘Sunny Side’. When the Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat visited Kodagu to unveil the statues of Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General K S Thimayya on Kaveri College premises in Gonikoppa recently, the ex-servicemen’s association had appealed for the same. The war tank has arrived at Madikeri from Army Training Centre in Pune.
The battle tank “Himath” was used during the India-Pakistan war in 1971. After the completion of the memorial, the war tank will be open for public viewing.
The Nirmiti Kendra has taken up the work on the memorial but will retain the old structure of the house. It is proposed to keep a model of a fighter plane too, and items used by Gen Thimayya while serving the Army, along with war tank, in the memorial.
Funds for memorial
The state government had announced the conversion of the house into a memorial in its budget. Accordingly, the district administration had prepared an estimate for Rs 5.5 crore.
In 2013-14, the government had released Rs 45 lakh. When the state government claimed that it cannot release such a huge amount, the district administration had revised the estimate to Rs 3.70 crore. The state government has so far released Rs 1.45 crore. With the recent release of Rs 2.30 crore, the work is likely to be completed at the earliest, said the Nirmiti Kendra officials.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by DH News Service, Madikeri / January 14th, 2018
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