40 families to organise the mega event on Sept. 2 and 3
California:
The Annual Kodava Convention in North America will be held on Sept. 2 and 3, 2023, this time in the San Francisco Bay Area, also known as Silicon Valley.
This convention, which has been going on for about 15 years, was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of Kodava families across the country have already registered to participate in this convention, which is being jointly conducted by about 40 Kodava families.
It is an event for Kodava brethren from all across North America to meet, learn and celebrate the Kodava culture. With a strong history of more than 20 years, these conventions have been hosted in several major US cities in the past.
This year’s convention is called ‘namme-by-the-bay’ and will showcase the vibrant and colourful festivals of Kodagu. This will be a unique opportunity for the attendees to learn about Kodava art, food, culture and deities in a much greater depth.
Furthermore, this event also presents meet-and-greet opportunities and networking for jobs, family connections and matrimony. An informal pre-convention event will be held on Sept. 2 at Elliston Vineyards — a beautiful and historic location in Sunol Hills.
Several Kodava families across the country have already registered to attend this event, which is being organised by about 40 Kodava families from San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.
The convention is being conducted to save the Kodava traditions and develop unity among the Kodava people. For more information, write to bayareakodavas@gmail.com.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 22nd, 2023
While many coffee lovers prefer the high-quality arabica beans sold in cafes, robusta is normally less expensive because the tree is hardier and requires less care.
pix: Bloomberg
The global cost-of-living crunch has pushed coffee drinkers to get their fix from cheaper brews. But a shortage of robusta beans is making it increasingly difficult to find a budget-friendly cup. While many coffee lovers prefer the high-quality arabica beans sold in cafes, robusta is normally less expensive because the tree is hardier and requires less care, making it easier to produce in large quantities. The variety is often used in instant coffee, espressos and ground blends sold at supermarkets, which have experienced a comeback as cash-strapped consumers seek alternatives.
Key growers, however, are finding it difficult to keep up with the surge in demand, with wholesale prices this week hitting the highest level in nearly twelve years.
For consumers in Europe’s largest coffee market, Germany, the squeeze is having a noticeable effect on retail costs, with instant varieties going for nearly 20% more than a year ago, even as inflation for coffee beans has lost momentum. US instant coffee price-growth also slowed less than the roasted version in April.
The odds of global robusta shortages easing any time soon look bleak. Vietnam — the world’s largest producer — probably collected its smallest harvest in four years, after farmers focused on planting more profitable crops like avocados and durians to cope with booming fertilizer costs in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Brazil, the second-largest grower of the variety, has seen its crops hurt by drought, and there are also concerns that Indonesia’s output could suffer following heavy rains. Despite those hurdles, more robusta beans were exported globally in the first six months of the current season compared to the last three years — just not fast enough to keep up with higher needs. Shipments between October and March were about 4% higher than the same period in 2021-22, according to the International Coffee Organization.
“There’s been so much of a demand shift away from higher-priced coffee that even the market isn’t even being satisfied by higher robusta exports,” said Judith Ganes, who runs a consultancy focused on commodities like coffee in New York.
The switch was first observed among roasters who increased the amount of robusta used in commercial blends to offset higher arabica costs and energy bills. Then, double-digit inflation in many parts of the world saw grocery bills surge to the highest in decades, forcing some consumers to trade down to cheaper options.
As a result, robusta-heavy instant coffee is growing faster than other industry segments, according to Aguinaldo Lima of the Brazilian Instant Coffee Industry Association, whose country is the world’s top soluble coffee producer. And leading companies elsewhere, such as Nestle SA and India’s Tata Coffee, have also reported stronger demand for instant coffee in their latest financial reports.
While robusta beans are known to be significantly more bitter than the arabica variety — in part due to higher levels of caffeine — Vietnam and Indonesia have both improved the quality of their beans, making it easier for roasters to increase the variety in blends without drastically affecting the taste, according to Ganes.
Consumers might discover “very interesting flavors” by drinking robustas, even if the taste is different than arabica coffee, said Daniel Munari, a barista who also runs Royalty Quality Cafe in southern Brazil.
“There’s sweetness and acidity, which are a great addition and give balance to the drink,” he said.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> World News / by Mumbi Gitau, Dayanne Sousa and Mai Ngoc Chau / May 14th, 2023
A land known for its coffee and renowned for its generals and warriors, the history of Kodagu has never been traced to its origins, the thread of descent becoming a tangled knot of colonial theories and hearsays. But history is important for one to realise the essence of culture and one’s own identity. Without this realisation, much is lost, and more is at risk.
Kodagu has always been placed in the category of the areas that complied silently with the British, when in reality, its contributions were simply underplayed and whitewashed. Many braves from all backgrounds had been leaders and warriors in their own right, following Gandhian ideals and fighting passionately for freedom.
The PM’s YUVA Mentorship scheme was an opportunity to shrug off this stereotype and uncover the truth. The Lost Heroes of Kodagu talks of those men and women who looked danger in the eye, unflinching even as blows landed on them left and right. It talks of those who rose and made sure their voices were heard despite attempts to muffle them. Those that history let slip through cracks and crevices, silent and dormant.
Recover them as you read. Watch as they come alive through the pages. Be inspired by their grit and determination, be empowered by their stories. But most of all – remember them, keep them in glorious memory.
Kodava traditions and celebrations are centred around a rich oral folk tradition. Mookonda Kushalappa tells the stories of those that kept it alive.
During the times of the Rajas, writing was not popular among the Kodavas of Kodagu, who were paddy farmers and cattle herdsmen.
In the absence of literature, the region was rich in oral folklore. A song was sung for every occasion — songs were sung during the annual village festival and during the harvest festival Puththari. Songs were sung for weddings and funerals. Four singers would carry small hourglass drums called dudi and beat them with small, curved sticks. These rustic songs often had the same rhythm.
The compiler
A key force in chronicling these oral traditions was Nadikerianda Chinnappa. Chinappa was born in 1875 in Karada village.
In 1899, he joined the revenue department and wrote an English poem “My position as Shanbhog”. In 1900, he became a Revenue Inspector. In 1902, he joined the Indian Army’s Coorg Regiment and became a Subedar Major. Two years later, the regiment was disbanded and he joined the police department.
Subedars Codanda Ayyanna, Bolachanda Nanjappa and Nadikerianda Chinnappa of the Coorg Regiment, Fraserpet (Kushalnagar), 1902. Photo courtesy Boverianda Nanjamma Chinnappa
After his training from Vellore, he became an SI in Kushalnagar. Thereafter, he was transferred to Napok, Srimangala and Virajpet until he was made prosecuting inspector in Madikeri.
In 1917, he created a Kodava prayer called ‘Sri Moola Kanniye’, addressed to ‘the first maiden’ or Parvathi who was incarnated as Kaveri. This came to be known as the Kodava anthem. He also composed a Kannada poem in honour of the deity of Chomamale hill, Somagiri Deva.
During his free time, he would ride through the countryside on horseback. He would visit folk singers and every time he heard an interesting song, he would bring the singer home. His wife would cook food for the singer, while Chinnappa would offer him toddy. The singer would beat the dudi and sing the song while Chinnappa wrote it down.
By 1922, he had extensively collected several folk songs which were sung during various ceremonies and festivals such as the Kaveri Song, the Wedding Song, the Funeral Song and the Puththari Harvest Song, along with 750 proverbs and idioms.
The folk songs were divided into categories based on when they were sung or in praise of whom they were sung — customs and ceremonies, festivals, heroes and deities. He published a compilation, titled ‘Pattole Palame’ in 1924. The Pattole Palame is one of the earliest compilations of folklore in India.
The name Pattole Palame was originally used for old palm-leaf records kept by astrologers in Kodagu. It comes from the words ‘patt-ole’ (silk leaves) ‘palame’ (lore), meaning oral traditions recorded on palm leaves, which were like silk.
Between 1894 and 1928, G A Grierson, a civil servant, conducted the Linguistic Survey of India. A knowledgeable speaker was invited from every known Indian language. The person had to narrate a translated biblical parable and either sing a song or narrate a story in the language.
In 1922, Chinnappa was recorded narrating the ‘Prodigal Son’ in Kodava language. He also sang his own composition, ‘Sri Moola Kanniye’. These gramophone recordings were sent to the British Library’s Sound Archives and the Madras Museum.
The language was recorded as ‘Kodaga’ and wrongly identified as being from Madras. The narrator was uncredited and the song was called ‘Coorg national anthem: Swadesi priya kirtane’. It was in the 1970s that Chinnappa’s voice was identified by his son Subbayya when he listened to the Madras Museum recording.
In 1929, Chinnappa translated the Bhagwat Gita into Kodava and called it ‘Bhagvathanda paat’. Krishna was called by his Kodava name Kuttappa in this book.
The translators
Chinappa’s legacy has been kept alive by his descendants, including his grandson Boverianda Muthanna Chinnappa, fondly nicknamed Bobjee. After working as an engineer in India and various countries abroad, Boverianda Chinnappa became an entrepreneur in Canada. He married his cousin Nadikerianda Nanjamma, another grandchild of Nadikerianda Chinnappa.
Nanjamma worked as a statistician and taught statistics in India and Canada. She co-authored a book on Business Survey Methods. In 1993, she was elected a fellow of the American Statistical Association.
After their retirement, Boverianda Chinnappa and Nanjamma returned to India. Their translation of Pattole Palame into English was published in 2003. Nanjamma’s brother renowned cartoonist N Ponnappa illustrated the cover of the book.
The Pattole Palame book cover
The couple visited nearly 1,720 clans in Kodagu over the years to research ainmanes. Their work was compiled into a book called ‘Ainmanes of Kodagu’ and an online website.
The author (extreme left) with Boverianda Chinnappa and Nanjamma in 2018. Photo courtesy: Iynanda Dinesh Monnappa, Cauvery Studio, Ammathi
In 2006, Nanjamma received a Mangalore University honorary doctorate from the Governor of Karnataka. That same year, she won the ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ award.
Boverianda Chinnappa passed away on March 10 this year. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and their families.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Spectrum / by Mookonda Kushalappa / April 05th, 2023
The boutique café group will seek to build upon its success in the Middle East by catalysing growing demand for premium café experiences in India.
Reliance Brands announced its EL&N partnership in a briefing following its latest quarterly results | Photo credit: via Shutterstock
UK-based boutique café group EL&N has agreed a franchise partnership with Reliance Brands to open outlets in India, its eighth market globally.
EL&N, renowned for its lavishly decorated interiors and claim to being the world’s ‘most Instagrammable café’, opened its first outlet in August 2017 in London and now operates 27 stores around the world.
Following success in the Middle East, where the café group operates 12 stores across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, EL&N is seeking to enter new markets internationally.
With stores also in France and Italy, EL&N recently appointed Lagardere Travel Retail as its exclusive franchisee for travel locations and also begun regional expansion across its native UK market.
Retail conglomerate Reliance Brands, which is also the franchise partner for UK-based coffee and food-to-go chain Pret A Manger, announced its EL&N partnership in a briefing following its latest quarterly results.
Mumbai-based Reliance Brands opened the first Pret A Manger store in India in April 2023 and is reportedly exploring bringing Armani/Caffe, the boutique café concept of Italian luxury fashion house Emporio Armani, to India.
India’s out-of-home coffee segment is expanding, with domestic coffee consumption largely driven by younger consumers seeking new, premium café experiences.
While established global coffee chains, including Costa Coffee and Starbucks, which have operated in the country since 2005 and 2012 respectively, have seen their revenues increase in India over the last 12 months, newer international entries also see untapped potential within the most populous country in the world.
Canada’s Tim Hortons plans to open 120 stores in India in the next three following its market entry in August 2022, while Australia’s The Coffee Club is set to debut in India this year via new franchise partner CK Israni Group.
Dunkin’s Indian franchisee Jubilant FoodWorks Limited said its new store design, launched in November 2022, caters to growing demand for high-quality café experiences and premium beverages across the country.
Additionally, Singaporean private equity firm Everstone Group has signed a franchisee agreement to launch branded Lavazza cafes in India.
source: http://www.worldcoffeeportal.com / World Coffee Portal / Home> Weekly Coffee Dose / April 24th, 2023
On Friday, the May contract of Arabica coffee on the New York exchange is being traded at 195.90 cents per pound (R354.84 a kg), and the same contract of Robusta coffee is quoted at $2,442 per tonne (R 200.63 per kg) (Photo:Bloomberg)
SYNOPSIS
For the next two quarters, India’s coffee exports are expected to go up by 10% year-on year in value terms due to a shift to mid-premium coffee from expensive premium-quality coffee amid firm international prices.
New Delhi:
India’s coffee exports, which had risen 13% on year in the Q4 quarter in value terms, are expected to go up further because of higher international prices, driving consumers to less expensive coffee.
“The higher value because of the gain in the global market has made up for the drop in volume,” Ramesh Rajah, president of Coffee Exporters Association, said. Prices in the international market rose because of lower crop outlook in major producing nations like Brazil in view of torrential rainfall.
For the next two quarters, India’s coffee exports are expected to go up by 10% year-on year in value terms due to a shift to mid-premium coffee from expensive premium-quality coffee amid firm international prices, Rajah said.
On Friday, the May contract of Arabica coffee on the New York exchange is being traded at 195.90 cents per pound ( ₹354.84 a kg), and the same contract of Robusta coffee is quoted at $2,442 per tonne ( ₹200.63 per kg).
Rajah forecasts Arabica coffee prices to be around 200 cents per pound on the New York exchange, and $2,300 per tonne for Robusta variety on the London exchange because of likely shortfall in supply in major producing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam as El Nino weather phenomenon are expected to disturb monsoon rainfall.
Brazil is the largest coffee producer globally, followed by Vietnam, Colombia, while India’s contribution to the global market is about 2.5-3.0%. India is an importer of raw coffee and exporter of instant coffee.
Coffee exports for the last financial year ended March hit a record high for the second consecutive year at $1.126 billion against the $1.088 billion target fixed by the commerce ministry.
“Exports are expected to be on par with the last financial year in value terms,” said Ajoy Thipaiah, chairman, Coffee Committee of United Planters Association of South India. “Volume of exports, however, may remain low.”
The export of coffee declined 3.6% in volume to 398,000 tonne in FY23 against 413,000 tonne in FY22, data from the Coffee Board of India showed.
According to Thipaiah, exports also rose due to a fall in shipping cost that had shot up seven-fold during covid in 2021 and immediately after covid in 2022. Shipping cost per container has plunged to the pre-covid level at ₹100,000-150,000 from ₹700,000-750,000. This is seen encouraging most medium-level coffee exporters, who were not able to export during covid due to higher freight costs.
The market for Indian coffee is niche and preferred by countries such as Italy, Germany and Russia.
The spike in exports has also been attributed to higher realisation. The per unit realisation for Indian coffee was 22% higher at ₹226,000 per tonne in the last financial year against ₹184,000 a tonne in 2021-22 (April-March), said KG Jagadeesha, secretary and CEO of India Coffee Board.
Exports in 2023-24 (April-March) will depend on prices and coffee production in India. Prices are good globally. However, the delayed blossom showers in major plantations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka may weigh on India’s coffee production this season significantly, which raises concerns over export volumes, Jagadeesha said.
source: http://www.livemint.com / Mint / Home> Markets> Stock Market / by Puja Das / April 23rd, 2023
The brothers are now looking forward to take part in the Master Games Championship in South Korea in May.
(From right) Belliappa, Machamma and Palekanda Bopaiah on an open jeep
Madikeri :
The Palekanda brothers who landed at Kadanuru in Kodagu, went around an open jeep with Australian Master Games Championship medals dangling from their necks. Palekanda Bopaiah (95) and Belliappa (86) won two medals each.
While Bopaiah won gold in the 100-m race category and a silver in the javelin throw, Belliappa’s golden moment came in the 1500-m walking race and a bronze medal in the 100-m race. “My elder brother actually came first in the javelin throw. However, there were some technical problems, which could not be rectified despite our efforts to convince the jury,” said Belliappa.
“It was tough to get through the registration process,” he said, “because the championship lacked authoritative representation from the nation. Fortunately, Mohan S, a scientist, from Chintamani of Chikkaballapur, helped us.” Mohan bagged a gold medal in the long jump in the 30-plus category.
“Without Mohan, we would not have won these medals. He helped us with the documentation. We will never forget him,” he said.
Meanwhile, 77-year-old Machamma also won a silver medal in the javelin throw. The brothers are now looking forward to take part in the Master Games Championship in South Korea in May. However, they are worried about arranging finances.
“Australian athletes are supported by their government. We hope that our government also supports us,” Belliappa said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / Express News Service / March 18th, 2023
In 1997, Pandanda M Kuttappa, a retired bank employee, wanted to channelise this hockey craze to unite Kodavas and explore the potential of the talent in the region.
Members of different families get ready for Kodava Family Hockey Festival at Napoklu in Kodagu district of Karnataka. | Photo Credit: H S Manjunath
It was a sunny Saturday morning when this reporter reached the General Thimmayya stadium at Napoklu village in Kodagu district. The men, women and children gathered at the stadium were eager to showcase their hockeyplaying talent.
More than 3,000 hockey talents from Kodava community (with a population of around 1.5 lakh) converge in a Kodagu village during the summer months to vie for the coveted family hockey title. This time it was the turn of the Appachettolanda family to host the hockey festival at Napoklu from March 18 to April 9.
Ask a Kodava, he/she proudly says that it is a festival, and does not call it as a tournament. So the organisers have aptly named it as hockey ‘namme’ (festival in Kodava language).
It is better to know a bit about Kodavas. A majority of people from Kodava community live in Kodagu district of Karnataka.
When you interact with Kodavas, they take pride in their representation in the armed forces — which include the personalities such as Field Marshall KM Cariappa and General KS Thimmayya — and in sports, especially in hockey.
There are more than 800 families of Kodavas with each having a unique name. Of them, 336 families are participating in this year’s hockey festival. The size of the families ranges from 100 to 400 people.
Interacting with businessline on the sidelines of the event, Pandanda Bopanna, President of the Kodava Hockey Academy, says “Hockey is in the blood of a Kodava.”
History of Kodava family hockey so far
chart
Festival objectives
In 1997, Pandanda M Kuttappa, a retired bank employee, wanted to channelise this hockey craze to unite Kodavas and explore the potential of the talent in the region. Kuttappa and his brother Pandanda Kashi Ponnappa started a family-led hockey festival in Kodagu keeping four objectives in mind.
According to Pandanda Bopanna (Kuttappa’s son), the first objective was to bring harmony within the Kodava community and families. Though many Kodavas were participating in national and internation hockey matches, they were not seen playing in their homeland.
The second objective of Kuttappa was to give an opportunity for local Kodavas to witness in real-time the game of their national and international players.
Pandanda Bopanna, President of the Kodava Hockey Academy | Photo Credit: H S Manjunath
Thirdly, Kuttappa wanted to provide a platform for youngsters in the community to showcase their talent, and take a step forward in their sporting career. Fourthly, the event also acted as a matrimonial platform and ended up in marriages in many cases.
Invests retirement benefit
Bopanna says that his father had invested his retirement benefits for hosting the first edition of the family hockey festival.
The first edition of the event, hosted by the Pandanda family, was named as Pandanda cup, and it saw the participation of 60 family teams. (The event was not organised in 2019 due to the 2018 Kodagu floods and landslides. Covid forced the organisers to refrain from hosting the event in 2020, 2021 and 2022.)
On the record participation of 336 teams this year, Bopanna says nowhere in the world would any hockey festival or tournament be played with such a large number of teams and players in one location.
Gender, age no bar
Gender and age are not a bar in this event. Men, women, and children can be the members of a team.
The only condition is that they should be from the same family. Women have the option to represent the family they are married to, or their paternal family. This year’s participation includes people in the age group of 6 to 84 years.
Highlighting her experience, Shivachaliyanda Dechakka, a 10th standard student from a sports hostel, says her family team won the first match, and lost the second one. She says it was a good experience for her to play with seniors.
While many teams have at least one woman representation, there are a few without them. In fact, the Kethira family had representation of five women, including the goalkeeper, in their team of 11.
Aman Poonacha from Palanganda family, an 8th standard student from Bengaluru, says he made his first entry as a player in his family team in a match on Saturday. However, he was not happy with his performance.
Confluence of youth and experience Several stars from Indian hockey make it a point to be the representative of their families in the family cup.
KK Poonacha of Koothanda family, a former international player and former coach of Indian women’s team, who had just finished a match earlier on Saturday, says that he has been attending the family hockey cup matches since 1998, and his family team has won the cup in four editions.
KK Poonacha of Koothanda family, a former international player and former coach of Indian women’s team | Photo Credit: H S Manjunath
Showing the five stars on his family hockey jersey, Ajay Ayyappa of Palanganda family, who works in the Department of Central Excise and GST in Bengaluru, says that he makes it a point to attend the hockey festival every year, and adds that his brother Amar Aiyamma, a former Indian player, will be playing in the next matches.
According to Pandanda Bopanna, former Indian team players such as Nithin Thimmaiah of Mekerira family, Pradhan Somaiah of Pudiyokkada family, PL Thimmanna of Puliyanda family, PU Bopanna of Pullangada family, and the former India Junior player KP Somaiah of Kuppand family are participating in the matches this year.
A boy is seen practising hockey at Napoklu. | Photo Credit: H S Manjunath
Terming this hockey festival as a good platform for beginners, KK Poonacha says they will get to play with the experienced players of national and international repute. This will be a good scouting ground for hockey talent also.
Stating that youngsters are motivated to play when they witness players of national and international repute, Ajay Ayyappa says it is like giving life to hockey again through this hockey festival, as people at the grassroots level are playing less these days.
Behind the scene
Appachettolanda Manu Muthappa, coordinator of the Appachettolanda Hockey Festival, says that his family has around 180 members, and they are actively participating in the smooth conduct of this event.
On resource mobilisation for organising the event, he says contribution of the amount from the family members and support from the public and corporates help them generate resources for the event. The State government has also been helping with funds for the event for some years.
A special gallery has been set up at the venue at a cost of around ₹35-40 lakh, and it can accommodate up to 25,000 people.
Appachettolanda Manu Muthappa, coordinator of the Appachettolanda Hockey Festival | Photo Credit: H S Manjunath
Deepak Chengappa of Nayakanda family, who is the Tournament Director, says that 21 matches are being conducted every day. The event has five jury members. Around 200 members, including the technical teams of Hockey Coorg and the whole Appachettolanda family, are helping him in the smooth operation of the event.
The event has four national referees, and 15 state referees. With an intention to encourage youngsters to take up refereeing as a profession, nine degree students are undergoing training here, he adds.
‘Encourage talent’
Kishor Cariappa from the Ammatanda family says that even though a lot of promising players take part in the Kodava Hockey Festival, their talent goes unnoticed once the tournament is over.
“Steps should be taken by Hockey Karnataka and Hockey India to hand-pick potential talent and start grooming them. Even though 336 teams took part this year, Hockey India officials were conspicuous by their absence. Organisers should make efforts to invite hockey think tanks in India to the event,” he adds.
Kishor Cariappa feels that the Karnataka government can help build two hockey venues with stands for Kodagu Hockey Festival in south and north Kodagu so that organising committees don’t have to spend lakhs of rupees on curating pitches every year.
Do you know who hosted the event?
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Future plans
Pandanda Bopanna says that three families have been finalised to host the next three editions of the hockey festival.
“We are encouraging other families who have not hosted so far to come forward and host. It is an opportunity to gain experience. It is not easy to host such a big event. It gives the family time to bond and also gives their youngsters a chance of hosting an event,” he adds.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> Sports / by A J Vinayak / April 04th, 2023
The Kodava hockey festival is a vibrant, month-long celebration held between March and April. The festival exudes the ambience and excitement of a mela with its draped festoons, welcome arches, and numerous stalls.
Come summer, and it’s hockey festival time in Kodagu. When schools close for summer vacation and coffee plantations take a break, Kodava families from around the world head home to participate in the Kodava Hockey Namme (festival) held in Kodagu (Coorg). It is time for Kodavas to battle with their hockey sticks at this tournament held in their home turf. With hundreds of families participating, the tournament is recognized as one of the largest field hockey tournaments in the world and finds a mention in the Limca Book of Records.
The Kodava hockey festival is a vibrant, month-long celebration held between March and April. The festival exudes the ambience and excitement of a mela with its draped festoons, welcome arches, and numerous stalls selling everything from automobiles to food. It is also an occasion for the Kodavas to dress up in traditional attire and participate in the procession and cultural programmes. Dancing and music add to the fun and frolic. One has to be here during the festival to experience the fierce pride of Kodavas in their glorious heritage, which they jealously guard.
Procession of Kodava women in their traditional attire
The genesis of the hockey festival can be traced back to 1997. It was the brainchild of late Pandanda Kuttappa, a former banker and State league referee. He is said to have conceptualised the festival after realising the deterioration in the standards of hockey played in the district. He hit upon the idea for a tournament among the families in order to encourage more youngsters to take up the sport.
The first editions of the festival were held in the village of Karada with 60 families competing. The festival has no permanent venue, something organisers are striving to achieve, and the festival has been held across the district in previous years.
Kodava children flaunt their traditional dress
The tournament started with the dual purpose of paying rich tribute to the sport in the region, and bringing together players in thousands in order to identify the best talents for the country. Over the years, more than 50 Kodavas have represented India in international hockey, earning their district the title of ‘Cradle of Indian hockey’. Hockey is to Kodagu what cricket is to India. It is common to find hockey sticks in every home.
This annual festival is hosted by a different family each year and will be known by the name of the host family. A family may not host the event more than once. Families apply to the Kodava Hockey Academy expressing interest and are allotted the tournament after evaluation. In a lifetime, a Kodava will only get to see their family host the cup once. For the 800-odd families in Kodagu, it has become a matter of pride and honour to host this iconic tournament. This is one of the reasons why family members from far and near take leave and arrive in droves to participate in the much- awaited festival games.
Appachettolanda, the host family of the 23rd edition of the Kodava Hockey Festival
The hockey festival has accomplished what perhaps nothing else could have — uniting distant families. It is the time for annual family reunions in their ancestral homes. What makes this festival distinctive is that it remains a family-oriented event, which has morphed into a major sporting event and festival in the country. Besides uniting warring relatives and families torn by strife, the hockey event is also a platform for community members to discuss and transact trade and business, besides scouting for marital alliances.
After a hiatus of four years due to floods and the pandemic, this year the hockey festival kickstarted with renewed vigour and energy. “This year (the 23rd edition) the Appachettolanda family is organising the event under the aegis of Kodava Hockey Academy. The festival is held at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crores, raised through contributions from the families, a grant from the Karnataka Government, and through sponsorships. More than 350 teams will participate in the festival this time. While the winning team will be given a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, the runner-up will get Rs 2 lakh, and the teams that came third and fourth will get Rs 1 lakh each,” said Manu Muthappa, convener, Appachettolanda Hockey Festival.
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An interesting feature of the festival is that both men women take part in the matches and there is no restriction on age. The only rule for forming a team is that all members must be from the same family and can include children and grown-ups from both genders. Young boys and girls, fathers, mothers, uncles, professionals, and even former Olympian heroes are all players. The women have the choice of playing for their in-laws’ team or their parents’ team. There have been instances when three generations of players have played together in a single match.
The festival is also ideal for talent spotting. Sometimes, officials from the Sports Authority of India arrive here to select players who are then offered training and equipment. Some of them have gone on to become state and national players. Plans are afoot to set up a hockey stadium to offer more facilities to budding players from the district. It is heartening that there is a growing interest among the younger generation in the hockey festival. But there is a need for more stadiums and turfs to facilitate more players to practise regularly.
Schedule of the hockey festival: General Thimmaiah Stadium, Napoklu, from March 18 to April 10.
Misty Woods Resort is an ideal place to stay to cover the hockey festival as it is within driving distance from the venue.
All pics by Susheela Nair.
Susheela Nair is an independent food, travel and lifestyle writer and photographer contributing articles, content and images to several national publications besides organising seminars and photo exhibitions. Her writings span a wide spectrum which also includes travel portals and guide books, brochures and coffee table books.
source: http://www.thenewsminute.com / The News Minute / Home> Features> Sports & Culture / by Susheela Nair / March 27th, 2023
Bopanna thus surpassed Daniel Nestor of Canada, who had claimed the 2015 Cincinnati Masters to become the oldest champion at the age of 42.
Matthew Ebden, of Australia, left, and teammate Rohan Bopanna, of India, hold up the men’s doubles winner’s trophy at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament.(Photo |AP)
Indian Wells :
India’s Rohan Bopanna became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion when he and his Australian partner Matt Ebden claimed the men’s doubles crown at the BNP Paribas Open here.
The 43-year-old Bopanna and Ebden, 35, defeated top-seeded Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Neil Skupski of Britain 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 in the final on Saturday.
“Truly special. It’s called Tennis Paradise for a reason,” said Bopanna, who was playing in his 10th ATP Masters 1000 final.
“I’ve been, over the years, coming here and seeing all these guys win for so many years. I’m really happy that Matt and I were able to do this and get this title here.
“It’s been some tough matches, close matches. Today we played against one of the best teams out there. Really happy that we got the trophy.”
Bopanna thus surpassed Daniel Nestor of Canada, who had claimed the 2015 Cincinnati Masters to become the oldest champion at the age of 42.
“I spoke to Danny Nestor and I told him sorry I’m going to beat his record,” he joked.
“Winning the title, that stays with me, so really happy with that. ” It was the 43-year-old’s fifth Masters 1000 doubles title and first since he won in Monte Carlo in 2017.
This was the third final of the year for the Indo-Australian duo.
He now holds 24 tour-level trophies in his cabinet.
The Indo-Australian pair stunned defending and two-time desert titlists John Isner and Jack Sock in the semi-finals, while getting the better off Canadian singles stars Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov in the quarters.
Bopanna and Ebden had defeated Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez in their opening match.
A former World No.3, Bopanna jumped four places to No.11 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Rankings.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sports> Tennis / by PTI / March 19th, 2023
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