Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

I will do south films only if I need a change: Gulshan Devaiah

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

New Delhi:

Actor Gulshan Devaiah is content with the way his career has shaped up in Bollywood and wants to focus on working in the Hindi film world despite being offered several projects across southern languages.

“Although I watch films in Tamil, Kannada and Telugu and even understand few of these languages, I never had the inclination to become an actor in the south,” Gulshan told IANS at the ongoing 17th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

In Bollywood, he currently has two projects - 'Cabaret' and 'Love Affair'.
In Bollywood, he currently has two projects – ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Love Affair’.

“I’ve been getting offers in the south, especially from Telugu industry. Since 2011, I’ve been getting about four southern projects each year, but it has always been my dream to work in Hindi films,” said the ‘Shaitan’ star, who hails from Bengaluru.

Asked if he’d ever work in the south, he said: “If I ever really look for a change, then I’d probably think of doing some interesting projects.”

At the fest, Gulshan’s 2012 critically acclaimed film ‘Peddlers’ will have its India premiere. It also featured in the Film Market, an initiative to facilitate a much-needed opportunity for filmmakers in India to get their movie made or distributed.

In Bollywood, he currently has two projects – ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Love Affair’.

source: http://www.ibnlive.com / IBNLive – CNN IBN / Home> IBNLive> India / IANS / October 31st, 2015

Worked in ‘Peddlers’ purely out of love: Gulshan Devaiah

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Gulshan Devaiah, who worked in Vasan Bala’s critically acclaimed film “Peddlers”, still considers it a labour of love.

“This project is very close to my heart. I don’t think I’ve worked on a film so far in my career purely out of love. If I ask me to choose my best performance from my films so far, I’d pick ‘Peddlers’ without a doubt,” Gulshan Devaiah said.
“This project is very close to my heart. I don’t think I’ve worked on a film so far in my career purely out of love. If I ask me to choose my best performance from my films so far, I’d pick ‘Peddlers’ without a doubt,” Gulshan Devaiah said.

It’s been three years since actor Gulshan Devaiah worked in Vasan Bala’s critically acclaimed film “Peddlers” and he still considers it a labour of love.

“This project is very close to my heart. I don’t think I’ve worked on a film so far in my career purely out of love. If I ask me to choose my best performance from my films so far, I’d pick ‘Peddlers’ without a doubt,” Gulshan told IANS.

Also starring Nimrat Kaur, Nishikant Kamat, Kriti Malhotra and Siddharth Menon, the film is jointly produced by Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap.

Despite receiving critical response when it was screened at International Critics’ Week, an independent film event which runs parallel to the Cannes International Film Festival, the movie still awaits theatrical release.

“Guneet has been working on strategy to release the film and it wasn’t possible then. She’s someone who doesn’t release her film just for the heck of it,” said Gulshan, and added the film hasn’t aged.
“This is not one of those glossy commercial films that have to be released within a time period. It’s very realistic and it’s not set in a particular time zone, so audiences will relate to it even if it’s released five years from now,” he said.

It’s a “very special” film for the “Shaitan” star because it gave him an opportunity to be a part of the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival.

“I remember the festival director telling us that they’ve been waiting for such an Indian film for a very long time. It felt so nice and encouraging,” he added.

On working in the film, Gulshan said the experience was “enjoyable”.

“Vasan is a very organic director and having worked with Anurag Kashyap; he knows his craft well and he’s also sort of has taken it to another level with this film,” he said.

“He knows how to pick his actors and extract the best out of them. He didn’t have a screenplay and therefore, handpicked actors who’d help him in creating scenes without writing them. It was a very creative process for all of us,” he revealed.

At the ongoing 17th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, “Peddlers” had its India premiere and had won everybody over.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Bollywood / November 03rd, 2015

Free eye testing camp from today

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

Ashwini Hospital will conduct a free eye testing camp till November 10, according to a press release. The camp will be held in various parts of the district on November 4 and 5.

An interaction with the participants will be held on November 6 at 1.30 pm and the inaugurating of the eye testing camp will be done on the occasion.

Schedule

On November 4, the testing will be done at Ponnappasante Primary School, Balele, Kanooru, Kutta, Srimangala, Hudikeri hospital, Ponnampet Sri Ramakrishna Sevashrama Hospital, Chettalli, Siddapur, Ammatti, Palibetta, Gonikoppa, Virajpet hospital, Titimati Primary school, Virajpet R I, H P Hospital, Bailukoppa Primary school, Bettadapura hospital, Chikkanerale, Halahanahalli, Kanagal, Attigoodu, Ravandoor, Sangara Chettalli, Hadya, Kittoor, Kellur hospitals, Chapparahalli Primary School, Kelaganahalli, N Shettalli anganwadi centres, Makodu Ayurveda hospitals, Koppa PHC, Maradooru gate, Tammadahalli and Avarti Primary School.

On November 5, the camps will be held at Madapur, Somvarpet, Shantalli, Alooru Siddapura, Shanivarasanthe, Kodlipet hospital, Bettageri Primary School, Napoklu, Bhagamandala, Cherambane Sampaje hospital, Made Co-op society, Koinadu Sri Ganapathy Kalamandira, Shirangala, Hebbale, Koodige, Suntikoppa, Moornadu hospital, Kushalnagar hospital and Rotary Hall, Basavanahalli Lamp Society and Haakattoor Charaka Chikitsalaya.

On November 6, the eye testing and surgery will be done between 9 am and 2 pm.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, November 04th, 2015

A Platter Full of Coorg

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Coorg or Kodagu, which is tucked up high in the Western Ghats, has been a tourist attraction for long. Perhaps a lesser-known facet of this land of pungent greenery and winding roads is its exquisite cuisine, which, despite its patronage among the connoisseurs of food, have largely flown under the popular radar.

What stands out when it comes to Coorgi cuisine is their unabashed embrace of non-vegetarian food, which they serve for their weddings and other festivities. The cooking ingredients are all home-grown and limited by provincial availability. Maybe this explains why the cuisine does not enjoy a widespread popularity.

Kochiites can get a taste of the delectable cuisine this coming week at the Coorgi food festival hosted by Casino Hotel’s Tharavadu Restaurant.

The hotel staff say the festival was long overdue as the customers have long been demanding Coorgi varieties on the restaurant’s menu. “All the dishes are made with authentic Coorgi ingredients, which are sourced from Thankamma Monappa of Berries and Leaves in Coorg. They send us the ingredients as dried powder so that it does not get spoiled,” says Dinuj Viswanathan, the restaurant manager. “The Coorgi cuisine shares a lot with the Kerala style, especially in their generous use of coconut in many of their dishes. But they do not use coconut oil to cook, which is a major departure. We have made changes to the way the dishes are prepared to cater to local taste buds,” say executive chef Asif Ali.

ChefAsifAliKF25oct2015

A major highlight is the Pandi Curry (pork curry), which is made by using sliced pork pieces and is cooked in its fat. “The preparation uses kachampuli (a dark vinegar and a mainstay of many Coorgi dishes) and pepper paste,” says assistant chef Mehboob. Another major attraction is Kaime Unde Barthada, which is poached and fried meatballs (mutton).

CoorgiCrabKF25oct2015

The other dishes include the Coorgi Spicy Fried Pork (Pandi Barthad), Puthari Curry (Stewed Kidney Beans with bitter gourd and salted fish), Spicy Coorg Crab Curry, Coorg Chicken Fry, Kaad Mange Curry (made using ‘kartha masala’, the typical dark, dry roasted spice mix of Coorg cuisine) and desserts like Karjikais (puffs with a vanilla flavoured coconut filling). Also featured are some favorites like Kadamputtu (round, steamed rice puttus, faintly glossy on the outside, firm and moist in texture), Paputtu (creamy cardamom-scented rice cakes) and the ever-so-famous Bella Kappi (traditional Coorg coffee sweetened with jaggery).

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Saumesh Thimbath / October 24th, 2015

The Tamara Carnival – music, dance and culture this Christmas

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

The Tamara Hotel in Coorg, has launched a new product for this festive season, The Tamara Carnival, a fusion of food, music, dance and drama events taking place from 21st December 2015 through to 4th January 2016.

This event promises to be a one-of-a-kind global festival to showcase India’s great social and cultural heritage through music and dance. Not only will Indian culture be showcased, Western music and entertainment will also be catered for through a Blues Band and even a stand up comedian.

This is intended to be the first Tamara Carnival and a signature event of The Tamara prior to taking the carnival forward as a brand to be held accross its other properties in the future.

Speaking on The Tamara Carnival, Mr. Senthil Kumar N, Director and CEO of The Tamara said “The Tamara Carnival is a signature offering of The Tamara and is aimed at elevating and enriching guest experience. The festival has a signature activity daily so that not one day during the festival is the same. Whilst staying at The Tamara Coorg, every guest can enjoy live performances from artists across the country in addition to the treks, coffee plantation visits yoga sessions, and spa treatments already avilable at The Tamara Hotel.” Mr.Kumar added, “The idea is to create this festival franchise, grow it organically and collaborate with the best international and domestic partners to create a niche in enriching guest experience.”

www.thetamaracarnival.com

source: http://www.sourcewire.com / SourceWire, News Distritbution / Wednesday – October 21st, 2015

The Timeless Allure of Kodagu

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Nature
Dubare Reserve Forest is a great place to ride on elephants | Manjusha Naik
Dubare Reserve Forest is a great place to ride on elephants | Manjusha Naik

Kodagu, also known as Coorg or Kodava Nadu, is undoubtedly one of the best places I’ve visited. It is Karnataka’s well-known tourist attraction and known for it’s coffee plantations, oranges and various spices. Kodavas are the most dominant community at Kodagu.

Kodava cuisine is famous for its bamboo shoot curry, rice rotti and Kadumbuttu-rice dumplings, usually consumed with Pandi (pork) curry. It is also known for its homemade wines made of grapes, sugarcane, beetel nuts, orange, chikoo and gooseberry. These wines are made out of carefully handpicked fruits and are available at the local stores. Homemade chocolates are quite famous too. Honey and Kachampuli (vinegar) are the favourites of the locals.

Buddhist shrine at Bylakuppe
Buddhist shrine at Bylakuppe

I loved visiting the Dubare Reserve Forest and Elephant Camp and running into over 150 elephants. The Buddhist temple and monasteries at Bylakuppe was another delight. I loved photographing the cheerful monks, the multi-coloured Tibetan flags strung across the sky and the detailed murals.

The serenity here evokes within a sense of stirring spirituality and the feeling of being above it all continues when you visit Abbi or Abbey falls, located amid the lush coffee plantations. This place is best visited during monsoon. As I walked across the bridge near the falls for a better view of the scenic beauty, I was mesmerised.

Raja’s seat, located in Madikeri, is known for it’s beautiful view of the valleys that are covered by mists early in the morning. Sunsets here are worth watching too.

I clicked a lot of pictures too at the Nagarhole National Park with the beautiful Kabini lake. There was much to photograph here, including tigers, leopards, wild boar and deer. For a better visual access to the national park, visit it in the summer as during monsoon this place is overgrown by lush forests.

Talacauvery, located in the Brahmagiri hills, is a sacred place where River Kaveri originates. It attracts tourists from all over the world. During the Kaveri Sankramana festival, there are hundreds of people here, trying to collect holy water.

I also visited the Kandi Makki Devastana at the Arji village, Virajpet, in the month of March. A special pooja was held here for about three-and-a-half days for the deities Murthillu, Muthappan, Puakka, Korathi, Potathere and so on. It has been about eight months now since my visit and I am still overwhelmed by the way I felt when I stepped into this sacred place.

Kodagu has a pleasant weather throughout the year. Between June and August, there is heavy rainfall. There are plenty of homestays and resorts. The most recommended ones are The Orange County in Virajpet, Tamara in Yavakapdi village and Amanvana and Honey Pot in Madikeri.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Manjusha Naik / October 22nd, 2015

Thousands witness Teertodbhava

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Devotees thronged to collect teertha after the Teertodbhava at Talacauvery in Kodagu on Sunday.
Devotees thronged to collect teertha after the Teertodbhava at Talacauvery in Kodagu on Sunday.

Several devotees reached Talacauvery ahead of the scheduled event

The annual spectacle of ‘Teertodbhava’, symbolising the emerging of holy water from the ‘Brahmakundike’, a tiny niche at the foothills of the Brahmagiri Hills at Talacauvery in Kodagu, occurred at 12.15 a.m. amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns by priests on Sunday. The Cauvery originates from Talacauvery.

Thousands thronged the spot to catch a glimpse of the occurrence. Many devotees had reached Talacauvery much ahead of the scheduled event. “Everything went off well,” Manu Muthappa, president of the Bhagandeshwara-Talacauvery Temple Management Committee, said.

Devotees streamed into Bhagamandala to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangama, offer prayers and proceed towards Talacauvery, located about eight km away. The district police had a tough time controlling devotees. Priests sprinkled ‘teertha’ on the devotees as soon as it emerged from the Brahmakundike.

The water is not allowed to overflow from the niche, since it is considered inauspicious.

Distribution of teertha will take place on Sunday evening and Monday morning. The entire area had a festive appearance with people scrambling to carry ‘teertha’ from the birthplace of the river.

There is also a tradition of the devout performing rites in memory of the deceased and adequate arrangements were in place to cater to the devotees. Public representatives, administration and police officers were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by V. Paneesha And / Madikeri – Mysuru, October 19th, 2015

Talacauvery geared up for Theerthodbhava tonight

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Madikeri (Kodagu) :

Talacauvery, the birth place of River Cauvery in Kodagu district, is all set for Cauvery Theerthodbhava to occur at 12.15 am (Sunday).

Inspecting the preparations, Kodagu DC Meer Anis Ahmed and Additional DC Satish Kumar yesterday visited the pilgrim towns of Bhagamandala and Talacauvery.

DC Ahmed, speaking to media persons, said that about 700 cops and 47 officers, 42 women constables and 150 Home Guards would be posted on security duty during the Theerthodbhava in which thousands of devotees from the State and neighbouring States will take part.

Kodagu Ekikarana Ranga will serve breakfast to the devotees, he said and added that temporary toilets had been built for the convenience of visitors at both Talacauvery and Bhagamandala.

This apart, the KSRTC will run special bus services from Madikeri to Talacauvery today.

Traffic regulation:
In an effort to avoid congestion of traffic on the occasion of the Theerthodbhava, the district administration has regulated movement of vehicles towards Talacauvery and Bhagamandala on NH-275 by imposing one-way rule.

All vehicles traveling towards Talacauvery and Bhagamandala on Mysuru-Bantwal NH-275 have been asked to take a right turn near Thalathamane and pass through Appangala-Bettageri.

Likewise vehicles returning from Talacauvery and Bhagamandala have been instructed to pass through Bettageri-Appangala-Katakeri road to join Mysuru-Bantawal Highway and the restrictions would be in force till 6 pm on Sunday.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / October 17th, 2015

Continue exemption to possess firearms, demand literary bodies

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders

The Kodava Sahitya Academy and Arebhashe Samskriti Mathu Sahitya Academy will urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to continue the exemption to possess firearms under Section 3 and 4 of the Indian Arms Act.

At a meeting convened on Wednesday, to collect public opinion on the issue, the Kodava Sahitya Academy president B S Thammaiah said that a delegation under the leadership of MP Prathap Simha would be taken to Delhi to impress upon the Home Ministry.

“The public should give their opinion on exemption to possess firearms in writing. All the written opinions will be compiled and submitted to the Central government,” he said.

Arebhashe Samskriti Haagu Sahitya Academy President Kolyada Girish said, “There are several burning issues in Kodagu. Now, the issue of exemption to possess firearms has appeared. We are not ready to lose the exemption given to us.”

Napoklu Kodava Samaja President Uthappa demanded, “Exemption to possess firearms by every person of Coorg race and every Jamma holder should be continued.”

P J Ayyappa said the circular issued by the British rules mentions the term ‘Coorg race.’ There is a need to define the term ‘race’ to make the officials and the government understand, he insisted.

Kudukuli Bharath said, “All the traditional dwellers of Kodagu come under Coorg by race. I had availed exemption to possess firearms way back in 1976.

“The exemption is not restricted to Kodavas alone. It is related to all the traditional dwellers of Kodagu. We have to protect our rights.”

Kodagu Gowda Vidya Sangha member and Advocate Dayanand concurred, “The exemption to possess firearms has been given to ‘gallant people of Coorg’, according to a circular issued by the British Commissioner Cubbon in 1861. The circular does not mention one community alone.

“The ‘Coorg race’ is not restricted to one caste or creed alone. The circular on Coorg race has been misunderstood by the officials. The exemption enjoyed by the traditional dwellers of Kodagu prior to 1976 should be continued.”

Codava Makkada Coota President Bolajjeera Ayyappa said, “Coorg, by race, is only Kodava community. There is no need to create confusion in this regard.”

List of communities
Kodava Bhashikara Sangha District President Sara Changappa said, “When K G Bopaiah was the Speaker of the Assembly, the State government had submitted a list of communities that come under ‘Coorg by race’ to the Kodagu deputy commissioner. The list includes all the traditional dwellers of Kodagu.”

Advocate Yaladaalu Manoj Bopaiah said, “The exemption given by the British regime is continued by the Central government through a circular. The exemption is not a legislation passed in the Parliament. In case the government feels that the exemption will create discrimination among communities, then it will be withdrawn. The right is not bestowed on a particular community. Instead, it is given to the residents of a geographical area. There is a need to convince the government that the exemption has been availed by the Codavas, Arebhashe Gowdas and other community members in the district.”

Legislators K G Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan should impress upon the Home Ministry through Union Minister for Law Sadananda Gowda, he said and added, “As we do not have time, we have to act swiftly.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS, Madideri – October 15th, 2015