Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Metal detector to check tourists in Raja Seat

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Science & Technology, Uncategorized

Detector has been installed in the wake of Hyderabad bomb blasts

In the backdrop of bomb explosion in Hyderabad three days ago, the police have tightened security in Madikeri city which is one of the major tourism hubs in the State.

rajaseatKF02mar2013As a part of the improvised security measures, metal detector has been installed in Raja Seat garden that draws thousands of visitors from across the nation every day.

The police personnel have been posted in some of the key areas in the city including bus stands and tourism places. However, tight security is provided to Raja Seat on priority basis as large number of tourists throng to this garden, especially on week ends. The metal detector installed at the entry gate of the garden will function on three days in a week including Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Bomb Detection Squad which functions under Kodagu District Police Department has installed this metal detector. A team of nine personnel are operating in this squad and the personnel have undergone special training at a training centre in Bangalore.

In case a bomb is traced, a special Bomb Diffusing Squad will arrive from Bangalore to diffuse the bomb. According to the police sources, in the wake of bomb blasts in the nation, the number of police personnel guarding the Madikeri bus stand too has been increased. The general public who are accustomed to undergo examination from metal detector in bigger cities like Bangalore and Mysore, are co-operating in Madikeri too.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Kodagu Superintendent of Police M N Anucheth said that metal detector has been installed at Raja Seat as a preventive measure in the wake of Hyderabad twin bomb blasts. “As the terrorists mostly target more populated areas, metal detectors are installed in such places. Raja Seat and bus stand are under special scrutiny in Madikeri,” he said.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Madikeri, DHNS / February 24th, 2013

Big bird day : Bird-watching event all over Kodagu

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Mysore, Feb. 23 :

Big Bird Day (BBD), a major bird-watching event will take place across the length and breadth of Kodagu district tomorrow in which more than 25 teams of ornithology enthusiasts have enlisted to assimilate data about the winged creatures.

The “Big Bird Day” is an initiative that was initially started by the ‘Delhi Bird Watchers’ in 2004. The underlying concept of this initiative is “Bird Watching” for the entire day in order to accumulate the highest possible number of species in the region. This year it has become a Pan-India event for the first time. There are more than 200 enlisted teams, making this the largest BBD event for the first time. There are close to 1500 participants all over India. Birders go individually or in small groups, watch birds in certain areas and report the sightings by the end of the day, according to Dr. Bishan Monnappa, a well known orthopaedic in Virajpet and an avid photographer, who is BBD Co-ordinator for Kodagu.

“Despite Kodagu being a difficult terrain, a lot of volunteers have come forward to participate in this event. It will be an educative event which is non-competitive and non-commercial,” said Dr. Monnappa

This event will provide valuable scientific data regarding the rich avian life of India. Pending the success of this event, future plans are to be implemented to cover those areas with the assistance of the Forest Department. Contact Dr. Bishan Monnappa at bishancm@yahoo.com

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> General News / February 23rd, 2013

This school is 100 years old

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All

Ponnampet Government Higher Model Primary School near Gonikoppa is completing 100 years of existence.

A programme to mark the celebrations will be held on April 7 and 8.

The school was started in 1861. It is one of the English Kannada Medium School started by the British in Kodagu.

The school has 1.28 acre land and was donated by Maneyapanda Monnappa.
Cheppudeera Madayya and his son Rao Bahaddur Thimmaiah Subedhar constructed the building in memory of his father and grand father Diwan Cheppudeera Ponnappa.

Acchiyanda Kalamayya was the first head master of the school. A health centre was constructed adjacent to the school in 1912. The land for the health centre was donated by Chetrumada family. The centre was constructed in the memory of King V George.

As the time rolled, a separate school was started for female children. The land for the school was donated by Sundar Singh. Later, the school was upgraded as composite high school in 1944.

A hall was constructed behind the school in 1936. The compound walls have been constructed utilising the funds available under MGNREGA. Retired head teacher M S Kushalappa has given drinking water facility to the school.

At present, 600 children are pursuing their education in the school. The school is getting decked up for the centenary celebrations. The students are getting ready to present cultural programmes.

Shathamanotsava Samithi president M S Kushalappa said that old students association has been constituted. In the memory of centenary celebrations, an open stage at a cost of Rs 12 lakh is being constructed.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / DHNS / /Gonikoppa, February 26th, 2013

Social service award for Harshika

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


Actress Harshika Poonacha is in an all time high as the actress received an award for social service recently. An excited Harshika posted a picture of her holding the award on Twitter and tweeted saying, “My first award for Social service :)) feels honoured :))”

The actress was last seen in Crazy Loka directed by Kavita Lankesh that had actors Ravichandran, Surya, Harshika and Daisy Bopanna in lead roles. She is currently awaiting the release of her next flick Advaitha that will see her pairing up with Ajai Rao for the first time. She also has Bithri opposite Srikanth and Ale with Thanush and Aviva Bidapa up for release.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Entertainment> Regional> Kannada / by Sharanya CR, TNN / February 25th, 2013

Nagesh Kukunoor at the wheel

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nature, Uncategorized

The filmmaker will be on the lookout for locations for a road movie while driving through south India in March

Image Credit: IANS / Nagesh Kukunoor will be part of ‘My Endeavour alterrain’ road trip through south India

Nagesh Kukunoor is ready to undertake a picturesque road journey to Coorg and Munnar and, while at it, he hopes to find the foundation of his new project — a road movie he has been wanting to make for a long time.

The acclaimed filmmaker and screenwriter, known for critically acclaimed movies such as Hyderabad Blues, Rockford and Iqbal, will undertake the journey as part of an adventure driving series, My Endeavour alterrain, by Ford India and National Geographic Channel.

“I want to use this journey as a foundation of a road movie that has been on my mind for a long time. I always wanted to do a road movie and I keep travelling a fair bit because of my work … you never know how stories get triggered,” Kukunoor said.

Is he going with a set story in mind?
“I have a specific thing, but I won’t tell you,” he said, flashing his dimpled smile.

“Well, I do have a loose story in mind and I want to see places that can work for that story. I want to see if I get something interesting … the thing with movies is that you plan something, and then something you absolutely didn’t plan takes shape. So you never know,” he added, hinting at a sense of uncertainty.

But excited he definitely is. Starting from Coorg to Coonoor to Palakkad to his final destination Munnar, Kukunoor is totally kicked about driving through scenic green terrains of the Western Ghats, replete with tea and coffee plantations, and waterfalls.

His companion? A camera crew!
“The camera is going to be my buddy.”
Uncomfortable will he be, then?
“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable because all these years, I have worked with the camera and fortunately or unfortunately, I have worked in front of the camera as well. So it doesn’t make me uncomfortable at all,” said Kukunoor, who has acted in some of his own directorials such as Rockford and Hyderabad Blues.
He is more excited about the trip, to start sometime in March, as when he first undertook it in 1995, he couldn’t complete it.

“I had once undertaken an extensive trip to south India, and Munnar and Coorg were on my map, but I gave up halfway to Coorg. That endeavour remains unfinished for me and this time I want to complete the journey,” he said.
Kukunoor, 45, remembers driving long stretches when he was a student in the United States.

“It has been a very long time that I personally drove long stretches. I have undertaken car journeys, but then you end up driving for a small section and hand over the wheels to someone else after a while. This is not going to be that — I am going to drive the entire stretch,” he said.

source: http://www.gulfnews.com / Tabloid / by IANS / February 25th, 2013

Nidhi Subbaiah celebrates birthday in Mumbai

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

Nidhi Subbaiah celebrated her birthday, which falls on February 16, with her closest friends in Mumbai. The Kannada actress, who is best remembered for her roles in Pancharangi and Krishnan Marriage Story, has now shifted to Mumbai, ever since she began shooting for her Bollywood films, a couple of years back.

Nidhi, who has had two releases to her credit – Oh My God! and Ajab Gazabb Love – has been living it up in Mumbai, say her close friends. The actress has been seen partying with her bunch of buddies from the industry there, which also includes her Ajab Gazabb Love co-star Jaccky Bhagnani.

Recently, Jaccky and Nidhi were in Bangalore, where they walked the ramp as the showstoppers for designer Ramesh Dembla at the Bangalore Fashion Week. Nidhi, we hear, is currently listening to a few scripts, but hasn’t narrowed down on any particular project to sign on. We also hear the actress has been receiving a few Kannada film offers to

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Entertainment> Regional> Kannada / by Sunayana Suresh, TNN / February 16th, 2013

I don’t take off my clothes on stage to look cooler: Nikhil

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

Nikhil Chinappa in a tell-all interview with TOI

Technology has changed how we listen to music. Do you welcome the change? Music channels earlier had VJs presenting their favourite songs. Then they were replaced by reality TV shows and other formats of presenting music because only a minuscule perctange wanted a VJ to present music. I feel that the trend will eventually shift to people listening to music on internet. One day you’ll also have a VJ on the internet who will present music. As more and more people people use smartphones, people will discover newer genres of music.

What do you like about the audience in Gujarat? The audience is very appreciative of good music here unlike the metros where people often don’t dance thinking that their make-up will fade, their hair will get messy. They feel that they are too cool to dance unlike Gujaratis here who like House music.

Classical musicians often say how Gen Y loves the western concept of partying and clubbing than Indian music. If you look at music across the world, then Eric Clapton will have more fans than Beethoven, and a Madonna will outsell all of them. But that doesn’t mean that any one of them is bad. Many artists complain how people don’t come to their events but nobody goes to the government and asks for permission to organize a national level classical festival where musicians across the world can participate. Just like there is a club scene and there are dance festivals in Goa, one could have classical music fests too!

Is deejaying lucrative? Deejaying pays my bills. But my cheques comes from working for music channels, dance festivals and RJ-ng. I connect with masses because I’m honest about what I like. I know that I am not a great DJ and there are many better than me, but I don’t take off my clothes on stage to look cooler. I feel that if you want to do something well, do it right, otherwise don’t bother.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Entertainment> Music / by Tanvi Trivedi, TNN / February 24th, 2013

Honoris Causa for Dr Kambara, Subbaiah, Kadri Gopalnath

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

Dr T Ramasami will deliver the convocation address
Former national coach of Indian men’s hockey team and social worker A B Subbaiah, Saxophone player Kadri Gopalnath and litterateur Dr Chandrashekhara Kambara will be conferred honorary doctorate degrees at the 31st annual convocation of Mangalore University, on February 23.

Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof T C Shivashankaramurthy said that Secretary to Government of India, Department of Science and Technology Dr T Ramasami will deliver the convocation address. Minister for Higher Education C T Ravi will grace the occasion. Chancellor H R Bharadwaj will preside over the programme.

The VC said that Anjaparavanda Bopaiah Subbaiah is a hockey player who had represented Indian team for 11 years and is presently serving as Secretary of Hockey Karnataka and has been mentoring youth to perform at higher level at the international arena. He has been into hockey for the last 30 years. He had represented Indian team in Barcelona Olympic Games, Atlanta Olympic Games, 8th World Cup at Sydney, 11th Asian Games, Beijing, 12th Asian Games, South Asian Federation Games and so on.

Subbaiah was the national coach of the Indian Men’s Hockey team for two years in 2003-04.

Kadri Gopalnath is an Indian Saxophonist and one of the pioneers of Carnatic music on saxophone. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2004. He has the distinction of being the first Carnatic Musician to be invited to perform in the BBC promenade concert in 1994 at London. He has participated in the Jazz festival in Prague, Berlin. He has won ‘Saxophone Chakravarthy,’ ‘Saxophone Samrat,’ ‘Ganakala Shree,’ ‘Nadopasana Brahma’ ‘Kalaimamani’ and other awards.

Dr Chandrashekhara Kambara is one of the leading dramatists of the country and is a poet, folklorist, novelist and a researcher. After a brief stint in teaching in the University of Chicago, he has taught in Bangalore University for over two decades and was a Fulbright Scholar.

He was the founder Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi. He has won prestigious Jnanpith award in 2011. Some of his work are ‘Anna tangi,’ ‘Karimaayi,’ Singarevva mattu aramane,’ ‘Shikhara Soorya,’ and others.

Degrees

The VC said that Mangalore University will award 84 Doctor of Philosophy degrees, which includes Arts—15, Science—59, Commerce—8, Education—2, seven Master of Philosophy degrees (science—6 and commerce—1).

There will be 36 gold medals and 55 cash prizes. About 60 ranks (PG—44, UG—16: Arts—12, science and technology—30, commerce—10, law—1, education—4 and PG diploma—3) will be given to the students.

A total of 1,406 students will receive the degree in person. The Syndicate of the University has decided to use university’s own funds to present gold medals to toppers in the university because the money deposited by donors of various gold medals is insufficient as the gold prices have skyrocketed in the past few years.

A sum of Rs 2,36,880 will be required for 36 gold medals. There was shortage of Rs 43,607, which will be borne by the university itself.

Years ago, donors instituted gold medals to encourage bright students. The interest from the fixed deposits was used to give the medals. Now, gold prices have shot up and the amount is not enough to finance the medals, said the VC.

The gold medal has 25 gram silver with 1.200 gram gold plated on it.

Degree for MCMS

The Mangalore University will award degree to students of 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 batch students of Master of Communication and Media Studies (MCMS) of St Aloysius College. Accordingly, 36 students will get the degree from the university.
Registrar Prof P S Yadapadithaya, Registrar (evaluation) Prof B Narayana was present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Mangalore, DHNS / February 21st, 2013

Nalknadu Aramane – Coorg’s Forgotten Palace

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All

In the midst of blossoming coffee bushes in interior Coorg lies a forgotten temple, the erstwhile capital of the Haleri kings.

Lakshmi Sharath –
The Nalknadu Aramane, the palace of the erstwhile Haleri dynasty of Coorg, now wears a forlorn look.

If stone walls do not a prison make, they do not make a palace either. However, in Coorg, you can find one such monument. Shrouded by dense coffee plantations, it hides behind its walls the secrets of the Haleri Dynasty that ruled the coffee country for more than 200 years from the 17th to the 19th centuries. I am on my way to discover this lost piece of history. Our journey takes us through mists and mountains as we drive through interior Coorg, looking for this historic monument that traces the origins and the end of this dynasty.

The mist plays with the mountains. The hills come alive. As we drive up the Western Ghats, the slopes are carpeted by coffee and cardamom plantations. It had rained just then and the coffee plantations are brimming with snowy-white blossoms sparkling like gems – a blend of diamonds and emeralds in a jeweled setting.

We drive through Virajpet and enter the Nalknadu region at Kakkabe. After paying our respects to the powerful deity Iguthuppa, we walk around the plantations and learn that Coorg’s tryst with coffee started right here in Nalknadu more than a couple of centuries ago. It is believed that the coffee seeds were planted right here by the Mopla community from Kerala who traded with the Arabs. The local people cultivated “wild coffee” here as small holdings came up on the fertile slopes of the Western Ghats that were too steep to grow rice.

We are not in Nalknadu for coffee. We are in search of a small palace hidden somewhere in the hills that had been witness to some events in the lives of the Haleri kings. The origin of the Haleri dynasty is traced to Veeraraja, a nephew of Sadashiva Nayaka of the Ikkeri dynasty who overthrew the local Nayaks, including the chieftains of Bhagamandala and Talacauvery, and went on to become the king of Kodagu with Haleri as its capital. His grandson, Mudduraja, later changed the capital to Madikeri. But our interest is in king Doddaveerarajendra who ruled in the 18th century and was constantly engaged in wars with Tipu Sultan. And that is where our search leads us.

We enter a small hamlet called Yavakapadi in Kakkabe, where the Nalknad Aramane built by Dodda Veerarajendra in the 18th century awaits us. There are coffee plantations all around. A small mud road appears out of nowhere. A beautiful two-storey structure painted in red with a tiled roof, old wall paintings and pillars, gazes at us as we open the portals of the palace. A small mandapa in white is located close by. A drizzle starts as we hear a sound behind us. A caretaker silently opens the main door for us. We are the only visitors. As we soak in the moment, we are given a capsule of history.

Hyder Ali captured Coorg when Lingaraja I died in 1780 and took the young princes, Dodda Veerarajendra and Linga Rajendra, captive. They were sent to a fort in Gorur and a minister ruled over Coorg. While Hyder Ali fought the British, the locals rebelled and overthrew the minister. Tipu Sultan recaptured Coorg, but Dodda Veerrajendra escaped. He fought relentlessly against Tipu Sultan and during one of the wars he retreated into a dense forest in Nalknad. He built a palace here and made it into his operation base and also got married to Mahadevammaji.

The caretaker shows us around. We climb a small ladder and shows us to a hidden chamber in the roof. We are also taken to the torture room, the royal bedrooms, and the main durbar.
The palace, which had seen happier times, was also witness to the end of the dynasty. It was the final refuge of the last king, Chikkaveerarajendra, who spent his last few days hiding from the British who eventually deposed him. In many ways it is the only living symbol of the beginning and the end of the Haleri dynasty.

We head downstairs and sit by the pillars. A government school has now been built adjoining the palace. A bunch of schoolchildren are playing about. I wonder if they realize that their childhood playground was once a battlefield. As I sit there pondering, the rain tumbles down, refreshing the mood and the atmosphere.

source: http://www.in.lifestyle.yahoo.com / Home> Travels / by Lakshmi Sarath / Monday, February 18th, 2013

The right blend of coffee and tourism

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

Fascinating trails

Coffee lovers and those with wanderlust have something to rejoice over. Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Karnataka Tourism and Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, recently launched the Kaapi Trail, a tourism product which allows one to experience coffee in its homeland with a single click.

The trails will cover coffee regions like Coorg, Chikmagalur, BR Hills and Araku Valley and offer three types of tourism packages – heritage trail, wild trail and leisure trail.
Depending on the package chosen, travellers will visit coffee plantations, stay in carefully handpicked homestays, go for jeep safaris in the wild and on cycling tours and more importantly, experience the local culture, traditions and cuisine.

Interestingly, this project had its beginnings place last year itself, when the City airport was full of little kiosks selling different varieties of coffee for domestic and foreigners to get a taste of the South.

“Last year, the promotion began as a way of introducing people to the pleasures of coffee drinking and to strengthen the diversity of tourism attractions of the state. Trails like this have been successful world over. The Scotch trails, for example, combine scotch whiskey with the wonderful landscape of Scotland. This is our version of it with the common thread of coffee,” says Hari Marar, President, operations, BIAL.

For Jawaid Akhtar, chairman, Coffee Board, this move will make Bangalore the gateway to South India.

He points out the benefits of this trail – “This will not only increase the coffee grower’s income and the occupancy of the homestays in the coffee regions. But the microclimate in which Indian coffee is grown will be exposed to tourists,” he shares.

“We need to take this product to tour operators around the world and get it incorporated into brochures. This will ensure that tourists see it as a part of the Indian offering,” informs Madhavan Menon, managing director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. He adds, “We’re not trying to create a new genre of products but a new destination.”

In fact, this is the first time that tourism and coffee are coming together, and the convenience aspect of having a readymade travel plan is truly a big step forward.

“It’s great that this concept has germinated into a product. This is chance for Karnataka to show that coffee’s a way of life in this part of the world; it’s integrated in our culture. We live coffee, drink coffee and dream coffee,” wraps up Arvind Jadhav, additional chief secretary, Karnataka State Tourism.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> Supplements> Metrolife / DHNS / January 15th, 2013