Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

A Land far far away :” Storm Festival” in Coorg

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The locus where fantasies are woven from everyday lives. There is a land far far away, where happiness is not only prerequisite but also the only mode of survival. The place where the Storm Festival is brewing. Just a sneeze away from Bangalore and you are amidst the lush green natural settings. About 250 kilometres from Bangalore lies a hamlet, near the town of Madikeri, Coorg. This is the place where Storm Festival is shaping up to give you the ultimate music experience. Coorg is a geography rich in flora and fauna, as well as a brave and long culture, among a breed of warriors. This is where Liquid Space decided to stage the first Storm Festival, India’s first camp-out music festival.

Spread across 28 acres of luxuriant greenery and thick bamboo groves lies the Storm fields, a peninsular region surrounded by river Cauvery on all 3 facets. The entrance of the ground leads you to a vast opening which leads you to the camping area. You can have the ultimate music experience for 48 hours, where you will be treated to the music of various DJ’s and multiple bands. After which you can chill out at the deck overlooking the river, wherein you can have unplugged jamming sessions, to enrich the music experience or retire to your tents in the camping area.

Life is and will always be incomplete without music. Music is change and change is vital. Begin your getaway with Storm festival and taste the sweet joy of free rein; a freedom engineered by music, nature and warm fellowship. It is a sonnet to Dance, Music and Nature, making it the cleanest and greenest festival this side of the universe. The dance floor being at the height of 5000 ft above sea level is going to be the most beautiful one you have ever seen.

We would be coming up soon with more details on the venue about the festival. Browse www.stormfestivalindia.com  for more surprises and gifts.

source: http://www.blogs.siliconindia.com / by Hari Mohan / Friday Jun 17th, 2011

 

As many as 38 Poets Recite their Creative Works at Multi-lingual Meet

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Poets highlight society’s problems through their works
That was a perfect occasion for the poets to let lose their imaginations and highlight the problems in the society.
They made best use of the occasion at the multi-lingual poets meet organised by the Madikeri Dasara janotsava Bahubhasha Kavighoshti Committee and Karnataka Kodava Sahithya Academy at Kaveri Kalakshethra on Sunday. 

There were descriptions of Kodagu’s land, water, agriculture, tradition, culture and heroic deeds along with the beauty of the nature and wildlife. There were disappointment over the failure of government in responding to the problems of the district. There were displeasure over Kodavas not getting the rights over Baane land. There were concern over threat to sanctity of Talacauvery along with the wild elephant menace. This was how a senior poet Chendrimada Ga Muthappa explained Kodagu through his poem.
Muthappa recited poem on ‘Jamma bane’ and highlighted the problems faced by people in Kodagu.

The limericks by an invited poet of Somwarpet, Ha Thi Jayaprakash on politicians Shobha Karandlaje, Siddaramaiah, Goolihatti Shekar, Aravinda Limbavalli, Janardhan Reddy and B S Yeddyurappa highlighted the present political situation in the state. As many as 38 poets recited poems on the occasion. This included four in English and one in Hindi.

Recitation of poems by little V J Monish of Madikeri and Ananya Sharma of Gonikoppa were the centre of attraction. B R Joyappa recited poem ‘Kalajnani,’ B Siddaraju Bellyya— ‘IT BT gala benneri,’ Kayapanda B Tata Changappa— ‘Madikeri,’ T L Padmaja—‘Shikshaka,’ Sathish Kumar of Cherambane—‘Naanu bareyuthene,’ Hemalatha Poornaprakash— ‘Nirlipta baduku,’ Sunitha Lokesh— ‘Pranaya male,’ Shanthaleela— ‘Dr Raj ge namana,’ Manju Gopinathan — ‘Kaarana ishte,’ M E Mohammed—‘Bedagina Kodagu,’ M K Ashraf — ‘Guruve Namaha,’ and Asha Dharmapal recited ‘Prabhu Kaneyagiddare’.

K P Devidas of Gonikoppa recited Malayalam poem ‘Yakshi paramb,’ Narayana of Neerabidire recited Tulu poem ‘Ippodu Incha,’ B M Vasu Rai—’Bale Dasarogu’, Sabalam Bojanna Reddy recited Telugu poem ‘Nenu Manishi Kada.’ A V Manjunath of Virajpet recited limericks. The English poems recited included— M S Subbaiah’s  ‘The power of the invisible,’ Kiggalu G Harish’s ‘We surely will succeed,’ Thekkada Gulabi Janardhan’s ‘Ever green teacher,’ and  V J Monish’s ‘Flower.’ M E Manoj recited Hindi poem.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Madikeri / DH News Service / Oct 11th

Under the Canopy of Tradition

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

The district of Kodagu has approximately 346 ‘devara kadu’s (sacred groves). The drop in the number of such groves has been cause for concern in recent times. Some environmentalists blame it on the proliferation of coffee estates, observe M G Chandrakanth and M G Nagaraja
These are ancient groves that are deeply revered by the communities that live in their vicinity. The groves, which are hubs of biodiversity,  are called devara kadus, found largely in the State’s Kodagu region. 

The belief that people of the region have in these groves has ensured forest conservation. The concept of sacred worship of trees is unique and nurtures nature conservation with people’s participation and management. India’s first IG of Forests Sir Dietrich Brandis, who influenced and mentored Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of US Forest Service, recognised devara kadus of Kodagu in 1868.

Every village in the district has at least one devara kadu. The tradition of tree worship has its roots in the Vedas, where the ficus tree has been described as housing the fertility spirits of the mythical gandharvas and apsaras. Over the years, Kodagu has lost more than 50 per cent of its devara kadu (755 in 1,900 to 346 at present) with a forest cover loss from 10,343 acres to 4,184 acres. Kodagu currently has an approximate 346 devara kadus spread over 4,184 acres.

The size of the grove varies between one cent and 1,000 acres. For the nature-loving Kodava community, the devara kadu is a place of worship to appease its favourite deities. The drop in the number of devara kadus has been attributed to encroachment of the forest area for cultivation of coffee.

While sacred groves are found all over the State, for instance, Bidirammana gudi (Tiptur), Salumaradamma (Tarikere), Hongelakshmi (Tumkur), Kadamba (dynasty of Mayuravarma who ruled Kodagu), the Kodagu district is special because it has a devara kadu in every village. Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have naga banas in most villages.

Kodagu is dominated by forests interspersed with valleys. In the west and north, there are peaks ranging from 3,800 feet to 5,724 feet high. The district is peppered with coffee, orange, cardamom and other spice plantations. Each devara kadu has a temple committee which conducts the annual devara kadu festival with participation from Kodagu families and the village community.

The oldest devara kadu of Kodagu (dating back to 1,000 BC) is in Kolathode-Bygode en route to Hathur-Kaikeri in Virajpet taluk. The grove has a prehistoric cone-shaped menhir, about 12 feet high and five feet deep, another menhir ten feet high and three feet deep and a dolmen with a U-shaped porthole near the menhirs. In Yedur and Choudlu in Somwarpet taluk, in the ajji bana (ancient grove), stones are arranged in the form of capstone with stone circle, which is a megalithic practice, for worship even to this day.

This is held during the suggi katte festival. At the foot of the big menhir, a stone axe dating back to the Neolithic era, is still worshipped. An open well, about 50 feet deep, has been dug to meet water needs during worship. The menhirs are unique when compared to the menhirs at Heggadehalli and Doddamolathe in North Kodagu.

For, villagers are known to have offered earthen images, such as that of a dog, child, horse, elephant and other forms to appease the deity, a prehistoric practice. During 1990, a compound was built around both the menhirs by Muruvanda family with the help of Kelappanda, Maletira and Chappanda families. At present, the deva thakka responsibility is shouldered by the Muruvanda family. The name Kolathode-Bygode indicates existence of a rivulet Golagundi joining the river Barappole (as thode implies rivulet).

Linked to family festivals

The tradition of devara kadu conservation by Kodavas is very closely linked to their family festivals, both involving the appeasement of the same deity. The festivals are known as karana kodupa, puttari, kailpod and Cauvery Sankramana (theerthodhbhava). As part of the karana kodupa ceremony, the head of the family and relatives assemble in the Iyenmane (ancestral home) to offer meedi (food) to the ancestor/s.

In Puttari, the harvest festival, the first harvest of paddy crop is offered to the karana (ancestor) seeking a good harvest. In the kailpod or kailmurtha (upon transplanting paddy), hunting weapons and agricultural implements are worshipped. In the Cauvery (Tula) sankramana, river Cauvery, the goddess of Kodagu is worshipped, as Cauvery takes its birth in the Brahmagiri hills at Talacauvery.

Policy implication

The size of the devara kadu is not crucial, but the code of forest conservation that every community or village in Kodagu teaches by way of preserving its devara kadus is a key lesson for the world. Each devara kadu has three common features: the deity, the temple forest and the sacred tank. Tree diversity as well as ancient trees are high in sacred groves attract diverse flora and fauna. In recent times, silver oak, an exotic tree from Australia is becoming a popular shade-giving tree in coffee plantations, because planters need not obtain felling permit from the Forest Department.

This however is affecting diversity of flora, fauna and contributing to climate change.  It is crucial that the Forest Department takes the initiative to demarcate devara kadus as devara kadu reserve forest and not merely as ‘reserve forest’ in the forest / land revenue records, as this practice will protect devara kadus from gradual loss.

A survey of all devara kadus is necessary to demarcate, preserve and protect devara kadu area and numbers. The Forest Department and all the temple forest committees which met under the leadership of Prof CG Kushalappa of Forestry College, UAS Ponnampet have the potential to jointly protect this unique tradition of forest conservation, and hold it as a shining example for the world to emulate.

(M G Chandrakanth is Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Agricultural Sciences, while M Nagaraja is Hon Secretary, Mythic Society)

source: http: //www.deccanherald.com / Supplements / Spectrum / Sacred Spaces /

Sahithya Sammelan Chief Dr. Padmashekar Speaks her Heart –

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

“Understand subject for creation of good literature”

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Dr Padmashekhar who has been elected as the president of eighth district Kannada Sahithya Sammelan basically hails from Kodagu. At present she is the HoD of Jainism and Prakruth Study Centre of Mysore University.
Dr Padmashekhar 

The sammelan will be held on March 30 and 31. In an interview with Deccan Herald, she spoke on the growth of Kannada language, literature, need for conserving land and water in Kodagu.


* How do you feel being elected as the president of Sahithya Sammelan?

 

I felt happy. In spite of having worked in the literary field for long, I had to wait for so long to get the love of the people of my land.

* What do you feel on the growth of literary activities in Kodagu?

It is not satisfactory. Kodagu district has failed to get a permanent position to get interest in literature and reading habit.
All the written documents are not literature. Better understanding of a subject is essential for the creation of a good literature. Such a good literature has not been created in Kodagu so far.

* What is your opinion on the growth of literature in Kodagu?

Literature is a continuous process. The children should be made to develop interest in literature from childhood.

* In the backdrop of increase in love for English, how far Kannada sahithya sammelan have helped in the growth of the language?

More and more Kannada literary meets should be organised in border areas. The sammelan should be held in those places wherever the language has been affected. There is a need to create an awareness on Kannada. The fact that Kannadigas are liberal and not cowards should be made known to the people through such meets. We all should believe in unity. The united Karnataka was created due to the struggle by our forefathers. No one should come in the way of the unity of the state.

* Do you feel that Kannada has not developed in Kodagu owing to the British rule and migrants from outside the State?

Kodagu is a land with multi-culture. Kannada has not been affected in the land. Kannada language can digest any challenges.

The Kannada speaking people in Kodagu have not declined. Though people from Kerala have settled down in Kodagu, there was no strife between the languages. However, now we are worried over Kodagu property. Kodagu land and Cauvery river is the lifeline of the district. If our land is sold to the outsiders, then we may lose our relation with the land. Now the land and Cauvery has become a property. If this situation continues, what can we save for our future generation? What will happen to the primitives?

* How did you develop interest in Jain literature?

Kuvempu’s ‘Chitrangada’ motivated me to study Kannada. All the girls should read it. By reading Pampa, Ranna, I developed interest in Jain literature. In fact, even my research topic was on Jain literature.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Madikeri / DHNS / Mar 29th

Kodagu’s Charms

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
To say Kodagu is a tourist haven would be an understatement. The district has many interesting sights, from cascades, peaks to ancient temples and tombs, writes P T Bopanna
The scenic Kodagu (erstwhile Coorg) district is a tourist paradise for nature lovers. Kodagu is not the sort of place for the routine tourist, undertaking a ‘package tour’. It is for those who want to soak in nature. 

Kodagu shares one of its boundaries with Kerala. The landlocked district is not connected by train or air. The only way to reach this nature’s resort is to take a bus ride from Mysore, Mangalore or Hassan cities. Madikeri (known earlier as Mercara), the district headquarters of Kodagu, is 120 km from Mysore and 260 km from Bangalore.

Though Kodagu is dotted with several towns like Virajpet, Kushalnagar, Somvarpet, Gonikoppal and Pollibetta, only Madikeri and Kushalanagar to some extent, have good tourist facilities. There are not many clean budget hotels in Kodagu. Most tourists prefer to stay at ‘home stays’ spread across Kodagu, including at Madikeri. The home stays are mostly located away from the towns and housed in the midst of coffee plantations.

Home stays are a big draw
Home stays involve either sharing homes with the resident family or staying in independent bungalows. They offer an opportunity to enjoy the legendary hospitality of the Kodavas, the predominant community of Kodagu. There are an estimated 1,000 home stays in Kodagu, catering to various categories of tourists.

The tariff could range from around Rs 800 a couple per day to Rs 3,000, depending upon the facilities and location. Kodagu’s roads are a driver’s nightmare. Though the region has emerged as a major tourist destination, not much it seems, has been done to improve road connectivity and tourist infrastructure.

Madikeri is dotted with red-tiled bungalows and has an old world charm about it. Madikeri has several interesting tourist spots. The Raja’s Seat in Madikeri offers a breathtaking view of the towering hills and green valleys studded with paddy fields, and could be considered one of the most scenic spots in South India. Raja’s Seat attracts a lot of tourists and morning walkers. For the nature lover, the ideal time to visit the spot is in the morning when the first rays of the sun pierces through the mist covered valley. Madikeri Palace of the erstwhile Kodagu Rajas located inside the Fort, now houses the offices of the Deputy Commissioner. The brick and mortar structure was built in 1814.

The Omkareshwara temple in Madikeri was built by Lingarajendra II in 1820 in the Mohammedan style of architecture with a dome at the centre and four turrets at the four corners. The temple is akin to a Muslim dargah with a Linga installed near the entrance door.

Gaddige, or the tombs of kings Veerarajendra and Lingarajendra at Madikeri, is one of the important monuments of Kodagu. The hillock where the tombs are located is to the north of Madikeri and provides a commanding view of the town. The tombs are in the style of Mohammedan edifices with domes in the centre and turrets at the corners. Abbey Falls is a picnic spot eight km from Madikeri town, where water from the Madikeri stream gushes down from a height of 70 feet. It is a treat to watch the torrent of water in the monsoon season between July-October.

Talacauvery, the birthplace of the sacred river Cauvery, is located on the slopes of Brahmagiri Hill. Besides being a pilgrimage centre, Talacauvery is known for its natural beauty. On Tula Sankaramana day in the middle of October, thousands of pilgrims flock to the birthplace of the river to witness a sudden upsurge of water in a small pond, at a predetermined auspicious time. This gushing of water from the small pond is considered a miracle.

Bhagamandala is at the foothills of the Talcauvery. It is eight km downstream from Talacauvery and 39 km from Madikeri. Bhagamandala is at the confluence of the sacred rivers Cauvery and Kanike and legend has it that a third river Sujyothi, a subterranean stream, joins the two rivers here.

The Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarahole) is one of the best maintained game parks in India. The Nagarahole (meaning snake river in Kannada) sanctuary derives its name from the serpentine river which flows through the park.

Irupu Falls, located 48 km from Virajpet on the way to Kutta from Gonikopppal, is both a picnic spot and a pilgrimage centre. The Falls is located in Kurchi village, not far from the Rajiv Gandhi National Park. A stream flowing down the Brahmagiri hill range plunges down 170 feet in two stages with a resounding roar into a rocky valley surrounded by dense forest.

Bylekuppe near Kushalanagar is one of the largest Tibetan settlements in South India. The settlement, set up in 1960, is dotted with several monasteries. Prominent among these are the Great Gompa of Sera Je and Sera Mey and the Namdroling monastery. The gold-coated Buddhist statues in the monastery are imposing and unique, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Tibetans. Tourists can shop for handicrafts, carpets, incense, sweaters, dress material and other accessories.

Cauvery Nisargadhama is a breathtakingly beautiful island off the state highway, two km from Kushalanagar town and 28 km from Madikeri. The 64-acre island, surrounded by the Cauvery river, can be accessed by walking across a hanging bridge.
Established in 1989, the picturesque picnic spot with lush foliage of thick bamboo groves, sandalwood and teak trees has lovely river-side cottages.  The Harangi dam, built across river Cauvery, is located eight km from Kushalanagar. Behind the dam is a vast reservoir. On the banks of the reservoir stands a temple of Basavanna. Dubare Elephant Training Camp, located 15 km from Kushalanagar, on the banks of the Cauvery river, is run by the Karnataka government-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd. A visitor can spend hours simply watching and interacting with elephants, some of which have participated in the Mysore Dasara festivities.
Virajpet town, 32 km from Madikeri, is a taluk headquarters. The town, situated at the foot of a hill, is well connected by road to the coastal Kerala towns of Kannur and Tellicherry.

The Clock Tower is the most visible landmark in Virajpet, erected in 1914 to commemorate the Delhi Durbar of King George V. Another important landmark of Virajpet is St. Anne’s Church built in the Gothic style in 1868.

Tadiyandamol peak (1,745 meters) is the highest peak in Kodagu and poses an exciting challenge to seasoned trekkers. The peak is located in the south-eastern part of Kodagu and is 8 km from the town of Kakkabe which is 35 km from Madikeri. A steep serpentine path from the Nalaknad Palace, leads to the Tadiyandamol peak from where on a clear day, one can view the distant Arabian Sea.

Off the beaten track
But, if you are one of those who wants to take the path not trodden, then, you should probably be exploring Mandalpatti, Mallalli Falls or Honnamana Kere, for instance. The fog-covered awe-inspiring mountains around Mandalpatti, located 20 km from Madikeri, is perhaps the most unexplored region of Kodagu till recently. The presence of treacherous curves makes it risky to travel by road from Madikeri to Mandalpatti during the monsoon.

The forest department has constructed a watchtower atop the mountain which provides a magnificent view of the Pushpagiri mountain range.

The villagers assemble at the mand (village plains) during the annual Hutthari festival for staging sports events and other cultural activities. In recent years, Mandalpatti has emerged as a popular venue for film shooting because of the scenic location.
Mallalli Falls, located 25 km from Somvarpet, is one of the most beautiful water falls in Kodagu. The Kumaradhara river takes a plunge from over 200 feet, creating a spectacular sight. The Falls which lies in the foothills of the Pushpagiri hill ranges is situated in Bettadahalli Gram Panchayat in Somvarpet taluk.

The water falls into a gorge which is surrounded by steep lush green hillocks, making it an ideal place for trekking.

Honnamana Kere is perhaps the biggest lake in Kodagu, situated at Doddamalthe, six km from Somvarpet town, amidst beautiful hills and coffee plantations. During the Gowri festival, a special pooja is conducted and ‘Bagina’ is offered to goddess Honnamma. Newly wed couples visit the lake to make offerings. It is an ideal place for boating and fishing.

 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com/ by P T Bopanna /Supplements / Spectrum / Travel /

 

Kodagu Handbook Released

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, , , , , , , ,
A compilation of articles on Kodagu (Coorg) ‘Dateline Coorg’ written by senior journalist P T Bopanna over the last two decades has been released.
Cover page of the book ‘Dateline Coorg’ by P T Bopanna.Inspired by the success of his last book ‘Rise and Fall of the Coorg State’, which went into reprint within two months of its release, Bopanna’s new book contains text of the full bench judgement of the Karnataka High Court on the controversial Jamma lands in Kodagu. 

Commenting on his new book, Bopanna says:  “As a journalist based in Bangalore, I had taken active interest in the affairs of Kodagu in the last quarter of a century. This book will come in handy for those wanting to understand the major socio-economic issues prevailing now in Kodagu. Besides, the book is intended to serve as an important reference for students of history in the future.”

The author was one of the first to report on the Union government’s move in 1993 to withdraw the exemption given to Kodavas (Coorgs) and Jamma-holders to possess firearms without licence. The Centre wanted to withdraw the privilege after guns from Kodagu reached the hands of the banned Maoists in Andhra Pradesh.Through his reports, Bopanna was able to put across to the policy makers in Delhi that people of Kodagu not only worshipped their weapons, but seldom misused their privilege. It was pointed out that the gun-running was the handiwork of a couple of gun dealers in Kodagu who had brought a bad name to the district.

There is a special chapter on India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s lurking fear of a military take-over and his unease with the two most popular Generals of independent India, Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General K S Thimayya, both hailing from Kodagu.
The articles range from serious issues pertaining to separate statehood for Kodagu, Jamma land tenure, gun license exemption, looting of forest wealth to subjects like the experiments involving the DNA study to explore the origin of the Kodavas and the moves to develop a script for the Kodava language by a German.

A postscript has been added to incorporate the developments taken place after the articles were written. The book is priced at Rs 100. Bopanna is the author of ‘Discover Coorg’, the bestselling handbook on Kodagu, published in 2006. The book has already run into three editions. Besides, a Kannada edition of the book has also been published.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Mysore / DH News Service / Aug 19th, 2010

 

Kodagu Temples Celebrate Shashti Utsava

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Prayers offered at Omkareshwara temple
Devotion: Devotees thronging historic Omkareshwara Temple in Madikeri on the occasion of Shashti festival on Saturday. DH PhotoThe Shashti festival was celebrated with devotion offering poojas across the district on Saturday. Special prayers, poojas, bhajans and other rituals were offered to deities at many temples in the district. 

The rituals had begun at the historic Omkareshwara Temple in the wee hours and special poojas were offered to the deity of Subramanya Swamy. Prasada was distributed after the Mahamangalarati rituals. An annasantharpane programme was followed where hundreds of devotees had the lunch. The Teppotsava of the deity was held in the evening. Shashti festivities were held at the Muthappa temple in the town too. Special poojas were offered to the deity and annadana was arranged for the devotees at the temple.

In Virajpet, the festival was celebrated vibrantly at the Bairambada Subramanya temple. The homa, havana, archane and other rituals began at the temple at 4 am. Hundreds of devotees, who thronged from various parts of the district, offered prayers and poojas to the deity.

Pallakki utsava and Rathotsava were held at the Koodige Udbava Subramanya Temple in Kushalnagar and rituals were held at the Udbava Subramanya Temple in the Housing Board Colony too.

The festival was celebrated at the Umamaheshwara temple in Gonikoppal with religious rituals. Women poured milk to Naga dieties to mark the festival at various places in the district.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Madikeri / DHNS / Dec 11th, 20101

 

Kodagu Witnessing Rich Literature

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”Kodagu district is known across the country for peace and harmony. There is no discrimination on basis of language here in Kodagu,” said Litterateur and critic K P Balasubramanya.
Delivering the presidential address at the 8th Kannada Sahithya Sammelan at Murnadu on Thursday on the topic ‘Literature over the decade in Kodagu district,’ he said that though people from different castes and communities have been living in Kodagu, it has not had any adverse impact on the communal harmony here. 

“Kodavas are peace lovers and they are soft spoken,” he said opining that communal disturbances have always occurred in various parts of the country due to political instigation. “Since people of Kodagu are untouched by religious differences, Kodagu has been witnessing superior literature,” he said.

He pointed that over the last 10 years good analytical piece of writings and poems have been produced. “Scope of literature is vast and never ending. One can never complete reading and analysing literature,” he said.

Virajpet First Grade College Assistant Principal Dr Korana Saraswathi said that research is nothing but search for knowledge or thirst for knowing more. “Research should be based on truth and should take place within scientific frame work,” she said.

“Research can be done with various objectives but the main aim of any research is to find the truth and expand intellectual horizon,” she said adding that sincerity is the most important aspect in research.

Tribal literature

Dr J Somanna from Vijayalakshmi Pre University College said that tribals are those set of vagabonds who have developed their own culture and literature out of their distinct way of living.

“The tribals have been living a life of exile literally, saving themselves from the invasion of modern culture. Living in isolation from the outside world, these tribals have their own language, culture, rituals, belief system, way of worshipping, attire, literature, cope up mechanisms etc. They with such a way of living look unusual and peculiar to the urban population,” Somanna said adding that 60 years of independence had not changed anything for the tribals of the country.

“Sincere efforts to convince the tribals to adopt the natural, inevitable changes happening in the society has not taken place so far. The result is that majority of tribals still live like animals. There is a need to understand the tribal lifestyle, respect their culture and then bring in necessary measures to bring them into the mainstream,” he said.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / DHNS / Madikeri / Apr 01st, 2011

In Search of Kodagu’s Lost Princess

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, , ,
HISTORY
In search of Kodagu’s lost princess
C P Belliappa locates the tombstone of Victoria Gowramma, the favourite daughter of Chikka Veerarajendra, the last king of erstwhile Coorg, at the Brompton Cemetery in South West London. The story of the princess is a heady cocktail of colonial power, politics, greed, romance and disappointments.
Queen victoria’s godchild: The marble bust of Victoria Gowramma. Photos by the authorBrompton Cemetery, located in South West London, covers an area of about 40 acres. 

This burial ground, established in 1836, is presently used more as a park; and is popular with cyclists and joggers. The cemetery is located not far from Stamford Bridge, home to Chelsea Football Club. I visited the cemetery last year to locate the final resting place of my protagonist – Princess Victoria Gowramma of Kodagu.

The office at the sprawling cemetery has painstakingly recorded the names of the people buried there since its inception, and has a databank being updated. I was shown a map of the area where the grave I was looking for, was situated. It took me more than an hour to locate the tomb stone of Victoria Gowramma.

The cross on the head-stone was broken and it was covered with thick undergrowth. This was the spot where story of Kodagu’s princess ends having started with her birth in 1841 at Benares. The epitaph on the tomb-stone drafted by Queen Victoria is still intact.

I stood there trying to picture that day, April 4, 1864, when the horse-drawn hearse carrying the body of the princess would have arrived followed by her husband Colonel John Campbell and their three-year-old daughter Edith. Also present would have been Lady Lena Login, the long-time guardian of the Coorg princess.

It would have been a particularly painful experience for Colonel Campbell, as the grave where his second wife was to be buried already had the mortal remains of his second son Colin from his first wife. The boy died in a freak accident in 1856. Interestingly, Colin was born in 1842 at Bellary in Karnataka while Col Campbell served in the 38th Madras Native Infantry.

The process of unearthing facts about Princess Gowramma and her father, Chikka Veerarajendra, the last rajah of erstwhile Coorg, and then reconstructing their lives was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle after finding all the pieces.

The princess was the favourite daughter of the rajah, who was exiled to Benares after he was dethroned by the British in 1834. Chikka Veerarajendra and Princess Gowramma were the first Indian royals to sail to England in 1852.

Both spent the rest of their lives in England. When the King of Kodagu and the eleven-year-old princess were presented to Queen Victoria, the Queen was instantly taken up by the young girl. To the astonishment of her court, the queen took the princess under her wings as her goddaughter. Queen Victoria, along with her royal consort Prince Albert, was present at the baptism ceremony of the Indian princess.

The Queen lent her own name to her goddaughter and called her Victoria Gowramma.
Two years later, when the sixteen-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh landed in England, he too became an instant favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Duleep Singh had already embraced Christianity, and this prompted the queen and her royal consort to indulge in match-making between Princess Victoria Gowramma and Maharaja Duleep Singh. The story involves colonial power, politics, religion, proselytization, greed, romance and disappointments.

I made it a point to visit Buckingham Palace and Osborne House (in Isle of Wight), where Princess Gowramma used to be a frequent guest of Queen Victoria. I could visualise a nervous Princess Gowramma in the opulent white drawing room where the queen received her close friends and relatives.

At Osborne House, the young princess from Kodagu would have played with the royal children where they were also taught house-keeping, cooking, and gardening. Princess Gowramma was particularly close to Princess Alice, the third child of Queen Victoria. (Princess Alice’s daughter Alix married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.)
The high point for me was to see the beautiful marble bust of Princess Victoria Gowramma, which was sculpted by the queen’s favourite sculptor: Baron Carlo Marochetti in 1856. The bust is special since it is painted to depict a life-like image of the princess.
Recently I traced the direct descendants of Princess Victoria Gowramma to New South Wales in Australia. I spoke to one of them: Ms Marian Ethel Singleton, a 72 year old great-great grand daughter of the princess. However to my utter dismay, the lady though aware of her bloodline, did not evince any interest in her ancestry!

(Belliappa is the author of the book ‘Victoria Gowramma: The Lost Princess of Coorg’, on the extraordinary life of the Coorg princess.)

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Supplements / Spectrum

 

‘ The Highland, Coorg ‘ – a Poem on Coorg

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, ,

Mallalli Falls, CoorgMallalli Falls, Coorg

The Highland, Coorg

Disheveled meadow swells aloft
And the sailing blue whispers the song
Tickles the niched nature wind soft
Unearthed ecstasy stays strong

Hangs low, coffee seeds so genuine
Cardamom widespread a unique aroma
Urchin chants through the bottled wine
The valour stands an enigma.

A narrow adorable river streams
Along the heaven in a mysterious way
Bliss blooms through the dark dreams
While the dawn watches mists play

Thick downpour roars out the rest
A gloomy mask for half a year
Atop a tree a sparrow’s nest
Within which is a gun and a chandelier.

Slugabed daylight late kisses the ground
Reluctantly peels out the slumbered eye
Perplexed eyeballs scowl blur around
And later discovers the deep blue sky.

By: Taufeeq, Mercara, Coorg

 

source: http://www.coorgnews.wordpress.com / Oct 30th, 2009