For the first time a Yakshagana episode in the regional dialect of Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu, ‘Arebhashe’ has been created. It has been set to conform to the prosody requirements of Yakshagana and its first experimental ‘Talamaddale’ held recently was successful.
Young Bhagwath, Bhayashree Kulkunda has authored this Yakshagna Prasanga in Arebhashe as per the request of Karnataka Arebhashe Samskriti and Sahitya Academy. Yakshagana and Talamaddale have already been tried in this language but in the cases so far the lyrics were in Kannada. The academy felt that even the literature of the episode should be in Arebhashe. As per the academy’s plans, Bhavyashree has been translating five episodes into Arebhashe. She has already completed the translation of two episodes, ‘Sharasetu Bandhana’ and Panchavati’.
‘Sharasetu Bandhana’ episode is being recorded on audio and video in the form of Talamaddale with the title, ‘Banada Paala’.
President of the Sahitya Academy, Laxminarayana Kajegadde said that when the academy wanted to create Yakshagana Prasangas in Arebhashe, it was a challenge to find a person who can write in that language. He said that many who knew the language were not aware of the prosody requirements. Then Bhavyashree was approached. She initially hesitated but since has joined hands with the academy’s efforts, he stated.
Bhavyashree Kulkuda said that her first Guru, Vishwavinoda Banari encouraged her to start creating Yakskhagana lyrics in Arebhashe and her current Guru, Ganesh Kolekady guided about the prosody needs. She also said that Bhagwath, Subraya Sampaje, gave suggestions about the language while academy president, Laxminarayan Kajegadde and member Jabbar Samo cooperated with her.
‘Baanada Paala’ first Aebhashe Yakshagana Taamadddale with the participation of Bhavyashree Kulkunda as Bhagawathi, Murari Kadabalithaya on Chende and Akshay Rao Vittal supported by Arthadharis, Koltige Narayana Gowda Jabbar Samo Sampaje and Jayanand Sampaje will be available shortly on Youtube. Kajegadde said that already two episodes have been translated into Arebhashe and shortly five episodes will be available in Arebhashe.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld / Home> Top Stories / by Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru(SP) / September 22nd, 2020
Mysuru Kodava Samaja celebrated the 152nd birth anniversary of Haradasa Appaneravanda Appacha Kavi as Kodava Thakk and Sahitya Divasa at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Bhavan in Vijayanagar here yesterday.
Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa, Nellamakkada B. Kaveriappa of Bharani Art Gallery and Chenanda Uthappa spoke about the life and achievements of Haradasa Appacha Kavi and also about the lifetime achievements of litterateurs Dr. I.M. Muthanna and B.D. Ganapathy in their centenary year of celebration.
Maintaining that Appacha Kavi was not limited to just one community, they said that everyone should read the works of the great poet in order to have a deeper understanding of his contributions to the society.
Pointing out that Appacha Kavi is credited with scripting the first Kodava play and also acting in it, they opined that the great poet is very aptly called as Adikavi of Kodava language.
Mysuru Kodava Samaja President K.M. Belliappa, Secretary M.M. Ponnappa, Vice-President M.M. Ponnappa, Treasurer M.B. Jeevan, former Presidents Dr. A.A. Kuttappa, K.A. Kariappa, M.M. Karumbaiah, M.K. Kuttappa, B.M. Nanaiah and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 22nd, 2020
Author PT Bopanna says while there are a number of theories on who the Kodavas are, none are scientific enough to establish the origin of the race
After retiring from journalism in 2010, with four decades in the field, PT Bopanna has championed the cause of Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka. Bopanna’s passion to showcase Kodagu’s beauty, culture, cuisine and people serves as a mirror to the hilly region.
“I have documented the lifestyle, language and cuisine of Kodagu beyond the well-known akki rotti and pandi curry,” says 70-year-old Bopanna, who runs five Kodagu-centric websites, has published seven books and produced a documentary on Kodagu. Bopanna’s latest book, My Coorg Chronicles, (Rolling Stone Publications) traces his journey from journalism to activism, and his efforts to chronicle the unknown facets of Kodagu. My Coorg Chronicles has colourful photographs, illustrations and a caricature of Bopanna by cartoonist Ponnappa.
Bopanna speaks to MetroPlus about the many aspects of his journey.
Excerpts.
Would you describe yourself as a journalist, activist or chronicler?
After studying journalism at Bhavan’s College of Journalism in Mumbai, I started my career in 1981 as the Coorg Correspondent of The Hindu. I registered my first domain www.coorgtourisminfo.com in 2005. Initially the traffic to my website was not encouraging. So I decided to bring out the content from the website as a book in 2006. Discover Coorg was a runaway success. I brought out two more editions of the book, adding more content with each edition. It was also translated into Kannada.
Your research reveals Kodavas as being different from the rest of Indians…
Kodava women are highly educated. There is no dowry system, and women drape their saris opposite to the style adopted by the rest of India. The customs are unique. Kodavas are Hindus, but priests have no role in their marriages. Kodavas revere the Cauvery River, they worship nature and guns. The Keil Murtha festival is dedicated to guns. The harvest festival, Puttari, is ushered in with a gunshot. When I realised that the land has a rich culinary tradition and I compiled traditional recipes in the website, coorgrecipes.com in 2006.
Who exactly are the Kodavas?
This is a riddle that ethnologists are yet to crack. There are any number of theories on who they are, but none scientific enough to establish the origin of the race. One theory says they are the descendants of Alexander the Great, while another traces their origins to a band of Kurds from Iraq.
Why did you bring out a video on Kodagu?
During the course of my work I realised there was a lack of documentation on Kodagu. This was mainly because Kodava language does not have a script. The language is a mixture of Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam. Any documentation was only after the British annexed Coorg in 1834. They kept records and maintained diaries. After Independence, especially after Coorg merged with Mysore State (Karnataka) in 1956, there wasn’t any documentation. I decided to produce a video on various aspects of Kodagu and in 2014 brought out a DVD, Discover Coorg. The video features tourist spots, homestays, jewellery, hockey and golf, Kodava marriages and traditional folk dances.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – August 18th, 2020
Amid all the discussion about the existence of a ‘mafia’ in Bollywood, Gulshan Devaiah has a funny take on it. He penned a humorous poem on it and quipped about all the supposed perks, but ‘only for members, exclusively’.
“One for all, & all for one. The pay is good, & so’s the fun. The drugs are free, So’s plastic surgery. But only for members, Exclusively. If you’re thinking, Oh! I want in, Eat some s**t, You jealous cretin. #jest,” he wrote.
Kangana Ranaut has been talking about the ‘movie mafia’ and how she has been targeted by it. She recently alleged that Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray colluded with them and got her office in Mumbai demolished. She also said that a few years ago, the mafia tried to destroy her financially as well as her standing in society. She claimed that it got so bad that she wanted to shave her head and disappear at one point.
Earlier this month, Kangana warned the ‘movie mafia’ and said that their attempts to harm her will only backfire. “Movie Mafia today you might break my face n my house using your powerful friends, it will give you momentary happiness but if you are clever you will know my end is my beginning, you will end me here I will rise somewhere else … trust me it will hurt you even more,” she wrote on Twitter.
Kangana has also talked about a ‘drug racket’ in Bollywood and claimed that 99% of the people in the industry have been exposed to drugs. Several members of the film fraternity have condemned these remarks. Jaya Bachchan, in her speech in the Parliament, raised objection to the negative portrayal of the film industry and urged the government to discourage it.
Sometime back, the Producers Guild of India addressed the attempt to ‘defame and slander the film industry and its members’. “A picture has been painted of the industry as a terrible place for outsiders to aspire to; a place that treats those who dare to enter it with contempt and derision; a murky den of substance abuse and criminality. This narrative is salacious enough for the media to exploit to great effect in order to boost its ratings, readership and page views. But it is not the truth,” the guild said in an open letter.
source: http://www.poptimesuk.com / Pop Times / Home> Entertainment India / by Pop Times News Team / September 19th, 2020
Kodagu Gowda Samajagala Okkuta has decided to support fully the priests who perform puja at Talacauvery Kshetra.
The decision was taken during a meeting held in the presence of Gowda Federation Youth wing, said Okkuta president Somanna Soorthale.
Okkuta office-bearers said, “The unscientific works at Gajagiri Betta led to its caving in. A delegation will be taken to the state government shortly demanding action against those who were responsible for such activities. At a time when the death of the Talacauvery priest and family members is still fresh in our mind, a few have been trying to recreate the history of Talacauvery, which is condemnable move.”
A few are trying to disrupt peace in peace-loving district, Somanna alleged. Kodi and Ballada families have been discharging their duties at Talacauvery and Sri Bhagandeshwara Temples for several centuries.
“We condemn all the unscientific activities that are carried out within 10-km radius of the Kshetra and all those that affect the sanctity of the Kshetra. However, we can not accept those who have been trying to harass those who are carrying out business activities in Talacauvery. Goddess Cauvery is worshiped by all. It is sad that a few are trying to distort the history of Talacauvery kshetra,” he added.
It is good that Akhila Kodava Samaja is planning to conduct Shatarudrabhisheka at Talacauvery on September 21. It would have been good if all the communities were invited for the same.
The meeting also condoled the death of Chief Priest Narayana Achar and four others in landslide at Gajagiri Betta in the first week of August.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Karnataka Districts / by DHNS/ September 20th, 2020
The emerging food trends in the city where cloud kitchens introduce newer micro cuisines has been a rather positive coincidence during the lockdown. Otherwise unexplored dishes from smaller regions with local produce have been making a foray into the City of Nizams. Take, for instance, the newly-opened outlet Kodagu. They are now delivering a select few no-nonsense delicacies all inspired by Kodava cuisine from Coorg. It boasts of unique flavours with a distinct taste – simmered spices, slow-cooked meat paired with puttus (rice preparation).
Koli Curry
Founder Sateesh Polkam says he and his family fell in love with the dishes from this part of Karnataka once they visited in 2012. “While we started experimenting since then it took us eight long years and lots of courage to take the plunge,” he reminisces. The plan came to fruition when he got a break from my work due to the pandemic. “At the moment, we are only delivering orders placed online. However, we have been getting a lot of encouragement and wouldn’t mind looking at a venue in the next one year,” he says.
In the mood for Kodava cuisine ?
Sateesh mentions that he and his team work on keeping the taste as authentic as possible. We do understand that the essentials of the Coorgi cuisine is very much intact and recognise the distinct flavours like that of pepper, ginger and garlic and the quintessential kachampuli (a reduction similar to balsamic vinegar). The cooking time for these dishes remains rather slow. They simmer in the spices as a result, the meat dishes are more flavourful and tender. Take their Pandi Curry (pork) for instance. That is easily the highlight of the menu. It is cooked-well and goes easily with the big thatte idlis – which as the word suggests in Kannada, would fill up your whole plate because of its sheer size. The flavourful curry with the melt-in-your-mouth idli makes for a good match without being overwhelming or spicy.
If you prefer chicken, opt for their Koli Curry. We love the succulent nature of the chicken, soaked in coconut-based masalas. The spices are subtle and never unnecessarily hot. You can also eat it with the Kadambuttu – Steamed Rice Dumplings, with coconut shreds. The hidden coconut bits add a slight sweetness that tempers the spices in the koli curry well. However, if you like pork, you must give Kodagu’s Pork Ribs a shot! It tears easy from the bone and is easily one of the top picks from their selection.
Price for two – Rs 600.
source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / The New Indian Express – INDULGE EXPRESS / Home> Food / by Paulami Sen / September 15th, 2020
For Pandanda Shyla Naresh, a teacher in Kodagu, the past five months have been a learning period. Jackfruit, banana and bamboo plants in her farm offer ample opportunity for experiential learning. Lessons in value-addition have helped her utilise produce in the best way possible.
What started as an experiment in March after the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic has now become a steady source of income. “All the three products I prepare – tender jackfruit, banana stem and bamboo shoot steeped in brine (salt solution) – are in good demand. I have sold 400 bottles of tender jackfruit and 300 bottles of banana stem in brine so far,” says Shyla. Ajjikuttira Pallavi Girish, who works as a non-teaching staff in a private college, has also taken up this activity.
These processed foods, prepared without artificial ingredients, are used in a variety of dishes, from pickles to cutlets and curries.
Fancy Ganapathy, who leads an initiative called ‘Kodagu’s Nature’s Best Food Cluster’, a subsidiary of Madikeri and Virajpet taluk Savayava Krishi Sahakari Niyamitha, supported the duo by providing technology and marketing; the forum that Fancy leads strives to encourage women entrepreneurs to make products using locally available fruits, spices and other produce. The women are supported at all stages – whether it is ideation, marketing or assistance in using technology to process the food.
During the lockdown, Fancy’s team saw more people joining the group, the members increased from 110 to 160; their product range also expanded, with the new members bringing in fresh ideas and new recipes. In all, the team boasts over 70 products, ranging from a variety of pickles and jams to oils and vegetables in brine. As many as 50 families took up an alternative livelihood with support from this forum.
With their main customers, the homestays in Kodagu closed during Covid-19, the team chose to go the route of online marketing. “We placed our products on online platforms and the sales have increased significantly as homemade products are trending. Now we are confident of marketing any number of products,” says Fancy. Natural ingredients, localised production (homemade) and a focus on quality have kept them in good stead.
Other women entrepreneurs have come up with unique product ideas as well. Take the case of Archana Muttanna from Kadanga village near Virajpet. She holds a doctorate in biotechnology and has been standardising various traditional products, particularly different types of fruit vinegar that are integral to Kodagu’s cuisine. Kachampuli vinegar or the concentrated juice of Garcinia gummi-gutta, which is sought after for its health benefits, is one of the main products she has been producing for the past one year.
With her production unit shut during the lockdown, Archana spent the free time researching various other products. On a friend’s suggestion, she made jams of the passion fruit, which is available in abundance locally; she then gave the fruit spread a unique twist by adding millets to the recipe.
Eco-crafts
Another woman entrepreneur who benefited from online marketing is Kusuma Hegde, in Uttara Kannada district.
She designs craft and utility items and ornaments from areca sheath, banana fibre, bamboo, and vegetable seeds. What started as a passion 15 years ago has become a source of subsidiary income for her family and provided employment to fellow villagers, mainly women.
Her objective was to transform agriculture waste and locally available raw material into works of art. In her journey from an art enthusiast to a crafts entrepreneur, she has created innovative designs like the areca cap, banana fibre folders and vegetable seed ornaments. Latest addition to her work are the unique rudrakshi pendants made using the rudrakshi fruit grown in their farm. She has expanded the scope of the handicraft production unit by setting up a laser engraving machine that helps her carve and etch designs.
Kusuma has also motivated and trained other rural women to take up value addition by forming Sahyadri eco-friendly solutions. Some college students have also spent their holidays at the workshop, learning on the job and using the money earned to pay their college fee.
However, Kusuma says she was inconvenienced when it came to marketing her products at various forums. “I mostly used to sell the product through homestays, tourist places and some outlets in Bengaluru and Mysuru,” Kusuma says. All her marketing avenues closed when the lockdown began and she had to stop production for a while.
Gradually, she noticed homemade food products being sold on online platforms and decided to try her luck. “I joined some social media platforms and started sharing my work and products and the response was amazing,” she says.
More than the seamless marketing, she prefers these platforms for the sheer joy of knowing the customers and getting their feedback. “Direct marketing has many benefits, especially when you create customised products,” she says.
In these uncertain times, these women from rural areas, from teachers to doctorate holders, have found ways to cope with the difficulties and support each other.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum> Spectrum Statescan / by Anitha Pailoor / Bengaluru – September 11th, 2020
Kodagu Model School, Vidyashankara Layout, Mysuru, observed Teachers’ Day as ‘Black Day’ to highlight the problems they have been facing since COVID-19 outbreak.
Teachers wore black wrist band to register their protest and demand Government’s intervention in resolving their grievances.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / September 10th, 2020
Dubare Elephant Camp to open from Sept. 15 with restrictions
Kushalnagar:
Many tourist destinations in Kodagu were thrown open on Sept. 1 after months of COVID-induced closure but the public response remained tepid. The District Administration is preparing to open all tourist spots from Sept. 15 and stakeholders are expecting a surge in the number of visitors.
Although most of the tourist spots in the lush green and hilly district of Kodagu, which were shut down due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in March, reopened on Sept. 1 after the State Government announced new relaxations a day earlier, some of the tourist spots coming under the control of Forest Department have remained closed.
These tourist spots included Dubare Elephant Camp, Mallalli Falls in Somwarpet taluk, Irupu Falls in Virajpet taluk, trekking and expedition spots including Thadiyandamol and the famed Mandalpatti have not reopened as a precautionary and safety measure. These spots are most likely to open on Sept. 15.
Rafting at Dubare will not be permitted as of now.
Among the places that are popular is Dubare Elephant Camp where tourists can see and experience tamed elephants in close quarters and take a look at the life of an elephant and its mahout and kavadi in a day. Also, the place is famous for White Water River Rafting. The Forest Department, however, is now constructing barricades in the wake of COVID pandemic to separate elephant enclosures from the tourists.
Earlier at Dubare, one could touch and feed the elephants and this was a popular activity for almost all the tourists, especially children. But henceforth, this activity will not be allowed and there will be a six-foot distance between elephants and tourists.
Rafting at Dubare has not been permitted along with boating activities at Cauvery Nisargadhama in Kushalnagar as at present, the water currents are strong and it is dangerous to raft or pedal a boat. These activities are likely to be open from November, said Forest Department officials. At present, barricading works are being undertaken at Dubare.
Visitors being thermal-screened before they enter Cauvery Nisargadhama at Kushalnagar
The tourist spots which opened on Sept. 1 included Abbe Falls, Raja’s Seat, Chikklihole Dam, Kanive Aqueduct and Cauvery Nisargadhama.
Nisargadhama, a beautiful 64-acre island near Kushalnagar on the Mysuru-Madikeri Highway, has been renovated and beautified by the Forest Department. The nature park, surrounded by River Cauvery, is an ideal weekend getaway for those who yearn to be amidst nature, far from the madding crowd.
However, visitors are not allowed to touch any animal at the Deer Park which has been completely fenced as a COVID-19 safety measure.
Nisargadhama recorded a footfall of 150 visitors on the first day of reopening on Sept.1 with all COVID-19 safety measures such as thermal screening, wearing of facemask and use of hand sanitisers. Besides, all sit outs and other seating spots are sanitised every day in accordance with the protocol.
Kushalnagar Range Deputy Range Forest Officer Vilas told Star of Mysore that they were expecting an increase in the number of tourists in the coming days. This apart, the tourist destination is likely to witness a good number of visitors on weekends and the Forest Department, which manages the tourist spot, is mulling on allowing visitors in batches if the crowd gets bigger. However, pedal boating is disallowed for now and the Department may allow its resumption only in November after getting permission from the Government, he added.
Raghavendra, Assistant Director of Tourism, Kodagu, said that all tourist spots, including the ones controlled by the Forest and Tourism Departments, will re-open from Sept. 15.
The Department has put all COVID-19 precautions in place at all tourist spots and centres, he said.
However, there will be no rafting for now at Dubare Elephant Camp and the visitors have to maintain a safe distance from the pachyderms, he added.
Golden Temple at Bylakuppeto remain closed till Oct. 26
The famous Namdroling Monastery — commonly called the Golden Temple — located inside Tibetan Camp at Bylakuppe on Mysuru-Madikeri Highway will remain shut for visitors till Oct. 26.
The Temple, a popular tourist spot close to the border of Mysuru-Kodagu district near Kushalnagar, was closed for visitors following the nationwide COVID-19-induced lockdown in March.
The temple will remain closed till Oct. 26 as a precautionary measure and no outsiders will be allowed entry into the Temple, according to Lobon, General Secretary of Namdroling Monastery, who manages the Buddhist Temple.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Coronavirus Update, News / September 07th, 2020
Ex-Sergeant Deranna Gowda, who handed over a pistol to A.B. Devayya, shares his experience
Madikeri:
The bronze statue of Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya was unveiled at Madikeri in Kodagu district this morning. The 6-feet-9-inch statue has been installed at the Old Private Bus Stand Circle and was unveiled by Air Marshal (Retd.) Kodandera C. Nanda Cariappa today, the day Devayya was martyred 55 years ago. The Circle will henceforth be officially called Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya Circle.
Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya is the only Indian Air Force (IAF) Officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Devayya (called ‘Wings of Fire’) was part of a strike mission (on the Pakistani Airbase Sargodha). During the war, Devayya shot down a US-made PAF (Pakistan Air Force) F-104 Starfighter on Sept. 7, 1965 while flying an inferior Mystere of French make.
The bronze statue weighs 600 kg and Rs. 20 lakh has been spent on getting the statue carved at Kengeri near Bengaluru. Devayya’s wife Sundari and daughter Preeth were present during the statue inauguration this morning. Also, ex-Sergeant Deranna Gowda from Sullia, a retired Non-Commissioned Officer, who was present when Devayya was seen off on Sept. 7, 1965 before Devayya took off to the skies, was among the dignitaries.
Sharing his experiences, ex-Sergeant Deranna Gowda said, “When Fourth Pakistani Air Force started bombarding the Jalandhar Air Base, Devayya came to the Armoury to collect his weapons to fight the enemy, I handed him a pistol and strapped the weapon around him. Kudupaje Bhojappa was also present. Later, Devayya sat on Mystere aircraft and took off to the skies.”
Addressing the gathering, Air Marshal Nanda Cariappa, who himself is a war veteran and son of Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, said that it was a matter of pride for Kodagu as Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya and Major Puttichanda Somaiah Ganapathy (later promoted as Lieutenant Colonel) received the honour of Maha Vir Chakra, next only to the supreme Defence award Param Vir Chakra.
While Devayya received the honour for shooting down a Pakistani plane and martyring for the cause of the Nation, Puttichanda Ganapathy was awarded Maha Vir Chakra for his combat role in 1987 Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka (launched by Indian Peace Keeping Force) against the LTTE.
MLC Veena Achaiah, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, Superintendent of Police Kshama Mishra, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum President Col. (Retd.) Kandrathanda Subbaiah, Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanjappa, Kodava Makkada Koota President Bollajira Aiyappa, Ajjamada family President Ajjamada Lava Kushalappa, Squadron Leader Ajjamada Devayya Memorial Trust members and President of Mysuru-based VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust Mandetira N. Subramani were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 07th, 2020
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