Napoklu:

Have you heard of a Temple where figurines of dogs are offered as a vow (harake) to appease Gods? There is a unique Temple at the remote village of Bethu near Napoklu in Kodagu District where visitors are greeted with thousands of dog idols that look like they are howling.

The historical Makki Shasthavu Temple at Bethu draws thousands of devotees to its Jathra Mahotsava where the figurines of dogs are offered. It has been a practice for devotees to offer clay dogs to the deity in fulfilment of the vow they made. Devotees visit the Temple in large numbers and offer such clay dogs, during the annual fair of the Temple. This year, the fair is being held from Dec. 16 (today) to Dec. 19.

Centre for Truth: The Makki Shasthavu Temple is otherwise known as the “Centre for Truth” and every year, two fairs are held. While the first main fair is held during December, the second main fair is held during May. The Temple fair is marked by pomp in the region. The Temple is surrounded by thick forest and as the number of devotes is usually large, the entire campus of the Temple is filled with clay dogs.

On Dec. 16, clay dogs are offered as it is the day of ‘Dhanu Sankramana.’ Devotees climb the steps to have a glimpse of the stone idol of the presiding deity, ‘Shasthavu Devaru’, placed on a pedestal under a jackfruit tree and characterised by the trident (trishula). The circular pedestal is five feet in height.

The clay dogs are offered to the deity during the festival in December, on the day of ‘Dhanu Sankramana.’ The clay dogs, however, are prepared in the ‘Vruschika Masa’, a month before the festival. The order can be placed by paying Rs. 350 for a pair of dogs. The fairs are celebrated with rituals like Deeparadhane, Ajjappa Kola and Vishnumoorthy Kola.

Secret transportation: Once the clay dog idols are prepared, the idols are transported to the Temple during wee hours and they are carried in such a way that no one sees the transportation process. First, the idols are taken to the ‘Karpathachan Nade’ near the ‘Bethu Mandh.’ Here, the idols are worshipped with flowers, kumkum and sandalwood paste. Later, they are carried and deposited inside the Makki Shasthavu Temple around the pedestal that has the tridents (trishulas).

Interestingly, so secretive is the movement of the clay dogs that villagers do not venture on that road before the idols are shifted. There is a strictly followed belief that no one must cross the way of the idols. As such, people desist from walking on that road during the festival season.

Rotis for dogs: There is a tradition of preparing rice rotis to be given as offerings to the clay dogs as Naivedya. Men from the families that take the vow of offering clay dogs prepare a fireplace near the Temple with stones and they collect firewood and deposit them near the fireplace. The women from the family stay overnight at a designated place near Temple and bathe in cold water early in the morning.

They later powder the rice to prepare rotis and bake them on the fireplace that their men had prepared. Once the rotis are baked they place them on plantain leaves all along the route through which the men transport the clay idols of dogs.

Why the vow?: The vow of offering a clay dog is taken to protect the dogs of households from external attacks. If the dogs in the house are safe, the properties owned by the families like land, crops and wealth too will be safe from thieves and other threats. This is the firm belief the villagers of surrounding areas have.

Of late, there is a scarcity of fine clay. Realising this, the Temple Management Committee said that the clay dogs meant for the offerings were brought to the Temple from Dharmasthala at a cost of Rs. 1.20 lakh two years ago. Clay idols submitted by devotees in the previous years are replaced during the Temple fair.

The legend of the Temple

There are several legends associated with the Makki Shasthavu Temple. Many years ago, at the Temple, there was a ‘Thirula’ (a man who is possessed with a divine spirit). This Thirula was once imprisoned for some reason. During one of the festivals, there was a loud sound of drum beats at the Temple and this Thirula, under divine possession, broke the shackles of the prison and came before the Temple pedestal. Under divine influence, the Thirula was able to break the prison shackles and also free himself from the handcuffs by vigorously shaking his hands before the Makki Shasthavu deity. Due to sheer force, a broken piece of the handcuff flew and got etched to the bark of the jackfruit tree (see pic.). This metal piece can be seen even now. The clay used to prepare the idols is sourced from Balamuri village nearby. This has been the practice for the past 30 years. After preparing the idols, they have to be dried in shade. As per tradition, members belonging to 12 families of the village compulsorily bring 12 pairs of clay dogs and submit it at the Temple.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 16th, 2019

Mysuru:

Huthri or Puthari festival was celebrated with grandeur and traditional fervour in Mysuru and Kodagu districts yesterday. It is a festival of harvest and getting the harvested paddy crop home.

Kodavas and members of Kodagu Gowda community visited paddy fields in their traditional attire and harvested the new crop after offering prayers.

The festival is observed either in the month of November or December on full moon day of Rohini Nakshatra. Before harvesting, they chanted ‘Poli Poli Deva,’ fired three times in the air and burst crackers.

In Mysuru, the celebrations were organised by Mysuru Kodava Samaja at Sree Cauvery Educational Institutions premises in Kuvempunagar while members of Kodagu Gowda community celebrated the fest at their Samaja premises in Vijayanagar.

The celebrations started at Cauvery School at 5.30 pm with performance of traditional Kodava dances by both men and women including small children.

‘Nere kattuva’ ritual was held at 7.35 pm followed by reaping of new paddy crop at 8.35 pm and distribution of thambutt prasada (a unique pudding made of ripe banana, coconut, jaggery/sugar, sesame, cardamom, ghee and roasted boiled rice flour) at 9.35 pm.

The menfolk, wearing their traditional attire complete with Kuppiya – Chele, Mande Thuni and Peeche Kathi and the saree-clad women accompanied by girl children holding Thaliathakki Bolcha (a bronze tray with rice, betel leaves, arecanut and a lamp) marched to the nearby fields to reap the paddy crop. The festival marks bringing home the new paddy crop from the fields, symbolic of welcome to Goddess Lakshmi, who is the presiding deity of wealth.

A festival primarily confined to Kodagu in the past is now being celebrated in cities too where there is a considerable population of Kodavas. And Mysuru Kodava Samaja has been striving to keep the tradition alive by hosting the Puthari Eedu and Festival get-together annually.

Puthari Eedu was held for five days from Dec.6 to Dec.10 daily at 6 pm at the Kodava Samaja premises in Vijayanagar where traditional Kodava dances are practiced with the cultural troupe members and new-comers, according to Kekada M. Belliappa, President and Malachira M. Ponnappa, Hon. Secretary of Kodava Samaja, Mysuru. Hundreds of Kodavas attended the celebrations in city last evening. On the occasion, the Samaja felicitated the men’s cultural troupe that won prize in the competition held at Balugodu Samaja recently.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 12th, 2019

Huthri celebrations, 5.30 pm onwards;

traditional Kodava dances by the Samaja members and their children,

‘Nere kattuva’ ritual, 7.35 pm;

Reaping new paddy crop (Kadiru), 8.35 pm;

Distribution of thambutt prasada, Sree Cauvery College Grounds, Kuvempunagar, 9.35 pm.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Events / December 10th, 2019

Kaveri Kalakshetra hall in Madikeri will finally get a facelift. An action plan has been prepared at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore under a special grant of the state government to take up development work.

The Kaveri Kalakshetra hall building will be repaired and the roof and floor of the hall will be renovated, said CMC Commissioner M L Ramesh.

The hall was constructed at the district headquarters even before Independence and it provided a platform for various cultural programmes.

Owing to the deplorable condition of the building, there was fear among the organisers to host programmes in the hall.

The cracked walls, broken window and doors, pathetic condition of the roof were attracting negative opinion of the visitors.

Though CMC had earmarked funds in its annual budget for the construction of Kaveri Kalakshetra two years ago, it has not materialised so far. The members had expressed displeasure at the failure of the government to release the grants in spite of submitting memorandum several times in the past.

The commissioner said, “Technical inputs from PWD have been sought for the renovation of the Kaveri Kalakshetra hall. An action plan has been prepared and the tender will be floated for the work shortly. The hall will also have new seating arrangements after the renovation work.”

Nagara Hitharakshana Vedike President Ravi Gowda said, “Kaveri Kalakshetra hall was crying for attention without any maintenance. A suitable platform should be provided for young talents and artistes after the renovation of Kaveri Kalakshetra.”

The local residents have urged the authorities to rent out Kaveri Kalakshetra hall for marriage functions to increase the income of the CMC.

Artist Raju from Kushalnagar said, “There is no dearth of artistes in Kodagu district. However, there are no platforms for the artistes to showcase their talent. The demand for Ranga Mandira and theatres in the district has not been fulfilled.”

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service , Madikeri / December 09th, 2019