Category Archives: Historical Links / Pre-Independence

Saving Kodava takkë

August 16, 2022Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, Alladmin

A new bilingual title of 21 poems deep-dives into the culture and literature of Coorg, hoping to become a tool to revive their language after UNESCO listed it as a Definitely Endangered Language.

Saving Kodava takkë — ***Duditaptkaras, bards of Kodagu, singing traditional songs of the land***

“Come and see the ainmanes of old where our ancestors lived as one.”

This line is extracted from Ainmane, a poem in A Place Apart: Poems from Kodagu, by Bacharanianda P Appanna, is dedicated to one’s ancestral home and sums up the core of this seminal literary project. For the first time, poetry by this authority on Kodava takkë (language of the Kodavas) has been translated and transliterated into English by cultural researcher Kaveri Ponnnapa. Apart from home, family, culture and tradition, forest and prayer are the other subjects from everyday life that find their way here.

The language spoken by an estimated 1.25 lakh Kodavas, it was listed by UNESCO as a Definitely Endangered Language. With her studied knowledge, Ponnapa swung into action to resurrect the language of her community. She collaborated with Appanna and his wife Ranu, an educator and poet, and together they released this ode.
In the transliterations that appear in the third section of the book, Ponnapa uses the Roman script to relay Appanna’s poetry and creates an exhaustive glossary, thereby paving the way to familiarise it to the larger audience. This was after she realised that it was easy to read for Kodava speakers like her and those with limited or no knowledge of the Kannada script. The accompanying illustrations by Rupesh Nanaiah act as cultural markers of identity and though they are not directly illustrative, the essence of what it means to be Kodava reflects through this seamless symphony of poetry and art, making each poem read like a love letter about the land and its people.

Edited excerpts from an interview with Ponnapa.

What led to Kodava takkë being identified as one of UNESCO’s listed Definitely Endangered Languages of the world?
There are multiple, complex reasons why our language finds itself in this position today, including the lack of good educational facilities and economic opportunities for Kodagu [Coorg], its people. The young continue to migrate out of the district. When this happens, there are far greater pressures for them to learn and use a dominant language such as English to secure their place in a new environment. Historically, the Kodava population has been extremely small. This kind of migration for an already small population implies that ultimately, we have an even smaller number of speakers.

The second contributing factor is that ours was an oral tradition. The historical method of oral transmission broke down to be replaced with formal education using the Kannada script, which was then also used to write Kodava takkë. It has limited the expansion of the language to those with access to a Kannada education. The diaspora in particular, who do not have the opportunity to learn Kannada, have no access to written works in their language which would enrich and expand their knowledge of Kodava takkë and encourage them to keep up with their mother tongue.

A woman carrying poliya, a basket of assorted food items which seals a new relationship between two clans at a marriage ceremony; (right) Stag horn dance of Kodagu. Hunting, a sacred activity, was once an integral part of life. These dances exist to this day. Pics courtesy/Kaveri Ponnapa

What did you discover while working on the project?
I was deeply struck by how the language ideally expressed our specific experiences as a people, and like so many aspects of our culture, was embedded in the landscape, which we hold sacred. Appanna was born and lived in Kodagu when it was still an independent state, when our cultural identity was more strongly defined. His understanding and knowledge of the Kodava language, culture and landscape makes him an invaluable repository of our heritage, a great deal of which has passed into history, but needs to be documented for our future.

Since we were dealing with poetry and song—the traditional ways in which all our cultural knowledge was transmitted across generations—it was fascinating to explore the rhythms of unfamiliar poetic expressions spun out of familiar words, which, in the simplest of ways, became capable of expressing a great deal of meaning and emotion.

Ross Perlin of the Endangered Languages Alliance, had observed: “It’s hard to maintain the full richness, depth and complexity of a culture without its languages.” This depth and richness was revealed while writing the book.

All of Bacharanianda P Appanna’s writing projects are collaborative efforts with his wife Ranu Appanna

How did you overcome challenges of translations and transliterations?
The use of the Kannada script for Kodava takkë comes with a series of compromises and challenges, reflected in a loss of linguistic nuance, loss of vocabulary as well as distinct changes in pronunciation and speech for the Kodava language.

While transcribing the words of the poems, many of them sounded different from the original. People habituated to viewing Kodava takkë through the lens of Kannada find it difficult to make a shift, and are content to stay with inaccurate renderings, until the nature of the language itself changes. It took repeated readings, clarifications, and consultations with the Appannas, as well as other native speakers and elders before setting anything down on paper.

Creating audio recordings—which will soon be accessible on my website—was another important way to access the linguistic sounds and rhythms that are lost when written in a script that cannot encompass many of its sounds.

How can Kodava takkë stay alive?
One of the ways is to provide a more universally accessible script that is available to the greatest number of speakers. This is where Romanisation comes in. The idea of the transliteration came from my personal experience of being part of the diaspora, and despite being a fluent speaker, having no means to enter into the written works in my language to be able to expand my cultural and linguistic knowledge.

To order a copy : www.coorg.com

source: http://www.mid-day.com / mid-day / Home> Sunday Mid-Day News / by Fiona Fernandez, Mumbai / May 22nd, 2022

This day, 75 years ago

August 15, 2022Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, Alladmin

Long live India!

The day India attained freedom is etched in my memory. I was a young boy then. My friends and I were playing on the ground behind the revenue office in Ponnampet, a small town in South Kodagu. Even in the 1940s, the town was important as it had primary and secondary schools, a revenue office, a treasury, a police station, a veterinary hospital, an inspection bungalow, a club and rice mills.

It was around noon when we heard patriotic slogans drifting from the road across the police station — ‘Bharat Mata ki -Jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki – Jai, Jawaharlal Nehru ki – Jai, Vallabhbhai Patel ki – Jai; Vande Mataram’. My friend Ponnappa, about four years older than me, and I rushed towards the road, leaving others in the field.

What a sight! About 8-10 open trucks and a few cars, all held up on the road. Trucks were decorated with flags and buntings and filled with people waving flags and shouting slogans, which raised to a crescendo! An unusual scene in the otherwise sleepy Ponnampet. We joined the onlookers lining up on either sides of the narrow road.

To our surprise, two elderly boys in the truck in front of us, called us to come nearer to the vehicle. As Ponnappa approached the vehicle, the boys signalled to raise his hands. They then bent over and gently pulled him up into the truck. When my turn came, I was reluctant but Ponnappa egged me on to join. We were nervous until the others assured us that we would be dropped off at the same spot on the return journey. We too joined others in shouting ‘Jai’.

The procession moved slowly towards the town centre, greeted and cheered by the crowds on the way. It then reached Ramakrishna Ashram, on the outskirts of the town. Many went inside the Ashram, probably to seek blessings from the gurus. Our guardians helped us to get off the truck, but instructed to stay nearer to the vehicle. We were glued to our vehicle lest we miss our return journey. An hour later, our guardians returned with two donnes filled with delicious payasam. Soon the procession was on its way back. It crossed the town centre and was moving towards the club. Then, on instructions from our friends, the vehicle stopped, and we were dropped off where we started. We heaved a big sigh of relief. We waved our friends good bye.

Now, a greater fear gripped us — how to face our parents since we disappeared without their permission. Wishing each other good luck, we parted ways. To my great surprise, at my house, instead of an angry face, a happy smile of my parents welcomed me. Perhaps, they thought their young son could participate in the very first Independence day celebration.

Every August 15, my memory goes back to Ponnampet and revisits the first Independence Day celebration. ’Bharat Mata ki – Jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki – Jai, Vande Mataram’ resonates in my ears. I pay my grateful thanks without fail to the two unknown friends who made that unique day possible.

Long live India!

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Opinion> Right in the Middle / by Odiyanda K Muthappa / August 15th, 2022

‘Amara Sullia Uprising’: 20 years before Sepoy Mutiny, coastal Karnataka revolted against British

August 14, 2022Amazing Feats, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Historians say the foundation for the Amara Sullia Uprising was laid in the early 1830s.

Highlights

In 1834, Chikka Veera Rajendra of the Haleri dynasty, the king of Kodagu, was deposed by the British

After capturing the entire Mangalore city, the British Union Jack was lowered and the rebel flag was hoisted

Many are unaware of Coastal Karnataka’s role in the fight against the British: Dayananda Kathalsar

Bengaluru:

In 1837, 20 years before the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny – the First War of Indian Independence – and nearly a hundred years prior to the Civil Disobedience Movement, the people of coastal Karnataka and Kodagu led an armed rebellion against the British and were successful in holding the port city of Mangalore (now Mangaluru) and other regions for nearly 13 days before the rebellion was crushed.

Dr Peter Wilson Prabhakar, a renowned historian from Dakshina Kannada, who narrated the timeline of events of the Amara Sullia Uprising to News9 opines that the foundation for the uprising against the British was built in the early 1830s.

In 1834, Kodagu king Chikka Veera Rajendra of the Haleri dynasty was deposed by the British leading to an immediate revolt in the region. (The British controlled Dakshina Kannada – South Canara – after Tipu Sultan’s death in 1799, while Kodagu was an independent state until 1834).

Swamy Aparampara started the revolt in Kodagu along with Hulikaadida (the one who killed a tiger) Nanjayya. But within two weeks, Aparampara was arrested in Manjarabad and hanged.

Another revolt led by Kalyanaswamy in 1835, who claimed to be a descendant of the former king of Kodagu, was crushed by the British. He was imprisoned and hanged to death in 1836.

This is when soldiers, who belonged to the army of Chikka Veera Rajendra, chose one among them named Putta Basappa and presented him as Kalyanaswamy to the people. They needed a figurehead as the real Kalyanaswamy was dead.

The soldiers trained Putta Basappa at a hill in Kodagu and presented him to the public as Kalyanaswamy.

Varying reasons for rebellion in South Canara-Kodagu

While the invasion of Kodagu resulted in a rebellion in the region, for the people of Sullia and Puttur in Dakshina Kannada the administration and revenue changes made by the British lit the fire.

“Earlier the Amara Sullia and Puttur Magane (revenue divisions) were under the control of the king of Kodagu. In 1834, it was separated from Kodagu and added into the Canara district,” Prabhakar told News9.

Earlier, in 1830-31, the British had made a major change to tax collection.

“Up to the 1830s, the revenue tax was in kind (payment in the form of goods like pepper etc). But in 1830-31, the people were asked to pay tax in cash and not in kind,” the historian said.

The high tax was a burden on the people, which sparked agitation.

“Separation of Sullia and Puttur from Kodagu, high taxes and payment in cash instead of kind, were the main reasons,” he added.

Before the rebellion in Kodagu in 1834, due to the imposition of these high taxes and change in the revenue system, there was a rebellion in South Canara.

It was popularly called “Koots” – meaning a group – rebellion. Almost the present Kasaragod, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi revolted against the British in 1830-31.

“While the Civil Disobedience Movement by Mahatma Gandhiji began in 1930, a hundred years before in South Canara, the no tax movement was started,” Prabhakar said.

1837 – The Amara Sullia Dange (Uprising)

In 1837, when the soldiers of Chikka Veera Rajendra, led by Kalyanaswamy (Putta Basappa) along with the people of Kodagu started moving towards Sullia. They travelled through the Bisle Ghat and not through the present route of Sampaje.

Through the ghats, the troops first entered Bellare and destroyed the British Treasury in Bangle Gudde.

The British Treasury in Bellare. (Photo credit: Anindith Gowda Kochi Baarike through a special arrangement)

After that, the troops were divided into three divisions. One was sent to Dharmasthala and Uppinangady. Another was sent to Kasaragod and Kumble.

The third division was sent to Puttur, through Bellare and Kumbra.

The first battle between the troops of Kalyanaswamy and the British took place on March 30, 1837, on the outskirts of Puttur.

The British were defeated. Those who survived retreated to Mangalore (presently known as Mangaluru) – it was where the British Collector was seated.

On March 31, the British Treasury in Puttur and the entire city were under the control of the peasants and soldiers led by Kalyanaswamy.

On April 5, the troops, who had gained military aid from the kings of Vittla and Belthangady, entered the port city of Mangalore and started capturing the city.

At the time the district headquarters of the British was located at the present-day Balmatta. After destroying the British buildings and plundering the district treasury, the entire Mangalore city area was captured.

The troops controlled the Amara Sullia region, Puttur, Bantwal and Mangalore for nearly 13 days. The British Union Jack was lowered and the rebel flag was hoisted in Bavuta Gudde – the hill with the flag – in Mangaluru.

This is also noted in the Dakshina Kannada District Gazetteer. Many believe the flag to be of the Haleri dynasty since the troops belonged to the Kodagu king Chikka Veera Rajendra.

Rebellion crushed by the British

The rebellion angered the British, who brought in reinforcements from Bombay and Madras Presidency.

The British then crushed the rebellion led by Kalyanaswamy and the peasants of the Amara Sullia and the surrounding regions. The movement was labelled by the British as the loot of Kalyanappa – Kalyanappana Katakayi – to lower its significance in the region.

“Kalyanaswamy, Beeranna Banta, Guddemane Appayya and Laxmappa Banga Arasa – the king of Nadavara – were hanged to death in present-day Bikarnakatte in Mangaluru,” historian Prabhakar said.

The others, who were captured, were deported to Singapore and other islands.

Anindith Gowda Kochi Baarike, who has authored the book on the uprising titled Recalling Amara Sulya that will be published soon, told News9 that not many know that in May-July 1837, a court marshall took place and the people who led the uprising were charged with treason.

“It was not a mutiny. It was a mass movement led by the people of the region,” he added.

Rich history forgotten

Many are unaware of the rich history of coastal Karnataka and its role in the fight against the British, says Dayananda Kathalsar, the president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy.

“All the youth should love their mother tongue. Tulu, the ancient Dravidian language spoken by people in coastal Karnataka, should be included in the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India,” Kathalsar told News9.

Now, a ‘youth revolution’ for the Tulu language, Kathalsar added, is underway in Mangaluru.

“Nearly 25,000 people in Mangaluru have learned Tulu and its script after a ‘revolutionary’ effort by youth of the region,” he added.

“This shows that when the youth are led in the right directions, the impossible can be achieved.”

Kochi Baarike, the author of Recalling Amara Sulya, said that several areas in present coastal Karnataka could be called the “cradle of the Indian freedom movement”.

“Despite a mass movement, they were charged with treason. And till we got independence in 1947 – 110 years after the uprising – there was no avenue to discuss this,” Kochi Baarike said.

“The least we could do now is document what happened,” he added.

(Note: The timeline of the events of the Amara Sullia Uprising has been reported in this feature as narrated by historian Peter Wilson Prabhakar)

source: http://www.news9live.com / News Nine / Home> State> Karnataka / by Prajwal D’Souza / August 14th, 2022

MN Srinivas views on religion and society among Coorgs

August 11, 2022Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, Alladmin

Mysore Narasimachar Srinivas was born in 1916 in Mysore. He belonged to a Brahmin Family and studied various areas like caste, society, religion and so on. He brought up various ideas related to sociology.

He published a book called ‘Religion and Society among the Coorgs of South India’. It put forward a new approach to study Hinduism. Srinivas took two aspects to distinct various sociological aspects. These distinctions are – field view and book view. He advocated field view which helps in observing and examining things more clearly.

According to him, we cannot isolate religious beliefs completely from our life. Religious factors always correlate with social norms and values. No religion is autonomous or eternal. He provides an approach for those who do not regard religion as pure and society as corrupt. They have blind faith in intangible things which are not practically accepted. For him, Hinduism is not solitary and inseparable. According to regional transformation, it goes on changing. This field view of his ideology gives a perfect picture of how religious practices and norms are making everybody more engaged with societal norms especially in the case of Coorgs.

His second distinction, i.e., the book view of Hinduism has many impediments. This view was accepted by almost every believer. This was based on our historical texts. But those texts are away from the real picture of religion and give false understanding. Those texts were based on idealism but in reality away from realism. Whereas the field view takes us closer to the actual practices prevalent in reality, like caste and joint family.

Study of local Coorgs

The book concentrates on the rituals and cultural structures among Coorgs. Kodagu also is known as Coorgs is a rural district situated in Karnataka. They are known as descendents of Arabs or Greeks and famous for coffee production. They worship nature and do not have any deity like Brahmins. They live in mountainous regions with specific language and customs. M.N. Srinivas focused on festivals and customs that are performed by coorgs. He personally spent a lot of time among a Coorg joint family and provides an empirical view of coorgs and Indian society He argues that puranas are responsible for complete Sanskritization of culture and he gives the example of Coorgs. In this, he illustrates that educated Coorgs want to identify the village gods with Shiva and they also explain why gods start liking liquor and meat due to losing their caste when they were crossing Malabar. He states that how they want to preserve social structure using local customs.

His sociological perspective of religion is based on religion skepticism rather than faith. Even after the efforts of Srinivas more than 50 years ago, the religious sociology as a discipline has not been established in India as it has been in the West. His sociology of religion is based on examining the norms, practices and faith structure according to societal needs. The critical analysis of religion through his lens is based on kinship, economics and politics factors. After independence when he established his theories on Coorgs, it hardly received any opposition. But there is also one more reality that his empirical study about Hinduism is not used further by many sociologists in India. It is very irrational for many philosophers to judge the values of any religion objectively. But for the betterment of society, implementation of every reform based on meaningful assessment is necessary.

Undoubtedly, Hinduism is an ancient philosophy prevailing for thousands of years. Thinkers like Srinivas do not condemn its theological aspects. His appraisal was totally based on practical and logical standards. He wants it to be a religion of tolerance but not a religion of hierarchy. Certain practices like untouchability, caste system, women oppressions, etc. must be denounced for the growth and advancement of society. Using religion as an excuse to continue such practices deserve criticism.

Reference:

https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/religion-and-society-in-hinduism-the-principle-of-hierarchy-clashes-with-that-of-tolerance/cid/1017191

source: http://www.sociologygroup.com / Sociology Group / by Kiran

Sandooka: Virtual Museum Of Kodava Heritage & Culture

August 1, 2022Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Defence Services (Air,Land,Sea),Police (wef. Dec 09th, 2021), Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Pepper, Records, All, Science & Technology, Sports, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), World Opinionadmin

Call to help preserve memories of a vanishing people

While modernisation has opened many opportunities for the well-qualified, it has also distanced the young from their heritage and culture. This is even more accentuated amongst Kodavas living outside Kodagu. There is a need to establish a platform where young Kodavas could learn and keep in touch with the community’s heritage, cultural practices, folklore, music, dance, festivals and history, says Mrs. Codanda Rathi Vinay Jha, IAS (Retd.) and Chair, India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), who has initiated establishing a Virtual Museum of Kodava Heritage & Culture named ‘Sandooka,’ a treasure trove of information. —Ed

Kodavas are a micro-minority community in India, who live in Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka State. It is estimated that there are about 1,50,000 ethnic Kodavas within and outside Kodagu.

Kodavas, by virtue of living quite isolated in a densely wooded hilly terrain on the Western Ghats of India since time immemorial, have developed their own unique culture, physical attributes, cuisine, language, attire, religious rituals and practices.

Over the centuries, Kodavas adapted themselves to the harsh weather conditions, dangers from wild animals and the inhospitable terrain of Kodagu and transformed the land to an idyllic haven it is today. With the passage of time, they toiled literally with bare hands to cultivate paddy in the valleys.

With the forests providing bountiful supply of wild game, they became expert hunters initially with bows and arrows, and later with firearms which enabled them to emerge as a warrior race. They transformed the fertile land and were able to grow enough paddy that they could export to neighbouring areas.

The interactions with immediate neighbours in present day Kerala, Mysuru and Mangaluru, influenced the Kodava language, places of worship, construction of their dwellings and some of the religious practices as well. However, Kodavas still retain their fundamental philosophy of ancestor and nature worship. They come under the broad umbrella of Hinduism.

Kodagu was ruled by Kodava Nayakas or Palegars who were basically warlords. The Haleri dynasty established their rule in Kodagu after cleverly replacing the hopelessly divided Nayakas during the early part of the 17th century. The Haleri Rajas ruled for over two centuries until the British takeover of the administration in 1834 after deposing the last Raja. During the rule of the Haleri Rajas and later the British, Kodavas remained the prominent community very much involved in the administration.

During the British rule, education was introduced and this brought about quantum changes in the lifestyle of the Kodavas. Kodavas found several employment opportunities. Introduction and scientific cultivation of coffee and spices vastly improved the economy of the region. Kodava culture and ethos found expression in the writings by the British, European and Kodava authors.

By the time India got her independence, many Kodavas held important and high-level offices in sectors such as the Defence Forces, Administration, Revenue Department, Forest Department, Police, in the field of Education, Engineering and Medicine.

Kodavas have several distinctive elements in their social, cultural and religious practices. One of them is the deferential status given to women. There is no dowry system in the community. Centuries ago, widow remarriage was permitted. This enlightened attitude is now reflected in well-educated Kodava women shining in a variety of fields.

After India’s independence many Kodavas ventured out of Kodagu seeking better opportunities in education, employment, business and sports. Kodavas are now spread all over the globe. The last three decades has seen a large number of Kodavas migrating outside the country. There is now a sizable number of Kodava diaspora in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. In many cases, there are a couple of generation of Kodavas born and brought up outside Kodagu and outside India as well.

It is with this aim in mind that Mrs. Codanda Rathi Vinay Jha, IAS (Retd.), as Chair, India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), initiated establishing a Virtual Museum of Kodava Heritage & Culture (VMKHC). This project is evocatively named — Sandooka — a treasure trove of information. IFA has successfully supported several path-breaking projects in the field of art and culture.

Sandooka will be a living museum that will be interactive and open to receiving relevant new materials from the public. People, especially the future generations of Kodavas, will have an easily accessible platform to gather details of their heritage. Weblinks will also be given to some of the websites dealing with Kodava culture. It is hoped that this treasure trove of information will be of immense help to those who wish to carry out further research on Kodavas. VMKHC will cover the following aspects of Kodagu and Kodavas:

1. Customs and Rituals

2. Cuisine

3. Architecture

4. Clothes and Jewellery

5. Art & Craft

6. Landscape

7. Literature and Folklore

8. Community Histories

9. Festivals

The project is generously funded with a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) grant from Recaero India Pvt. Ltd., which is a pioneer in the field of aerospace engineering and is headed by Vinay Jha, IAS (Retd). A highly professional team has been forged to deal with every aspect of the project. The team comprises:

Lina Vincent – Project Head; Upasana Nattoji Roy – Designer (Switch Studio); Saurav Roy – Designer (Switch Studio) and Mookanda Nitin Kushalappa – Researcher.

IFA office-bearers are: Arundhati Ghosh (Executive Director) and Darshana Davé (Project Co-ordinator); Advisory Group: Rathi Vinay Jha, C.P. Belliappa and Hemanth Sathyanarayana.

Sandooka invites submission of Kodava artefacts, rare photographs, antiques including jewellery (photos) and anecdotes of yore. All accepted materials will be given due recognition and credits. Sharing your valuable knowledge and collections will enrich the contents of Sandooka.

For details of submission of materials, please visit: www.sandookamuseum.org

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by C.P. Belliappa / August 01st, 2022

A Book On The Lighter Side Of Coorg

July 21, 2022Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Defence Services (Air,Land,Sea),Police (wef. Dec 09th, 2021), Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, Alladmin

Yesterday morning as I sat at my working desk, there sat a brown cover addressed to me on the table.

It came from Palanganda T. Bopanna, a journalist author from Bengaluru. Inside was a thin book with a thick hard cover embellished with the photograph of the author in his ethnic Kodava headgear of a peta adorned with a pattern of golden strap crossing each other as if hugging the peta.

The title of the book is quite revealing and says what it contains:

Round And About With P.T. Bopanna’ with a bottom line: Bopanna looks at the lighter side of Coorg. Himself being a Kodava (Coorg), his writings here are of Kodagu related subjects or about himself with VIPs. I finished reading it in one hour and here I am writing about it. This was possible because each of the 25 pieces inside, including the Foreword by the Kodava iconic Fashion Guru of India Prasad Bidapa and the Epilogue, are no longer than two or three pages in fairly larger font and pictures. Good reading for those familiar with Kodagu (Coorg) and the people written about in the book.

There is a Preface also by the author and I was delighted to find the names of Mr. Boverianda Chinnappa and Mrs. Nanjamma Chinnappa, now residents of Mysuru, being mentioned for their “valuable suggestions” in bringing out this thin book of 68 pages. “The couple has been a source of strength to me in my book and web ventures,” he writes in gratitude.

As a Kodava myself, I know there are any number of Kodavas all over the world engaged in different activities and pursing professions who have become great achievers. Kodava people belong to a microscopic minority as a population who lived in a land of their own known as Kodagu ruled by Nayaks and then Kings and then the British, now a district in Karnataka.

The land area cannot increase but population increases. As a result when the family grew, its land-holding was not sufficient for running the family. Perforce they got themselves educated and some members had to leave Kodagu and then Kodava (Coorg) diaspora became a reality. Fortunately those who went out of Kodagu, a great majority of them, are doing well and very well. Some of them became celebrities and some are recognised by the governments. But there are other achievers who remain without public recognition but doing very well in their given profession, business or industry.

One example for anonymous achievers and distinguished persons among Kodavas is given in the book itself in the person for whom the book is dedicated (page 3). He is Pemanda Monappa Belliappa, a retired IAS Officer of Tamil Nadu.

Acknowledged as an outstanding administrator, Belliappa was decorated with MBE (Member of the British Empire) by the Queen of England. More than this, he established ‘Pemanda Monappa Scholarship’ in Cambridge University in perpetuity, in the name of his father, Pemanda Monappa, former Karnataka Inspector General of Police. Nearer home, he has also made handsome donation to the Coorg Education Fund, Madikeri. People like Belliappa are indeed the pride of Kodagu. There are many such Stars of Kodagu!

Bopanna, who claims to be a chronicler of Kodagu or Kodavas, may also venture to trace all those achievers among them, after independence of our country (1947) and publish a book with their biodata. This would be a great contribution from him to the Kodava people.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Columns > Abracadabra / by K.B. Ganapathy / July 20th, 2022

CNC Urges Govt. To Accord Geo-Political Autonomy

July 4, 2022Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Madikeri:

Urging the Government to facilitate the Kodava Land Geo-Political Autonomy under Articles 244, 371 (read with 6th & 8th Schedule of the Constitution) and also Scheduled Tribe (ST) tag to Kodava tribe among various other demands, Codava National Council (CNC) President N.U. Nachappa and the other Council members staged a stir in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in the town yesterday.

The Government must consider Kodavas as a Scheduled Tribe community and must officially provide the ST tag at the earliest. Under the Constitution Act 25 and 26 the Kodava Gun Rights should be continued without any time restriction and also Kodava language should be incorporated in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

The Kodava cultural heritage should be included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list of UNESCO, the members demanded.

“The Kodava community has its origin only in Kodagu and the people are being neglected. If this continues, all the history and culture of the community will disappear without any trace. The CNC from the past few years are fighting for the rights of the whole community,” they said and submitted a memorandum seeking to fulfillment of their demands.

Council members B. Savitha Girish, P. Swathi Kalappa, C. Jyothi Nanaiah, Ltn. Col. B.M. Parvathi, K. Prakash, B. Chippanna, P. Kalappa, A. Lokesh, A. Girish, M. Manoj and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 03rd, 2022

Karnataka Arebhashe Samskruthi and Sahitya Academy completes digitisation of 84 books

June 22, 2022Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Mangaluru:

In an attempt to popularise, protect and preserve the language, as well as to obtain ISO language code, the Karnataka Arebhashe Samskruthi and Sahitya Academy has completed the digitisation of 84 books.

Academy member Bharathesha Alasandemajalu said that books that were published from 1968 to the recent ones, including two PhD theses, have been digitised. The PhD thesis on Arebhashe in English by Prof Kodi Kushalappa Gowda, published in 1970 at the Annamalai University, has been digitised. Earlier, the language was known as Gowda Kannada. The other works include the digitisation of a souvenir that highlights the culture of the Gowda community, he said.

In total, digitisation of the 38 books published by the academy, ‘Hingara’ -the tri-monthly magazine of the academy, and 21 books published by different authors have been digitised, and available on arebashe.sanchaya.net.

The team has digitised 142 editions of ‘Kodava Sangathi’, a fortnightly, whose editor was Pattada Prabhakar, and an important book on the Amara Sullia uprising of 1837, by Deviprasad Sampaje.

The books are available under three categories, books published by the academy, Arebhashe Sahithya and editions of Kodagu Sangathi, and Hingara Bharathesha said.

The digitisation works will be inaugurated on June 25 in Madikeri, in the presence of chief minister’s advisor for e- governance Beluru Sudarshan and Kodagu Kannada Sahitya Academy president M P Keshav Kamath. Academy president Lakshminarayan Kajegadde will preside over the event.

“In case the language has to obtain international recognition, then an ISO language code is important. Digitisation is a step towards obtaining the code. It will also give the public easy access to the existing Arebhashe literature,” he said.

Vishwanath Badikana, assistant professor, Kannada, Aloysius College, and member of the academy, said that books that have been digitised are not available in the market. The works on Arebhashe dictionary, a blend of Lexicon and Kittel dictionary, encyclopedia and Arebhashe glossary-documenting Arebhashe culture, through the items used by people who speak this language, is near completion.

“This is probably first-of-its-kind work undertaken for a sub-dialect, through an academy that has a small base. According to an estimate, about 10 lakh people speak the language,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mangaluru News / by Deepthi Sanjiv / June 22nd, 2022

Karnataka: A project to establish virtual museum to chronicle Kodava heritage underway

May 29, 2022Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)admin

The virtual museum will likely stand completed and be accessible globally by February next year and the groundwork for the project is ongoing.

Dudi, a traditional drum of the Kodavas, made of metal base and animal hide. Image meant for representational purpose only.

Madikeri :

The Kodava community has a unique culture juxtaposed with tribal and martial history. While the unique traditions are highly revered in the district, research work on the history or culture of the community is less. However, this loophole is now being addressed by the Indian Foundation for the Arts (IFA), which will soon set up an interactive Virtual Museum of Kodava Heritage and culture called the – Sandooka Museum.

The virtual museum will likely stand completed and be accessible globally by February next year and the groundwork for the project is ongoing. The museum will be an interactive online space that will provide a glimpse into the history, traditions, land, lives, customs and beliefs of the Kodava community.

We are putting together various videos, pictures, audios and text for the project. There are numerous village festivals in Kodagu and each Kodava clan has its own annual rituals. At the ground level, we are visiting the villages, Kodava families, temples and Kodava organizations to avail authentic materials for the museum,” explained M Nitin Kushalappa, an author who is involved in the museum project with the IFA.

“We do not acquire the materials from the people but make copies of the same, which will be uploaded online,” he added.

“This might be the first virtual museum of the sort in India. Our approach is based on community collaboration and we have an open call announced in which we are inviting people to share their own stories and experiences of Kodava culture. Be it a family photograph or heirloom, documentation of a festival or ritual, or even images of public artifacts that they would like to talk about. The open calls will select stories from among those sent in a feature on the website and that it is ‘The Living Museum of Kodava Culture,’ “explained Lina Vincent, the project director.

The advisory committee led by Rathi Vinay Jha, CP Beliappa and Hemanth Sathyanarayan is guiding the project team led by project director Lina Vincent, design team Saurav Roy and Upasana Roy alongside Nitin. The team is currently involved in recording folk songs and other audio and video clips from the people from the community. The team is open to accepting contributions from the community members.

Kodavas are indigenous residents of Kodagu and the population of the community is just 1.25 lakh. The majority of the Kodavas are settled in Kodagu. The community has rich tribal and folk culture that is being passed on from generations. Not many works have taken shape in documenting the rich culture of the community. The establishment of a virtual museum archiving the traditions of the community is welcomed by the residents of the district.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / May 29th, 2022

Where Abusing Gods Is The Way Of Worship

May 29, 2022Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)admin

Annual Kunde Habba concludes with bawdy abuses in tribal belts of Kodagu, Hunsur

Gonikoppa:

Yesterday, the fourth Thursday of May saw the culmination of ‘Kunde Habba’ in parts of tribal-dominated South Kodagu, Hunsur and Hanagodu that borders Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.

It is a peculiar festival where choicest abuses are hurled against the Tribal Gods Ayyappa and Bhadrakali and this is a tradition diligently followed by the tribal communities — predominantly, Jenukuruba, Betta Kuruba, Kuruba and Yerava communities — for centuries.

They are the original inhabitants of Kodagu and forests are their homes. Now due to strict forest laws, they are displaced and many work as labourers in estates and fields. The influential among them have got a good education and are settled in cities also. However, most of them depend on Government welfare schemes for survival.

Usually, the festival begins three days before the last Thursday of the May month and it is celebrated with pomp and gaiety. Bawdy abuses rent the air in South Kodagu, especially Gonikoppa, Ponnampet, Pollibetta, Balele, Maldare, Siddapura, Thithimathi, Devarapura, Periyapatna, fringes of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, tribal settlements and now the festival has extended till Hanagodu and Hunsur, thanks to hundreds of Government-sponsored settlements.

The highlight of this festival is participants hurling vulgar abuses and collecting alms. Weird attires, gaudy outfits with props that signify vulgarity are worn and vulgar abuses are hurled at every passer-by. The tribals hold long bamboo poles in their hands along with beating objects including empty plastic drums, and vessels. The sound of beating objects rends the air as tribals make merry.

Cross-dressing is a common practice for tribals during the fest. Wearing weird and garish make-up and getting dressed up in women’s clothes, men hurling abuse and singing vulgar songs demanding money from people are also part of the festival. Though vulgar abuses are hurled at women, they do not mind as they know that they are not the actual targets.

Smeared in mud and colourful paints, they head out on a procession to openly dismiss the God who once abandoned his tribe. The tribal communities believe that Lord Ayyappa and Goddess Bhadrakali betrayed the tribal people and in revenge, they abuse them to get back their affection on the fourth Thursday of May.

Legend has it that when Lord Ayyappa and some tribals went to the forest to hunt, he met Bhadrakali and fell in love with her. The smitten Lord went with Bhadrakali and forgot the tribals who felt ignored and cheated. They later started observing the day as a festival to commemorate the incident by abusing the Gods.

After marching on the roads and collecting alms even by stopping vehicles and crowding in front of shops, the tribals converge at the Bhadrakali Temple in Devara Kadu (sacred grove) at Thithimathi. They dance around the Temple and even here, they hurl choice obscenities in praise of their deities. But the liberty of abusing the Gods is taken only during Kunde Habba. On other days, the Gods are revered and ardently worshipped.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News/ May 27th, 2022

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