In 2018 Kodagu was struck by a rain disaster never heard of or seen before causing landslides, devastating floods and destroying houses and properties of the people, specially in North Kodagu area of Madikeri and Somwarpet Taluks.
Thousands of people were homeless and had to take shelter in schools and public buildings turned into Gruel Centres (Ganji Kendras), where free food was provided. It was a heart-rending sight of hapless, suffering people.
The Government and many NGOs and social organisations rushed to help the victims of the disaster. Among them was also the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Madikeri Kendra. September 2018 was the month, BVB launched its Bhavan’s Project Coorg to contribute its mite to help the victims of the great natural disaster. This month BVB is completing four years of its service to a section of the victims which is being continued successfully even now and will continue.
For the Bhavan’s Project Coorg initiative, BVB chose one village known as Kalur village which was badly hit with landslides resulting in loss of houses and cultivated lands — coffee estates and paddy fields. It was the worst disaster in the history of Kodagu.
Naturally, several families were in deep shock and limbo as their source of livelihood was completely destroyed. The future looked bleak. How long could they continue in the rehabilitation (relief) camp?
At such a dismal situation, BVB extended its helping hand to the women of Kalur village by taking them under the protective wings of Bhavan’s Project Coorg. It was an initiative to provide both psychological and financial stability to them.
To begin with, BVB started skill development programmes by imparting training in food processing and tailoring to the agricultural women of Kalur village under a programme known as Yashasvi. BVB took 65 women of the village to train them in food processing and tailoring.
After training, they were provided work on a regular basis and they began to produce a line of packaged high quality masalas, apparently with a Coorg flavour, under the brand name, “Coorg Flavours.”
Simultaneously, Tailoring Unit was set up with sewing machines and required facilities, which now undertakes to produce school and NCC uniforms, uniforms required for Government Departments and private organisations. Every woman working here earns sufficient income because of BVB’s initiative.
Today, Food Processing Unit makes different products like home-made chocolates, masalas etc. BVB’s Project Coorg has two stores, which helps sustaining this project, at Madikeri, capital of Kodagu district. Thus BVB made self-reliance possible for hapless women.
Support from people is needed to make this initiative grow and sustain.
For more information, contact BVB Madikeri Hon. Secretary Balaji Kashyap on Mob: 98458-31683.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / By K.B. Ganapathy,Chairman, BVB Mysuru / September 15th, 2022
Traditional clothes, jewels and accessories set the Kodavas apart.
Madikeri :
Rituals and culture narrate the history and ancestral beliefs of a community. Traditional attire binds a community and signifies their identity, while also promoting its culture. One such is the Kodava community, nestled in the picturesque district of Kodagu, and boasts of a unique culture and even more unique attire.
Anyone who has attended a Kodava wedding will be familiar with the traditional dress worn by Kodava men. A half-sleeved knee-length black wraparound coat, a silk sash girding the waist and headgear make up the attire, known as ‘Kuppya Chele’.
“In the Kodava language, ‘Kuip’ translates to heat, and ‘ya’ means absent. In simple words, the attire that protects one from heat is the ‘Kuppya’,” analysed Bacharaniyanda Appanna, a Kodava historian. To hold the ‘Kuppya’ in place, a cloth belt called the ‘chele’ is used. The ‘Kuppya Chele’ is accessorised with traditional weapons.
Kodavas are a native Dravidian race that settled amid the thick forests of the ‘Malayadri Sahyadri’ range and speak the original Dravidian language of Kodava. Ancestors wore ‘Kuppya’ made of indigenous plant fibre called ‘Bolakka Balli’.
“When clothes started coming in from Kerala through the barter system, the ‘Kuppya’ or knee-length coat was stitched in white cloth. However, when the British came to Kodagu in 1834, the priests of the Church had issues with this attire. Since the white ‘kuppya’ resembled the habit of Christian priests, the British passed an order to change the colour of the Kodava attire,” explained Apanna.
It is said that the elders voiced their resentment against the British for meddling with their culture. However, a mutual understanding was arrived at. “During this rift, serge fabric came to India from England. Black serge was imported in large quantities, and became more convenient as it rarely appeared dirty. The ‘kuppya’ was soon stitched in black serge, but to ensure the survival of ancestral culture, white ‘kuppya’ is mandated on special occasions. The bridegroom, temple head or priest, village head or ‘thakka mukyasta’ are mandated to wear white ‘kuppya’. Even a dead body is dressed in white ‘kuppya’,” explained Appanna.
The ‘chele’ also witnessed a touch of modernisation, and the 25-ft long strong multipurpose cloth has been replaced with fancy brightly-coloured silk cloth. “During war times, the ‘chele’ was used to tie enemies and for other purposes,” said Appanna.
A married youngster wears the Kodava saree adorned with ‘pathak’
The comfort sari The women of the community also wear unique attire, and a mythological story is intertwined around it. The Kodava women wear a sari that is pleated at the back and the ‘pallu’ or loose end is wrapped around the front. “According to mythology, seer Agasthya and Cauvery had a rift, and Cauvery left Talacauvery discreetly. She showed up after ten days at Bhagamandala, and then left towards Balamuri, where villagers stopped her and requested her to stay. However, she flowed with great force, which caused the saris worn by the women to turn backwards. She was then calmed and promised to show herself every year during the Cauvery Sankramana celebrations,” narrated Appanna.
This sari also has scientific symbolism. Since Kodava women participated in agricultural activities, the back-pleat saris were more comfortable, and women could even climb trees easily. These saris hold great significance for the community and are paired with headgear called the ‘vasthra’. “Both Kodava men and women wear the head cloth. Our ancestors believed that the sun’s rays should never fall behind the neck and they covered it with ‘vasthra’. However, the headgear has been modernised to suit current trends and has intricate artwork, especially those worn by women,” he explained.
Traditional jewels The traditional knife called the ‘peecha katthi’, which was used in self-defence during ancestral times, forms part of the men’s attire and symbolises the tribal and warrior culture of the community. The ‘peecha kathi’ or dagger, and ‘odi kathi’ or traditional sword, are accessories for men, while a variety of traditional jewels add a touch of cultural flavour to the women’s saris.
“‘Peecha kathi’ was fixed to the attire using the ‘chele’. Earlier, these daggers had handles of wood. Now, they are carved in silver and gold and shine brightly on the traditional attire,” Appanna said.
The women have seven types of jewels. “At Talacauvery, the seven seers or ‘sapta rishis’ meditated. One could also find seven ponds at the centre, which are now covered. As a sign of blessings from the seers, the Kodava tradition mentions seven types of adornments from head to toe. However, only a few jewels have stood the test of time,” he explained.
Among the jewels, ‘Pathak’ holds great significance for married women. “When a girl goes to her husband’s house, her parents pack ten essential items – mostly traditional brass items – to be sent with her. These items are given to help her lead an independent life in her husband’s house, and must not be brought back to the girl’s house unless the couple is separated. To protect these items, a jewel consisting of ‘Naga’ (snake) god’s incarnation is tied by the mother of the bride during the wedding ceremony, called the ‘Pathak’,” explained Appanna. This jewel holds symbolic significance and is similar to a ‘mangal sutra’, while other traditional jewels include the ‘joe maale’ and ‘kokke thaati’.
Primarily nature worshippers, the culture, traditions and rituals of Kodavas are unique and tribal in nature. While the size of the community has shrunk in the past, steps are now in place to revive the community’s rich culture.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / October 30th, 2022
Moments from the wedding of Aditi and Rathan. Tamarind Tree, Bangalore, February 2015. To know more about the weddings that I photograph, do read the following link, www.nishantratnakar.com/services/wedding-packages/
As a wedding photographer traveling across India to different destinations on assignments, I love the fact that I get to see the sheer diversity of this country. It is a rarity that more than two weddings in my calendar year would follow the same rituals, style & customs. Here is a wedding of the Kodava or Coorgi community that I photographed earlier this year. The Kodavas are a Hindu community who primarily hail from Coorg/Madikeri district of Karnataka.
This was a wedding where there were two different ceremonies held. The first was a Hindu Arya Samaj wedding ceremony conducted during the afternoon, and it was followed by the traditional Coorgi ceremony in the evening.
This is a gallery with photographs from the Coorgi/Kodava ceremony of the wedding. The wedding was held at the Tamarind Tree Bangalore, a boutique wedding destination location on the outskirts of Bangalore city. It was a pleasure shooting this beautiful wedding of the lovely couple Adithi & Rathan. I wish them a very happy married life.
Moments from the wedding of Aditi and Rathan. Tamarind Tree, Bangalore, February 2015. To know more about the weddings that I photograph, do read the following link, www.nishantratnakar.com/services/wedding-packages/
To know more about my commissioned documentary wedding photography assignments, do check the link Wedding Photography Packages. To contact me for assignment or other queries, do write to me using this contact form.
If you have enjoyed viewing this gallery, then feel free to share this link with other using one of the sharing options provided below.
As monsoon was the prime season to sow paddy — Kodagu’s main crop in the days of yore — people had no time for any other activity. So, this season was regarded as inauspicious and no ceremonies or celebrations were held. In between, the people would forage for these seasonal treats and prepare mouth-watering delicacies.
Processed bamboo shoots being sold in Kodagu. Photos by Arjun Bopanna, Niveditha Harish and Nisha Poovaiah
The aromas of baimbale curry (bamboo shoots curry), kummu curry (mushroom curry), kembu curry (colocasia curry), njand curry (crab curry), bhel meen curry (fish found in flooded paddy fields), pole meen curry (stream fish curry), therme thoppu palya (fiddlehead fern fry) are indicative of monsoon in this district located in the Western Ghats. These dishes are exclusively prepared during the wet months.
“The foremost reason these dishes are consumed only during the monsoon months is that the main ingredients such as aal kummu, baimbale are only available during this season,” says Chef Naren Thimmaiah.
According to Naren, cooking styles in each region would have developed purely on a trial-and-error basis. “Our elders would have realised when to eat what, the good and bad traits of a dish through experience,” he adds.
Purple delight
Unique sweet dishes prepared during this season are maddh payasa and maddh putt from maddh thoppu (Justicia Wynaadensis). Maddh translates to medicine in Kodava language and thoppu is leaf. The extract obtained from the leaves and stems of this plant imparts a beautiful, deep bluish-purple colour to the dish.
These dishes are prepared and consumed only on Kakkada padinett, the eighteenth day of kakkada month (early August) in the Kodava calendar, when this plant is believed to have accumulated 18 medicinal properties.
The plant, rich in antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, is said to improve overall health. Its anti-microbial properties are also said to boost immunity during the monsoon months, when one is more likely to fall ill.
Another quintessential monsoon dish is baimbale curry made from bamboo shoots. The shoots are cut into small pieces and soaked in water for two days to remove the acidic toxins. The shoots are said to have anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant properties. The baimbale curry is best had with akki roti called otti.
A woman preparing Kodagu delicacies. Photos by Arjun Bopanna, Niveditha Harish and Nisha Poovaiah
Surprise yields
Mushrooms, called kummu, also make great ingredients. These edible fungi grow in small patches and gathering them is a fun activity but it takes a trained eye to distinguish between edible and poisonous mushrooms.
Another Kodava delicacy is prepared from fiddlehead ferns, called therme thoppu. These ferns are found near the banks of water bodies such as ponds, streams and rivers. Only the tender shoots of these wild ferns are selectively picked. The easiest way to cook it is to saute it with onions, dried chillies and salt. It is best had with otti.
Like therme thoppu, kembu (colocasia) is generally found near water bodies and marshy lands. There are three varieties of kembu: red stemmed (chonda) kembu, green stemmed kembu and mara kembu. Mara kembu grows under the shelter of large trees. While Tulunadu is famous for the patrodes made from colocasia leaves, in Kodagu people mainly prepare curry using it.
With the onset of the monsoon, people also make dishes from jackfruit seeds.
Apart from these seasonal plants, people also get a good catch of crabs and fish in the flooded paddy fields and streams. Piping hot curries prepared from crabs and fish add to the charm of the monsoon months.
“All the traditional food prepared during the chilly monsoon season adds heat to the body. Also, pepper is used widely in the region, which again adds heat to the body,” Naren says.
Naren explains that as the people were expected to work in the rains and were most likely to get cuts and wounds, the food consumed would build up body temperature and aid in quicker healing of the wounds. “There were no tablets available then, the the foods themselves had medicinal values,” he says.
Preserved for future use
While these dishes are prepared only in the rainy season, bamboo shoots, jackfruit seeds, hog plums (ambatte) and fish are preserved for later use.
Bamboo shoots and hog plums are stored in brine; fish are coated with salt, smoked and dried.
These foods are so culturally ingrained that people staying elsewhere either make it a point to go to Kodagu to procure these food items or get their relatives to send across these delicacies.
“The food items sourced from Kodagu have an altogether different taste. So, preparing dishes by getting the ingredients from Kodagu is a special feeling,” says Sudha Poovaiah, who is settled in Bengaluru.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum> Spectrum Top Stories / by Dhanyata M Poovaiah / September 18th, 2021
An advocate by profession, he guides candidates appearing for competitive exams
Mysore/Mysuru:
Mundanda Rajesh Ponnappa has cleared IAS by securing 222nd rank in UPSC exams, the results of which were announced on May 30.
Rajesh Ponnappa is the son of Jaya Poovaiah and Sudha (Thamane – Sadera). Hailing from Nelaji in Kodagu, they are now settled in Bengaluru. Sudha is an advocate while Poovaiah is a coffee planter. His younger sister Dhanyata is a journalist.
Ponnappa did his Schooling and Pre-University course at Army Public School, Bengaluru. He then completed B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University topping the Varsity.
He joined Karnataka State Law University again to top the University. He continued studying by completing Post Graduate Diploma course at National Law School of India University in Bengaluru. Presently, he is an advocate by profession in Bengaluru.
Ponnappa appeared for UPSC exams under the guidance of Dr. Arjun Bopanna of Namma KPSC Academy / Bangalore IAS Academy to clear with 222nd rank. He has also competed in Equestrian Sports at National-level. Under the guidance of his mentor and aunt Periyanda late Baby, wife of Appaji, Ponnappa has written and published three books on law. He writes articles for newspapers on how to prepare for competitive exams and guides candidates aspiring to appear for competitive exams.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 01st, 2022
Rear Admiral Ichettira B. Uthaiah took over as the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Visakha-patnam from Rear Admiral N.M. Sreekumar Nair, on May 31 in Visakhapatnam.
Rear Admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain and below that of a Vice Admiral. On handing over the helm at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, Rear Admiral Sreekumar Nair would take over as Director General Naval Project at Visakhapatnam, on promotion as Vice-Admiral.
Uthaiah was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 1987. He holds a B.Tech degree in Marine Engineering, an M.Tech degree in Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation and an M.Phil degree in Strategic Studies.
In his 33 years of service, the Rear Admiral has served the Indian Navy in various capacities, with appointments at the Warship Design Directorate, Training Academies, Naval Dockyard and at the Command and Naval Headquarters.
His key staff appointments cover areas of Warship Design, Building and Acqui-sition; Warship Operation, Maintenance and Repair, Officer Training and Project Management of a mega Marine and Civil Infrastructure Project. His recent operational and staff appointments include General Manager (Refit) at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, and Principal Director (Ship Production).
On being elevated to the rank of Rear Admiral, the officer was appointed as Additional Director General (Technical) at Headquarters, Project Seabird. The mega project involves the creation of a futuristic Naval Base at Karwar, with four self-contained townships, a Naval Air station and a 400-bed tertiary care hospital.
An alumnus of the Naval War College, he was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service at Naval Dockyard and was instrumental in concluding major warship construction contracts with Russian and Indian Shipyards as Principal Director.
The equivalent ranks of Rear Admiral in the Indian military are Major General (Army) and Air Vice Marshal (Air Force). Uthaiah is the son of Ichettira M. Belliappa (Bollu) and Lalitha (Cheppudira). Belliappa was serving as an officer at the Housing Board in Chennai. After retirement, he came to Kodagu and settled in Makkandur.
Uthaiah is married to Ramya, daughter of Maneyapanda Ravi. The couple has two children. While their daughter is pursuing her legal studies, their son is an architect. Uthaiah’s brother I.B. Viju Bopanna is working as a Global Drive Officer with Coca-Cola in the US.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 02nd, 2022
Vice Admiral adds new Navy attractions to Gen. K.S. Thimayya Museum at Madikeri
Modules of INS Shivalik, Sindhughosh Class submarine and AK230 Navy gun mount
Madikeri:
The INS Shivalik (F47) ship module was declared open for public viewing at ‘Sunny Side,’ General Kodandera S. Thimayya’s house in Madikeri that has been converted into a Museum and a War Memorial.
The 24-feet model, along with a Russian-made AK230 Navy gun mount (anti-aircraft gun) and a module of Sindhughosh Class submarine had arrived at the museum two weeks ago and they were dedicated by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command yesterday. He was accompanied by his wife Roopa Dasgupta.
The modules were brought to Madikeri from Visakhapatnam Naval Base. INS Shivalik is designed to escape detection by normal radars and surveillance equipment and is one of the formidable stealth frigates in naval prowess. Apart from India, only the US, Russia, UK, France, Sweden, Japan, Italy and China have the capability to build stealth warships of this size and class.
Impressed by the museum and also the culture of Armed Forces in Kodagu, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta said that the district has emerged as an inspiration to thousands of youth to join the Defence Forces. He said that it was an honour for him to inaugurate critical exhibits at the museum.
On the INS Shivalik, he said that the frigate was built in India and is one among the many warships built by India. “Shivalik was built at Mazagaon Dock. India has four public sector Defence shipyards — Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (Mumbai), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (Kolkata), Goa Shipyard Limited (Goa) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (Visakhapatnam). The Cochin Shipyard is also capable of making warships and INS Virat was built there,” he said.
Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa (extreme left), Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and his wife Roopa Dasgupta, Forum President retired Colonel Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah, Rear Admiral Iychettira B. Uthaiah and Madikeri Tahsildar Mahesh at the helipad in Madikeri when the guests arrived
‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat
“The first indigenous warship was built by the Indian Navy in the 1960s where the concept of ‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat was diligently followed. In the future, the Navy has plans to build 41 warships in the Indian Shipyards and 39 will be fully indigenous. Moreover these are the most advanced machines that have a formidable fire power that can shatter any other powerful ships of any country,” he said.
Giving a patient ear to the office-bearers of the Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum that played a pivotal role in converting the rickety house of the celebrated General that once housed the RTO office into a swanky museum, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta said that the dedication of the Forum, the respect shown by the people of Kodagu to the Armed Forces and also the dedication towards preserving heritage were commendable and inspirational.
Picture shows the dignitaries inside the ‘Sunny Side’ Museum.
AK230 Navy gun mount
On the AK230 Navy gun mount, he said that it has been designed to engage air and surface targets, such as anti-ship missiles, aircraft, helicopters, other types of air strike weapons, as well as small-size surface ships. It can fire 2,000 bullets from its barrel in one minute. The Navy still uses such guns and also the advanced ones, he added.
He appreciated Rear Admiral Iychettira B. Uthaiah for his efforts in bringing in the Navy equipment to the museum. The module of the Sindhughosh Class submarine was unfurled by Rear Admiral Uthaiah who handed it over to Major General (Retd.) Kuppanda Nanjappa of the Forum.
CDS late Gen. Bipin Rawat remembered
Forum President retired Colonel Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah narrated the story of establishing the museum and recalled the contribution of late Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, late Lieutenant General Biddanda C. Nanda and former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag. A minute’s silence was observed in honour of Bipin Rawat, his wife and other officers and soldiers who were killed in the recent chopper crash at Coonoor.
Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr. B.C. Satish presented a ‘thook bolcha’ (traditional Kodava lamp) to Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and his wife while Lieutenant General Pattacheruvanda Thimmaiah presented ‘Odikathi’ (traditional sword of Kodavas) to Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and also to Rear Admiral Uthaiah.
Before dedicating the Navy war machine modules, the dignitaries paid respects to the Amar Jawan War Memorial. They later went around the museum and were impressed by the collection
Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa, officer from Visakhapatnam Naval Base Nishanth B. Badoria, Kannada and Culture Department Director Darshana, SP Kshama Mishra, Sainik School Principal Col. G. Kannan, Vice-Principal Lt. Col. Seemanth Tripati, Squadron Leader R.K. Dey, students of the school and a large number of uniformed retired soldiers were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 14th, 2021
C.S. Arun Machaiah, former MLC, Hon. President of Mysore Karate Association, senior Vice-President of Karate India Organisation and President of Akhila Karnataka Sports Karate Association, is representing Team India at the 10th Commonwealth Karate Championship being held at Birmingham in London (UK) from today (Sept. 7).
The 70-member Indian Team of Karatekas, led by Arun Machaiah, left for London last Sunday. A total of 70 countries are expected to take part in the Championship.
Arun Machaiah has represented India in various International Karate Championships across the globe and has brought laurels to the country.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 07th, 2022
CabinA homes are built keeping in mind the local landscape, flora and fauna, but without compromising on modern-life luxuries.
Sunny Watwani and Adithya Roongta could be termed as dendrophiles—people who love trees and nature. The two founders of CabinA have been backpacking to the hills for years. Since they live close to the coastal city of Chennai, they love spending time in the Nilgiris.
An experience that usually promises serenity, however, didn’t feel quite peaceful in the last few years. The mountains are inundated with crowds, commercial spaces and reckless new buildings today. “People in India love travelling to the mountains and have, over time, even created second homes there. But the way they’ve built their homes is alarming—there’s little or no regard for the surrounding nature. People have blocked natural streams, cut down trees and damaged the local biodiversity. Looking at this we realized that a sustainable, responsible and sensitive concept for homes was the need of the hour, and that’s how we came up with CabinA in 2019,” says Watwani.
One of a Kind
To give their dream a form, the founders reached out to several architecture firms that they’d worked with before, and had strong connections with. The idea that Watwani and Roongta fostered was to have small homes that were fitted with modern-day luxuries. The homes would have minimal carbon footprint, a pre-fab structure that could be transported from the factory to the site, and would not need clearing of land; it would also be able to very seamlessly merge into the surrounding landscape. With several discussions and iterations, they fine-tuned the design.
While the work for these cabins is on-going in several locations such as Coorg and Conoor, with all cabins customized according to the landscape, the first of its kind is now ready in a coffee plantation in the picturesque mountain range of Suntikoopa, Bettagere Estate, Coorg for an upcoming resort called Betta Living.
This CabinA24 was built for client Vishal Sivappa, for an upcoming experiential boutique stay called, Betta Living—a concept and design of an upcoming resort that makes use of a series of these cabins to create a wonderful new living experience. While the conceptual render for the cabin is by SPASM Design Architects, the design development and execution was done by the firm Dev Desai Architects and Associates (DDAA), who also made several reiterations to reach the final design.
“We have another company called CabinA Living that speaks to landowners, planters and people in the hill station who want to create homes, resorts or gated communities responsibly—and we help them execute the project,” says Watwani.
True to the Land
On its conceptual render, Sangeeta Merchant, co-founder of SPASM Design Architects says, “Creating a concept for this was challenging for us as we’re used to working on large-scale, high-end residences and such. A small cabin that is fitted with all luxuries was something new yet exciting for us. As for the sustainability factor, we envisioned the entire cabin to be made with recycled, eco-friendly materials. The biggest convenience would be that it can be very quickly put together.”
The CabinA24 is the smallest cabin in the Cabin A series with a carpet area of 250 square-feet. “Every corner strives to visually, if not spatially, connect with the natural context, be it the bathroom, which is furnished with all the modern amenities or the kitchen that captures stunning views of the valley,” says Dev Desai of DDAA.
“The featured project is one of the smallest cabins in the series with a carpet area of 225 square feet. The form stems from the desire to celebrate a strong architectural identity while ensuring efficiency and functionality of each space. Nestled amongst the site’s towering trees and a lush coffee estate, the sleek, prefabricated cabin manages to both, contrast and complement its natural context. The spatial configuration consists of a spacious living space and a cozy bathroom. Every corner in the cabin strives to visually if not spatially connect with the natural context, be it the bathroom which comes furnished with all the modern amenities or the kitchen that captures stunning views of the valley,” avers Desai.
While the bespoke furniture blends in with the interiors, the tinted pendant lights accentuate the interiors with a warm yellow glow. The exteriors are clad in ACP walls and the outdoors are in ACP black roofing. The flooring is in a granite base with click and lock SPC tiles. The entire cabin can accommodate two-to-four people. What’s interesting is that it rises 2-5 feet above the ground, so that the fauna underneath is left untouched. “We visualize that all other cabins too will be equipped with temperature control. Even the tiniest details like a kettle, to wardrobes hangers, will be provided. The loose furniture—from the beds, breakfast table to lighting—will be equipped in all cabins, so the client literally has to (only) move in with his clothes,” Watwani says.
A Responsible Future
For building these cabins, Watwani and Roongta are cognizant of the fact that not a single tree should be cut. And so, the two, along with the architects, evaluate the position of where the cabin should be placed. “In case we do cut trees, we undertake replantation. Apart from that, we’ve tied up with the global organization called OneTreePlanted.Org. So, for every cabin we sell, we donate for 10 trees to be planted. For our future cabins that are underway, we’ve given completely off-grid solutions so the cabins are self-sufficient and powered by solar energy,” says Watwani.
source: http://www.architecturaldigest.in / Architectural Digest / Home> Decorating / by Aditia Mahesh / Photography by Kunal Daswani Photography / November 08th, 2021
Category : FACE TO FACE / Author : Sowmya Dechamma
Professor and Head Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Hyderabad
Q. Could you tell us a little bit about your area of research, and why it is of particular interest to you? What has your journey been like?
Currently, I am interested in and working on the languages of the minority. While this term ‘languages of minority’ itself demands some explanation, my interest in this springs from the fact that I speak one such language, Kodava, a language that is spoken by many ethno-linguistic minorities in Kodagu, Karnataka. Although I have been interested in the politics of languages ever since I can remember, I began working in this area for the last 5 years or so, especially because the language discourse is so dominated by English Vs. Indian Languages, Hindi Vs. Other Languages, debates around ‘national’ language’ — in which these languages of minorities have become almost invisible, although the number of such languages are many. I also work on Translation Studies and related areas. Language and translation for me are inseparable from other factors that are so decisive in our lives. So, my attempt is to understand how caste, gender, religion, class and other factors frame our histories alongside language and translation.
Q. Coming particularly to the question of language, there has been a concerted attempt to impose certain languages – for instance, the assumption that Hindi is the ‘mother tongue’ and ‘national language’ of the country, neither of which is true. But even on regional levels, there may be further levels of stratification and domination of some languages over others. How does this work, and what has been the result of such policies?
You are right. I had written elsewhere as to how this one nation — one-language, one nation – one religion kind of idea is actually new even to European nations. The nationalization of particular languages in Europe is an exercise in what is known as European modernity. Despite our critique of colonialism, it is ironic that nationalists here in India subscribe to this one nation – one language / religion policy. This as you mention is replicated at the regional levels as well. I am vary of using the term regional, I think Kannada nationalism, Malayalam nationalism, Tamil nationalism are nationalisms that pretty much follow the same pattern, in different contexts. I find that in Karnataka, because Tulu, Konkani and Kodava speakers wield some kind of political pressure, these 3 languages are recognised at some level. But there are innumerable other ‘small’ languages that do not get any recognition in the public at all. The worst scenarios are in Tamil Nadu and Kerala where language and intellectual chauvinism has had huge implications for speakers of smaller languages, (more often than not from the Adivasi communities). This obviously points to the situation of the people and the conditions they live in, not just of the language.
Q. The relationship between the ‘written’ and the ‘spoken’ is often discussed in terms of languages – where only languages with a script are seen as legitimate while others are dubbed dialects or even ‘broken’ languages. How do you see this in terms of your own language, Kodava?
This distinction between a ‘written’ and ‘spoken’ one is so popularized that we forget that almost all languages are spoken and have survived in the spoken form since speech has evolved. Except perhaps in the case of Sanskrit and Latin which are ‘dead’ in their spoken versions and survive only in their written form. So, one has to remember that written is a privileged form that has been associated with powers that began with record keeping, religion, surveillance, in their monarchical and now nation-based contexts. Throughout history, only a miniscule of the population (not more than 1%) have had access to writing. Many productive communities never required the act of writing but have used memory-based performative acts for transmission of knowledge and survivals.
Yes, as long as I can remember, when I say I speak Kodava, people ask “Does Kodava have a script?” This again is a notion that wrongly connects a language with a written script. If we pay attention we realize that most European languages, be it English, Spanish, French, German use the Roman script and this is true for India as well. Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali and almost all Indo-Aryan languages use the Devanagari script.
Q. You have been associated with a vibrant and politically diverse campus, HCU. It has also been a space of institutional discrimination and a fightback against this, as in the case of Rohith, Senthil and others. How has this shaped your experience and approach as a teacher and also a member of the academic community?
It has been a learning experience throughout my journey in Higher Education. All the movements you mention have made many of us more aware of the backgrounds students come from and how we need to fine-tune our pedagogy into one that places students at the centre. It also points to the problems with the manner we understand and functionalize the idea of ‘merit’; who is a ‘good’ student and who is not. I think as teachers what we need to focus on is how we shape our curriculum and how we engage with that curriculum and students. Teaching cannot separate itself from the vagaries of our lives and we need to address our experiences in the classroom and outside. It is a lesson we are still learning.
Q. The recent NEP-2020 also had sparked controversy due to its focus on Sanskrit and active ignorance of other languages of cultural and literary value such as Arabic. Do you see this merely as a failure of policy or as reflective of something deeper?
Absolutely. Although the NEP mentions institutionalising ‘mother tongues’, what it means by mother tongue is itself not clear. And how do we plan for the training and required infrastructure for teaching in multiple mother tongues in a classroom? How do we accommodate without appropriating languages like Gondi, Chenchu, Ho, Irula, and such?
Needless to mention, languages like Arabic, Persian, and Urdu which have had a rich history on lines with Sanskrit but different from the ones mentioned above find no place. This only strengthens our argument that it is not language per se, but the people and the history of the language that the NEP and by extension, the government is uneasy about. Languages therefore cannot be thought of in a vacuum, but will have to see how they mutually shape histories, politics, and communities.
Q. Finally – the pandemic is something we cannot escape when we talk about education or pedagogy. What has your experience been, whether as a scholar or a teacher? How have your students coped with the immense challenges and difficulties of it?
As a scholar, teacher, and as a parent, this pandemic has taught us many things. I am acutely aware of how I am able to work with my own children, teaching them a wide range of things — from cooking, gardening, playing sports and academics — all this despite the constant anxiety of our friends and family being ill and sometimes dying. This in itself is distressing because most of my students are undergoing stress, some have lost their dear ones and many do not have the means to access digital education. We have been trying to reach out to students through various means, to enable them both academically and personally. But the anxieties are real and it is not easy to cope. From women students being pressurized to get married, from having no access to digital means, living in a one-room house and sharing one smartphone among siblings for online classes, having to take care of many household responsibilities including financial, having to deal with almost an impersonal mode of pedagogy, what we call academics is undergoing a turbulent phase. I only hope this will make many of us reflect on the state of education in India and push towards an equitable public education that is holistic.
source: http://www.auramag.in / Aura / Home / July 2021
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