Coconut shooting gains popularity

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It is not uncommon for people to spot someone walking by the road holding a rifle in Kodagu district.

Youths practise coconut shooting while their father looks on, in Madikeri. (Photo | Express)

Madikeri : 

It is not uncommon for people to spot someone walking by the road holding a rifle in Kodagu district. Guns are a part of  its culture even as Jamma holders of the district and the Kodava community enjoy the privilege of exemption from the Arms Act. Gunshots are often fired in the air as part of many ritualistic practices in the district.

Further, apart from ancestral practices and rituals, the rifles are now extensively used to shoot coconuts – which has turned into a popular sport among the residents of the district. Coconut shooting competitions that used to be organised in households during Kodava festivals are now being organised more frequently by various forums and with no bar on caste or community. These competitions have gained momentum in the recent past – especially after the relaxation in the Covid-19 lockdown. 

“Covid-19 situation had turned the entire world gloomy. Everyone was at home and most of them were bored of the monotonous routine. Following the relaxation of Covid norms, the Nelaji Mahila Samaj planned to host a coconut shooting competition at Nelaji,” explained Appumaniyanda Daisy Somanna, secretary of the Mahila Samaj. One of the first sport activities after the lockdown, this competition saw participation from 158 enthusiasts – including women, men and children.   

Appanderanda Dinu, one of the organisers of coconut shooting competition at B Shettegeri opined that this event is one of the best sport activity options available during the pandemic. Apart from becoming the best sports huddle during the pandemic, shooting competitions are extensively promoting shooting skills among residents – especially youngsters.

“Shooting has been a part of our lives. My granddad had served in the Indian Army. My father developed interest in shooting because of his father. Now, we are being coached by my father,” explained Nilma Ponnnu Manavattira, a youngster who does not miss taking part in these shooting competitions.

Alongside her siblings Nilika and Bopanna, she participates in every shooting event and the family has won many trophies in these events. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / Express News Service / December 08th, 2020

Logo of Kodagu Kalaa Utsava 2020 launched

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

MP Pratap Simha released the logo of Kodagu Kalaa Utsava 2020. 

Amateur artist Sadik Hamsa is organising the Utsava to bring out artists. 

Speaking on the occasion, the MP said that art and culture are a part of the country. There is a need to support the artists. 

Sadik Hamsa said that he has been organising the Utsava for the last three years and the artworks of artists will be exhibited.

The Utsava will be held from December 21 to 28, at Shanbouge Centre Hall in SSR Ramamurthy Road. Those interested may contact 9845820257.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State>Mangaluru / by DHNS, Virajpet / December 04th, 2020

AGM Of Kavery Kodava Assn. And Kodagu Sahakara Sangha

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

The Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of Sri Kavery Kodava Association, Mysore East, will be held on Dec. 13 (Sunday) at 10 am at the Association premises in Vidyashankarnagar here.

COVID – 19 protocol should be adhered to by the Members. Association President Koppira D. Ponnappa will preside over the meeting. Kodagu Sahakara Sangha AGM on Dec. 23.

The AGM of Kodagu Sahakara Sangha, Mysuru, will take place at 10.30 am on Dec.23 (Wednesday) at the Sangha premises in Jayalakshmipuram, according to a press release from the Sangha Secretary.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / December 05th, 2020

Youth should work to preserve Kodava culture, says MLC

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MLC Veena Achaiah releases the logo of Makkanduru Kodava Samaja women’s team.

The youth should not succumb to addictions. Instead, they should work with a commitment to preserve Kodava culture, said MLC Sunil Subramani M P.

Inaugurating the ‘Puttari Urorme’ and ‘Kol Mandh’ organised by Kodava Samaja in Makkanduru recently, he said that today, the real Kodava culture is alive in rural areas and it is the duty of everyone to preserve the same.

“The youth should gather knowledge on Kodava culture and should take over the responsibility of passing the knowledge to the next generation,” he added.

Codava National Council president N U Nachappa said that there is a necessity for Kodavas to claim the tribal status, as per the Constitution, through a peaceful struggle.

Traditional ‘Kolata’ was performed after offering prayers at Sri Bhadrakaleshwari Temple in Makkanduru and taking out a procession to ‘Ummetti Kol Mandh’.

‘Kattiyatt’, ‘Bolakkatt’ and ‘Ummattatt’ were also performed.

The new logo of the women’s team of Makkanduru Kodava Samaja was released by MLC Veena Achaiah, while N U Nachappa released the logo of the youth team.

Kodava Samaja president Napanda M Kalappa presided over the programme. Entrepreneur Aichettira Bopanna and others were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / December 06th, 2020

Nidhi Subbaiah thrilled to bag her first horror film

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

The Pancharangi actor is excited to be a part of the film that will mark the directorial debut of directors Pavan and Prasad; it will be the second project bankrolled by Lohith H’s Friday Films.

Nidhi Subbaiah

Lohith H is set to present a horror film starring Nidhi Subbaiah, which will mark the directorial debut of Pavan and Prasad. This is the second project bankrolled by Friday Films after Life is Beautiful, and the movie will be made in association with Silver Train international and C K Cine Creations, and produced by Kishore Narasimhaiah, Biji Arun and Chethan Krishanappa. 

The Pancharangi heroine is excited about taking up a horror subject. It will be Nidhi Subbaiah’s first attempt at this kind of a plot. “Watching a thriller or a horror film has been my daily dose of entertainment, and now I will be getting to explore one such subject,” she says, adding, “The fear of the unknown is what thrills me, and keeps me curious to know what’s next. It’s something I am looking forward to being a part of. What compounds the thrill is that I have two filmmakers directing me, and I am getting associated with the production house for the first time. All this makes it all the more interesting.”

The 15-films old actor, who has mostly worked in Kannada and Hindi projects, was last seen in Shivarajkumar’s Ayushman Bhava, in which she made a guest appearance. While the pandemic was one of the reasons for her to go slow, the actor of films like Anna Bond and Krishnan Marriage Story and Ajab Gazabb Love has also been selective about her projects.

“Post Pancharangi, I had directors coming in with similar bubbly roles, which I felt was monotonous. I felt I might as well be in a 9 to 5 job rather than doing the same role over and over again. I waited for a good film to come by, which I could finally bag. A good subject excites me to go to the sets,” says Nidhi, who is planning to start the shooting from mid-January. “The producers plan to shoot the film at one stretch,” she says.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Kannada / by Express News Service / December 05th, 2020

‘Middle Class’ Varsha gets new offers

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

Varsha Bollamma is finally getting recognized by the Telugu filmmakers. The success of ‘Middle Class Melodies’ in the OTT space has given a boost to her career. She is now being offered some good projects.

Varsha Bollamma is currently acting with Raj Tarun in a film titled ‘Stand Up, Rahul’. Besides this project, she will be part of a couple of romantic dramas.

Varsha Bollamma has played roles in ‘Choosi Choodangana’, ‘Jaanu’ and ‘Bigil’. But she got the beak with ‘Middle Class Melodies’, which won good appreciation.

source: http://www.telugucinema.com / Telugu Cinema / Home> News / by Telugu Cinema / December 01st, 2020

Mysuru, Kodagu gearing up for gram panchayat elections

Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All

250 GPs in Mysuru, 101 in Kodagu will see two-phase polls

The gram panchayats in Mysuru and Kodagu are gearing up for the two-phase elections which were announced on Monday.

The GPs in Madikeri and Somwarpet taluks will go to polls in the first phase and the GPs coming under Virajpet taluk will have elections in the second phase.

In Mysuru district, 148 GPs in Hunsur, K.R. Nagar, Periyapatna, H.D. Kote and Sargur will go to polls in the first phase. A total of 102 GPs in Mysuru, Nanjangud and T. Narsipur will have elections in the second phase.

The election notification for the first phase will be issued on December 7 with the last date for filing nominations scheduled on December 11. The nominations will be scrutinised on December 12 and the last date to withdraw nominations would be December 14. The elections will be held on December 22 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., said Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.

Elections will be held if necessary (if there was no unanimous election of the candidates in the fray). Any re-election will be held on December 24. The counting of votes will take place in the respective taluks on December 30.

In the second phase, the elections will take place on December 27. The Deputy Commissioner will issue the election notification for this phase on December 11 and December 16 will be the last date to file nominations. The last date to withdraw the nominations will be December 19. Any re-election will take place on December 29. Like in the first phase, the counting of votes will also take place on December 30 from 8 a.m. onwards.

Out of 104 GPs in Kodagu, elections will take place for 101 GPs as the tenure of GPs of Ponnampet, Gonikoppa and Channaiahyanakote will end in 2020-21.

The model code of conduct will be confined to the GP limits where the elections are scheduled from November 30 to December 31 and it won’t be applicable to the limits of town panchayats, city municipal councils and city corporations, the Deputy Commissioner told reporters on Monday.

Ballot papers will be used for the elections which will be apolitical in nature with no party symbols used by the candidates.

The total number of voters in all three taluks was 3,66,013, including 1,81,443 men and 1,74,570 women. Kodagu will have 562 polling booths and 110 polling officers and assistant polling officers had been identified.

The details on the GP-wise reservation had been published in the website www.kodagu.nic.in

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / December 01t, 2020

Ramesh Changappa elected as Kodagu Hopcoms prez

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All
Biddatanda Ramesh Changappa and Mallanda Madhu Devaiah were elected as the president and vice president of Kodagu district Hopcoms in Madikeri.

Biddatanda Ramesh Changappa has been elected as the president of Kodagu district Hopcoms, while Mallanda Madhu Devaiah has been elected as the vice president.

S P Ponnappa, Padiyammana V Mahesh, Leela Medappa, Sathish, Machimanda D Ganapathi, H M Sudheer, Baby Poovaiah, B A Harish, Nagesh Kundalpadi, Umesh Rao Urs, Poovappa Nayak and K M Manohar were elected as the directors.

The election was held in the office of the horticulture department.

Speaking on the occasion, the newly elected president said that various programmes will be organised through Hopcoms in the district in the coming days.

Measures will be taken to purchase the farm produce directly from farmers at a better price, he added.

Vice president Mallanda Madhu Devaiah said that it is a huge responsibility and he will strive for the betterment of Hopcoms.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / November 27th, 2020

MLC Wants Tribal Status For Kodava Community

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All

Seeks establishment of Kodava Language Authority

Madikeri:

Congress MLC B.K. Hariprasad has urged the Government to grant Tribal Status to Kodava community  and  also form Kodava Language Authority.

He was speaking at the 30th Annual Codava National Day coinciding with Indian Constitution Day celebrations organised by Codava National Council (CNC) at a private hotel on the outskirts of Madikeri on Thursday.

Pointing out that though the population of Kodavas was a little over 2 lakh, there are over 10,000  Government servants and Army officers from the community, he opined that the community very much deserved to get all rights under the Indian Constitution.

Warning the Government against ignoring the community because of its low population, he said that without the Constitution, no one from the economically backward communities, including himself, could have entered the Parliament.

Asserting that a committed and continuous fight is needed for saving Kodava culture, language and customs, Hariprasad called for apolitical support for CNC President N.U. Nachappa’s fight for Codava land.

BJP MLC and former Minister A.H. Vishwanath, in his address, said that the whole-hearted support of everyone was needed for achieving success in the struggle for getting due rights.

Calling for holding a meeting of researchers who have carried out the ethnographic study of the Kodava tribe, thanks to CNC’s relentless effort through Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute (KSTRI), Mysuru, the MLC noted that  the discipline, lifestyle, customs and practices of Kodavas cannot be seen in any other community and as such, the Kodava community need to be accorded Tribal Status.

MLC Veena Achaiah said that she had raised her voice for rights of the Kodavas in the Legislative Council several times in the past. Asserting that she will raise the issue once again in the Council during next month’s winter session, Veena said that she will speak with more vigour this time as her fellow MLCs Vishwanath and Hariprasad have expressed their support for the Kodava cause.

Bengaluru Kodava Samaja President M.T. Nanaiah, who is a senior High Court advocate, said that taking part in the struggle is the best way of expressing support for Codava land.

CNC Convenor Nachappa contended that Kodava customs, practices and traditions, land, language and culture can only be safeguarded by the Indian Constitution. Stating that Kodavas must Constitutionally get geo-political autonomy, gun rights and land rights, he asserted that the struggle will continue till the goal is achieved. Resolutions were adopted and passed in the presence of distinguished guests in this regard.

During the last Parliamentary session in Dec. 2019, while debating on the ST Constitution Amendment Bill, MPs B.K. Hariprasad  and Kupendra Reddy spoke about the inclusion of Kodava tribe in the ST list, he said adding that this issue had attracted the attention of the whole country and conscience of law-makers. 

As a result of CNC’s relentless effort and innumerable petitions to the Union Government, the Centre directed the State Government to conduct an ethnographic study on Kodava tribalism. Hence, Karnataka Government entrusted this responsibility to KSTRI, Mysuru, he said.

Earlier, Nachappa set off the Codava National Day programme by firing in the air. Members of Valleydew Arts Team performed Kolaat, Kattiyaat and Bolkaat on the occasion.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 28th, 2020

Kodagu flood victims to get houses at Biligeri

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

The houses built for flood victims of the 2018 calamity at Biligeri in Madikeri taluk are almost ready for distribution to eligible beneficiaries.

In total, 22 houses have been constructed at the village at a cost of ₹3.96 crore. These houses will be allotted to those whose houses were fully damaged in the floods and landslips two years ago.

On Thursday, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, along with a team of officials, inspected the newly built houses and other amenities provided at the colony. The officials told the Deputy Commissioner that the works were almost done and the houses were ready to be handed over to the beneficiaries identified.

During the visit, the officials said that Minister for Housing V. Somanna, who is also the Minister in charge of Kodagu district, was expected to hand over the keys of the houses to the flood victims and the date of the function would be finalised soon.

Assistant Commissioner Eshwar Kumar Kandu, in-charge Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinivas, and Madikeri tahsildar Mahesh were present.

Heritage village

The Deputy Commissioner also inspected the Kodava Heritage Village, a project for showcasing the culture of the Kodavas coming up at Madikeri. Work on the project has resumed. Accompanied by tourism and other department officials, Ms. Joy examined the works. Laterite stones are being used to build the building.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – November 28th, 2020