A grand ‘Kodava Yuva Mela’ was hosted by Jabboomi Charitable Trust at Crystal Court Hall in Madikeri yesterday that reflected the unique Kodava culture, attire, traditions and practices.
Such a Mela was held for the first time and thousands of community members, wearing their best traditional attire, had gathered from all parts of Kodagu and the gathering also comprised community members from Mysuru and Bengaluru. Special buses were arranged to ferry them to Madikeri.
The Mela provided a platform for youth to connect with one another to build long-term bonds which will enhance cohesiveness within the community. It enabled the Kodava youth to meet, greet and network with each other and recall, re-live and experience the tradition and culture.
Kodava youths are scattered across the State and country owing to professional, educational, residential and personal reasons. As a result, intra-community relations have weakened over decades. The only occasions when youth are able to interact with each other are limited to social and family get-togethers within Kodagu and beyond its borders.
The Mela began with a puja to Goddess Cauvery and ‘Gejje Thand’ (a sacred wand held by Kodava men during important events. It is usually sacred ownership of every Okka (family)) and the overall message to the youngsters was to unite and not to forget the traditions and culture of the motherland.
Jabboomi Charitable Trust Convener Chottekmada Rajiv Bopaiah said that the youths must not forget the roots of the community. “Kodagu, its uniqueness, culture, traditions and practices are like a ‘mother root’ and cannot be forgotten. “It is our duty to safeguard the Kodava soil (land), ethos, tradition, family values, age-old and time-tested practices, festivals and holy observations,” he noted.
We must be committed to preserving the tradition and fight for the existence of the Kodava community in the face of any adversities and at the same time unite the community socially, financially and culturally so that we can live in co-existence and facilitate the thriving of Kodavaame in the land of Kodagu,” he added.
Noted youth achievers of the community Vice-President – Talent Acquisition, State Street Ajjamada Goutham Chengappa, chef Bariyanda Naren Thimmaiah, singer Machchanda Sharan Aiyappa, actors Ulliyada Bhuvan Ponnanna, Uddappanda Harshika Poonacha, Koothanda Tarak Ponnappa, IRS officer Dr. Kottangada Pemmaiah, Bharatanatyam exponent Mukkatira Shilpa Nanjappa, young writer Mevada Aliya Chondamma, make-up artist Baduvanda Madhushree Ganapathy, head of Lopamudra Medical Centre Mukkatira Dr. Amrit Nanaiah, industrialist Machcharanda Deepika Appaiah, planter Kallichanda Chengappa and forest officer Naganda Parvathi were felicitated.
A massive procession was held on the streets of Madikeri as part of the mela from the private bus stand to the Crystal Court Hall where the male community members carried their traditional weapons including guns and ‘Odikathi’ (sword), the female crowd sporting their traditional Kodava saree and the ‘vasthra’ (head scarf) and accompaniments like ‘Thalithakki Bolcha’ (traditional lamp). A lot of traditional bands too performed along the procession route attracting the crowd and tourists.
The statues of war heroes and Generals including Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, Major Mangerira Chinnappa Muthanna and General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya were garlanded along the procession route. Hundreds of youths rode their bikes along the procession route.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 21st, 2023
Our travel diary from a weekend of bliss at this 125 acre property nestled in the hills of Madikeri.
Baalelle restaurant at The Ibnii in Coorg
Waking up to the sound of birds chirping and the gentle lap of water is what mornings are like at our pool villa at The Ibnii. Turns out we forgot our swimsuit. But a deterrent this is not. With not a soul in sight, except the stunning views of lush green trees that tower up high and coffee plantations in the distance — a 7am dip feels a bit surreal. The air is chilly but the water is warm. Given it is temperature controlled, this is the case even at midnight, we soon discover, much to our delight. For now however, we realise it is our moral imperative to simply soak in the moment. Phone off. Soul turned on. One hundred and twenty five acres of pristine forest land embraces us in response.
Some moments like the one above are suspended in time. While others are steadily threaded into a highlight reel of our days spent at this wellness resort nestled in the hills of Madikeri, Coorg. Right on top of this list is when Priyanka, who is showing us around the property, over a walk, plucks an orange flower and promptly pops it whole, into her mouth. “It’s edible, I eat one every morning,” she says, most matter-of-factly, as though this is as common as a bowl of oats. We are keen to pop a morning flower too! The nasturtium, as it is called, is mild and sweet with an unexpected kick of spice at the end. Definitely our most memorable palate adventure, although the kitchen’s Pandi Curry, comes in a close second.
At the pool villa
Mindful eating To keep waste to a minimum, we find out that this resort has a unique policy — guests need to pay Rs 100 for every 10 grams of food they waste. Bold, but effective we realise, as we find ourselves doubly mindful about what we put on our plate from the buffet. That said, if you do end up paying for food wasted, it is heartening to find out that the funds are donated to an orphanage in Madikeri. Meanwhile, another big surprise is that the drinking water at The Fig, the resort’s multi cuisine restaurant, quite literally comes from the air. We spot a robust air water purifier that does the job in the corner one afternoon, after returning from a relaxing hour spent at the spa. En route, we recall spotting a family of sunbathing monkeys, so perhaps all species at this resort take ‘rest and recharge’ quite seriously.
Forest restoration With an awareness that all natural ecosystems are vanishing all over the world at an alarming rate, the resort has committed a third of its property for the purpose of restoration of forest. Sherry Sebastian, one of the founders of The Ibnii says, “Bringing back a complex ecosystem such as this one within the Western Ghats is a slow process. We have more than 50 species of trees already growing here but the whole understory is choked mostly by coffee plants that are growing densely. We have taken up the mammoth task of selectively removing the invasive plants so natural regeneration can happen.” She adds, “Additionally, this area will be used as a resource to educate our guests about the importance of the natural world.”
Breathe in
■ Electric cars and buggys are used on the property to keep the air clean ■ Guests are privy to a live air quality index monitor at the reception ■ Drinking water at the restaurant is quite literally bottled from moisture in the air with the use of an air water purifier
Kodava lessons A bit of trivia for folks looking at a getaway here soon, apart from nature walks and regional cuisine, you get impromptu language lessons in the local Kodava tongue, courtesy names like Baalelle (banana leaf) for their vegetarian restaurant or Pattole Palome (a collection of Kodava folklore), which is the name of the green building it is housed in. Kaldi Kappee, the resort’s award-winning lakeside coffee shop, however, has been named after the Ethiopian shepherd who discovered coffee beans back in 850 CE. As the story goes, he noticed his goats nibbling on some wild berries, following which they pranced around with more energy than ever, making him curious enough to try the berries himself.
Coffee date While on the subject of coffee, don’t miss the resort’s coffee trail. Ours encompasses the different stages of berries and coffee making and ends with the grand reveal of a prized jar of dried ‘civet poop’. The civet cat better known as the Kopi Luwak roams free on the premises and for conservation purposes, the coffee from their droppings is not sold or monetised. But we do get the unique experience of holding some premium poop in our hands (pre washed of course). And then we’re told to do the oddest thing — shake it. We hold it up to our ear and shake to hear the softest jingle of coffee beans inside.
While civet coffee isn’t available at the resort itself, here’s a golden nugget of trivia for any coffee lover. Apart from those nutty flavour notes, this luxury brew is a great choice for folks who suffer from uncomfortable bouts of acidity. Given that it is essentially pre-digested by the civet cat, you can enjoy your cuppa with no reservations. We have to admit, this coffee date, poop et al, is perhaps one of our most ‘memorable’ and is definitely a change of pace from the Tinder experience.
The Ibnii is a 12 hour drive from Chennai. Accommodation at INR 18,000 onwards.
source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / Indulge Express, The New Indian Express / Home> Travel / by Sonali Shenoy / May 19th, 2023
The direct recruitment of Kavadis (elephant caretakers) has begun at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kushalnagar taluk, Kodagu district.
Following the order of the Government, Kodagu Division DCF B.N.N. Murthy kick-started the process of recruitment in the wake of lack of adequate number of Kavadis at the camp, in the presence of Forest Department officers.
A total of 29 Kavadis from different parts of the State are attending the recruitment, with due preference given to those adept at taming the elephants. The recruitment is being conducted to fill the vacant posts of five Kavadis at Dubare Elephant Camp,” said DCF Murthy.
Deputy Conservators of Forest (DCFs) Shivaram Babu and Sharanabasappa, Assistant Conservators of Forest (ACFs) Gopal, Srinivas Nayak and Nehru, Range Forest Officers (RFOs) Ananya Kumar and Shivaram, Deputy Range Forest Officers (DRFOs) Ranjan, Chetan and Savan and other forest personnel were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 18th, 2023
A land known for its coffee and renowned for its generals and warriors, the history of Kodagu has never been traced to its origins, the thread of descent becoming a tangled knot of colonial theories and hearsays. But history is important for one to realise the essence of culture and one’s own identity. Without this realisation, much is lost, and more is at risk.
Kodagu has always been placed in the category of the areas that complied silently with the British, when in reality, its contributions were simply underplayed and whitewashed. Many braves from all backgrounds had been leaders and warriors in their own right, following Gandhian ideals and fighting passionately for freedom.
The PM’s YUVA Mentorship scheme was an opportunity to shrug off this stereotype and uncover the truth. The Lost Heroes of Kodagu talks of those men and women who looked danger in the eye, unflinching even as blows landed on them left and right. It talks of those who rose and made sure their voices were heard despite attempts to muffle them. Those that history let slip through cracks and crevices, silent and dormant.
Recover them as you read. Watch as they come alive through the pages. Be inspired by their grit and determination, be empowered by their stories. But most of all – remember them, keep them in glorious memory.
The film, written and directed by the actor, is about a hockey player’s struggle to get into the national side.
Adyah Thimmaiah in a still from the film
Hockey is as much a religion for Kodavas, as cricket is for much of the nation. The passion for the game is such that the Kodagu region hosts an annual hockey tournament, which sees participation from most resident families. Kodagu is, in fact, widely considered the cradle of Indian hockey, what with over 50 men from the area having represented the country at international tournaments, including the Olympics. It is no wonder, then, that debutant Adyah Thimmaiah, who hails from the region, chose the sport as the subject of his launchpad, Jersey Number 10. which he has co-written and directed as well.
“We finished shooting the film a year ago; post-production took time, after which we got it censored. Jersey Number 10 was awarded U/A and we have decided to release the film on May 19. The reason behind the quick decision to bring the film to theatres is that the number 10 is quite powerful and the release date adds up to it. I co-wrote the story of the film sometime ago with my mother and was looking for an opportunity to get into acting. Stunt master Thriller Manju has been my main motivator in getting the ball rolling on my debut film. I did not want to begin my filmi journey with just a love story; it had to be something inspirational, which is why I chose hockey,” explains Adyah.
The film, he adds, is about a youngster, who lives with his grandfather, with the latter a former state-level player who could not make it to the national team and dreams of getting his grandson there. “The grandfather is determined to make his grandson a national level player, but that is easier said than done, so the film follows the trials and tribulations in this journey. However, the film is not all about hockey and has a love track too,” he says.
source: http://www.ottplay.com / OTT Play / Home> News / Team OTT Play / May 16th, 2023
Congress candidates AS Ponnanna and Mantar Gowda won from Virajpet and Madikeri constituencies, defeating the sitting BJP MLAs with a considerable margin.
Facebook / AS Ponnanna
For the first time in nearly two decades, Congress managed to win an Assembly election in Kodagu district of Karnataka, breaking the BJP’s run of wins in the hilly district. Congress candidate AS Ponnanna, a former Additional Advocate General in the Karnataka High Court, defeated KG Bopaiah of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Virajpet constituency of Kodagu district. In the same district, another Congress candidate Mantar Gowda, son of former Karnataka minister A Manju, defeated BJP’s Appachu Ranjan in the Madikeri constituency.
In 2004, BA Jeevijaya of the Congress had won from the erstwhile Somwarpet constituency in Kodagu district. However, in the last three elections held in 2008, 2013 and 2018, KG Bopaiah and Appachhu Ranjan had won from the two constituencies in the district — Virajpet and Madikeri. This time, the two Congress leaders defeated the sitting MLAs by a margin of over 4000 votes each.
The incumbent Virajpet MLA KG Bopaiah had triggered a controversy in the run up to the election, when he claimed that a win for the Congress would lead to celebrations of Tipu Jayanti returning in the state. AS Ponnanna maintained a studied silence on the issue and urged the BJP leader to speak about development.
The Congress party has emerged victorious in the recently concluded elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, having won 132 seats and leading in four more constituencies as of 7.30 pm on Saturday, May 13, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
source: http://www.thenewsminute.com / The News Minute / Home> News / by TNM Staff / May 4th, 2023
Bacharaniyanda Appanna teaching I M Muthanna’s script at the Kodava Sahitya Academy in Madikeri.
Featuring unique words and vowels not found elsewhere, the Kodava language, spoken in Kodagu, is an independent Dravidian language. According to the most recent data from the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, there were 21 castes living in Kodagu who spoke the Kodava language: the Kodavas, Amma Kodavas, Kodagu Heggades, Kembattis, Airis, Koyuvas, Boonepattas and the Gollas (Eimbokalas), to name a few.
Kodagu was an independent principality in South India between 1633 and 1834. After the British annexed Kodagu in 1834, it was called Coorg and became a province of British India. After Independence, Coorg was retained as a state and placed under a chief commissioner. In 1956, when the states of the Indian Union were reorganised, Coorg became a district of Karnataka state.
Kannada was the official language in Kodagu for much of its existence. The Kodava language generally uses the Kannada script.
The earliest inscriptions found in Kodagu date back to the 9th and 10th centuries and are in Kannada. But there were two peculiar 14th-century inscriptions of Kodagu, dated around 1370-1371 AD found in the Bhagandeshwara temple of Bhagamandala and the Mahalingeshwara temple of Palur. Many have dismissed the inscriptions as a mixture of scripts and languages. In 2021, my work involved isolating letters used in both. I labelled the script used ‘thirke’ (meaning ‘temple’).
Several scripts
There have been a number of scripts invented for the Kodava language in the last 150 years or so. Koravanda Appayya, a doctor in the erstwhile Mysore State, had invented one with around 50 letters in 1887.
Kodagu scholar Iychettira M Muthanna invented another alphabet for the language in 1970. Appaneravanda Kiran Subbaiah, a sculptor in Mysuru, invented one in 1980. In 1983, he introduced a variant of the Kannada script to accommodate the Kodava language. Often, Kannada or Roman characters (the script used for English) were adapted, sometimes with additional changes.
Ponjanda S Appaiah, a professor, used the Roman script with his own transliteration system in 2003 to write in the Kodava language. In his Kodava-English dictionary, Appaiah used combinations of English letters for the Kodava language. He authored the entire book in the Roman script.
On the other hand, the ‘Kodava Arivole’ (Kodava dictionary) by Boverianda Uthaiah is in the Kannada script and makes use of 35 of the 49 Kannada letters.
In 2005, German linguist Gregg Cox introduced the Coorg-Cox script. Three years later, Charles Henry Kumar, a teacher from Mandya brought out another script to write the Kodava language.
Extra sounds
Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa say that in addition to the five rounded Kannada vowels (with both long and short forms), the Kodava language has four unrounded vowels in their short and long forms and a nasal sound which accompanies some of the consonants. They have used five diacritical marks (symbols added above letters to indicate accent, tone and stress) in their works to accommodate these extra sounds.
In February 2022, under the presidentship of Ammatanda Parvathi Appaiah, the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy discussed the various scripts used for the Kodava language. Bacharaniyanda Appanna, a former president of the academy, taught those assembled the script invented by I M Muthanna.
Upon comparison, it was declared that Muthanna’s script was the easiest to learn. The Kodava Sahitya Academy then recommended the Muthanna script to the Central Institute of Indian Languages to be made official.
Muthanna was of the opinion that his script was to be taught to children below the age of 15-16 years, says Appanna. “They will learn with passion and help promote the script when they write in it and inspire others,” he adds.
On why a script is important, Appanna says: “A script adds strength to a language, like how pillars strengthen a house. Yet, there are many prominent languages which do not have their own script. English uses Roman, Hindi uses Devanagari.” Having a native script is also important as it accommodates native sounds otherwise not found in other scripts.
Nerpanda Prathik Ponnanna, a language activist, has been popularising the Muthanna Kodava script by creating awareness about it through social media videos. He has also been getting signboards in the script for various shops, ancestral houses, and hockey tournament family teams.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum / by Mookonda Kushalappa / May 10th, 2023
The Kodagu District Administration has decided to bar entry to visitors who have not voted to tourist destinations in the district places on polling day.
Tourists visiting places in the Kodagu district on election day will be allowed only if they show indelible ink of voting. Dr. Sateesha BC, Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu, said the administration has taken this decision to encourage more people to vote. He said this will not be applicable to children and tourists from other states.
“We are allowing people to visit tourist places on May 10 only if they come after casting the vote. The bar won’t be applicable to non-Karnataka tourists. Only those who have voted will be allowed entry at Raja Seat, Abbe Falls, Sunnyside Museum, and Mallalli Falls. Along with this, some hotels in the district are offering 10% to 20% discount in hotel booking if people show indelible ink mark on their fingers,” Sateesha said.
Hotels in Bengaluru had made similar announcements offering free food to people to encourage voting. Bengaluru’s civic body BBPM issued a notice saying offering free food to voters amounted to violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
While announcing the date of polling in Karnataka, the Election Commission had said that a Wednesday was chosen for polling to encourage higher voter turnout. In the past, voting has suffered because of people going on vacation when voting is held at weekends.
Voting for election to the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly will begin at 7 am on Wednesday and end at 6 pm. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 13.
Party-wise candidates by constituency
Tap on the constituency to know the sitting MLA and the candidates for 2023.
source: http://www.news9live.com / NewsNine / Home> Elections / by Muralidhara Sampangishetty / May 09th, 2023
Publisher : Adiraaj Prakashana, 245/F, 5th West Cross, Uttaradhi Mutt Road, Mysuru. For book contact: 98445-76429. E-mail: ananth.alpinia@gmail.com
This is an age of information. Thanks to the quantum development in the area of information technology like never before. Books, newspapers, radio, telephone, internet etc., enable this revolution with speed and spread of information. But behind all these media blitzkrieg and bombardment is a journalist who provides the content. Smile please!
Being a journalist, it is natural for me to evince interest in the area of journalism and all that is related to that activity.
A few days back I learnt that B.G. Anantha Shayana, the senior journalist and the consulting editor of Kannada daily ‘Shakti’, Kodagu district, who is also the correspondent of United News of India (UNI), has written a book about his experience as a journalist.
Kodagu being my home district and having done my SSLC in Madikeri Government Central School and then the graduation there, the book interested me much, coming as it was from the editor of Kodagu’s first and only favourite Kannada newspaper even today. It was started in 1957 when I was in the second intermediate (1957-58). I was a witness to its founder-editor B.S. Gopalakrishna, a fair complexioned person with rotund visage, working at the slanting composing table, standing head bent over the wooden type-setting board. The press was at the landmark (for those days) “chowki”, where four roads converged. His was a gradual growth as a publisher and writer against all odds.
When I left Madikeri after graduation in the year 1959, Shakti had become a noted local paper in Madikeri spreading its wings across Kodagu. Now 65 years on, it is still an iconic newspaper in Kodagu. This was possible because of B.S. Gopalakrishna’s three sons who took over the reins and responsibility to keep the flag of success flying high. One of the sons is B.G. Anantha Shayana, the author of the book “Sodaru”. “Sodaru” in old Kannada means light, lamp.
This book of 98 pages is all about the author’s experience as a journalist, executive and tourist abroad. He also speaks of ethical values to be followed in the profession and about the personal risk a reporter-journalist unwittingly faces in his over-enthusiasm. His every experience is illustrated in detail and this makes the book unputdownable for any journalist. I finished reading it in one sitting and then decided to write this column.
Let me share some of his experiences here with my own remarks as an intervention! Anantha Shayana has in a way delivered a sermon and also given a road-map for aspiring journalists. Therefore, this book may be recommended as an optional reader for students of journalism in their graduate or post-graduate classes. I am sure many working or retired journalists, including myself, would have had similar experience if not the exact ones.
The author speaks of the importance of correct information a journalist collects and gives the example of Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamiji of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, Tamil Nadu. That on August 23, 1997, the Swamiji had suddenly and clandestinely left the mutt and disappeared. That naturally made national and even international news. Those days telephone communication was outdated and difficult. Author Anantha Shayana got a phone call in the morning from his friend in Talacauvery (birth place of river Cauvery) in Kodagu. The call was made by his friend after walking 8 kms from Talacauvery to the nearest telephone booth in Bhagamandala, a township. By now an all India search for the Swamiji was launched on a war-footing. The caller said, “Anantha, three days back at midnight some Swamiji has come here with a small group. When asked who he was, nobody opens mouth. Must be a very famous Swamiji.”
uthor says when he went there immediately, the Swamiji’s followers did not allow him to meet the Swamiji. However, when he said he was from UNI, he was allowed on assurance that it would make all India news! So it was, he was the first person to break this news.
By the way, I too reached there with our Mysuru journalists and met him at Talacauvery. But, what is important here is that UNI did not publish the news of finding the Swamiji IMMEDIATELY. The UNI Bengaluru and Delhi Office had called Anantha Shayana over 10 times to urge him to check, check and check again and confirm. They even asked him to go to Talacauvery once again. Further, UNI sent its Mysuru correspondent to Anantha Shayana in Kodagu to go again to Talacauvery. It was only then the UNI flashed the news, though many hours late, as “Sri Jayendra Saraswathi traced.”
This is called responsible journalism and responsible journalist on the spot. Which is why the motto of Star of Mysore printed on the second page declares: “We believe comment is free, but facts are sacred.” Sadly, these days we find more arm-chair journalists looking into a cellphone in hand, sometimes purveying fake news.
Be that as it may, I found in his one observation about the truth all the local newspaper editors and journalists come face-to-face with unlike the State and National newspapers. His observation is that what appears in those big newspapers do not embolden the reader, about whom a negative news has appeared, to directly go and attack the editor or the journalists. But the local, small-town or rural newspaper editors and journalists become direct targets of attacks and protests. Since I am a victim of this behaviour of readers, criminals, the corrupt and anti-socials, I can vouch 100 percent for what Anantha Shayana has written.
Writing about paparazzi and the British Princess Diana, the author refers to the famous photograph of her boyfriend Dodi Fayad and herself in a kissing pose under the caption “The Kiss.” He says the photographer was paid millions of dollars for this picture. However, sadly it was this obsession to take her photographs that led to the accident killing both of them. The moral Anantha Shayana says is that though a journalist should be a news hound, he should not intrude upon another person’s privacy.
We have seen on TV and read in newspapers some of our opposition leaders going abroad to Harvard, Oxford and elsewhere and giving lectures and interviews to the media criticising India, its government, its democracy and shaming India in foreign countries. But I was delighted to read in the book how the editor of a small district vernacular paper “Shakti” Anantha Shayana dealt with a delicate, despicable situation in a foreign country, Australia, where he went with seven of his friends. Anantha Shayana writes that in Australia they visited a primary school where he asked the group of six students what they knew about India. To his shock, instead of an answer he got a question from a student: Are you not afraid to live in India?
“Why should I?” said Anantha Shayana and asked, “Why do you ask me that question?” Then it became a kind of free-for-all. One said, India was a land of snakes and snake-charmers. “Do you know how to catch snakes?” another wanted to know. “Are there too many beggars? Do you have good houses to live? Do you have cars?” etc., etc. He then asked them if they had read any books on India. No, was the answer. Their opinion of India was hearsay.
Then Anantha Shayana took a class on India to them dropping famous names of politicians, Gandhiji, Generals, educationists, philosophers, space research, the heritage, culture etc. After he finished, one boy said, “I want to visit India.” When some of our opposition leaders visited England and Europe, nobody said “I want to visit India” because they were told by our own opposition politician that India is not a good place where democracy is dying or dead.
Anantha Shayana also writes about his meeting with two spiritual persons. One was Dalai Lama at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.
Question: Will you wage a war against China?
Answer: Many nations in the world support us. One day we will win.
Question: But your youth organisations feel it is not possible to win back Tibet by peaceful means. What do say?
Answer: I am not in administration. I am engaged in matters spiritual. There is an elected government here in exile. They will look into it.
Question: Buddha gave up his palace and after meditating under a tree got enlightened. But you crossed Himalayas, came here and built golden temples, leading luxurious life with cars and palace-like residences.
Anantha Shayana says, Dalai Lama did not have an answer but brushed it aside saying, “These are the mischief played by monks. I don’t know anything.”
Another spiritual person Anantha Shayana mentions is one who became famous for teaching the art of living. Anantha Shayana met him when he visited Kodagu. The spiritual master told, “For propagating spiritual education I have trained 5,000 teachers. They will go to different parts of the country and teach art of living.”
According to Hindu Sanatana Dharma, only the enlightened souls can teach spiritual matters to the seekers. So Anantha Shayana asked: Are all these 5,000 teachers you have trained enlightened?
He did not like the question and he did not answer either.
Moral: Though unpalatable, the journalist must ask intelligent, probing questions.
e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Abracadabra> Columns / by K.B. Ganapathy / May 08th, 2023
Pan-India actress and ‘National Crush of India’ Rashmika Mandanna is ‘Coorg Person of the Year-2022.’
Rashmika, hailing from Virajpet in Kodagu (Coorg) district, was selected ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ in a poll conducted by www.coorgtourisminfo.com, Kodagu’s first news portal promoted by journalist and author P.T. Bopanna.
Rashmika Mandanna, who achieved phenomenal success in the pan-India movie ‘Pushpa-The Rise,’ has brought focus on the tiny hill district of Coorg, a popular tourist destination inhabited by the Kodavas, who have a unique culture.
Rashmika, who has become a household name through her acting and dancing skills, has emerged as an unofficial ‘brand ambassador’ for Kodagu culture. She has thrown the spotlight on the Kodava (Coorg) saree which involves tucking the pleats at the back of the waist, instead of the front. She has also popularised Coorg cuisine through her media interactions.
On the professional front, she is the reigning queen in the Telugu film industry and made her debut in Bollywood through ‘Goodbye’ starring Amitabh Bachchan. Rashmika-starrer ‘Mission Majnu’ is set for a January 20 release on Netflix.
Rashmika, who made her acting debut in the Kannada film ‘Kirik Party’ in 2016, has been associated with commercially successful films that include ‘Anjani Putra’ (2017), ‘Geetha Govindam’ (2018), ‘Yajamana’ (2019), ‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’ (2020), ‘Pogaru’ (2021) and ‘Sita Ramam’ (2022). Rashmika made her Tamil entry with ‘Sulthan’ opposite Karthi.
Born on April 5, 1996, she is the daughter of Mundachadira Madan Mandanna and Suman.
She did her schooling at the Coorg Public School (COPS), Gonikoppal, Kodagu. She studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Journalism and English Literature at the M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Bengaluru.
Along with her studies, she took up modelling. Rashmika got a break after she won the ‘Times Fresh Face’ title in 2014. There has been no looking back ever since.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / January 03rd, 2023
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