Rashmika Mandanna recently shared a reel talking in her native language. When it left fans confused, she explained all about it to fans.

Rashmika Mandanna wore her saree in traditional Kodava style while attending a friend’s wedding recently.

Actor Rashmika Mandanna shared her roots with her fans in a recent video. She took to Instagram to share a reel, speaking in her mother tongue, kodava takk from Karnataka. “To all the kodavas out there..this is for you! Always grateful,” she wrote, sharing the video.

‘Kodagu is where I was brought up’

While some fans could recognise what language she was speaking in, some also sharing their love for the Coorgi language, most couldn’t understand what she was saying.

Sharing the reel on her Instagram stories, Rashmika explained further and wrote, “For all those who are asking what I am saying here or what language am I speaking..this is my mother tongue – it’s called Kodava Takk..Kodagu is where I was born and brought up in. I’ve been speaking kodava takk all my life…and this is how beautiful it sounds..And so as to what I am saying..you’ll only know if you know the language or if you have a Kodava friend.”

A week ago Rashmika attended a childhood friend’s wedding and shared pictures of her dressed in traditional Kogadu style. She wrote, “Kodagu is where my heart and my history is at…Me and my girls who I grew up with. @yathra_dechamma .. it’s your wedding and we didn’t get a picture with you as you were busy but here’s me wishing you a lifetime of happiness and good health with your partner..God!! How I miss home!”

Upcoming work

Rashmika currently has 6 announced projects that are yet to be released. She will reprise her role as Srivalli in Sukumar’s Pushpa 2: The Rule with Allu Arjun playing Pushpa Raj and Fahadh Faasil playing Bhanwar Singh Shekawat. She is also starring in Sekhar Kammula’s bi-lingual film Kubera with Dhanush and Nagarjuna.

Apart from that, Rashmika will also star in projects titled Rainbow and The Girlfriend. In Hindi, Rashmika will star with Vicky Kaushal in Chaava and Salman Khan in Sikandar. She debuted in Hindi with the 2022 film Goodbye with Amitabh Bachchan and was last seen in the 2023 Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directorial Animal with Ranbir Kapoor.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> HT Entertainment Desk / edited by Neeshita Nyaypati / July 02nd, 2024

Television shows tend to choose female anchors to host shows. We explore this trend…

Swetha Chengappa

With numerous television shows launching regularly, audiences are spoilt for choice. While the content needs to be appealing, it is the beautiful anchor that steers the show, with an idea of holding and keeping the audience’s attention. In rare cases, a smart and handsome male also does the trick but it is mostly female anchors/hosts who have been at the fore in this particular area. Be it singing, dancing, or any other form of reality-based programmes, their presence has become a must and at times, it even decides the popularity of a show.

Bengaluru Chronicle reports on this trend while getting popular TV anchor and noted serial actor Swetha Chengappa to delve into her experience anchoring a kid’s dance reality show — Dance Dance Juniors second season.

“My first venture as a TV anchor/host started with a dance reality show which was followed by a female-oriented reality game show Yariguntu Yarigilla, which lasted three seasons. Then I got busy with Bigg Boss and Maja Talkies. Though I kept getting several offers, I could not pursue them thanks to Maja Talkies. I have finally managed to get back to hosting. This time, it has been even more special as it involves talented children,” says Swetha Chengappa.

“The audience tends to forget a popular film star after a film starts failing. But anchor/hosts enjoy popularity for a long time because they share a special bond with the audience regularly. Earlier, anchors would only present the show but these days anchors play a major role overall. Their lively presence and witty remarks keep the show running. This is why most of the popular shows retain female anchors/hosts. There are even cases wherein the poor performance of a host has led to sudden replacements,” says Suresh, a TV serial director.

Swetha has been in the TV industry for over 12 years, right from her debut serial — Sumathi, thereafter Kadambari, Sukanya, Arundathi, Sangeetha and Soundarya, playing the title roles, most of which crossed at least 1,000 episodes. Apart from being a finalist in the second season of Bigg Boss, she had even played the female lead in Kodava film, Naa Puttna Mann which won the State Film Award in 2010-11. About being an anchor/host, she feels that there is stiff competition. “I started as an actor, and then graduated to anchoring popular shows. I had to work very hard and prove myself. These days, success comes instantly and there is more stress on promotions for new shows. I am glad that I took up Dance Dance Juniors, Season 2, which has been a memorable journey so far. The exposure young talents are getting on TV is a phenomenon. They bring energy, and their hardwork amazes me,” Swetha adds.

She feels that anchors/hosts shoulder a huge responsibility — to keep the shows lively and attractive. Known as Karnatakada Sose, for playing more than half-a-dozen characters relentlessly as the daughter-in-law, Swetha recollects how she missed many film offers. “It is mostly due to my commitments and popularity that kept me away from films. When I look back, I sometimes feel the pinch. Many a times, producers of shows would request me to not quit shows as it would mean a loss in popularity. The 13 year journey has been wonderful and I still get appreciation and love and that keeps me satisfied,” shares Swetha Chengappa, who has bagged at least 28 awards for her TV ventures, both as a TV anchor and artiste.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Entertainment / by DC Correspondent / August 03rd, 2017

Coffee country visits just got more exciting as we discover the Ama Trails & Stays experience in Pollibetta, Coorg…

Taneerhulla Bungalow

Coffee was the mood that reigned in the last few weeks — what with the World Coffee Conference & Expo 2023 that just concluded in Bengaluru and World Coffee Day or International Coffee Day observed on October 1 — the cuppa was everywhere and we coffee-holics weren’t complaining one bit! This was also the perfect time for us to head to Coorg or Kodagu — the hill-station where the commercial story of coffee in India began.

Know-it-alls will now feel the need to correct us and say coffee was first cultivated in the nearby Chikkamagaluru district and how Baba Budan Giri was where it all began and we will fully agree; Coorg, however, was where commercial plantations began and that is why even today, South Indian coffee is synonymous with this district — that is the proud homeland of the Kodava or Coorgi people.

Now, most trips to this cool, elevated coffee country would take the preferred route through the capital, Madikeri or Mercara, and would involve a mandatory visit to a coffee plantation, a processing plant and maybe, some shopping along the way. We, however, decided to go deeper into this verdant paradise — to the Polibetta area — home to several of the Tata-owned coffee plantations in Karnataka.

We were there for a curated experience at the estates and also to check out the plethora of offerings from Tata Consumer Products’ wide coffee portfolio. Puneet Das (president, Packaged Beverages, India & South Asia, TCPL) introduced us to several of the new formats, including the delectable chukku coffee decoction variants that we are sure will take over the market very soon.

Our stay, however, was organised at one of the many bungalows strewn across these estates that are now a part of the Ama Plantation Trails. One of the newest product offerings from Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL).

We were assigned the Surgi Bungalow, a 40-year-old property in its current avatar, but probably around 150-years old, that is just across the road from Tata Coffee’s picturesque nine-hole golf course in Pollibetta. The bungalow’s three bedrooms can occupy two individuals each, thus making it a comfortable stay for a family or group of six.

Food is cooked in the bungalow and is catered to by IHCL, so expect high quality and standards, as well as a menu that can be altered for even the fussiest of eaters. We were welcomed that evening with hot cups of jaggery coffee, aloo bondas and an assortment of bajjis and pakodas — perfect eats for the now dropping mercury as the evening chill set in. Dinner was served almost immediately after and was a surprisingly large spread.

It didn’t take much of an effort to head to bed early that night. Cold weather and full tummies make the best combination for peaceful sleep and the next thing we remember was it was 6 am and our alarms had gone off simultaneously — quite the cacophony to be honest.

We chugged down mug-fulls of coffee and headed out for an estate walk that lasted for over two hours. Picking ripe avocados and smelling a gazillion flowers along the way, this is the perfect time to discover plantations and estates on foot. The air still has a chill and the humidity of the afternoon is far away. There’s also a sense of childlike amusement with the symphony of bird-calls and animal chitterings that give you quite the jocund company throughout the walk.

Building up quite the appetite, breakfast was an elaborate affair and thankfully so. Post breakfast, we advise you to do what we did — relax in the well-kempt gardens, read a book or take a quick snooze. Checkout is only at noon and so you have quite a few hours to make the most of this romantic bungalow experience.

The Ama Trails & Stays offer several other bungalow stay options here, including but not limited to Taneerhulla Bungalow & Cottage, Woshully Bungalow, Cottabetta Bungalow and Polibetta Bungalow.

₹28,000 onwards.
Nearest railhead and airhead: Mysuru. Five hour drive from Bengaluru and three hour drive from Mysuru.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Xplore / by Romal Laisram / October 05th, 2023

Immerse yourself in the vibrant traditions of Coorg cuisine at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel’s five-day food festival, “Flavors of Coorg.”

This exclusive pop-up event, featuring renowned Chef Smitha Kuttayya Boppanda in collaboration with Chef Pin, will take place from July 25th to 29th at the hotel’s all-day dining outlet, Feast.

The culinary event will offer guests an opportunity to savor a delectable array of traditional dishes such as Pandi Curry (Coorg Pork Curry), Akki Roti (Rice Roti), Bamboo Shoot Curry, and more.

With profound knowledge and passion for authentic Coorg cooking, Chef Smitha brings to the table an array of recipes that have been cherished and handed down over generations. From the rich, aromatic flavors of Koli Curry (Chicken Curry) to the refreshing taste of traditional Kodava Coffee, every dish is a celebration of Coorg’s lush landscapes and vibrant cultural history.

Guests can look forward to an immersive dining experience filled with tantalizing aromas, vibrant flavors, and warm hospitality. Don’t miss this opportunity to embark on a culinary journey by Chef Pin, only at Feast, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel.

Location: Feast, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel
Dates: 25th July to 29th July 2024
Timings: Lunch from 12:30 PM to 03:00 PM and Dinner from 07:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Reservations: +91 7337358581 

source: http://www.hospibuz.com / HospiBuzz.com / Home> Buzzing News> Hotel News / July 2024

Men and boys celebrate Kunde Habbe, Devarapura, Kodagu, May 2024. Photo: Deepa Bhasthi

The subversive Kunde Habba in rural Kodagu, India bears disturbing signs of the carnivalesque-grotesque

Monsoon in the Western Ghats in South India is a force, perhaps the single most important event in the economic and political calendar of a still largely agrarian country. The big wet winds usually make landfall in Kodagu district (where I live) by early June. Just before this, thousands of Indigenous peoples, or tribals, gather in villages in the interior of the region to hurl the choicest of abuses at their god and fellow community members. It is an act of subversive irreverence that, every summer, disrupts the mainstream Brahminical diktat of fear- and hierarchy-based worship of deities confined to temple monuments or stuck within shimmering photo frames. Unlike mainstream Hindu festivals, whose dates, decided by astrological charts, are wildly different each year, Kunde Habba (literally, ‘ass festival’) is observed on the fourth Thursday in May. It is also a perfect example of Mikhail Bakhtin’s carnivalesque-grotesque theory. According to Bakhtin, the carnival is a moment between the reality of life and art when displays of grotesqueness, excess, perhaps even violence, are not just permissible, but expected. In the Indian context, carnivalesque grotesque helps in the understanding of caste, power and the institutionalised oppression of some the poorest, most vulnerable communities in this coffee-growing region.

There are about two dozen different Indigenous peoples living in the southern parts of the district (and sharing community, gods and belief systems with tribes in the High Range region of neighbouring north Kerala). Legend is that Ayyappa, a forest deity of the Kurubas (the mountain-dwelling Betta-Kurubas, who harvest produce from the forest for a living, and Jenu Kurubas, honey gatherers, being two of the prominent subtribes), was on a mission in the forest with many tribespeople in tow when he became distracted by Bhagavathi, a forest goddess. His subsequent abandonment of the ancestors is remembered by the tribals when they curse him each year. The scolding as prayer is a dialogue with the god, for demands unmet, for negotiations and confessions, for letting off steam, no holds barred. It must help, too, to be able to vent frustrations and let loose on family, friends, neighbours and employers – these last nearly always wealthy coffee-plantation owners on whose lands the Indigenous peoples work for a daily wage, sometimes effectively as bonded labour – for one day of the year.

Kunde Habbe, Devarapura, Kodagu, May 2024. Photos: Deepa Bhasthi

On the day of the festival, boys and men dress in drag and dance to bawdy lyrics that feature the refrain “kunde, kunde”, engaging in a mostly friendly exchange of abuses and rude gestures with other groups. Drums are made out of old tin-boxes or cut from broken blue storage-barrels. Silver-painted bodies are dressed in ingeniously repurposed gunny sacks or umbrella cloth, or in miniskirts, bralettes and long dresses borrowed from wives, sisters and daughters. Flowers are affixed to underwear; people wear bright face paint, slapdash makeup, a party wig, a Money Heist mask. In this transgression of the self, men, under a vow to the forest goddess, dress like women for a few hours. At Devarapura, a tiny village where celebrants congregate after collecting money from shopkeepers and passersby in nearby towns, the atmosphere is that of a carnival. The music is loud, the dancing is risqué and stunned chickens are sporadically thrown into the air as sacrifice. In the background, some elders fulfil the more ritualistic aspects of the festival, including a horse dance and mainstream acts of prayer with flowers, bells and chants. Elsewhere in the district smaller versions of the same festival are celebrated in prayer under trees, or to stones in shrines deep in the forest. Here in Devarapura there is a large, well-kept temple for Bhagavathi. As in any village fair, there are ice cream trucks, snack shops, cheap clothes for sale and plastic and soft toys for the children. Women participate as the audience. The performance of the festival is an all-male revelry.

By dismantling the unequal power equations between themselves and their gods, and between themselves and their employers, and by speaking across this divide in words and tones otherwise disallowed, the tribals access, however momentarily, a state of utopian freedom and social equality. The alternative world summoned by this pageantry is a humorous, creative and annually rejuvenating critique of the staid religious practices that mainstream Hindutva-forward systems prescribe, where god must be approached with fear, not friendship.

Kunde Habbe, Devarapura, Kodagu, May 2024. Photo: Deepa Bhasthi

Bakhtin points out that while the carnivalesque is able to temporarily weaken feudalism and caste-based oppression, it does not have the political heft to overthrow such age-old practices. In fact, in contemporary India there are signs that Kunde Habba’s performance of subversive protest is being subsumed into dominant religious cultures. This was my first visit to the festival in nine years, and saffron buntings now fill the village (colour is intensely politicised in India: saffron for a radical version of Hindu, blue for the Dalits, green for Muslims). Local families of Kodavas, an Indigenous community that prefers to side with mainstream Hinduism while shying away from acknowledging the tribal nature of its cultural practices, seem to have a more visible role in the management of the festival and temple in Devarapura than in past years. Murmurs of complaint can be heard regarding the ‘unnecessary vulgarity’ of throwing abuses; the festival’s name has been sanitised as ‘Bedu Habba’, meaning ‘prayer, or asking festival’, in the media. Now, alongside the irreverence, hundreds of tribals pay to line up and offer special prayers at the temple; a priest as middleman presides.

In the story of Kunde Habba as it has come to be told today, Shiva and Parvati, prominent members of the Hindu mythological pantheon, have been made protagonists. This isn’t necessarily wrong: myths are not set locations in history, and must change constantly if they are to survive. However, considering that Indigenous peoples are routinely oppressed by policy, social conditioning and systemic violence in India and elsewhere, any such overt departure from a tribe-led festival for something more palatable, more commercial even, calls for scrutiny and critique.

Whether a new restraint in the grotesqueness of folk humour during the festival is the result of a country hurtling towards forced homogeneity in sociocultural practices or simply a natural progression of time that, thanks to political intervention, dilutes the purported problem of alterity and encourages assimilation, I cannot quite tell. Nonetheless, it is always a good idea to leave carnivals like Kunde Habba alone. They are among the last cultural sites that offer a strong counter to the upper caste and class that gatekeep religious and social relationships. A necessary reminder, in these years of majoritarianism, that alternatives are not just possible, but also available for proliferation.

Deepa Bhasthi is a writer based in Kodagu

source: http://www.artreview.com / Art Review / Home> Opinion> Art Review Asia / by Deepa Bhasthi / July 25th, 2024