Kailpodh Festival of Kodavas: A Unique Festival of Weapons

September 7, 2021Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, Alladmin

Festival season is approaching and so are the moments of colorful traditions and culture. Some of them are celebrated within communities and some of them nationally and globally. Community festivals are significant to the respective community and connect them with their families and social structure of living.

Festival of weapons

Situated at 3000 feet above sea-level, Coorg is beautiful and is known as the Scotland of India and is home to the Kodagu Community, where this festival of weapons is celebrated. Coorg is home to various agricultural crops like coffee, pepper, oranges, avocado and cardamom. The delicacies include dishes cooked with pork, mutton, rice, wild mushroom, bamboo shoot and smoked meat.

About the Kodagu Community:

The Kodagu community has got its own rituals and very interesting traditions still kept alive. One such Festival they still celebrate within their community is Kailpodh, which is celebrated in the month of September. ‘Kail means armory and Podh means festivals, so Kailpodh means “Festivals of Weapons”. This Unique traditional festival is celebrated within the Kodagu community where arms and weapons like guns, knives, swords, bows, and arrows are cleaned and prayer lamps are lit. The hanging prayer lamps are called Thookbolcha in Kodava and flowers called Thokk Poo (Gloriosa Superba flowers) are placed on the nozzles of guns.

The Kodavas have always maintained an intimate relationship with their weapons. Its been said that during weddings they use a large Kodava Knife to cut banana Stalk with one single cut. During the death and birth, they fire a single shot into the air to share the news with the neighbours. Largely there were forest land where they lived and hunting used to be their favourite past time. At present even if hunting is not done, these weapons are passed down from generation to generation.

This is a time which marks the end to the sowing season and then they have to remain watchful and protect the crop. The weapons used to protect the crop hence are taken and decorated on this day and pooja is offered. The river deity Kaveramma, and Mahaguru Igguthappa and the supreme ancestor Guru Karana, are invoked during this day.

The festivities:

Kodava cuisine includes well-prepared, tasty food such as steamed dough balls called kadambuttu, and rice cakes, string hoppers meat dishes such as Pork curry, Chicken curry and Mutton Curry as well as desserts like Rice kheer. They also wear traditional costumes and play various games like folkdances ,shotput, rifle shooting , traditional dances.

source: http://www.krishijagran.com / Krishi Jagran / Home> Others / by Dr Lakshmi Unnithan / September 07th, 2021

Waterfalls in Suntikoppa are in full splendour

September 5, 2021Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, Alladmin

Several waterfalls in Suntikoppa hobli have been attracting people and tourists with their natural splendour.

Some of these waterfalls in Suntikoppa are located inside plantations.

As the region has witnessed intermittent rainfall from the past week, many waterfalls have regained their natural beauty.

The sound of the water flowing down the hills has been beckoning the tourists.

Haleri Falls is situated at a distance of 2 km from Boyikeri. The sound of the flowing water can be heard till 2 km.

‘D’ Block Falls in Kedakal Gram Panchayat limits near Suntikoppa, is one of the most attractive falls. The waterfalls cascade amidst the greens, providing a feast for the eyes.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Suntikoppa / August 24th, 2021

Onam celebrated at Coorg Public School

September 4, 2021Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, Alladmin

Coorg Public School (COPS) celebrated Thiruvonam on the school’s premises, keeping in mind the present pandemic and adhering to the necessary safety protocol.

The celebrations started with the setting up of an attractive floral decoration Pookalam in the reception area.

The main attraction was a semi-classical dance performed by the staff members.

Dr Benny Kuriakose, the principal of the school, spoke on the occasion.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / August 24th, 2021

Prasad Bidapa Joins Advisory Board Of Pearl Academy

September 3, 2021Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Pearl Academy welcomes Bengaluru based fashion connoisseur Prasad Bidapa on its academic advisory board.

India’s leading creative education institution, Pearl Academy, today announced that fashion and image expert Prasad Bidapa has joined the academic advisory board of its Bengaluru campus.

The advisory board, with eminent veterans from diverse creative fields, is responsible for bringing industry insights and global best practices that can be incorporated into the curriculum and pedagogy to ensure that the students receive the most relevant education.

On joining the Pearl Academy Bengaluru advisory board, Prasad Bidapa said, “I strongly believe that contributing to the education of the youth is one of the best ways to make your years of expertise and experience count and hence, I am delighted to collaborate with Pearl Academy.

The institute’s seriousness towards nurturing creative minds in a way that prepares them for professional lives while retaining their unique identity and passion for the chosen craft is exemplary.

I am looking forward to engaging with the young creators, innovators, dreamers and disrupters. My mission is to sensitize our young minds into appreciating & using the vast wealth of our indigenous textiles & techniques, and helping them achieve global recognition”.

With 40 years of experience, Prasad is undoubtedly amongst the iconic fashion gurus of India.

He has been revolutionizing the fashion industry by curating various high-profile fashion events like India Men’s Fashion Week, Colombo Fashion Week and Rajasthan Heritage Week.

He is also committed to the cause of reviving the traditional textiles of India.

source: http://www.bweducation.businessworld.in / BW Education / Home / by BW Online Bureau / September 02nd, 2021

Explained | Why coffee prices are soaring

September 2, 2021Coffee News, World Opinionadmin

Adverse weather, strict lockdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic and severe logistical bottlenecks have disrupted the global coffee market making your morning brew dearer.

The global shortage is a blessing for India where FY21 output jumped 12%. India is the world’s seventh-largest coffee producer but not a major consumer, and exporters have better availability of containers compared with Vietnam and South America and are getting good prices (Image: Shutterstock)

Global coffee prices are soaring because of lower availability from the main producing countries, which has created a demand-supply mismatch in the international market for the beverage.

Adverse weather, strict lockdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic and severe logistical bottlenecks have disrupted the global coffee market and raised prices to multi-year highs for both varieties of coffee — Robusta that has more caffeine and a stronger, bitter taste, as well as the Arabica grade that has a smoother and sweeter taste.

Moneycontrol looks at what is driving the international coffee market and what it means for India.

Sharply rising prices

Robusta coffee futures soared to more than $2,000 per tonne last week, having risen about 50 percent this year; while in July the Arabica grade had risen to the highest since November 2014, making the beverage more costly around the world. Robusta prices had been slightly lower than Arabica for more than a year but last week’s move brought them on par with Arabica.

Brazil ignited the coffee market

Coffee prices started rising because of adverse weather in Brazil, the world’s biggest producer of the bean for the last 150 years. Output in the country is expected to fall to the lowest in nearly two decades.

After erratic rainfall, the Brazilian crop was hit by extremely cold weather, which damages coffee plants. Many coffee plants in Brazil developed spots on their leaves as the cold weather was the worst since 1994.

The coffee crop is even more vulnerable to damage when a cold spell hits the plants that have already been weakened by a drought. The damage is so severe that some plantations in Brazil may need to plant a new crop, which will take years to mature.

Other major producers

Supply from Vietnam, the second-biggest producer, has been disrupted by lockdowns because of rising COVID-19 cases. The government has imposed a lockdown in Ho Chi Minh City, a coffee exporting hub, while movement of the beans from plantations to cities is also affected. As a result, Vietnamese coffee is unable to reach consumers around the world.

The third-largest producer, Colombia, also has problems. Supply was disrupted because of a series of anti-government protests in the country, which raised Colombian prices to a record in May this year and affected supply as well as the market sentiment globally.

Logistics adds to the woes

Like various other commodities and goods, coffee is also suffering from very high freight costs and shortage of containers. The problem is quite severe in South America and is raising the cost of Brazilian and Colombian coffee. There are several cases of vessels not being available despite being booked in advance, which creates sudden supply glitches.

Implications for India

The global shortage is a blessing for India, which is the world’s seventh-largest coffee producer but not a major consumer as the country’s favourite beverage is tea.

India produces mostly the Arabica variety of coffee, 70 percent of which is exported. Exporters are getting good prices and the output in 2020-21 increased by 12 percent, according to data from the Coffee Board.

Indian exporters also have better availability of containers compared with Vietnam and South America. This is because containers coming in with cashew imports are being used to ship out coffee, traders say. Indian coffee imports have increased about 10 percent so far this year.

Outlook

Prices may rise further as concerns about the weather continue to dog the market. Arabica coffee futures rose on August 30 because of forecasts of adverse weather, indicating more stress for beleaguered crops in top supplier Brazil, according to a Bloomberg report. Key producing regions in Brazil are forecast to face adverse weather in the coming weeks, it said. This can further increase global coffee prices.

(The author is an independent journalist)

source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / MoneyControl.com / Home> News> Business / by Himangshu Watts / September 01st, 2021

Public Prosecutor Felicitated

September 1, 2021Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, Alladmin

Public Prosecutor Kaliyanda Muthamma Poonacha was felicitated at her office in city yesterday by Mysuru Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Superintendent of Police (SP) P. Arunamshugiri (extreme right) with a shawl, garland, Mysuru Peta and a certificate, for handling ACB cases extremely well.

ACB Dy.SPs Parashuramappa and Dharmendra are also seen.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / August 31st, 2021

Drive detox #28States28Plates drive goes to Coorg

August 31, 2021Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sportsadmin

Moving our way right across the country towards the west, we go to Coorg from Bengaluru.

Day 22 of the #28States28Plates drive saw us leaving the hustle and bustle of Bengaluru city as we headed to a beautiful hilly region in Karnataka — Coorg. Also known as the Scotland of India, Coorg is famous for its coffee plantations, chilly climate and the amazing views.

There are three ways to get to Coorg from Bengaluru and because of our tight schedule, (the real reason was we just couldn’t wait to get there), we took the shortest route which passes through cities like Ramanagara (silk city) and Channapatna (city of toys). This highway is christened NH275, but the locals know it simply as Mysore road.

All the three routes from Bengaluru join-in at Mysore. It is to be noted that if you are taking the route we took, be ready to face a lot of diversions as some parts of this highway are still under construction.

After crossing Mysore, the road turned into a two-lane winding stretch of smooth tarmac with trees on both sides! It definitely was a sight to behold.

Now, our destination for the day was a town called Yevakapadi, situated in the hills of Coorg.

We reached there by lunchtime, at Bungalow 1934, where a friend of evo India, Amrith, had kindly invited us for lunch at his super famous estate — Bungalow 1934.

A place so pretty, a certain Gordon Ramsay chose to shoot his show Uncharted here!

We were in awe of the beautiful views from Amrith’s estate and just as we thought it couldn’t get better, Amrith set up a traditional Coorgi cuisine buffet for us. Pandi curry (pork stew), bamboo shoot curry, colocasia curry — a few of the dishes we enjoyed, along with a view to die for. To wash it all down was prepared-on-the-farm coffee liqueur and some bird’s eye chilli wine.

After that wonderful lunch, we headed to our abode for the night. King’s Cottage, a place situated just 15km from Amrith’s estate, but by the time we reached and rested for a bit, it was time for dinner time. So, the kind folks at King’s Cottage setup a much needed bonfire for us to enjoy our dinner. We were treated to simple but oh-so-delicious veg food with a view of the clouds, touched by bright moonlight, settling right in front of us in the valley. After chilling our bones to the cool blowing winds, we went straight to bed in our cozy little cottage.

This place was certainly a good detox from the city life and we loved it so much that we decided to take day 23 off for some rest.

Is Coorg a haven in the hills? We’d certainly say so!

Day 24 will see us reach the west coast of the country, Mangalore — via Kasargod.

source: http://www.evoindia.com / EvoIndia.com / Home/ by Team Evo India / August 22nd, 2021

Kodagu district admin ready to tackle third Covid-19 wave

August 31, 2021Business & Economy, Covid-19 (wef. May 31, 2021), Records, All, Science & Technologyadmin

The experts in the state have warned that the third wave might reach its peak either in October or November.

The Designated Covid Hospital in Madikeri. Credit: DH photo

Though the Kodagu district administration has taken steps to check the outbreak of the third wave of Covid-19, the district sharing its border with Kerala has proved to be a hurdle.

The rise in Covid-19 cases in Kerala is a cause of concern for Kodagu district.

The district administration is implementing the advice of the technical expert committee.

The experts in the state have warned that the third wave might reach its peak either in October or November. The district administration is preparing itself to brace for the situation.

Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal has directed officials to vaccinate all those who are above 18 years on a priority basis in the villages sharing its border with Kerala.

Further, the check posts have also been strengthened.

To tackle the third wave, steps have been taken in the taluk, said Somwarpet taluk medical officer Dr Srinivas.

Four to five beds have been reserved in all the government hospitals in the taluk. The health camp for children has already been conducted at hotspot areas of Nelyahudikeri, Valnoor-Tyagathoor, Suntikoppa, and other areas, he said.

A health check-up is organised for even pregnant and lactating women and they have been administered vaccination. The work on an oxygen generation plant is in progress at Somwarpet at a cost of Rs 1 crore. The work on installing machines is pending, he added.

Further, the border area check posts in Shanivarasanthe, Kodlipet, Shanthapura and others have been strengthened in the district.

Circle Inspector S Parashivamurthy said that labourers who were hesitating for vaccination were convinced to take vaccines at Mullur Colony.

Dr Chandan in the Community Health Centre said that oxygen cylinders, swab tests, masks and sanitisers have been arranged at the centre.

Awareness of Covid-19 is created among the patients who arrive at the centre for treatment, he said.

Further, the health department has set up an 80-bedded Covid Care Centre at Morarji Desai Residential School in Koodige and Basavanahalli.

Taluk medical officer Dr Srinivas said that everyone should strictly adhere to the Covid appropriate behaviour.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / August 29th, 2021

The inimitable Shiv Amma

August 31, 2021Arts, Culture & Entertainmentadmin

The assistant manager’s bungalow at the Margolly coffee plantation in Coorg in the early ’90s was an interior decorator’s delight. Although the regal British era structure had lost some of its original sheen and the shining Sheffield cutlery, crockery and linen that formed part of the resident ‘gora sab-memsab’s’ home furnishings, yet it had retained the old English charm of a dream bungalow with its large, cool, well-ventilated, well-lit bedrooms, sizeable bathrooms and bay-windows overlooking lush gardens and orchards to boot. The place was adequately furnished and the new resident could move in with the bare minimum of wherewithal. Our son, who had joined Coorg Coffee then, was house-proud and kept the place immaculately tidy.

On my first visit to him during the summer vacation, I met the good old Shiv Amma, his housekeeper, who couldn’t stop gushing over her generous new Sikh manager and seemed even more pleased to have me visit him. Although I knew just a smattering of Tamil, and she knew no other language, we managed to communicate through gestures and an admixture of what sounded more like Double Dutch. She would appear every morning, genie-like, in a spotless clean sari and headdress, carrying a bag of fresh groceries for the day and diligently set about her work. From the several broken interactions we had, I gathered that she lived on the estate itself and was proudly informed that her son was pursuing a PhD programme in agriculture.

One evening, when she was asked to stay back as my son had an official engagement, she dropped a bombshell. Sitting by my side, she suddenly asked in right earnest, ‘Amma, manager la father illay?’

‘Good Lord, no! Whatever makes you ask that?’ I asked bemused. Gesticulating calmly, she said: ‘No bindi, no mangalsutra and no manager’s father himself!’

My focus during that one month’s stay was to train Shiv Amma to cook simple North Indian victuals without the perennial mustard tadka. The courtyard of the assistant manager’s office, which was an extension of the bungalow itself, abutted the kitchen. So, whatever transpired between Shiv Amma and me would waft into the office, unless we kept our volumes in check. I remember receiving a polite telephonic reprimand from my son whenever the vocal cords lost control. Despite trying valiantly to strike a balance between a treble at the university and a bass at home, exasperation over my linguistic limitations here would often tend to let the vapours escape. On this particular occasion, I needed a spoon during a cooking demonstration. So, I said, ‘Shiv Amma, chamach,’ thinking it was a common enough word.

She looked around vaguely and picked up everything but what I needed till I huffed across to the shelf impatiently, picked up a spoon and thrust it under her nose, hollering ‘chamach’.

Instantly galvanised now, she animatedly blurted out, ‘Voh! Amma! Spoon eh!’ leaving me flummoxed.

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> Musings / by Mina Surjit Singh / August 26th, 2021

Changes in rainfall pattern affects Arabica coffee variety in Karnataka’s Kodagu

August 31, 2021Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Records, All, World Opinionadmin

While the price of Arabica variety has increased in the international market, many planters of Kodagu are reluctant to maintain this variety of the crop.

Madikeri :

The changing rainfall and weather pattern in Kodagu is affecting the coffee plantations – especially the Arabica variety of coffee.

While the price of Arabica variety has increased in the international market, many planters of Kodagu are reluctant to maintain this variety of the crop due to the challenges faced following the changing weather patterns.

“Coffee growers in the district have faced immense losses since the past three years. And the Arabica variety of coffee has become unmanageable and a small coffee grower cannot sustain this crop anymore,” shared K Subbaiah, a coffee grower in Chettalli.

He had grown Arabica varieties of plants across eight acres of land and he explained, “I had taken up inter-cropping of Arabica and Robusta varieties across 11 acre. However, I have removed all the Arabica crops in the nearly eight acre estate as I am unable to sustain these crops.”

He shared that the untimely rains has resulted in the Arabica crops yielding beans way before the picking period. “The coffee beans have ripened during this August. How can one pick these beans in the rain and where can one dry these beans?” he questioned.

The Arabica variety normally bore ripened beans in the month of September and they were to be picked during November. However, the changing rain pattern has immensely affected the crop and like Subbaiah, many small coffee growers are removing the Arabica crop variety following immense losses, despite the hike in the price in the international market.

Former vice president of Coffee Board, Dr Kaverappa shared that the Arabica variety is increasingly prone to black rot disease, resulting in its downfall. “Arabica variety is increasingly found in the North Kodagu belt. However, the untimely rains and floods have affected the crops. While there is an immense shortage of Arabic beans and demand for the same has increased in the international market, the production of Arabica variety is less in the district due to the challenges faced by the growers in marinating these varieties,” he explained.

He hoped for the government’s support to the coffee sector and said that insurance to coffee crops and reintroduction of subsidies to the machineries must be enabled to promote and support the sector.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States>Karnataka / by Pragna GR, Express News Service / August 29th, 2021

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