Funds of nearly Rs 3 crore are being spent for the event that has garnered support from all the Kodava Samajas including the Samajas established abroad.
Members of the Kodava community (Express)
Madikeri :
A Global Kodava Summit aims to unite the Kodava community under a single roof and highlight the culture, traditions, and crises faced by the community. Several members of the community in the district fear that the culture, traditions, and practices of the Kodavas are at stake and will soon vanish.
The summit will host various cultural programmes, exhibitions, and seminars to preserve the unique practices of the Kodavas. It will be hosted by the Connecting Kodavas Trust and will be held on December 29 and 30 in Madikeri.
The summit is the fruit of efforts taken by the trust for several years. “Since 2017, the Connecting Kodavas forum has been involved in collecting details of every Kodava clan from the nook and corner of the district,” said Niran Nanjappa, one of the core members of the Connecting Kodavas Trust.
Meanwhile, volunteers have visited all the villages in the district to document details of the roots of the various Kodava clans.
“As per our research, over 1,000 Kodava clans are in existence. Many other clans have vanished. A few clans have just two members and the biggest clan has over 650 members. All these details are documented and will be revealed during the summit that is likely to witness participation from 20,000 to 25,000 people,” Niran Nanjappa added.
“During our research, we have found several anecdotes relating to the roots, practices and evolution of the Kodava clans. We have insights into the issues that led to the vanishing of several clans too. All these anecdotes will be shared to ensure that the community flourishes and our culture is preserved,” he opined.
“After the summit, we also plan to release websites for each clan so that the members of the clan can track their lineage,”Niran Nanjappa added.
Funds of nearly Rs 3 crore are being spent for the event that has garnered support from all the Kodava Samajas including the Samajas established abroad.
Alongside seminars, the Global Kodava Summit will also have demonstrations of the various practices, architecture, and ancestral history of the community as well as interactive workshops.
The forum also aims to establish a model village in the near future across five to six acres of land to highlight the uniqueness of the community.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / October 31st, 2023
Remembering an extraordinary teacherof Kodagu, Devanira K. Appayya.
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry Brooks Adams, Historian.
In 1909, under the Imperialist Empire of Edward VII, an illustrious son was born in Napoklu, Kodagu, who would later be known for his colossal contribution to education. Little did Dr. Devanira Kunjappa know that this son, Devanira K. Appayya would one day be the recipient of India’s highest medal of honour bestowed on a citizen for teaching excellence.
By the age of 20, in 1929, Devanira Appayya or Appayya Master, as he was lovingly called, put himself through various schools in Kodagu and then went on to graduate from the prestigious Madras Presidency College, an almost unheard of feat at that time.
Presidency College was one of the oldest and the most prestigious institutions in India, boasting of an envious line of alumna including a Nobel Laureate C.V. Raman, freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari and philosopher Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, who later became the President of India.
Granny would regale us with stories of how Thatha, as we grand kids called him, got to Madras, now Chennai. “He walked, rode bullock carts, took multiple buses and then a train,” she said. It had apparently taken him weeks to travel from Coorg to Chennai, a distance covered in a few hours today.
Financial constraints prevented him from pursuing a higher education, at which point, he returned and joined the Secondary Grade Teachers Training College in Bangalore. This was the start of his memorable teaching career.
Thatha was a born teacher and taught with a sense of compassion and empathy. He held the Head Master’s job at Ammathi Middle School for over 22 years. Known for his impeccable British sense of style, sans the stiff upper lip, one would never find him in soiled clothes (from having spent his evenings picking coffee in his estate) or unpolished shoes.
He stood tall, towering over his colleagues, at 6’0”, but Thatha was modest at heart. It was said that he was a treat to watch as an eloquent speaker. He was also the only Head Master from the State to be selected as a member of the State Prescription Textbook Committee.
In 1962, Government of India presented Devanira Appayya, aged 53, with the prestigious National President’s Award for Teaching Excellence. An honour bestowed by the then President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, also a fellow alumnus of Madras Presidency College.
Never had a Kodava walked the history-laden, post-British Raj corridors of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, dressed in the traditional Kodava attire of Kupya (black collarless, short-sleeved, knee length coat) with the ceremonial Mande Thuni (head gear) and Chale (maroon gold-embroidered silk waist belt), striking quite the intellectual, handsome figure.
Devanira K. Appayya with wife Dharani.
To be awarded this highest recognition was a matter of huge prestige, not just for him, but for the then small State of Kodagu and even smaller community of Kodavas. We were no longer tucked away in a silo of the Western Ghat. He had thus put the tiny State of Kodagu on the National stage.
The State of Mysore, considering his accomplishment as a teacher, extended his retirement by three years. “We pray to God to spare you for a full span of Vedic life and let God Almighty be with you and your family to enjoy your well-earned rest at Ammathi,” wrote the Siddapur Teachers’ Association on the day of his retirement on May 18, 1967.
Thatha died eleven years later at the age of 70. For his family, he was and is a larger-than-life figure, a trailblazer, a legend who touched the hearts of many and left a legacy which gets talked about even to this day.
Appayya Master was known for his unwavering dedication to his family and his craft serving as an inspiration. His ability to impart knowledge while being compassionate will be remembered for generations to come.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by Pallavi Joyappa, USA / September 05th, 2023
The Annual Kodava Convention in North America is scheduled to take place on Sept. 2 and 3, 2023, in the San Francisco Bay Area, famously known as Silicon Valley. The convention will culminate on Sept. 3, coinciding with the Kodava community’s Kailpoldh festival. The inaugural day’s events will start at 5 pm.
This convention is a tradition spanning approximately 15 years. This time, over 500 Kodavas and their families from across the United States have registered to participate in the event, which is jointly organised by around 40 Kodava families.
According to the organisers, the two-day event will see the participation of Kodava guests from around the world. They have received well-wishes from notable Kodavas, including individuals from the military, sports, and the entertainment industry.
Registration had to be closed due to limited seating capacity. Local families will come together to showcase the cultural events that reflect the deep-rooted Kodava heritage and their unique talents, as stated by the organisers.
The programme will feature a blend of traditional and cultural events, including Baalo Paat performances, Kailpodh Ayudha Puja, Kodava cultural dances, Kodava Koota updates, an entrepreneurial mixer, a Kodava cultural skit, and the traditional Bolakaat.
This convention serves as a gathering for Kodava brethren from across North America, providing an opportunity to meet, learn and celebrate the rich Kodava culture. This year’s convention is aptly named ‘namme-by-the-bay’ and promises to offer attendees a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the world of Kodava tradition, unique attire, art, cuisine, culture and the deities.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 02nd, 2023
Dr. Cheranda Koushik Ponnanna has been appointed as a Visiting Fellow at the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Phoenix, Arizona.
He will be conducting his Post Doctoral Resarch on the Genetic Basis of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. He holds a Ph.D in Genetics from University of Mysore. He is the son of Cheranda Ravi Thimmaiah and Usha from B. Shettigeri, Kodagu.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / August 14th, 2023
40 families to organise the mega event on Sept. 2 and 3
California:
The Annual Kodava Convention in North America will be held on Sept. 2 and 3, 2023, this time in the San Francisco Bay Area, also known as Silicon Valley.
This convention, which has been going on for about 15 years, was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of Kodava families across the country have already registered to participate in this convention, which is being jointly conducted by about 40 Kodava families.
It is an event for Kodava brethren from all across North America to meet, learn and celebrate the Kodava culture. With a strong history of more than 20 years, these conventions have been hosted in several major US cities in the past.
This year’s convention is called ‘namme-by-the-bay’ and will showcase the vibrant and colourful festivals of Kodagu. This will be a unique opportunity for the attendees to learn about Kodava art, food, culture and deities in a much greater depth.
Furthermore, this event also presents meet-and-greet opportunities and networking for jobs, family connections and matrimony. An informal pre-convention event will be held on Sept. 2 at Elliston Vineyards — a beautiful and historic location in Sunol Hills.
Several Kodava families across the country have already registered to attend this event, which is being organised by about 40 Kodava families from San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.
The convention is being conducted to save the Kodava traditions and develop unity among the Kodava people. For more information, write to bayareakodavas@gmail.com.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 22nd, 2023
Kodava traditions and celebrations are centred around a rich oral folk tradition. Mookonda Kushalappa tells the stories of those that kept it alive.
During the times of the Rajas, writing was not popular among the Kodavas of Kodagu, who were paddy farmers and cattle herdsmen.
In the absence of literature, the region was rich in oral folklore. A song was sung for every occasion — songs were sung during the annual village festival and during the harvest festival Puththari. Songs were sung for weddings and funerals. Four singers would carry small hourglass drums called dudi and beat them with small, curved sticks. These rustic songs often had the same rhythm.
The compiler
A key force in chronicling these oral traditions was Nadikerianda Chinnappa. Chinappa was born in 1875 in Karada village.
In 1899, he joined the revenue department and wrote an English poem “My position as Shanbhog”. In 1900, he became a Revenue Inspector. In 1902, he joined the Indian Army’s Coorg Regiment and became a Subedar Major. Two years later, the regiment was disbanded and he joined the police department.
Subedars Codanda Ayyanna, Bolachanda Nanjappa and Nadikerianda Chinnappa of the Coorg Regiment, Fraserpet (Kushalnagar), 1902. Photo courtesy Boverianda Nanjamma Chinnappa
After his training from Vellore, he became an SI in Kushalnagar. Thereafter, he was transferred to Napok, Srimangala and Virajpet until he was made prosecuting inspector in Madikeri.
In 1917, he created a Kodava prayer called ‘Sri Moola Kanniye’, addressed to ‘the first maiden’ or Parvathi who was incarnated as Kaveri. This came to be known as the Kodava anthem. He also composed a Kannada poem in honour of the deity of Chomamale hill, Somagiri Deva.
During his free time, he would ride through the countryside on horseback. He would visit folk singers and every time he heard an interesting song, he would bring the singer home. His wife would cook food for the singer, while Chinnappa would offer him toddy. The singer would beat the dudi and sing the song while Chinnappa wrote it down.
By 1922, he had extensively collected several folk songs which were sung during various ceremonies and festivals such as the Kaveri Song, the Wedding Song, the Funeral Song and the Puththari Harvest Song, along with 750 proverbs and idioms.
The folk songs were divided into categories based on when they were sung or in praise of whom they were sung — customs and ceremonies, festivals, heroes and deities. He published a compilation, titled ‘Pattole Palame’ in 1924. The Pattole Palame is one of the earliest compilations of folklore in India.
The name Pattole Palame was originally used for old palm-leaf records kept by astrologers in Kodagu. It comes from the words ‘patt-ole’ (silk leaves) ‘palame’ (lore), meaning oral traditions recorded on palm leaves, which were like silk.
Between 1894 and 1928, G A Grierson, a civil servant, conducted the Linguistic Survey of India. A knowledgeable speaker was invited from every known Indian language. The person had to narrate a translated biblical parable and either sing a song or narrate a story in the language.
In 1922, Chinnappa was recorded narrating the ‘Prodigal Son’ in Kodava language. He also sang his own composition, ‘Sri Moola Kanniye’. These gramophone recordings were sent to the British Library’s Sound Archives and the Madras Museum.
The language was recorded as ‘Kodaga’ and wrongly identified as being from Madras. The narrator was uncredited and the song was called ‘Coorg national anthem: Swadesi priya kirtane’. It was in the 1970s that Chinnappa’s voice was identified by his son Subbayya when he listened to the Madras Museum recording.
In 1929, Chinnappa translated the Bhagwat Gita into Kodava and called it ‘Bhagvathanda paat’. Krishna was called by his Kodava name Kuttappa in this book.
The translators
Chinappa’s legacy has been kept alive by his descendants, including his grandson Boverianda Muthanna Chinnappa, fondly nicknamed Bobjee. After working as an engineer in India and various countries abroad, Boverianda Chinnappa became an entrepreneur in Canada. He married his cousin Nadikerianda Nanjamma, another grandchild of Nadikerianda Chinnappa.
Nanjamma worked as a statistician and taught statistics in India and Canada. She co-authored a book on Business Survey Methods. In 1993, she was elected a fellow of the American Statistical Association.
After their retirement, Boverianda Chinnappa and Nanjamma returned to India. Their translation of Pattole Palame into English was published in 2003. Nanjamma’s brother renowned cartoonist N Ponnappa illustrated the cover of the book.
The Pattole Palame book cover
The couple visited nearly 1,720 clans in Kodagu over the years to research ainmanes. Their work was compiled into a book called ‘Ainmanes of Kodagu’ and an online website.
The author (extreme left) with Boverianda Chinnappa and Nanjamma in 2018. Photo courtesy: Iynanda Dinesh Monnappa, Cauvery Studio, Ammathi
In 2006, Nanjamma received a Mangalore University honorary doctorate from the Governor of Karnataka. That same year, she won the ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ award.
Boverianda Chinnappa passed away on March 10 this year. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and their families.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Spectrum / by Mookonda Kushalappa / April 05th, 2023
Keekira Naila Thammaiah (Kuttanda), wife of late Keekira A. Thammaiah (Thammi), who was the first Asian Mayor of Harrow, London, passed away this morning in London, UK.
She was 78.
She leaves behind her son Ponnu, daughter-in-law Sunali and grandsons Adit and Alok.
Funeral service will be held at London, according to family sources.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Obiturary / December 10th, 2022
Title : The Wild Cat’s Compendium / Author : Dr. Nima Poovaya Smith /Year : 2022 /Pages : 51 /Price : Rs. 449
(Kindle version)
Publisher: Caracal Publications, United Kingdom
Dr. Nima Poovaya-Smith (parental home Ammanichanda) has just launched a delightful book titled The Wild Cat’s Compendium, which is a collection of 45 brilliantly crafted verses on 45 species of wild cats as well as few of the domestic ones.
Composing poems is an art and Nima excels in succinctly portraying the feline species in all its glory. In a few apt words, the 45 poems read as fluidly as the graceful strides of the cats.
(Read the sample poem.)
Nima Poovaya-Smith in conversation with David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood, during the launch of her book.
Cats of All Tribes
Cats of all tribes major, middling, minor, inlaid menace and glamour, damascened suits of shadow armour.
Your coats boast such stylish motifs. Spots, dots, rosettes, stripes, flecks, spirals.
Draw breath, there is more, of this feline allure. Marbled, banded, clouded, streaked, stippled, brindled.
Your fur a lush canvas for lavish mark-making. Each unique striation etched with precision. Nature’s artful illusion.
The guile of the design, woven into the dapple of sun and shade, dissolving into air without hint or sign.
Seeing you without knowing we do, even when face-to-face. Our deepest, murkiest selves in plain view to that occult feline gaze.
African Golden Cats: By Joseph Wolf
What is remarkable about this compendium is the in-depth research that has gone into the lives, habitat, behaviour, and appearance of each variety of cat. Nima has been working on this book for quite a few years and has packed a great deal of information wonderfully crafted using her treasure trove of highly refined vocabulary. In addition, Nima has woven the grave threats these feline species face in the wild and that their primary detractors belong to the human species. In one of the poems, she has given a consciously chilling recipe for preparing tiger bone wine. Hopefully those who indulge in such shameful practices will realise and shun their superstition-ridden beliefs.
In the Introduction to the book, Nima mentions about her (and mine) maternal grandparents’ home (in Palangala village, Kodagu), where tigers and other wild cats roamed close to human dwellings. During our childhood days we have heard several tiger tales from our shikar-loving uncles. Over the years, those childhood memories have expanded in Nima’s mind to bring out this wonderful collection of poems.
As a bonus, each poem is richly illustrated with paintings by several well-known artists. One of the artists is Nima’s brother Sunil’s wife Sheila, an alumna of CAVA, Mysuru.
Nima earned her Ph.D in English literature from Mysore University under the guidance of Prof. U.R. Ananthamurthy who used to mention that Nima was one of his best students. She went on a scholarship to University of Leeds to pursue her post-doctoral studies. She has been a curator of several museums in the UK. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for her contribution in the field of arts and museums. She was appointed as Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire in 2020, which entails interacting with the British royal family.
Chinese Mountain Cat: By Sheila Ammanichanda
Currently Nima is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds.
Wild Cats’ Compendium was launched at the Ilkley Literature Festival in October 2022. In the accompanying photograph, Nima is in conversation with David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood (and second cousin of King Charles III), during the book launch.
Wild Cat’s Compendium is available on Amazon. However, currently only kindle version of the book is marketed in India: The Wild Cats’ Compendium: Cats of All Tribes eBook: Poovaya-Smith, Nima: Amazon.in: Kindle Store
Reading Wild Cat’s Compendium is an enriching experience. Every time you re-read a poem you learn something more. I rate this book as a Collectors’ Item.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by C.P. Belliappa / December 12th, 2022
Karnataka Sangha Qatar in cooperation with Indian cultural Center hosted Indian Community.
Welcome reception to V S Vinay, ex Indian Hockey team player and current Hockey Karnataka Sr team coach and felicitated on December 6 at Ashok Hall Auditorium of Indian Cultural Centre.
Dignitaries present during this event was president of Indian Cultural Center P N Baburajan, vice president of Indian Cultural Center Subramanaya Hebbgelu.
The platform to this felicitation was created by Indian Cultural Centre to Honour the dignitaries visiting State of Qatar during the FIFA 2022 event.
Mahesh Gowda president – Karnataka Sangha Qatar welcomed the gathering and thanked V S Vinay for giving time for the reception and expressed confidence that under his mentorship many players will get trained and join Indian Hockey team and play for the country, also mentioned it is a proud moment that V S Vinay hails from Coorg district of Karnataka and which is know for producing world class players and won many medals for India.
Mahesh Gowda also thanked Indian cultural organisations for their invite and all Associated Organisations for felicitating the guest.
P N Baburajan in his address briefed the dignitary about Indian Cultural Center and how ICC is involved in the FIFA celebrations.
V S Vinaya thanked Karnataka Sangha and Indian Cultural Centre for felicitating him and people for there time to meet him, also motivated the parents to put their children in any sports and also briefed how their children get all the training facilities from the federation if they are really doing well in the sport.
The programme emcee was done by KSQ member Nithi Ramesh.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Middle East / by Media Release / December 10th, 2022
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