When East India Company annexed Kodagu in 1834, there were no schools in the erstwhile kingdom, and none of the locals had any formal education. Lt Col James Fraser, a political agent of the company decided to open vernacular schools in Madikeri, Virajpet and Kushalnagar. Kodagu now has one of the highest literacy rates in Karnataka.
People of Kodagu took to education enthusiastically and encouraged both boys and girls to study. The British, in their policy of ‘enlightened self-interest’, supported education and introduced English along with Kannada. By 1850s, there were a number of educated locals taking up jobs in the government especially in the police, forest and revenue departments, and later in the armed forces.
However, in Kodagu, the credit for furthering education goes to two German missionaries from the Basel Mission. They were Rev Hermann Moegling and Rev Georg Richter. Moegling came to Kodagu in 1853. He first came to Mangalore in 1836 and established a seminary and a school. He not only mastered Kannada but also started the first Kannada newspaper Mangaluru Samachara in 1843.
Lt Col Mark Cubbon was the chief commissioner of Kodagu at the time, and he encouraged Moegling to establish the first Protestant church and a school in Madikeri in 1855. Georg Richter arrived at Kannur in 1855 with a group of Basel missionaries. Within days, he was sent to Mangalore where he started teaching in the Basel Mission English School started by Moegling. He was an exceptionally good teacher and was soon popular amongst the locals and the Europeans. Before coming to India, Richter spent time in London to improve his English and learn the latest teaching methods.
The book by Albrecht Frenz, Georg Richter: His Work in Kodagu on the Basis of Official Reports, provides insights into Richter’s journey to India, his journey from Mangalore to Kodagu and his work in Kodagu. During his time in Kodagu, Richter plunged himself into serious work, teaching as well as helping Moegling in setting up a settlement for Christian converts in Anandapur, where a coffee estate was being developed. In 1858, Richter married Armella, the daughter of Bernhard Schmid, who worked in Tirunelveli and Ooty. When Moegling returned to Germany in 1860, Richter took his place. The book also gives details of Richter’s work in the field of education in his capacity as principal of Government Central School, Madikeri, which he helped establish in 1869.
He later took over as inspector of schools in Kodagu. His wife helped him in his work and she focussed on encouraging girl students. One of the skills she taught them was needlework. Richter took an interest in learning about locals and their history. His book, Gazetteer of Coorg, published in 1870, is a comprehensive recording of social, cultural, historical and geographical aspects of Kodagu.
He was an avid photographer and the book by Albrecht Frenz has compiled the photographs taken by Richter during the 1860s in Kodagu, Nilgiris, and in parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Richter and Armella returned to Germany in 1896. Richter has left an indelible mark on Kodagu by his quintessential work in the field of education, and the seminal recordings about Kodagu in the Gazetteer of Coorg.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by C.P. Belliappa / March 05th, 2018
Kodava Sahitya Academy makes suggestions on `Ummathat’
Traditional glory : Dancers performing a traditional dance of Kodagu.
Madikeri :
Kodavas have a unique culture and their folklore too is distinct from others. “Ummathat”, a special dance, a mixture of folklore with a dainty touch of medieval and modernity, performed by Kodava women, is a case in point.
Kodava women lag behind in variety of dances vis-a-vis men. Men attired in traditional costumes perform “Bolakkat”, “Peeliyat”, “Chowriyat”, “Kappeyat”, “Pareyakali”, “Kolatt”, and “Kombatt” whereas women dressed in colourful saris perform “Ummathat”.
There was a debate whether these dances should be performed in public or only at Kodava religious and cultural ceremonies.
The Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, which had organised a seminar on “Ummathat” at Devanageri in Virajpet taluk recently, has come up with some suggestions concerning “Ummathat”. A decision was taken to maintain a uniform pattern of “Ummathat” in future.
Some of the suggestions are: Ummathat should not be performed in open or public functions or in front of the tableux as it loses sanctity. The dance shall be performed only in venerable places. Dancers shall remove footwear, wear traditional “bottu podiya” (a grand sari with rich brocade) while performing the dance.
The songs, an assortment of over 12 songs, sung in different tunes, will be retained without giving it a touch of modernity, was another decision taken at the seminar.
The “taleyatakki bolakk”, a brass plate containing a burning lamp sprinkled with rice, will replace the woman dressed up as Goddess Cauvery in the middle. The seminar arrived at a decision to formulate enough programmes in future to foster “Ummathat”.
Pace and rhythm
Akhila Kodava Samaja president Matanda C.Monnappa agrees with most of the suggestions that “Ummathat” must be nurtured. There ought to be a touch of modernity to go with it, he says. Increasing the pace of songs to match the rhythm will make it more attractive. At the same time, changes should not dilute the original nor affect the decorum of the dance. It should not portray women in poor light.
No one is sure of the origin of the songs or the nuances of “Ummathat”. Most people believe the songs were compiled by the late Haradasa Appacha Kavi several decades ago. Certain songs are contained in the book written by Kavishishya Haridasa Mukkatira S. Poovaiah. Late Puggera Karumbaiah, who was instrumental in reviving the “Ummathat” in the early Seventies, too had contributed to the dance form.
Origin of Ummathat
According to Puggera Aiyappa, a senior citizen from Devanageri, Ummathat was practised centuries ago though there are no records available to prove it. Mr. Monnappa says his 95-year-old mother (who passed away recently) used to sing “Ummathat” songs.
Other dances performed by men such as “Bolakkat” have religious sanctity. Bolakkat is offered to the deity unlike “Ummathat”, Mr. Monnappa said.
Similarly, dances such as “Peeliyat”, “Chowriyat” and “Kombatt” are performed at the religious places where the deities are worshipped. “Ummathat” and “Bolakkat” were performed in public in the past even in New Delhi. It had drawn criticism.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Karnataka> Madikeri / by Staff Correspondent / July 20th, 2005
The Kodavas were always a martial race with a pronounced colonial hangover (Agency Photo)
It’s an impressive roll call. Field Marshal K M Cariappa, Gen Thimmaiah, B C Nanda, M P Ganesh, Prasad Bidapa, Len Aiyappa….The Kodava community, from southwestern Karnataka, has always punched above its weight in Indian public life. Kodavas rose high in the Indian Army; they excelled at sport, particularly hockey and flourished in the coffee trade. But that was then. Today, the Kodavas are buffeted by the winds of change. Modernity and migration are taking their bewildering toll on a people that set great store by tradition.
This is the context of renewed demands for a separate Kodava autonomous region, which would give them a separate place of their own, in keeping with their claims of being vastly different from everyone else. For this would also accrue all the benefits that go with a distinct identity. The men are strikingly handsome and their women appealing winsome. Their customs and traditions too are quite different from those in the rest of the region,one being that an uncle usually marries his niece. For nearly two decades, the Codava National Council (CNC) has been fighting for autonomy and the issue is back on the agenda with regular dharnas and sporadic protests at the state legislature.
The Kodavas were always a martial race with a pronounced colonial hangover. Their loyalty to the British meant they found secure footing in the armed forces. Even though they had few officers and mainly made up the rank and file, the Army had a significant Kodava presence. No longer. Kodava recruitment at the Bangalore Army headquarters, which caters to Karnataka, Kerala, Mahe and Lakshadweep, fell steadily from 85 in 2001-02 to 28 in 2007-08. Today, the highest-ranking Kodava officer is a lieutenant-general and they have just a few major-generals.
The once-famous Coorg Regiment has suffered too. Twenty-five years ago, every Kodava family could proudly list several of its men in uniform. That’s history. Sons prefer to head for engineering colleges now or professions more lucrative than the Army, say recruitment officers.
It is the same with sport and the Kodava’s once-legendary skill on the hockey field. M P Ganesh, the first Kodava to captain the national team, heads a list that also features ace players such as M M Somaiah, B P Govinda, Len Aiyappa and Mandepanda Monappa. The community always enjoyed and excelled at traditional war games such as pareya-kali and shakti-kolu. This is why Ganesh, who started playing hockey late, was deemed a natural.
Army hockey teams, particularly those that played for the Madras Engineering Group, had several Kodavas. They were robust, used to walking to school several miles a day. And they had the right temperament for the game. But now, hardly any Kodavas play hockey, says Ganesh. “High coffee prices, other employment opportunities and a more sedentary lifestyle have led to a lack of interest in the game,” he says.
Today, the Kodava’s passion for hockey surfaces only during the annual tournament in Madikeri, the town in the Kodagu district that Kodavas regard as home. The tournament is hosted by one Kodava family or clan. Other families and clans play for pride and honour. Women are allowed to compete. National and state players are welcome but Ganesh says they are nothing like yesterday’s Kodava hockey stars. “Players should be picked up from here and coached,” he suggests. Eight Kodavas play in the Karnataka team today, but none in the national team. Len Aiyappa was the last to distinguish himself at the national level.
It is hardly different in the former Kodava mainstay, the coffee plantation. Once upon a time, almost every Kodava family owned a coffee estate, or part of it, ranging from a few acres to vast swathes of land. Coffee is cultivated on roughly 2.5 lakh acres in Kodagu, says M C Nanaiah, a member of the state legislative council, but the Kodavas no longer rule the roost.
Many Kodava families are selling off their ancestral homesteads and estates and migrating to Bangalore or Mysore. The trickle grew to a flood after coffee prices slumped a few years ago. Kodavas are also converting their palatial bungalows into home-hotels, burgeoning business ventures for sure but emblematic of their decision to swap a timeworn culture for modern commerce.
The winds of change are sweeping the little district, bearing the scent of the white coffee flowers. The Kodavas are hanging up their hockey sticks and Army boots. Many argue that it is all to the good for a community to change with the times, embracing newer professions such as IT and science. For the Kodavas, the change may be eagerly sought but bewildering.
deepa.bhasthi@timesgroup.com
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> India News / by Deepa Bhasthi / TNN / November 02nd, 2008
In 1837, this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat, says N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje, Writer.
The Jangama Kalyanaswamy’s flag used during the Sullia rebellion was hoisted by Guddera (Guddemane) Appaiah against the British in 1837 was later adopted as the Kodagu Gowda coat of arms. They are also called Arebhashe Gowdas
Mangaluru:
It was the first armed uprising against the British, which took place 20 years before the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. The men who laid down their lives in this uprising of 1837 in Mangaluru are not forgotten.
The Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike and several others organisations marked the 179th anniversary of the uprising on Tuesday at Bavutagudda, where the rebels hoisted the Indian flag to mark their victory over the British on April 5, 1837.
“The people of Kodagu and Canara (coastal Karnataka) were unhappy with the British for various reasons. In 1837 this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat,” recalls writer, N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje.
Mr Sampage , who wrote the book ‘Amara Sulliyada Swatantrya Sangrama,’ detailing this early struggle for freedom, says it was a mass movement and not restricted to some villages or caste.
“It received unprecedented support from the people of Dakshina Kannada. However there were efforts to tone it down by labelling it ‘Kalyanappa na Katakayi, or ‘loot of Kalyanappa’.
But in reality it was a major movement for freedom in the region, which scared the British. The reports of the then Collector of Dakshina Kannada, Leven, reveals this,” he says.
The rebellion was led in Kodagu by leaders such as Aparampara, Kalyanappa and Putta Basappa and continued in Sullia, Puttur before culminating in Mangaluru, the seat of the British Collector.
It is said the rebels held control of the city for 13 days before British reinforcements arrived in Mangaluru and recaptured it.
But it took two months more for the British to arrest the rebels and hang them in public to silence the movement.
“The government must do a proper study of the entire movement so people get to know its importance,” emphasises Mr Sampaje.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation>Current Affairs / by Gururaj A. Paniyadi, Deccan Chronicle / April 06th, 2016
Passionate about relics and all things old, this retired History lecturer’s face brims with excitement as he shows his collection to the tourists and attempts to provide a theatrical demonstration of the artefacts. Bacharaniyanda P Appanna, a native of Kushalnagar, is a hoarder of historical artefacts that are exclusive to Kodagu. History comes alive in his house not just through the artefacts, but also through his energetic tale-telling enactment.
The history and culture of Kodagu have been an enticing topic for professional and amateur researchers alike. For most of these researchers, the abode of Bacharaniyanda P Appanna is a treasure trove of knowledge, resembling a theatre of history.
The dwelling
Appanna invariably accompanies while the curious visitor explores his collection. Taking you through a small room, he points out at an ordinary bulb. Switching it on, he says, “This bulb has been functioning from January 1, 1973.” Such is his precision and enthusiasm for age-old things. One is welcomed by a huge bookshelf at the entrance of his house. There is a kurikutt – a single piece vermilion and turmeric holder made of wood, hanging beside a brass lamp inside the house. Below this lies a chanduka, a compartmented wooden case.
Sitting beside these dateless artefacts, he says, “I have been hoarding historical objects for over 30 years now. Students and professionals from around the globe come here to learn about the significance of these artefacts.”
Appanna travels to the interior parts of Kodagu and scrutinises each village to source his artefacts. He is interested in exploring old ancestral houses, and says, “I mostly visit age-old houses owned by the elderly. Requesting their permission, I first scrutinise the attic and then the backyard to find the valuables.” Thereby, he acquires innumerable authentic and priceless artefacts for his collection.
Appanna has thoroughly researched and named the artefacts correctly, some in Kannada and the rest in Kodava language. Since his house cannot accommodate all the artefacts, some are placed in a makeshift shed outside the house.
Several Kodava weapons hang inside the house. They include the amb kathi, meembal, vodi kathi and a variety of rifles strung along with a line of bullets. Spirited, he precisely enacts how the Kodavas used these weapons, and explains, “Amb kathi was designed for the ladies, who were skilfully trained to use them. The meembal was used for fishing.”
Showcasing hobbies
His makeshift shed is home to antique vessels, vintage knitted baskets and stone measures to name a few. Explaining the functionality of sekala, a huge mud pot with pores in its inner lining, he says, “It was the steam cooker of the bygone era.” He then lines up a few measuring bowls, pare, pani and sair, and explains, “One pare is 10 sair, one pani is two sair…” These are local measuring units of the bygone days. Similarly, he lines up a few stone weights and goes on to explain their units, which include pare and batti.
Furthermore, he introduces the kota kudike, a mud pot that used bamboo leaves and wet sand placed at its bottom to preserve meat and fish for five to six days. He also possesses a wooden device used to make nuputtu, a famous Kodava dish. Next is the batte bari, a knitted basket, that acts as a wardrobe. Showing one of the ancient ones, he says, “This belonged to the wife of Kaliyat Ajappa, a cult deity.” Likewise, he shows more items such as the pombana (coin holder), maal pott (jewellery holder), ele thatte (ancient tray), etc.
He also possesses the ceremonial dowry items given to women during their weddings.
In the backyard, equipment related to agriculture and fishing is arranged. The design of the ancient fish trap is sure to enthral the viewers. Bacharaniyanda house is open to all enthusiasts who want to experience the culture of Kodagu and the visitors’ names are jotted neatly in his diary with dates. Appanna can be contacted on 9480730763.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by Prajna G R / January 22nd, 2018
Boverianda Nanjamma And Chinnappa Recollect The Efforts Of Their Late Grandfather In Documenting The Folklore And Songs Of The Kodava Community.
Much as we admire him and are inspired by him, we have never seen our grandfather Nadikerianda Chinnappa; he died before we were born. We—Nanjamma and Chinnappa—are cross cousins. The narrative of our grandfather that follows is based on the recollections of our parents, aunts and elder cousins, gleaned from casual conversations over the years.
Our grandfather, who worked with the police, had gone to a remote village, riding his horse across a stream and through a forest path to investigate a quarrel over the ownership of a strip of land. On his way back, he stopped by the stream to eat the akki (rice) roti sweetened with jaggery his wife had packed for him. The sun was setting behind the hills and had painted the skies in brilliant hues of red and gold. Captivated by the scene, Nadikerianda Chinnappa sat lost in thoughts, when he heard the distant sound of Kodava dudi (small handheld, hourglass-shaped drums). Mounting his horse, he set out to locate the origin of the drumbeats. He found four men seated around a bonfire singing Kodava folk songs, practising for Puthari, the harvest festival. It was getting dark but he waited for them to finish. Recognising that our grandfather was in the police, the singers touched his feet respectfully. Our grandfather took the leader of the team home on his horse.
This was not uncommon; his wife Nanjavva knew he had brought a singer home for the night. She made a bed for the visitor in the attic and served them a hot meal with a drink of frothing toddy. Refreshed, grandfather and the singer sat in the hall; while the singer sang a ballad, Chinnappa transcribed the words late into the night. After many such sessions with various singers, he had a good collection of Kodava songs sung during weddings, funerals and festivals, and ballads in praise of deities and heroes.
Himself a good singer, Chinnappa’s passion for Kodava songs and ballads prompted him to transcribe them. During his travels around Kodagu as a police officer in the early 1920s, he observed that the unique customs and traditions of the Kodava community were being forgotten or altered. Chinnappa feared that Kodava traditions and songs that had been handed down orally over generations would be lost because of the dominance of English, and the influence of the cultures of neighbouring areas. So, he decided to document them.
Late in the evenings, after work, he neatly wrote down all the songs, proverbs and riddles by the dim light of a kerosene lamp, while smoking his favourite cigars. When he started documenting the customs and traditions, he consulted his mother Ponnavva who was well-versed in them. Meanwhile, his wife would read the draft first to ensure that it was clear to a layperson. If there were parts she did not understand, Chinnappa rewrote them. It used to be said that the waste paper basket would always be full in the morning.
British officials in Coorg—as Kodagu was called by them—got his draft reviewed by some prominent Kodavas. On their recommendation, C S Sooter, commissioner of Coorg, authorised financial assistance to publish it. Chinnappa chose the name Pattole Palame, meaning ‘silken lore’, for his book, which was first published in 1924. The 6th edition was printed in 2012.
Pattole Palame is a precious document of the heritage of the Kodava community. In the second edition published by the University of Mysore in 1975, the editor describes it as “one of the earliest, if not the earliest, extensive collection of folklore of any Indian community written in an Indian language by an Indian”.
The text of Pattole Palame is in Kannada and the folk songs, proverbs, etc, in it are in Kodava thakk, the language of the Kodavas, an oral language written using the Kannada script. Nearly two-thirds of the book consists of folk songs transmitted orally down generations, which are sung even today. Traditionally known as Balo Pat, these songs are sung by four men beating dudi. The songs have haunting melodies and evoke memories of times long past. Kodava folk dances are performed to the beat of many of these songs, which are a rich source of information on the culture, language and history of the Kodava people.
Chinnappa himself began translating Pattole Palame into English but could not complete it, as he died of cancer in 1931 at the age of 56, a few months after his retirement. It was in 2003, nearly 75 years after Pattole Palame was first published, that we, his grandchildren, translated it into English and published it.
Although he was best known for Pattole Palame, Chinnappa’s major literary work as a poet was Bhagavantanda Paat, his translation of the Bhagavad-Gita into the Kodava language, composed in the style of Kodava folk songs, published in 1929.
When Grierson, a British linguist, embarked on the first Linguistic Survey of India (1913 to 1920), he looked for knowledgeable representatives of the various Indian languages. Chinnappa, who was fluent in both English and Kodava thakk, was chosen for the Kodava language. As required, he translated the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son’ into Kodava thakk and narrated it, and sang his own poem, Sri Moola Kanniye, an ode to river Kaveri. These were recorded in 1922 on gramophone records; copies of the recordings were kept in the British Library in London and the Madras Museum. They were digitised recently by the Linguistics Department of the University of Chicago.
Born in 1875, Chinnappa was the fifth of eight children. After matriculating in Madikeri, he went to Mangalore for further studies. But when his elder brother Subbayya died suddenly, Chinnappa returned to Kodagu to take on family responsibilities. In accordance with Kodava tradition, he married Subbayya’s widow, Nanjavva.
His career took many twists and turns. A teacher at first, then a revenue inspector, and then an officer in the Coorg Regiment of the Army, he joined the police department when the regiment was disbanded in 1904, and rose to the rank of a prosecuting inspector.
Our grandfather was fond of sports. He was a bowler in the All Coorg XI Cricket team, which in those days consisted mainly of Englishmen. When he played billiards at Victoria Club in Virajpet, his British opponents would often swear under their breath on losing a game to him. On one such occasion, Chinnappa lost his patience, broke the billiards stick on his knee and threw it on the floor. This was a very daring act for an Indian in those days.
Chinnappa was also involved in establishing the Police Officers’ Cooperative Society, Coorg Cooperative Society, Coorg Central Bank and the Coorg Education Fund. He was fond of children and always carried peppermints in his pockets. He was a caring father to his own three children, the two stepchildren by his elder brother, and to his deceased sister’s daughter, whom he and Nanjavva adopted. He sponsored the education of many poor children, and there were always a few students boarding in his residence, free of cost.
Our grandfather was a man of vision and talent, and was self-driven. He was a folklorist, poet, police officer, sportsman, historian, singer, philanthropist, and caring householder. Above all, he was a man who lived life to the fullest and left a lasting and invaluable legacy for his people in his writings.
The authors are translators and scholars of Kodava studies
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
August 2016
source: http://www.harmonyindia.com / Harmony / Home> Columns / August 2016
Veena Poonacha’s recent book on three Kodagu women chronicles a significant journey into the changing fortunes of women in India, says Geeta Seshu
“At the age of 15, my great-grandmother travelled every day to supervise the construction of our family home, sustaining herself only on curd-rice and dry fish. Though my grandmother was widowed at the age of 39, she lived alone with a pistol under her pillow and built the family fortune. My mother went back to her roots and devoted her life to education.”
Meet Dr Veena Poonacha. And meet her great-grandmother, Ponamma, her grandmother, Subamma, and her mother, Neelamma. And don’t stop here. Meet all the courageous, intrepid women of the Kodava (Coorgi) community who helped carve out a unique race of warriors in the land of a thousand hills.
Dr Veena Poonacha, Director of the Research Centre for Women’s Studies (RCWS) at Mumbai’s SNDT University, has devoted many years to a study of the status of women in Coorgi society. She has drawn inspiration from the rich lore of oral history and the amazing collection of letters and photographs from her family and clan for her book, “From the Land of a Thousand Hills: Portraits of three Kodagu women”, published in December 2002 by SPARROW, the Sound and Pictures Archives for Research on Women.
“My mother was a great storyteller. She literally fed us with stories of her mother and her grandmother and of life in the Kodava/Coorgi community. I merely retold their stories,” says Poonacha.
Indeed, the folk literature is replete with the rich cultural and social history of Coorg. Coorg, or Kodagu as it is now known, is the smallest district in Karnataka. It has beautiful forests and verdant hills that house the landowning warrior community that even now forms a significant part of the Indian army. They were free of the pernicious caste system and taboos. While paddy was the primary crop, the economy was monetised under the British and coffee was introduced in 1845. Land relations changed and traditional inheritance laws, that hitherto maintained that land devolved from one generation to another, were replaced by the colonial policy wherein ancestral property was transferred from father to son.
Consequently, gender relations underwent a major transformation. In the past, the family owned the land and was maintained by both men and women of the community. Women never lost the right to return to their maternal home. Child (pre-pubertal) marriages, prostitution and polygamy were not known. Women were educated and enjoyed a respected status in the community.
The folklore of the Kodavas celebrates the involvement of the women in cultivating the land and reaping the harvest; of their confident initiatives in love affairs and even of their bravery in dealing with clan enemies and eking out a living in inhospitable terrain inhabited by wild animals. The ballad, ‘Polladevira Aiyappa’ tells of Chiyavva of the Kelappanda Okka (clan) who encounters a tigress when she goes to the jungle to fetch wood. She kills the tigress and captures her cubs. Then, referring to the social practice of honouring a man who kills a tiger, she demands to be similarly honoured by her community.
It was not easy for Poonacha to write about her family. Though she has done extensive research on the women of Coorg, co-authored a book on domestic violence (‘Responses to domestic violence in Karnataka and Gujarat’) and written on gender and human rights, these were largely academic pursuits.
“I first thought of preparing archival material for SPARROW. But when I began working on it, the names of my grandmother and great-grandmother kept coming up,” she says. Their histories span 82 years, from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, and end with the marriage of Neelamma in 1950. Clearly, Ponamma was a larger than life figure. She got married at the age of 13 and then set about building the family fortunes against all odds. She taught herself English and inculcated the value of education in her vast family.
Subamma, a gentler version of her mother Ponamma, struggled throughout her life. She was widowed young. But this did not prevent her from learning all the arts and excelling at playing the violin. She was a shrewd businesswoman and made wise investments that saw her family through the collapse of the banks and the crash in coffee prices in the 1930s. Though she lost her vision in later years she still fought a bitter legal battle to retain control of her marital property.
Subamma’s daughter, Neelamma, was initially not keen on marriage but wanted children. She made the first move in her relationship with her husband, Subiah, quaintly referred in the book as Willie, an English nickname. A large part of the book is devoted to the letters exchanged between Neelamma and her husband. The couple discussed women’s rights, education and their hopes for a bright future. The letters also provide a fascinating insight into the minds of two educated, socially enlightened people during the Freedom Struggle and as India gained Independence.
For Poonacha, writing about her mother Neelamma was not an easy task. For one, her own version of her parents differed considerably from that of her brothers. “We need to see our parents as human beings,” she feels. Gaining a perspective into the lives of her ancestors, and through them, into that of her community, Poonacha’s book chronicles a significant journey into the changing fortunes of women in India.
Geeta Seshu is a Mumbai based freelance journalist who writes on development issues.
source: http://www.indiatogether.org / India Together / Home / by Geetha Seshu / January 01st, 2003
A Kodavn takes aim: a shortage of bullets threatens his way of life
An acute shortage of cartridges is threatening the way of life of the Kodavas, a martial race living in Kodagu (Coorg) district in south-west Karnataka. The Kodavas are one of the few tribes in India allowed to possess a gun without a licence. Cartridges are sold like any other commodity in Janata bazaars, cooperative stores and by private traders throughout the district.
But every time a fresh consignment of cartridges is received by the 36 licenced ammunition dealers, long queues are formed in front of these shops. The cartridges are rationed and usually-one box is allotted per person. At least four private dealers have closed shop because of the shortage.
C.U. Kalappa, president of one of the Janata bazaars, told India today in Mercara: “We had indented for 20,000 cartridges but the Government supplied us only 5,000. Now there is such a big rush for them that quarrels are frequent.” Of course, there are no shoot-outs as bullets have become a scarce commodity. Of the district’s demand of two-and-a-half lakh cartridges, the Government was able to supply only 1.3 lakh last year.
Shortage of bullets had been reported in the past few years after the Government banned manufacture of ammunition by private dealers and made the Government ammunition factory at Kirki the sole supplier. But it is only now that the shortage is being felt acutely and has restricted certain rituals of the Kodavas for whom guns are as common as ploughs.
Exception: The Kodavas have been exempted from the Indian Arms Act right from the time it was introduced by the British in 1834. The British made an exception for this tribe in appreciation of their valiant support to them in their fight against Tipu Sultan. Of the 3.8 lakh people living in Kodagu, almost every family possesses a gun, some even ten. The only regulation is that the Kodavas should obtain an exemption certificate from the Government, which gives them the right to possess any gun without a licence. Borkar, the district superintendent of police said: “In the past five years 12,189 exemption certificates have been issued. We can roughly estimate that about 40,000 weapons are in the district.”
Kodagu is perched on the summit of the Western Ghats and its numerous hills are covered with thick forests. Panthers, tigers, wild boars, bisons and elephants abound in large numbers and the Kodavas are adept hunters. The 1973 Wild Life Preservation Act put an end to one of the important traditions of this tribe. But even now, clandestine hunting goes on.
Legend has it that in the good old days no Kodava was allowed to cultivate a handlebar moustache unless he had shot a tiger. Even as late as 1970 there were nine forests reserved specially for hunting and licences were issued to people who wanted to shoot tigers. Today most of the ancestral houses are decorated with stuffed bisons or boar heads and tiger skins.
The Kodavas are one of the few races in India who worship a god for sports and hunting called Sarthau. Every year a special festival called Kiel Poldu (worship of arms) is held in which Kodavas perform poojas for their guns and swords. Every festival is usually accompanied by a shooting competition in which three coconuts are placed and the men are expected to knock them down. The Kodava festive dress, a black robe with a white turban, is embellished with jewelled guns and swords.
The men usually carry an ornamental dagger and a sharp sword. According to tradition, whenever a male child is born two rounds of ammunition are fired in the air. When a male member dies, two rounds are fired simultaneously and if it is a female, only one round. During the death ceremony, every time a group of mourners pay homage to their dear departed, a round is fired.
Complaint: Because of the acute shortage of cartridges, these customs have to be curtailed drastically. The more affluent families still observe these customs with the full paraphernalia and usually buy the bullets in ‘black’ at double the controlled price. Said B.D. Ganapathy, a noted Kodava writer: “We don’t use the guns as indiscriminately as before because of the cartridge shortage. But it has not drastically affected our culture because we are still willing to buy cartridges from other sources. But I don’t know how long we can continue.”
Said K.N. Ponappa, vice-president of the Mercara Kodava Samaj: “Our major complaint is that our crops are systematically being destroyed by wild animals and we are helpless because of the Government Act banning shooting. The Government must modify these laws.”
The present law stipulates that if a wild animal is troubling a village then the forest officer should be called to shoot it. But one planter said: “Who can afford to wait till a government officer comes to shoot the animal?” Many planters kill the animal themselves and have a feast at dusk.
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Magazine> Coorg / by Raj Chengappa / November 20th, 2013
There is opposition to releasing the findings of research
Blood samples of 100 couples to be drawn for DNA tests Kodava tribe is said to be 2,000 years old Research team asked to be cautious while dealing with sensitive issues There is apprehension that research findings may divide the community
Virajpet (Kodagu Dt.) :
Kodagu Natural Sciences Society has launched a unique initiative to trace the origin of Kodavas by ascertaining the ancestry, customs, culture, language and a study of genealogy by the Kodagu Natural Sciences Research Society.
A research professor from Delhi University has drawn 150 blood samples of selected Kodava families for conducting the DNA test. This was revealed at a seminar organised by the Akhila Kodava Samaja here on Friday, attended by representatives of various Kodava Samaj units, prominent Kodavas and office-bearers of society. The significance of the research will be to carry out DNA tests on Kodavas to trace their origin and roots.
Society president Lt. Gen. B.C. Nanda said Kodavas inhabited Kodagu 2,000 years ago. The first recorded instance of Kodavas was found in 1174 AD during Hoysala dynasty in the State. Kodava was the only community that accepted the “gotra” system other than non-Muslim and non-Christian communities, he said.
Speaking in favour of tracing the origins of Kodavas, Gen. Nanda said modern scientific inputs gave ample opportunities to take up research work. Along with the DNA test, socio-cultural aspects, somatometry (physical measurements on various attributes) and demography should go hand-in-hand to corroborate the theory. The final report will be submitted to Akhila Kodava Samaja president Matanda.C. Monnappa.
Gen. Nanda said the pilot project started involving nine couples aged between 20 and 40. As many as 100 DNA samples will be drawn from Kodavas living in all parts of Kodagu. The outcome of the study will be kept confidential.
The former president of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy B.P. Appanna, who did not approve of the idea, said a report on the scientific study on Kodavas can turn out to be sensitive. The principal investigator of the study team is M.A. Abdul Kalam, Department of Anthropology, University of Madras, Chennai, and the project coordinator is Xavier Raj from the Social and Environmental Research Centre, Chennai. The cost estimated for carrying out the study is Rs. 11.80 lakhs.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Jeevan Chinnappa / February 18th, 2006
A work on freedom fighter and veteran politician Pandyanda Belliappa, titled ‘Kodagina Gandhi, Pandyanda Belliappa’, will be released at the Kodava Samaja in Ammathi on January 15.
The book has been written by Aithichanda Ramesh Uthappa.
Karnataka Sahitya Academy president Aravinda Malagathi will release the book while Ammathi Kodava Samaja president Mookonda Bose Devaiah will preside over the programme.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service / Madikeri – January 13th, 2018
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