Monthly Archives: August 2012

Natural cave unearthed

About Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

The forest officials have recently unearthed a natural cave inisde the thick forest, in Kodagu district.

The cave is situated near Anderson stream inside thick forest at Vatekoli, which is 15 kms from Virajpet- Makutta road. The cave is 60 metre long and two metres in height. According to forest department officials, they have heard the sound of water inside the cave. “If there is water inside the cave, then it would be giving shelter to water creatures like fish, crab and so on. Realising the decrease in oxygen inside the cave, the officials did not make an attempt to move further inside the cave.”

The bats will welcome anyone who enters the cave. Normally, snakes live in and around those areas where bats live, say officials. Kodagu Circle Chief Conservator of Forest Deekshith said that the cave must have been formed by the flow of water through limestone and similar rocks. Water seeps into the pores and cracks of rocks and soil and bubbles beneath the earth above. Such caves are called as Solution caves.

The soil in the cave is a mixture of white and grey colour and is soft. The roof of the cave is strong. “We could not see the cave fully. The cave will provide an opportunity for the geologists to make a study. I will inform the State government on the discovery of a cave. If the government sends an expert, we will get more details on the cave,” said an official. It is said that the forest guards had discovered it a year ago. However, they had not informed it to the higher authorities. After taking charge, Deekshith visited the spot. In fact, he has marked the route to the cave through GPS.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / DHNS, Madikeri, August 08th, 2012

Actress Nidhi Subbaiah gets H-category MUDA site for excelling in sports

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Mysore, Aug. 9
Kannada film actress Nidhi Subbaiah, hailing from Kodagu and a resident of Mysore, is among the 74 beneficiaries of H-category MUDA sites given to achievers in various fields.

Interestingly, the upcoming actress Nidhi has been allotted the site not for her performance in cinemas but for her achievement in the field of sports.

Before making her entry into the world of cinema, Nidhi had made her mark in international- level as a sports person by winning gold medals at National- level sports meets in sailing while she was studying II PUC in Mysore. She also has the credit of winning three gold medals in a calendar year at the sports meet in sailing events at Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and at Chilka Lake in Orissa.

Besides being a sports person of repute, Nidhi was also a Naval NCC cadet who won the best cadet award in the year 2004 before submitting an application to MUDA for allotment of a site in 2005.

The proud daughter of Bollachanda B. Subbaiah and Jhansi, Nidhi has been allotted a 30×40 site at Lal Bahadur Shastry Nagar under H-category in recognition of her contribution in the field of sports. [Presently, B.B. Subbaiah is the Hon. Secretary of Sree Cauvery Educational Institutions, Kuvempunagar].

Nidhi, who developed a flair for modeling while studying engineering at SJCE in Mysore, took to modeling before making her entry into the celluloid world.

She has featured in as many as eight TV advertisements including the one for the promotion of ‘Fair & Lovely’.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> General News / August 09th, 2012

Motorists seek repair of Hunsur-Gonikoppal road

Business & Economy

Mysore, Aug. 9
A group of people hailing from Kodagu have urged the State government to repair the Hunsur-Thithimathi-Gonikoppa road which is in a pathetic condition, making it nightmarish for the motorists.

The petition, signed online by 132 persons, was submitted by Bangalore-based journalist P.T. Bopanna. The petition sheds light on the unmotorable condition of the road passing through Anechowkoor Check Post.

Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, who represents the Virajpet Assembly constituency, has been requested by the people of that constituency to expedite the work on repairing the Hunsur-Gonikoppa road.

The road also comes under the purview of Hunsur and Periyapatna MLAs. However, they seem to be noncommittal towards the bad condition of the road since it is mostly used by the people of South Kodagu and Kerala State.

Though the government has sanctioned funds for the road repair, work is yet to commence as it is being delayed on the pretext of rains, alleged Bopanna in the petition and said that all people cannot be fooled all the time.

It may be mentioned here that some coffee-growers of south Kodagu, exasperated with the bad condition of the road, had pooled in money and filled up some of the crater-like potholes with several truckloads of jelly stones about two years ago.

Among the donors were former President of the Federation of Kodava Samajas M.N. Belliappa, Umamaheshwari Petrol Bunk owner Kollira Umesh and Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy. However, if the government had responded positively then, the contribution would have been significant. But due to the divine neglect on part of authorities concerned, the condition of the road went from bad to worse.

The PWD engineers, when contacted in this regard, say that the road will soon be converted into an inter-State highway and under this pretext, they avoid initiating any action for the road’s repair.

The fact is that the motorists who frequently use this road are the victims of dirty politics. While the Lok Sabha member for Kodagu-Mysore constituency represents Congress, the MLA for Virajpet constituency is from BJP — Speaker Bopaiah. This road also comes under the purview of Hunsur and Periyapatna MLAs — Chikkanna and Venkatesh respectively — both from Congress.

Meanwhile, both K.G. Bopaiah and Youth Services & Sports Minister M.P. Appachu Ranjan — who are keen to fulfill the demands of Kodagu people and get the road repaired — have assured that the road work will commence from November.

It may be recalled, when some Kodagu citizens launched a protest against the un-motorable condition of this road, Police arrested them, booked cases and got them entangled in legal web. As a result no one is ready to participate in rasta roko as often happens on Mysore-Bangalore road. So our rulers are happy.

The govt., instead of performing its duty of providing basic infrastructure, is harassing citizens by fixing cases through the Police, in an attempt to bring down their morale. Is this democracy?

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / August 09th, 2012

Namma item queens

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg


Sandalwood is now going the Bollywood way. This time, it’s actresses performing in just single songs without being part of the film. Leading actresses are agreeing to do a single song for a film even if they are not acting in it. Bhumika recently did a number in the flick Godfather. Nikita Thukral was in Snehitharu in a similar manner.

Actress Harshika Poonacha who did such a role in Murli meets Meera says, “In one way, it’s like you work for fewer days. Doing such a role, gives the actress more exposure. The song becomes a sensational hit. More often than not, the song is a bigger hit than the movie. Having such songs in a movie is a good thing but should be portrayed well.”

Actresses in the South are not yet comfortable with the idea of being labelled as item girls. Director Kavitha Lankesh says, “An item number kind of song in a film is a very good marketing strategy and adds value to a film and boosts it. The actresses are apprehensive about being called item girls. The actress has to be that much more renowned to rake in the moolah for the producer.” To this, actress Sharmila Mandre adds, “Earlier, when a popular girl was in an item song, she was stereotyped. The heroine would only do films. Such songs prove to be successful overnight and many watch the film simply because of that song.”

But such special performances definitely pay the actresses more than doing a full film. Harshika says, “After shooting for a fewer days, the pay is as good, if not better than signing a full-time film.” But the actresses particularly count on the mileage and the exposure this special performance gives. Harshika, who is open to doing such songs provided she is not tagged an item girl, says, “When an actress does a number like this, she even helps with the promotion of the film. As a heroine, you get better mileage and the song is beautiful. The song eventually gets promoted more than the film.”

These actresses know what they want and insist on not signing a role unless it is a promising song. She says, “Unless the song will be ‘the sensation’ of that time, I don’t want to take up the offer. I was approached in Kannada but I wasn’t convinced.”

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Channels> Showbiz> Sandalwood / by Khushali P. Madhwani, DC / August 07th, 2012

KODAGU CELEBRATES KAKKADA 18

Arts, Culture & Entertainment


A day to relish medicinal Maddu Puttu
Captions: 1) Chunks of Maddu Puttu. 2) Leaves of Maddu Thoppu [Pics. courtesy: Mohan Ballimada]

By K.M. Chengappa

Mysore, Aug. 2

Kodagu district today celebrates Kakkada Padinettu, the 18th day of the Kakkada month of Kodagu calendar, which usually falls on Aug. 2.

On this day, Maddu Puttu — a special sweet dish of rice cooked in the juice extracted from Maddu thoppu (Justicia wynaadensis), a plant having medicinal values and found in the Western Ghats from Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu to Wynaad, East Nilgiris and South Malabar Hills — is consumed as a tradition.

Eating maddu puttu on Kakkada Padinettu is an ancient tradition among the people of Kodagu and is still being practiced all over the district. It is believed that 18 different kinds of medicines gather in the plant whose stems are succulent on this day, the 18th day of Kakkada.

A team of chemistry researchers on the medicinal values of Maddu Thoppu have identified the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids in the plant extract.

In fact, there is a research paper presented on the medicinal value of this plant titled ‘Phytochemical and antioxidant screening of J. wynaadensis.’ It was submitted by Sudha Medapa, Geetha R.J. Singh and R. Vaishnavi. It was published in the African Journal of Plant Science (Sept. 2011).

Sudha Medapa says that the only other publication till date is the patent on the cholesterol lowering properties of the Maddu Thoppu by a US-based scientist Subbiah (2002) which reports that the plant extract lowers cellular cholesterol and cholesteryl ester concentration.

Pee red

While the Maddu Puttu prepared using Maddu Thoppu (medicinal leaf Justicia wynaadensis) is enjoyed for its medicinal value and taste, it is also a source of entertainment for children as when one consumes Maddu Puttu, their urine turns red. The more you eat, the more red the urine will be and so, kids usually consume a lot to get the brightest red possible. At least this way, children consume something healthy while also being entertained. In fact, many Kodavas play a prank on the non-Kodava friends who are unaware of this phenomenon. They give these naïve non-Kodava friends Maddu Puttu without warning them about the red pee and the next day, these friends say they want to go to see do-ctor as they might be peeing blood. The truth is revealed after a hearty laughter

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> General News / August 02nd, 2012

‘Tiger Ashok Kumar’ retires

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All


Caption: A file photo of Governor H.R. Bhardwaj presenting President’s Medal to ACP B.B. Ashok Kumar.
Mysore, Aug. 2

ACP B.B. Ashok Kumar, nicknamed Tiger Ashok Kumar for his valorous feats, retired on Tuesday.

He earned the epithet of Tiger when he was PSI at Ulsoor Police Station, B’lore for chasing and catching chain-snatchers.

He won the President’s Medal thrice and CM’s medal once. Other Police officers who won the President’s Medal thrice are Shankar Bidari, Gopal Halsur and G.A. Bawa.

Biddanda Ashok Kumar, hails from Parane village in Kodagu.

He was a terror for criminals and is credited with 18 encounters. While being a part of STF to nab Veerappan, Ashok Kumar had slain 13 accomplices of the brigand and shot down three notorious anti-social elements.

His promotion to DCP was challenged by some at KAT. It is said that even though KAT favoured Ashok Kumar, he was deprived owing to petty politics.

Finally, when the order for promotion came last month, some petitioned against it at High Court. The court’s verdict was expected on the very day he was to retire. Ironically, the court deferred the verdict to a further date.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / August 02nd, 2012

Kodagu prays as well

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

On the direction of the Muzrai department, special pooja and rituals were performed at Talacauvery-Bhagandeshwara temple, Omkareshwara Temple, Padi Igguthappa, Paloor Mahalingeshwara, Paloor Harishchandra, Irpu Rameshwara and other temples in Kodagu, to invoke Rain god to shower, on Friday.

Kodagu district received an average of 39.85 mm rain in the last 24 hours.

From January till date, the district has received 888.50 mm. Madikeri taluk has received 42.55 mm, Virajpet taluk—19 mm and Somwarpet taluk—57.68 mm.

The water-level in Harangi reservoir has increased to 2845.29 feet. The inflow of water was 5,789 cusecs.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Madikeri, DHNS / July 27th, 2012

Appachu Ranjan promises house for poor

Business & Economy

Kushalnagar :

The newly appointed Minister for Youth Service and Sports Minister M P Appachu Ranjan was accorded a warm welcome at a function organised by Kushalnagar hobli BJP unit at Raitha Samudaya Bhavana at Koodige on Sunday.

Speaking after receiving the felicitation, Ranjan said that he could get the cabinet berth with the blessings of the people and support from the BJP. “My priority will be to provide justice to the poor and labour class by responding to their problems. I will do my best to meet the expectations of the people by implementing all the necessary developmental work,” he said.

Priority will be given for the construction of houses for the poor homeless. A total of 80 acre of land including 18 acre in Koodumangalore limits has been reserved to construct houses for the poor families. The officers who perform well will be supported, while those who fail to carry out good work will be taught a lesson, said the Minister.

Zilla Panchayat President Shanteyanda Ravi Kushalappa said that with Appachu Ranjan receiving the ministerial berth it would be helpful to address the burning problems of the district.

Former MLC S G Medappa, ZP member S N Raja Rao, Rameshwara Primary Krishi Pathu Sahakara Sangha President K K Bhogappa and others were present. Appachu Ranjan received grievances from the people on the occasion.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / DHNS, July 22nd, 2012

Coorg oranges in demand

Agriculture, Nature

Kodagu is known for its oranges, which are popular for their unique taste. The oranges have already entered the market. With deficit rainfall, the oranges have entered the markets of neighbouring states as well.

There is a huge demand for oranges from Kodagu in Kerala. The oranges have been harvested just before the monsoon. This year, the yield was good. The deficit rainfall has also helped the merchants in transporting the yield.

Normally, heavy rains in June affects harvesting. Moreover, rains also damage the fruits. However, this year’s weather has brought a smile on the face of the orange growers. The oranges are sold for Rs 30 to 40 per kg.

“The orange harvest had declined over the recent years. The size of the fruit has also come down. Inspite of it, there is a demand for oranges,” said merchant Hamsa.

The oranges have been affected with disease in the recent years, said growers.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> News> District / Napoklu, DHNS, July 21st, 2012

Chak de! Kodagu holds 3 hockey aces at London

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

Madikeri:
The picturesque plantation district of Kodagu has three stick-wielding aces – V R Raghunath, S V Sunil and S K Uthappa – representing India in the men’s field hockey competition at the London Olympics.

The coffee-growing outback with an area of 4,102 sqkm nestled in the Western Ghats is often celebrated as the cradle of Indian hockey. Among the more recognised of players from this region to have got Olympian status are MP Ganesh and BP Govinda, who played in the terrorist-hit 1972 Games in Munich. Govinda appeared on the Olympic stage for a second time four years later in Montreal. MM Somaya played for India in 1980 and 1984 before leading the team in Seoul in 1988 when B K Subramani was also in the mix.

here are two other Kodavas in the fray at the London Games this time – big-serving Rohan Bopanna and badminton’s glamour girl Ashwini Ponnappa. However, it is the hockey players who have long held a special place in the hearts of Indian sporting fans, even if the public wakes up to the magic of the sport once every four years.

S V Suresh has been the guiding force behind younger brother Sunil ever since their parents passed away. The older sibling is overjoyed that the Madikeri boy will be donning the India colours in UK.

The 27-year-old drag-flicker Raghunath is the son of Vokkaligara Ramachandra, a native of Hathur near Gonikoppal. Raghunath, religious in routine, has been playing the game since he was nine . Sannuvanda Neeraja and Vasanth Kushalappa the parents of Uthappa are natives of Hebbale Bevarapura in the southern part of the district.

In all there are five players from the state in the Indian side with Ignace Tirkey and captain and custodian Bharath Chetri completing the line-up.

Olympian A B Subbaiah applauded Hockey India (HI) in recognizing the merit of the players. “Hockey Karnataka came forward to encourage and support the competent players. HI selected 32 players for honorary remuneration. Seven of those players are from Kodagu. That’s good for us,” he said.

Pandanda Kuttappa is the founder president of the Kodava Cup, a hockey festival for families which sees a couple of hundred teams from the area compete each summer for a three-week period. The event was started in 1997, for the 850 families of the community. There’s no age or sex bar for the competition, which has a large number of mixed-gender teams in the fray. Kuttappa said the tournament was a grooming ground for young talent.

In London, the eight-time Olympic gold medalists will start their campaign against the Netherlands on July 30. India are in Pool B along with Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Belgium and Netherlands. The matches will be played at the attractive setting of the Riverbank Arena. India will watch, and Kodagu will cheer.

source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hubli / by G. Rajendra, TNN / July 28th, 2012