Monthly Archives: August 2020

Restoration Work Of Madikeri Monuments: HC Refrains ASI From Levying Service Charge On State Government

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All

Bengaluru:

In a significant judgement regarding restoration work of monuments at Madikeri in Kodagu district, the Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take up permanent restoration work of the ancient Fort, Palace premises and tombs (Gadduge) of Kodagu Kings at Madikeri town, the district headquarters of Kodagu, while also asking it not to levy service charge to the State Government for carrying out the work.

A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi, which heard a PIL filed by J.S. Virupakshaiah, a retired IAS Officer and a resident of Kodlipet in Somwarpet taluk in Kodagu district in 2017, directed the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner to nominate an officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner to frequently visit the site of the monuments.

Instructing the officer to be designated to take up the issue with ASI if he/ she finds that the work is not carried out as per the DPR (Detailed Project Report), the bench also directed that the Assistant Commissioner shall submit a report as regards the status of the emergency work and also the status of major restoration or repair works.

Observing that it is a great deal of importance that the said work is carried out efficiently, properly and expeditiously as it is the duty of the ASI to ensure that the protected monuments are restored and maintained, the HC Bench directed the ASI to complete all emergency works within Oct. 14, 2020.

On the service charge issue, the Court directed the ASI, which had contemplated a 23.7 percent service charge on the State Government, not to levy the service charge for carrying out the restoration or repair work.

Noting that there is no justification at all for the ASI to levy service charge to the State Government, the Bench held that the ASI is not empowered and also not entitled to collect service charge from the State Govt.

The petitioner J.S. Virupakshaiah, in his PIL (Public Interest Litigation), had contended that instead of preserving the protected monuments, the State Government had been running its offices on the Palace premises.

However, during the course of the PIL hearing, the District Administration vacated the offices of Social Welfare Department, Land Records Department and District Library from the ancient Palace premises and had handed over the premises to ASI.

Also, following directions of the Court from time to time, the State Government has released Rs.10.76 crore for permanent works as per the DPR.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 26th, 2020

Madikeri: Lt Cdr Suraj Aiyappa to represent naval college in USA

Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Madikeri :

Lt Cdr Muckatira Suraj Aiyappa has been selected to represent India to undergo the prestigious staff course at the US warfare training college.

Suraj Aiyappa happens to be the son of Gonikoppal Arvathoklu Retd Lt Col M A Cariappa and Saraswathi Cariappa. He will be one of the representatives from 52 countries who will participate in the staff training course in the USA.

Aiyappa had attended the Rashtriya Indian Military College at Dehradun. He acquired a cadet captain degree from the Naval Academy. He was chosen as an officer of Indian Navy in the year 2010. He won the Chief of Naval Staff gold medal and best commanding officer of the navy in 2010. He has served as instructor at the Naval Academy.

At the programme held at Visakhapatnam in 2016, he had received the guard of honour presented by the President. His wife, Dr Yamuna, is a dental surgeon by profession.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri (SP) / August 27th, 2020

Captain Maletira S. Muthappa Is ADC To Army Chief

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All

Virajpet:

 Captain Maletira S. Muthappa has been appointed as aide-de-camp (ADC) to Chief of Army Staff. Muthappa is at present serving in the Defence Ministry and joined as Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army in 2016.

He hails from Kedamulloor village near Virajpet and is the son of Maletira Rathna Subbaiah and Usha.

Muthappa is the fifth Army officer from Kodava community to serve as ADC to the Chief of Army Staff.

In 1953 Brigadier Codanda Cariappa, in 1973 Lieutenant General Buttiyanda Bopanna, in 1986 Lieutenant General Pattacheravanda C. Thimmaiah and in 2001, Maj. Muckatira C. Muthanna had occupied the post.

Maj. Muckatira C. Muthanna from 9 PARA (Special Force) served as ADC from 2001 to 2003 and had served two Army Chiefs — Gen. N.C. Vij (for a short time) and Gen. Padmanabhan (for full term). Muthanna is the son of Brigadier (Retd.) M.M. Ashok Cariappa, who was also from 9 PARA (SF) and later went on to command First Bihar Regiment.

What is ADC in Armed Forces?

An aide-de-camp (official position) in the Armed Forces primarily functions as a protocol officer, who looks after implementation of the protocols, and as an executive assistant.

An ADC is also responsible for carrying out liaison with the local military authorities and looks after the professional requirements of the Officer/Governor he is attached to.

An ADC should have five to seven years of experience in the Armed Forces. He is selected on the basis of his professional performance and an interview. Besides the Governors of States, aides-de-camp are authorised to senior officers in the Armed Forces and the President of India.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 28th, 2020

Mysuru Kodava Samaja Puts Off Annual Kailpoldh Get-Together

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

The management of Kodava Samaja, Mysuru, has decided not to hold the annual get-together function of Kailpoldh Festival-2020 in view of COVID-19 pandemic and has decided to convene the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of 2019-20 on Dec. 20, 2020, according to a press release from the Kodava Samaja Hon. Secretary M.M. Ponnappa.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / August 28th, 2020

When a lion was brought to Kodagu

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion
DoddaVeerarajendra Photo courtesy: C P Belliappa

By 1800, Dodda Veerarajendra had sat on the throne of Kodagu for more than ten years. He is well-remembered for making a daring escape from a prison in Periyapatna in 1788, where Tipu Sultan had incarcerated him, his wife, mother, his brothers: Lingarajendra and Appajiraja, along with other close members of the family. With the help of Kodava and Vokkaliga chieftains, he was successful in foiling Tipu Sultan’s schemes to rule Kodagu.

In this endeavour, he forged an alliance with the British East India Company in 1790, which was sealed with a lofty statement: ‘This treaty of friendship between the East India Company and the kingdom of Kodagu is signed with God, Sun and Moon as witness’.

The treaty soon came into play during the third Anglo-Mysore war when Dodda Veerarajendra gave strategic and logistic support to the British army. He also provided transport and provisions for the troops. Similar support was extended to the British during the fourth and the final Anglo-Mysore war which ended in 1799. Eventually, Dodda Veerarajendra was able to consolidate his position in Kodagu.

By 1805, the king had three daughters with his queens Nanjammaji and Mahadevammaji. But in his obsession for a male heir, the raja slipped into deep depression. He started having fits of rage. He increasingly became suspicious of people around him. He was surrounded by the ruthless Siddis, of African origin, as his anga-battas (bodyguards). One day, in paranoiac rage, he ordered the assassination of his brothers Lingarajendra and Appajiraja. While Appajiraja fell to the anga-battas, Lingarajendra barely escaped, and lived to succeed his brother.

Dodda Veerarajendra’s officials were highly concerned and feared for their lives. The court officials then figured that they should bring a hogalu-batta (professional flatterer) to lift the king’s spirits. The feisty hogalu-batta, brought from South Canara, praised the king sky-high with a song composed in his honour. Dodda Veerarajendra was much pleased when the hogalu-batta sang that the king was the valiant ‘Lion of Kodagu’ who vanquished the ‘Tiger of Mysore’. The hogalu-batta got a pouch that jingled with gold coins for his flattery.’

Since there were no lions in Kodagu, the king despatched a letter to Jonathan Duncan, the governor of Bombay Province, to help him get a lion. Duncan replied promptly and asked the king to send his men to transport a lion to Kodagu from a zoo in Bombay.

Dodda Veerarajendra deputed his trusted Jemedhar Monnaiah to head a posse of soldiers to Bombay to fetch the lion. It was an arduous task. The men loaded the cage with the lion on to a bullock cart and trudged along the west coast for a couple of months. Sometime in May, they reached Kodagu at the banks of River Cauvery near Bethari village. While they prepared to cross the river there was an unexpected pre-monsoon downpour. The lion, which had withstood the journey reasonably well, was in distress when it got drenched. Its condition deteriorated. The beast died a couple of days later. Jemedhar Monnaiah and his men were most disappointed and braced themselves for the worst reprisal from the king.

The body of the lion was brought to Madikeri. Jemedhar Monnaiah broke the news to the king. Surprisingly, the king received the bad news quite philosophically. He had the lion stuffed and displayed in his palace.

Emblem-of-DoddaVeerarajendra Photo courtesy: C P Belliappa

Subsequently, in 1806, the king even got his royal insignia redesigned by replacing the elephants with lions.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum / by C P Belliappa / August 29th, 2020

After Priest’s Death in Karnataka Landslide, Kodavas Demand Their Duties Back at Talacauvery

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All
Every year, lakhs of devotees visit Talacauvery and Bhagamandala to offer prayers to goddess Cauvery. (News18 Kannada)
Every year, lakhs of devotees visit Talacauvery and Bhagamandala to offer prayers to goddess Cauvery. (News18 Kannada)

The Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu, Anees Kanmani Joy has informed the Kodavas that she would discuss their demand at the highest level and would try to find a solution at the earliest.

The recent torrential rains and landslide resulted in the deaths of the chief priest and his family members at Talacauvery, the birthplace of river Cauvery. The Brahmin priest Narayana Achar, his wife and three other family members perished in a huge landslide, last week.

Now, the Kodava community, the natives of the hilly district, have demanded that the state government should return priestly duties to them from the Brahmins. Locals fear that if this issue is not dealt with carefully, it might lead to a legal battle which could take on a political colour.

Every year, lakhs of devotees visit Talacauvery and Bhagamandala to offer prayers to goddess Cauvery. Amma Kodavas, a priestly class among the Kodavas have made an official request to the Deputy Commissioner of the district in this regard.

According to them, the pooja and all other associated rituals at Talacauvery were handled by Amma Kodavas for centuries and the Brahmins had no role in Kodava religious traditions and rituals. About 150 years ago, after the annexation of princely state of Kodagu or Coorg by the British in mid-19th century, the priestly jobs were transferred to the Brahmins from the neighbouring Mysore kingdom.

Since then, the Brahmins have been conducting all religious activities at Talacauvery, which is a holy place for the Kodavas and other communities. According to Amma Kodava community leader Bananda N Prathyu, their community had transferred the rights of worship to Brahmins due to certain reasons. However, they argue that there are hundreds of historical records to prove their claims that Amma Kodavas have an ancient connection with river Cauvery and its origins.

“We are the original inhabitants of Kodagu district. We are nature worshippers. Cauvery is our goddess. We have the first right to worship at Talacauvery and Igguthappa temple”, he said.

After the tragic death of priest Narayana Achar and his wife, their two daughters who live in Australia, rushed back home to perform their parents’ last rites.

According to a report in the Kannada daily Vijayavani, when the local government officials issued a compensation in their names, they informed them that they are no longer Hindus and have converted to Christianity. This revelation has now created a furore among the devotees of Cauvery. Since the deceased priest was a leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP), this has now taken a political colour with opposition parties questioning BJP’s commitment to Hinduism.

The priest’s daughters have declined to comment on the conversion and have gone incommunicado. Local Tahasildar has confirmed that their given names and names on record don’t match.

The Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu, Anees Kanmani Joy has informed the Kodavas that she would discuss their demand at the highest level and would try to find a solution at the earliest.

However, some fringe groups are opposing the handing over of the temple to Kodavas, by calling it a violation of old tradition. Kodagu, Karnataka’s tiny district is known as the coffee bowl of India. With its deep forests, rivers, waterfalls and hills, Kodagu is also known as the Scotland of Karnataka.

It was ruled by the Lingayat Kings from the Haleri dynasty till 1830s. The last King Chikka Veera Rajendra was a despot and the British exploited the resentment among his subjects to annex Kodagu with British India. The deposed King was sent to Vellore in Tamil Nadu and later Benares, now Varanasi, to keep him away from his subjects.

Hoping to get his Kingdom back, Chikka Veera Rajendra travelled to England to lobby with Queen Victoria and the British Parliament. After his efforts to secure the Kingdom failed, a dejected King died in London and was buried there. His granddaughter Victoria Gowramma, whose only son died in the First World War, breathed her last in London in 1930s ending the line of succession.

The British ruled Coorg/Kodagu as a separate state for over a century till 1947. It was a separate state with an Assembly till 1956. In 1956, Kodagu was merged with Karnataka State. The martial race of Kodavas have produced two of India’s best Army Chiefs Field Marshal KM Cariappa and General KS Thimmaya. They have their own language Kodava Thakk.

source: http://www.news18.com / News18 India / Home> News18> India / by DP Satish / August 26th, 2020

Father-son duo donate bicycles in Suntikoppa

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Noble Initiative

Planters and father-son duo Vinod Sivappa and Vishal Sivappa donated bicycles to the needy workers and students. DH Photo

Extending a helping hand to the needy students and agricultural labourers, a father-son duo from Suntikoppa have donated new bicycles to labourers and students to help them commute easily.

Planters and father-son duo Vinod Sivappa and Vishal Sivappa donated bicycles to the needy workers and students. DH Photo Extending a helping hand to the needy students and agricultural labourers to reach from one place to another. The livelihood of the labourers, who are dependent on plantation work, was affected due to the lack transportation facility.

Realising this Vishal Sivappa and his father Vinod Sivappa, planters from Suntikoppa, distributed bicycles to the needy workers and students.

Vishal said that his parents and grandparents were involved in social service. During the current situation, people are in need of assistance as their livelihood is affected.

“I see many students walking 5 km to 10 km to their schools and workers in various estates walk several kilometers on a daily basis. Donating bicycles would definitely help them reach their destination much faster. This is very small contribution and I am really happy to help them,” he added.

Vishal’s father Vinod is also engaged in farmer welfare programmes over the past few years. Vinod said that he felt proud to extend his support to his son’s initiatives directed towards the welfare of the needy labourers.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / by DHNS / August 12th, 2020

5,054 students passed in SSLC in Kodagu

Education, Records, All

Out of 6,499 candidates who enrolled for 2019-20 SSLC exams, 6,255 attended the exams and 5,054 have passed.

Deputy Director of Public Instruction P S Machado said the district had achieved 81% results. The district stands in the 18th position in the state.

As per the new norms issued by the Education department, Kodagu has secured ‘B’ grade.

In Madikeri taluk, 1,808 students from 43 schools took the examination and 1,476 of them have passed, thereby bringing 81.64% results to the taluk.

As many as 22 schools have secured ‘A’ grade, seven schools have secured ‘B’ grade and 14 schools have received ‘C’ grade.

Somwarpet taluk has secured 78.68% results. As many as 2,482 students from 64 schools had attended the exam out of whom 1,953 have passed.

As many as 23 schools have received ‘A’ grade, 17 schools have secured ‘B’ grade and 24 schools have secured ‘C’ grade.

In Virajpet taluk, 1,965 students from 57 schools have attended SSLC exams and 1,625 have passed. The pass percentage of taluk is 82.70%.

As many as 21 schools have been awarded ‘A’ grade, 19 schools ‘B’ grade and 17 schools ‘C’ grade.

Top 10 students

The top 10 toppers in the distirct are: Jagath Poovaiah from Fatima Convent, Kushalnagar (620 marks); Gana from Sandeepani High School, Somwarpet (618 marks); Vijay M D, Morarji Desai School, Koodige (618); Anusha Ponnamma K S, Lions , Kalathmadu (617); Hritvika H S, Fatima Convent, Kushalnagar (616); Shrivatsa M K from Rajarajeshwari School, Kotturu (616) and Rasha Shareen, Sri Krishna Vidya Mandira, Siddapura (615 marks).

Supplementary exams will be held in the month of September for the students who could not make it to the exams and those who have not availed pass marks. Such students may contact the Headmasters of their respective schools for registrations, the DDPI said.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Karnataka Districts / by DHNS / August 12th, 2020

Obituary – Machianda Baby Nanjappa

Records, All

Machianda Baby Nanjappa (Nellamakkada), wife of late M.C. Nanjappa and a resident of Halligattu village at Ponnampet in South Kodagu passed away at her daughter’s residence in Vijayanagar 4th Stage, 2nd Phase in city yesterday. She was 83.

She leaves behind three daughters and a host of relatives and friends. Cremation took place at Chirashanthidhama in Gokulam this afternoon.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Obituary / August 25th, 2020

Do not question my commitment: Ashwini Ponnappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports
Ashwin Ponnappa

Ashwini Ponnappa’s refusal to join the national camp in Hyderabad when the doors of the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy were thrown open on August 7 garnered attention for all the wrong reasons.

She was expected to join her doubles partner N Sikki Reddy. Instead, she chose to train under U Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru with the Thomas and Uber Cup – potentially the first international badminton assignment since the All England Open Badminton Championship in March – slated to be held in October.

“It’s funny the people should criticise me for this,” exclaims Ashwini over the phone from Coorg where she is meeting her folks after months. “She (Sikki) and I have been partners for four years. I have trained in Hyderabad for four years with her, and I have barely been in Bengaluru. I don’t think anyone should question my commitment.”

Further defending her decision to stay in Bengaluru, the 2011 World Championships doubles bronze medallist said: “Performance is all that matters. I don’t think it makes sense for me to train in Hyderabad when everything is so uncertain. What people don’t realise that most of these players are from Hyderabad or at least nearby so that works for them, but should anything happen to my parents, it’s obviously easier for me to travel from Bengaluru to Coorg, as opposed to shuttle between Hyderabad and Coorg. I can’t train when I am constantly worrying about my parents.”

Ashwini, much like P Kashyap and some of the others in the camp, questioned the feasibility of the Thomas and Uber Cup. 

“When we don’t even know if this tournament is going to happen or not, what’s the point in taking the risk?” she wonders. “I am training as hard as I can and the training facility is as good as the one in Hyderabad. I am doing everything I need to. In any case, we’re not a new partnership, we should be able to train apart.

“It’s also important to have a coach who understands what I need,” she adds. 

The Badminton World Federation announced a revised Tokyo Olympics qualification guideline in May since it was unable to complete the last six weeks its one-year qualifying period scheduled to end on April 28. But with the Olympics postponed, BWF shot out a letter stating: “an extended Olympic qualification period will be introduced from Week 1-17 in 2021 and includes the select number of tournaments that were postponed, cancelled or suspended due to Covid-19.” 

“We know what we need to do. She has just tested negative and she will return to training soon. As long as we’re not slacking and have the big picture in front of us, we should be able to make it,” she says. 

Ashwini also delved into the mental aspect of being an athlete during a pandemic, stating that staying motivated was the hardest part.

“It was hard because you have lived a very different way for a very long time, but this honestly changes your perspective. It also teaches you to be grateful about the little things such as training and the value of sport,” she reveals. “I think one of the most important things to have come out of this break is that I have started loving the sport like I did when I was a kid. It’s amazing.” 

She continues: “When you play the game for so long you forget why you play is sometimes. It feels amazing to get that enthusiasm back, the enthusiasm to learn as well.” 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Other Sports / DHNS, Bengaluru / August 23rd, 2020