Mysuru:

Amateur photographer Kunjiyanda Machaiah (Machu) from Kodagu District has bagged World Wildlife Week 2017 Award and Certificate of Merit for his photograph of three tigers shot at Kabini Forest Range.

Every year the first week of October is celebrated as World Wildlife Week all over the world. As part of the Week, Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, well-known as the Mysuru Zoo,  had organised State-level wildlife photography competition, in October 2017, where over 200 photographers from across Karnataka  had participated.

Kunjiyanda Machaiah bagged the award for the photo where a tigress at Kabini forests (part of Nagarahole National Park) is seen playing with her sub-adult cub while another cub stares at them.

In 2016, Machaiah had bagged the second prize at the similar photography exhibition where he had displayed an eagle attacking a bumble beehive.

Machaiah has been an amateur wildlife photographer since the last seven years and has been trained by the Forest Department to be an eco-tourism volunteer. Two months ago, he participated as a photographer in the Rain Forest Challenge in Malaysia that is considered as one of the world’s most 10 difficult and treacherous rallies.

He is the son of Kunjiyanda late Capt. Appaiah and Gowramma, residents of Ammathi village. Every month he goes on a trekking and safari trips to Brahmagiri Forest Ranges, Pushpagiri, and Thadiyandamol in Kodagu to pursue his passion for photography. He is a regular visitor to Nagarahole and Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

“Creating awareness on wildlife — both flora and fauna — is my sole intention. We must preserve plant and animal life for our own survival,” he says.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / January 24th, 2018

Madikeri:

Here is a heart-rending case, where a woman, wife of a gallant jawan, is waiting for the return of her husband, who has gone missing for nearly two decades.

This is the tragic story of Parvathi, a native of Ammathi in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district.

Pudiyokkada Uthaiah, also of Ammathi, joined the Indian Army in 1985 and later married Parvathi. Uthaiah, who came to Ammathi on leave in 1999, left home after completion of his leave. But Uthaiah neither reported for duty nor returned home and his whereabouts could not be traced until now.

The Army, which took up Uthaiah’s case, initially said that Uthaiah has gone missing in action. But months later, the Army told Parvathi that Uthaiah was dead, which Parvathi is not   willing to believe.

Uthaiah, who was serving as an Army Lance Naik with the Signal Battalion in Uttar Pradesh, came to his native Ammathi on a 20-day leave in 1999. After completion of the leave, he left behind his pregnant wife Parvathi and went to Allahabad, UP, to report again for duty.

Uthaiah called his wife on Nov.21, 1999 to say that he was not well. But Parvathi has not heard of him since then, which has left her family shattered.

The Army sent a telegram to Uthaiah’s family on Dec.4, 1999 which asked the family members to send back Uthaiah to the Army Unit, where he was working.

Upon receiving the telegram, a pregnant Parvathi went into a state of shock and some days later, delivered a baby which died a few days later.

But later on, Parvathi regained her composure and went to the Army Unit where Uthaiah was working. However, she could not find any clues about  her husband.

As days passed, the Army wrote a letter to Parvathi stating that Uthaiah had died on June 14, 2000. The Army, after declaring Uthaiah dead, began paying meagre pension to Parvathi from  2010. Even as the Army confirmed Uthaiah’s death, it has failed to trace his body or even explain to the family on how he died.

Now Parvathi, who is left alone, is running from pillar to post in Army circles, appealing the Army Officers to trace her missing husband. Not the one to give up, Parvathi is waiting alone, just as Shabari in the epic Ramayana, for her husband Uthaiah to return home, even after 20-long-years he went missing.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 12th, 2019

I was pleasantly surprised by an e-mail a few months ago from Mr. Nigel Cole, a great-grandson of Captain Robert Andrews Cole, who had three stints in Coorg as the Superintendent: March 1865 to October 1865, February 1866 to July 1869, and October 1869 to December 1869.  Mr. Nigel Cole, who lives in Wales, wanted to know if I could enlighten him about his ancestor. We later exchanged notes, and Nigel shared personal details and a photograph of his great-grandfather.

Captain Robert Cole was born and educated in Madras, where his father Maj. Gen Robert Cole Sr., was a doctor in the army.  Captain Cole’s first posting in Coorg was in March 1865 to step-in when the incumbent, William Hobart Kerr, took ill. Captain Cole was a young officer with a flair for languages.  He was fluent in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.  On his arrival in Coorg, he took an instant liking to the place and the people.

Astonishingly, Captain Cole found that Coorgs living in remote villages could not understand Kannada! In order to effectively communicate with them, he started learning Kodava language. His knowledge of South Indian languages helped him pick up the nuances of Coorg dialect, and soon he was able to interact with Kodavas in their own lingua franca. He then went about learning the language in-depth. His task was quite tough since none had codified the language and put it in writing. Since the language had no script, the job was even more challenging. Captain Cole continued his pet project even during intervals when he was posted outside Coorg.

His extensive interaction with the Coorgs finally resulted in his seminal 136-page book  ‘An Elementary Grammar of the Coorg Language’ published by the Wesleyan Mission Press in 1867. In the Preface to the book, he recounts his impression of Coorg, and Coorgs. He was fascinated by the bracing weather of the place. Here’s an excerpt of his rather poetic observations:

“…The thunderstorms during this season are often magnificent. The war of the elements is carried on here in grander style than in the low country. Banks and mountains of clouds move against each other with the order of armies. The sound of heavy cannon is heard from a distance, solitary discharges of the electric fluid shoot through the gloom. Now whole batteries are brought into action, deafening thunders roll over your head, and your eye shuts involuntarily against the dazzling brilliancy of the fire bolts. At last both hosts engage in close combat. The roar of artillery is heard at greater intervals, the lightnings lose their intense and fearful glare, and the rain pours down in torrents…”

In order to help him, his colleagues and successors to communicate with locals, he made extensive tables – Travel Talk – translating English sentences to Kannada (Canarese), Telugu, Tamil and Coorg language.

Captain Cole mentions the help he received from department clerk Belliappah, in compiling the book. My guess is that this gentleman was most likely Maneypanda Belliappa, one of the early batches of educated Kodavas, who later became the Assistant Commissioner of Coorg.  Captain Cole dedicated this book to Lewin Bentham Bowring Esq., who was the then Commissioner of Mysore and Coorg. Captain Cole endeared himself to the people of Coorg. He also wrote another important book titled, A Manual of Coorg Civil Law. During his tenure, he tried to unravel the secrets of the Dolmens found in some parts of Coorg. In appreciation of Captain Cole’s yeomen services, an emerging town at the time in South Kodagu was named after him as  Colepet.  However, over the years, Colepet got merged with present day Ammathi.

Captain Coles’s wife, Pauline McCally, sadly died during his posting in Coorg.  She was buried in St. Mark’s Church, Fort,  Madikeri.  On promotion as a Major, he was appointed Superintendent, Inam Settlement, Mysore.  As a Colonel, he was with the Madras Staff Corps.  He rose to the rank of Major General by the time he retired and returned to England.  He died in 1907.

An e-book version of ‘An Elementary Grammar of the Coorg Language’ can be accessed on the internet at: www.books.google.co.in.

About the author: C. P. Belliappa, born in 1946, is a Chemical Engineer. He is currently settled in Coorg.  He is known for his writings on issues pertaining to Coorg. Four of his books — Tale of A Tiger’s Tail & other Yarns from Coorg, Nuggets from Coorg History, Victoria Gowramma: The Lost Princess of Coorg, and Tongue of the Slip, have been published by Rupa Publications.  He currently serves as President, Coorg Institute of Technology, Ponnampet, Coorg.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by C.P. Belliappa / February 16th, 2017

Siddapura:

In a stunning discovery, a trove of ancient gold, silver jewellery, and metal artefacts has been unearthed at Anandapura village on the main road of Siddapura in Kodagu district.

The remarkable find is located at the ancient Ishwara Temple, nestled within the Tata Coffee Estate in Anandapura village, falling under the Ammathi Gram Panchayat limits. Workers, involved in construction and pit digging yesterday, chanced upon an array of ancient artefacts, including gold and silver ornaments, ancient gold coins, rings, small crowns, and metal pieces shaped like the sun, reminiscent of bygone eras.

The Temple, dating back to ancient times, is situated within the Tata Coffee Estate, and the discovery occurred during the construction of a compound wall. While digging, workers unearthed two old boxes containing the ornaments and  metal objects.

The estate manager was informed and the Police were alerted. Following the information, the Siddapura Police, along with the Tahsildar’s team, including Deputy Tahsildar Pradeep and Ammathi Gram Panchayat Revenue Inspector Anil Kumar, conducted a thorough inspection at the site.

Subsequently, the uncovered artifacts were handed over to the Virajpet Tahsildar for further investigation. Anticipating their transfer to the Archaeological Department, a detailed examination is expected to reveal the age of these artefacts, providing insights into the historical significance of these precious items.

The gold ornaments have sparked considerable interest. According to the Police and Revenue Department officers, the weight of the ornaments was initially estimated to be around 900 grams. However, upon weighing at the Virajpet Treasury, the total weight was recorded as 1 kg and 150 grams.

Deputy Tahsildar Pradeep mentioned that the confirmation of whether the ornaments are made of gold is still pending.

The articles will be handed over to the Archaeology Department through the Deputy             Commissioner (DC).

Kodagu Superintendent of Police (SP) Ramarajan said that systematic procedures in line with rules have been followed, and permission from the Court will be sought before transferring the treasures to the Archaeology Department.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / November 13th, 2023