Codava National Council (CNC), led by its president N U Nachappa, celebrated Puttari (Huttari), the harvest festival of Kodagu at a paddy field of Uthappa at Chikkabettageri near Kushalnagar on Tuesday.

The festival symbolises the homecoming of ‘Dhanya Lakshmi’. The Codava National Council members, wearing traditional attire, participated in the celebration.

Before cutting the paddy sheaves, the members offered prayers and offered by tying the leaves of ‘Arali,’ mango, jack, ‘Kumbali’ and cashew- nut.

After the ‘Nere Kattuvo’ ritual, the participants walked in a procession to the paddy fields accompanied by the ‘Dudikottpat’ (dudi is a small drum of Kodavas). Nachappa cut the paddy sheaves and initiated the celebrations. Before harvesting, they shouted slogans ‘Poli Polio Deva’ and fired three times in the air.

The Codava National Council members presented traditional Kolata, ‘Pareya Kali,’ ‘Chowkata’ and other cultural programmes, adding colour to the festivity. ‘Payasam’ (sweet) was prepared from the new rice and was offered to the God.

Mouth-watering dishes like ‘Thambut,’ ‘Adikehittu,’ ‘Kadubu,’ ‘Payasam’ and others were savoured on the occasion.

Later speaking to reporters, N U Nachappa said the Kodavas should be entrusted with the constitutional security. The government should announce autonomous status to Kodava land.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS – Kushalnagar, December 14th, 2016