“Kail Pold”, one of the main festivals of Kodagu, was celebrated with traditional gaiety across Kodagu on Monday.

The festival symbolises “Ayudha Puja” for the people of Kodagu, mainly Kodavas. It also marks the culmination of paddy transplantation throughout the district and waning of monsoon. Firearms, weapons of all sorts, including “odikathi’ (curved dagger), are burnished, plough used to till paddy field, yoke and old Kodava artefacts are placed at the “Nellakki” (place where Kodavas offer prayers in their houses) and worshipped. Kodavas of Nalknad area celebrated the festival on August 28.

The eldest person in a family dressed in traditional attire would offer puja to the items placed at the “Nellakki”. Bacharaniyanda P. Appanna, former president of the Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, arranged artefacts of the yore to worship, symbolising the festival at his residence in Kushalnagar on Monday. The objects included “ambkathi”, “pillkathi”, “koykathi”, “balkathi”, “maradudi”, “tarikutt”, “vannali”, “mora”, “morkuthi”, plough, and yoke used in households in Kodagu in the past.

Pall of gloom

However, a pall of gloom descended on the district when two persons, who were returing home after celebrating the festival in the district, died on Monday.

Avin Ponnanna (30), who was crossing the old bridge across the Cauvery at Balamuri near Murnad on his motorcycle, was washed away. He was returning home after taking part in the Kail Pold sports events organised at Hoddur village, reports received here said. Kodagu in-charge Minister M.P. Appachu Ranjan and Capt. Ganesh Karnik, MLC, visited the spot.

H.B. Gopal, who took part in the festivities at Mutharmudi near Murnad, fell into a stream and drowned at Tobattumane area while returning home.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysore, September 05th, 2012