Statistician and author Dr. Boverianda Nanjamma Chinappa, aged 89 years and a resident of Covai@ Tapovan Solace in Sharadadevinagar, Mysuru, passed away at a private hospital here this morning. She leaves behind two daughters.
Cremation took place this afternoon at Harishchandra Ghat at the foot of Chamundi Hill. Her husband Boverianda M. Chinnappa (89), an Engineer and Consultant in India and Canada, passed away on Mar. 10, 2023
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Obiturary / March 31st, 2024
Sandooka Virtual Museum of Kodava Heritage and Culture, an informative and interactive platform for the community, the diaspora, researchers and knowledge-seekers, has been launched. One can access it on https://sandookamuseum.org/
The museum has been created with community participation and on the basis of research on existing knowledge of the history of Kodagu, traditions of the Kodava community and unique practices.
Presently, the museum boasts 54 stories categorised into nine themes:
Architecture, Arts and Crafts, Community Histories, Clothes and Jewellery, Cuisine, Customs and Rituals, Festivals, Landscape, Literature and Folklore. The website also includes a glossary of commonly used Kodava terms and a list of recommended books and website resources.
Within the museum’s pages, visitors can explore a brief history of Kodagu in sections like ‘Residences of the Royals’ and the glossary. An outline map in the glossary provides context, illustrating the taluks of Kodagu, its location within Karnataka and its place in India.
The brain behind this ambitious project is Rathi Vinay Jha (Codanda), the erstwhile Chair of the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA). A retired 1967 batch IAS Officer, she served as the Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. In early 2022, IFA issued a call for proposals from multidisciplinary teams to develop the virtual museum.
Talakaveri (Talacauvery) – the birthplace of River Kaveri. [Photo courtesy: Kunjiyanda Mahesh Appaiah (Max)]
Stringent scrutiny
Numerous teams from various parts of India submitted their proposals.
The selection process involved the scrutiny of an esteemed jury, including Paul Abraham (Founder of Sarmaya Arts Foundation), Nick Merriman (Director of Horniman Museums and Gardens, London), Sara Ahmed (Founder of Living Waters Museum), Venu Vasudevan, IAS (former Director General of the National Museum) and Hemanth Satyanarayana (CEO, Imaginate).
Following a meticulous evaluation of presentations and interviews, a team led by art museum curator Lina Vincent emerged as the chosen one for the project. The team comprised the dynamic designer duo Upasana Nattoji Roy and Saurav Roy from SWITCH. I was honoured to be invited to spearhead the Research and Coordination for Virtual Museum.
Our team came together in early 2022 and the ensuing two years have been both hectic and gratifying. Our efforts were complemented by a dedicated group handling media resources, including Aiyuda Prasad Ponnappa (videography), Clare Arni (photography), Kalpit Gaonkar (drone videography), Kunjiyanda Mahesh Appaiah aka Max Machu (videography), Chenanda Rohan Ponnaiah (videography), G.S. Bhavani (photography), Dr. Bishan Monnappa (photography) and others. Hasan Shahrukh spearheaded website development, with Samarth Gulati focusing on the front end and Gaurav Nagar on the back end. Additional support came from associates such as Nitya Devayya, Dhriti Belliappa, Nigel Gomes and Christina Dedhia.
The IFA team overseeing the project included former Executive Director Arundhati Ghosh, Executive Director Menaka Rodriguez, members Darshana Dave, Ritwika Misra and C. Suresh Kumar
IFA Advisory Board, consisting of Rathi Vinay Jha, Cheppudira P. Belliappa and Hemanth Satyanarayana, provided valuable guidance.
The editorial advisors, namely Dr. Boverianda Nanjamma Chinnappa, Cheppudira P. Belliappa, Dr. Kodira Monnappa Lokesh and Dr. C.C. Sowmya Dechamma, contributed expertise to the project.
Recaero India predominantly funded the initiative, while Anuraag, a Virajpet-based NGO, played a crucial role in supporting payments to artists, folk singers, dancers, craftsmen and facilitating media documentation.
A bride & a groom in traditional attire. [Photo courtesy: Deepthi Puttichanda]
A comprehensive repository of information
The Sandooka Virtual Museum of Kodava Heritage and Culture stands as a comprehensive repository of information on Kodavas. In the Kodava language, a ‘sandooka’ is referred to as ‘chandooka’, akin to a traditional wooden trunk or chest found in Indian homes.
Our documentation efforts included capturing the ‘Kail Podh’ festival of weapons at the Baduvamanda ancestral house in Kavadi, festival sports at Puliyeri village green near Ammathi, the harvest festival ‘Puthari’ at the Padeyanda ancestral house, festival dances at Biddatanda Vaade and Kokeri Bhagwathy temple, and the annual ‘theray’ (a shaman ritual of Kodagu similar to ‘theyyam’ and ‘kola’) at the Nadikerianda ancestral house in Karada
While a substantial population of Kodavas still resides in Kodagu, tens of thousands have migrated to places like Mysuru and Bengaluru. Additionally, Kodava diaspora is seen outside Karnataka in various parts of India and extending to international locations such as Singapore, the Middle East, Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, Australia and the Americas.
A picture of ‘theray’ ritual.
To maintain cultural connections, Kodavas have established regional Kootas or Associations, where members gather annually, often during festivals. Kodava Samajas in villages, towns and cities organise Kodava weddings and other social events.
However, the Kodava diaspora faces challenges in preserving their native language and culture. As generations pass, certain traditions risk fading away. Recognising this need for preservation, Sandooka Virtual Museum of Kodava Heritage and Culture acts as a bridge, documenting and safeguarding cultural heritage for future generations worldwide.
Cherishing our legacy
Kodavas are a small community with a vibrant heritage and unique traditions. Kodagu and the Kodavas have always raised the curiosity of not just our own people but of scholars and visitors across the world. Today, with access to technology we can send a message across to our diaspora and the world about our land and its culture. Sandooka Virtual Museum is a repository of such online information on Kodava heritage. Let us cherish our legacy and celebrate our achievements.— Rathi Vinay Jha (Codanda), erstwhile Chair of the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA)
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa / January 09th, 2024
Air Marshal K C Cariappa (retd), an environmentalist who took on the powerful timber lobby in Kodagu district of Karnataka is the ‘Coorg Person of the Year, 2009’.
Air Marshal Cariappa, son of Field Marshal K M Cariappa, topped a poll conducted by www.coorgtourisminfo.com, the first news portal of Kodagu, to select the Coorg Person of the Year. The others who were in the reckoning for the title, include another hardcore environmentalist and President of the Coorg Wildlife Society, Col C P Muthanna (retd) and New York-based novelist Sarita Mandanna, who has been given the largest advance by Penguin India ever paid to a debut novelist for her novel ‘Tiger Hills,’ set in Kodagu.
Taking a pro-active role, Air Marshal Cariappa went beyond the ‘call of duty’ and approached the Supreme Court of India to restrain the timber mafia, backed by the Kodagu district administration and sundry politicians to prevent the formation of a road across the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Kodagu in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
Following a public interest litigation filed by Air Marshal Cariappa, the Apex Court directed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to make an on the spot study of the situation and file a report. In a blatant violation of the law, the Kodagu district administration, backed by the two Kodagu MLAs, and supported by local villagers attempted to lay a road through the Pushpagiri reserve forest, amid opposition from Karnataka forest officials.
The controversial road is a seven km stretch between Madikeri and Subramanya near Mangalore in Dakshina Kannada district. Over 400 villagers from Galibeedu near Madikeri, deployed earthmovers to make the road. Their contention was that the road would shorten the distance between Kodagu and Subramanya.
In a mockery of justice, the villagers were provided ‘police protection’ to form the road by the district administration, headed by the then Deputy Commissioner Baldev Krishna. The top district officials, including the Superintendent of Police, went to the extent of publicly humiliating forest official Anil Rathan who protested against the road being formed through the reserve forest.
Air Marshal Cariappa was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 1957 and he was shot down in the 1965 India-Pakistan war while carrying out attacks on enemy positions and taken Prisoner of War (POW). When President Ayub Khan of Pakistan, an old buddy of Field Marshal Cariappa, offered to release his son forthwith, the later famous said: “They (other POWs) are all my sons, look after all of them.”
After retirement from the Air Force in 1996, Air Marshal Cariappa has been living at Madikeri in Kodagu. He has been taking a keen interest in environment and was the President of the Coorg Wildlife Society for four years. Two years ago, Air Marshal Cariappa wrote the biography of his father, which brought out his literary talent as a writer.
Dr Jagadeesh Subbaiah Moodera, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and winner of Oliver E. Buckley Prize, was the Coorg Person of the Year, 2008.
The past winners of Coorg Person of the Year include cricketer Robin Uthappa, researcher Dr Boverianda Nanjamma Chinnappa, and novelist Kaveri Poonacha Nambisan.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Madikeri / DHNS / Dec 31st
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Air Marshal Cariappa, son of Field Marshal K M Cariappa, topped a poll conducted by www.coorgtourisminfo.com, the first news portal of Kodagu, to select the Coorg Person of the Year. The others who were in the reckoning for the title, include another hardcore environmentalist and President of the Coorg Wildlife Society, Col C P Muthanna (retd) and New York-based novelist Sarita Mandanna, who has been given the largest advance by Penguin India ever paid to a debut novelist for her novel ‘Tiger Hills,’ set in Kodagu.
