Monthly Archives: October 2013

Teerthodbhava occurs at Talacauvery at 12.02 p.m.

October 18, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Natureadmin

Madikeri:

The annual spectacle of ‘Teertodhbhava’, symoblising the emerging of holy water from the ‘Brahmakundike’, a tiny niche, at the foothills of mighty Brahmagiri Hills at Talacauvery in Kodagu, occurred at 12.02 p.m., amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns by priests and the delirium of devotees on Thursday. River Cauvery’s journey originates from Talacauvery.

Thousands thronged the spot vying with each other to catch a glimpse of the occurrence. A large number of devotees had reached Talacauvery much ahead of the scheduled occurrence. Anil, of the visitors, told The Hindu that the gathering was less when compared to last year. ‘Everything went off well’, Manu Muthappa, president of the Bhagandeshwara-Talacauvery Temple Management Committee, said.

Devotees are streaming into Bhagamandala to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangama, offer prayers and proceed towards Talacauvery, located about eight km away.

Police had a tough time in preventing devotees from jumping into the main pond in front of the Brahmakundike at Talacauvery before the ‘Teerthodbhava.” A team of priests sprinkled the ‘teertha’ on the devotees as soon as it emerged from the Brahmakundike. The holy water is not be allowed to overflow from the niche since it is considered inauspicious.

Distribution of teertha to the general public would take place today evening and tomorrow morning. Television news channels beamed the event live through which many were above to see the occurrence.

Mysore-Kodagu Member of Parliament, A.H. Vishwanath, former Speaker and Virajpet MLA K.G. Bopaiah, Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari, and Superintendent of Police M.N. Anucheth, were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by K. Jeevan Chinnappa / Madikeri – October 17th, 2013

Coffee consumption to touch 125,000 tonnes

October 17, 2013Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)admin

Domestic consumption growing at rate of 5-6% annually since 2010

The Coffee Board of India has estimated consumption in India to be around 125,000 tonnes for 2013. Domestic consumption is growing at a rate of 5-6 per cent annually since 2010.

This is almost double the figure when compared with that of United States Department of Agriculture, which recently pegged the Indian consumption at 66,000 tonnes, while the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) has estimated it at over 100,000 tonnes. “We have commissioned a study to assess the exact consumption of coffee in India and the results of the study will be available by the end of December this year,” Coffee Board of India Chairman Jawaid Akhtar said. He said the domestic consumption was 58,000 tonnes in 1987 when the country’s population was 820 million. In 2011, the consumption crossed the 1,00,000 tonnes mark, while the population touched 1.21 billion. “About 7-8 years ago, the domestic consumption was growing very slowly and now, it is growing faster. South India is the largest consumer of coffee at almost 75 per cent of the total consumption. The Coffee Board is making efforts to push the consumption in western, northern and eastern parts of the country,” Akhtar said.

“The Board is organising events like India International Coffee Festival (IICF) to project Indian coffee as ‘good coffee’ and specialty coffee. In this direction, we organised our IICF at New Delhi in 2012,” he said.

Recently, the ICO stated that the consumption of coffee is growing rapidly in exporting countries like Brazil, Indonesia and India. It has pegged the Indian consumption at 114,000 tonnes, showing a growth of 4.8 per cent annually.

“Assuming that the consumption has grown only at 5-6 per cent year on year since 2010, the consumption in 2013 could be in the range of 125,000 tonnes,” Akhtar told Business Standard.

The Coffee Board has pegged the production of coffee for the year 2013-14 at 347,000 tonnes in its post blossom estimates. However, the chairman stated that it could come down by at least 10 per cent due to heavy rains between June and August this year, which resulted into ‘wet foot’ and ‘black rot’ diseases.

In an effort to increase awareness about drinking coffee and its health benefits, the Coffee Board in association with India Coffee Trust is organizing the fifth edition of IICF 2014 at Bangalore from January 21 to 25, 2014.

“The event provides avenues for enterprise development through value addition while simultaneously contributing to the creation of skill based jobs, particularly in non-conventional coffee drinking areas at the consumer end. To facilitate entrepreneurial development, the Coffee Board has been providing training sessions on coffee roasting, brewing among others,” Akhtar said.

IICF 2014 is expected to see participation of 1,000 delegates for the conference and workshops and over 10,000 visitors at the exhibition. National and international experts in the coffee industry including policy makers, exporters, manufacturers and planters are likely to attend this flagship event of the Coffee Board.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Markets> Commodities> Food & Edible Oils / by Mahesh R Kulkarni / Bangalore – October 14th, 2013

Tributes to M.M. Kaveriappa

October 17, 2013Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorgadmin

A tribute to M. M Kaveriappa, Founder of Deenabandhu Charity

M.M. Kaveriappa (inset) participating in an MGP protest held in 1995 against the construction of a building in Cheluvamba Park.

Sir,

It is with great sadness I read about the passing of M.M. Kaveriappa in Star of Mysore recently. Besides his involvement with Deenabandhu Trust, he was also involved with the activities of MGP and Mysore Lok Swaraj Andolana (MLSA).

At MGP, his relentless fight to get justice in a stock market related problem with shocking number of adjournments will always be remembered to show how Consumer Courts have not been able to implement the true spirit of Consumer Protection Act. Under CPA, there must be very few adjournments. But his case showed how it was ignored.

As a member of MLSA, he took active interest to promote the involvement of professionals in electoral process, an activity most consider below their dignity.

With his passing away, Mysore has lost one more social worker this year after Dr. H.A.B. Parpia.

— Bhamy V. Shenoy, Mysore, 03.10.2013
————————————————————————————

Farewell Friend & Mentor !

Sir,

M.M. Kaveriappa passed away on Gandhi Jayanthi day. He was my friend and mentor. Hence this piece to honour him.

Kaveriappa was one of the founders of the Deenabandhu Charitable Trust and its President at the time of his sad demise.

I had worked closely with him over a period of time as Treasurer and so know the dedication and energy he brought into all he did to make the Trust what it is today. If the Trust is funding the education of needy Kodava students, if it is aiding poor patients and helping some old and inform Kodavas, it is in large measure due to the unflagging efforts of Kaveriappa.

He hid a kind heart under a brusque manner and often the recepients of the Trust’s donations would get a stern lecture from him as to the values of hard work and the need to succeed. In recognition of his contribution to our society, he was honoured by Kodava Samaja Mysore and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and Gen. Thimmaiah Forum. Deenabandhu Charitable Trust will miss him sorely.

Kaveriappa was a wonderful raconteur and had a fund of stories with which he often regaled us. His recounting of these stories and word pictures of people was perceptive in the extreme and very understanding of human frailities.

Besides this he had a vast knowledge of the history of Kodagu and of the Kodavas and could talk endlessly on the topic.

Another of his interests was playing the stock market. He would gleefully exclaim over even the smallest of gains and declare that with it he could survive another day! Friends were often given a tip or two to their advantage.

In his demise, the community has lost a philanthropist, the Trust has lost a tireless worker and I have lost a friend.

— Gappu Madappa , Mysore, 5.10.2013

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Voice of Reader / October 12th, 2013

State prepares for biggest elephant capture operation since 1971 ‘khedda’

October 16, 2013Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

OUT OF PLACE?: In Alur taluk, a herd of 25–30 elephants inhabit a tiny 5-sq. km forest patch circumscribed by agricultural fields that they routinely raid, according to M.D. Madhusudan, a member of the Karnataka Elephant Task Force./ File photo / The Hindu

At least 25 wild elephants are set to be caught in Alur taluk of Hassan district

With a green signal from the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, the Department of Forests now sets about planning its biggest ever operation to capture wild elephants since the State’s last ‘khedda’ in 1971, when 47 animals were captured.

At the very least, this would mean the capture and taming of around 25 elephants in Hassan’s Alur taluk, the epicentre of human-elephant conflict in the State. The Karnataka Elephant Task Force in its report to the High Court in September 2012, identified two regions — Alur and Tumkur district’s Savandurga — as “elephant removal zones” for the “unacceptable levels” of conflict they encountered.

The department, however, places “the outer limit” for the number of elephants to be captured at 150 and hope to extend the ‘removal zone’ to parts of Kodagu where human-elephant conflict is intense. “The actual number we capture will be much less, but we’ll have to take a call on areas such as Kodagu based on an assessment of conflict levels and perceptions of people here,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) G.S. Prabhu.

‘Extreme measure’

Members of the task force don’t quite agree. Removing wild elephants from a natural landscape is “an extreme measure” and one that should be done with the “greatest judiciousness”, said M.D. Madhusudan, scientist with the Nature Conservation Foundation and task force member. Only two areas have been identified by the task force as potential “removal zones” and Kodagu is not one of them, he said.

Alur was an anomaly of sorts and justifies the approach, he explained. The conflict in Alur was intense, and the elephant population was ecologically unviable. “Here, a herd of 25–30 elephants inhabit a tiny 5-sq. km forest patch circumscribed by agricultural fields that they routinely raid.” Between 1986 and 2011, elephants killed 46 people and injured over 240, according to the task force report, creating a “fear psychosis among people that hampers their ability to work and live normal lives.”

The situation in Kodagu was not adequately studied yet, said Raman Sukumar, chairman of the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science. “We first need to assess the conflict situation in Kodagu, understand the dynamic of elephants here (are they transitory, for instance) before we decide on a course of action.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Forests has set aside Rs. 4 crore to create kraals to restrain elephants captured, which typically take a year to tame, and new elephant camps. “The project can only begin in January, after the rain,” Mr. Prabhu said, and added that the department would be using a combination of methods that incorporate elements from traditional ‘khedda’ (stockade traps) and also modern-day chemical tranquilising.

BACK TO THE WILD

Even as it prepares for a large-scale capture of elephants, the department, ironically, admits that its 10 camps, which together have 91 elephants, are too crowded.

“We are looking at the possibility of returning around 30 of these back to the wild,” Mr. Prabhu said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Divya Gandhi / Bangalore – October 13th, 2013

Readiscover : Stories from a sacred land

October 15, 2013About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, Alladmin

A fascinating picture of the people of Coorg, their origins, history, myths and traditions. The Vanishing Kodavas
By Kaveri Ponappa
Eminence Designs Pvt Ltd
Rs. 7500 PP360

Where the Coorgs came from, the enigma of their customs, social traditions, laws and dress are questions that have been debated ad infinitum. The Vanishing Kodavas by Kaveri Ponnapa is a work that not only answers these questions but also sheds light on the events that fashioned the people’s traditions and made them unique.
To do this, Ponnapa uses official records, correspondence, colonial accounts, the recorded history of the Rajahs of Kodagu or Coorg and the oral histories of the Kodava people themselves. The hauntingly beautiful backdrop of the wild, beautiful hills with their gurgling streams, dense forests, and abundant wildlife and flora serves as a canvas for stories about a people who made the hills of Coorg their home, and who, through their violent history, managed to preserve their ancient social customs, dress and way of life.

Replete with 300 colour plates, the book, which took Ponnapa 15 years to research, contains a wealth of information. Chapters tell stories of bygone eras, of myth and legends, of the tragic history of the people, of songs composed by warriors for whom routine violence was a way of life and of marriage rituals that were not only esoteric but also created to save a clan from extinction.

The reader is taken to a land that became almost sacred to its people — evident in the small, open-air shrines and large tracts set aside for worship – and into the heart of festivals dedicated to forest deities where trance and possession figure and oracles link the people to both their ancestors and their gods.

This is a book about a people who named the trees, shrubs, creepers and medicinal herbs, a people who created a rich oral tradition for themselves, worshipped their ancestors before all gods and danced before the spirits of the forest, and for whom upholding personal honour and that of one’s ancestry at all costs was the Kodava code.

Until recently the only source material for most contemporary accounts of Kodagu history were official manuals and gazetteer accounts. These were authored by missionaries and official historians of the East India Company and almost completely distorted the history of the Kodavas and obliterated the memory of the loyalty and affection the people felt for their kings.

The Vanishing Kodavas seeks to correct this image. It explores the unique role the tiny kingdom, ruled by Lingayat Rajahs, supported by a Council of Kodava Chieftains, played in the rise of the East India Company in southern India and focuses on a fast disappearing culture.

In The Vanishing Kodavas Ponnapa has created a volume of work that the reader will read, put away and revisit another day. Few writers can boast of making their work relevant to a general readership as well as to those for whom it will serve as a base for further academic studies.

Nalini Menon is a senior journalist

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Books> Readiscover /by Nalini Menon, Hindustan Times / October 12th, 2013

80th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Madikeri from Jan 7

October 14, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainmentadmin

The 80th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana will be held in Madikeri in the hope that it would rejuvenate the language in Kodagu district, where the language is losing ground, Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) President Pundalika Halambi said on Thursday.

He was addressing a press conference to unveil the logo for the Sammelana scheduled from January 7 to 9 at Field Marshal Cariappa College Grounds there.

“There is a big concern that Kannada is losing its ground in Kodagu, that Kannada has become a minor language leading to a hostile environment. We decided to take the Sammelana to Madikeri to address this concern and to reiterate that Kodagu is an important part of the State,” Halambi explained.

The logo depicts Talacauvery and other tourist attractions in the backdrop of the Karnataka map.

“It is imperative to rejuvenate the Kannada culture in Kodagu, which has taken a beating because some people have turned it into a recreation centre,” he said.

Public Works and Kodagu District Minister H C Mahadevappa, who unveiled the logo, said accommodation will be arranged for close to 4,000 people for the meet.

“We want people to register (representatives) before December 15. Local hotels and homestays have agreed to give us two rooms each,” Mahadevappa, who heads its Reception Committee, said.

He said the Sammelana is expected to cost around `2.5 crore. “The budget provided for is about `1 crore. We also managed to have the CM give us another crore,” Mahadevappa said.

Madikeri will be playing host to the annual literary meet for the third time after the meets presided over by poet D V Gundappa in 1932 and researcher Shamba Joshi in 1981.

Staff, Centenary Building Sought

Halambi openly pointed fingers at the government for showing little interest to support the iconic institution that will turn 100 next year.

He said the Parishat had made several representations to the government to fill vacant posts. “Our human resource strength was 48 a few years ago. Now, we are down to 13. We will soon be reduced to just three people if the government doesn’t do something,” he said. He also appealed to Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa to urge the government to construct a centenary building for the Parishat.

“We will turn 100 next year, which is a proud feeling for us. I hope the government does its bit to promote the heritage of this institution,” Halambi added.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Express News Service – Bangalore / October 11th, 2013

Somdev & Bopanna happy with Anand

October 14, 2013Sportsadmin

Shanghai :

India’s No.1 singles player Somdev Devvarman and doubles top gun Rohan Bopanna have given the latest appointee to the country’s Davis Cup squad – non-playing captain Anand Amritraj – the thumbs up.

The former ace, ranked as high as No. 74 in singles and 24 in doubles in the 70s, will take over the reins for India’s next assignment, the Asia Oceania Group I opener against Chinese Taipei to be played in Indore in January.

The 61-year-old Anand, a one-time chess prodigy who went on to win 12 doubles titles on the ATP Tour, most of them in tandem with younger brother Vijay, is widely acknowledged as a keen tennis brain. He even reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 1976. Somdev, ranked 95 in the world, said, “Anand was a fantastic player for India, he’s a great choice for a captain. His knowledge of the game is vast. I have a lot of respect for what he has accomplished. A lot of us have been in touch with him for a number of years and he comes around and watches our matches whenever he can. I look forward to playing for him. We’ll give him our best.”

Somdev, who led a players’ revolt which saw the country’s best players put up a unified front in expressing their displeasure at the functioning of the All India Tennis Association, forced the federation to replace Shiv Prakash Misra with Anand. Zeeshan Ali will stay on as coach. “The goal is to get back to the World Group,” Somdev said, speaking for his team, “I want to get on with the job and get us there.”

Bopanna, who will likely partner Pak’s Aisam Ul-Haq Qureshi on the Tour next year, welcomed Anand into the squad. “It’s great to have Anand as Davis Cup captain. He’s very enthusiastic, very knowledgeable about the game and understands how tennis is played today.”

Mahesh Bhupathi said, “Anand has a great tennis brain and a world of experience to fall back on. He brings a lot to the table. I played under him in the Asian Games.”

Leander Paes told the media that he hadn’t given much thought to the appointment. Paes learnt his craft at Amritraj’s BAT academy in Chennai.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Tennis> Somdev Devvarman / by Prajwal Hegde, TNN / October 13th, 2013

Problem elephants might be captured, tamed

October 13, 2013Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

Governor H.R. Bhardwaj with Ashit Sagar Puttannanavar, one of the prize winners, at the valedictory function of the 59th Wildlife Week in Bangalore on Monday. / Photo: Bhagya Prakash K. / The Hindu

Wild elephants that have for years posed a major problem to the lives and livelihoods of residents in Hassan’s Alur taluk and in Kodagu’s Virajpet could soon be captured and tamed, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) G.S. Prabhu said on Monday.

The Department of Forests had, earlier this year, proposed the capture of several problem elephants that routinely raided crops and came in conflict with people.

Mr. Prabhu was speaking at the valedictory function of the 59th Wildlife Week organised by the department, where schoolchildren were given prizes for essay and painting competitions on the theme ‘The importance of environmental protection’.

A sum of Rs. 21 crore had been earmarked to mitigate the human-animal conflict in the State, Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, B. Ramanath Rai, said.

Governor H.R. Bhardwaj said several species across the world were endangered because of human greed. He added that the budget allocation for wildlife conservation should be increased.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bangalore – October 08th, 2013

Bopanna-Roger Vasselin win Japan Open title

October 12, 2013Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, World Opinionadmin

India’s Rohan Bopanna and France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin have beaten Britain’s Jamie Murray and Australia’s John Peers 7-6, 6-4 in the final of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo to claim the doubles trophy.

The first set took 44 minutes while the second took 34 minutes to complete in a match that went on for 1 hour and 18 minutes.

There were no breaks of serve in the first set while a single break in the second set ensured that the Indo-French pair comfortably won the title.

Bopanna and Roger Vasselin were the fourth seeds in the tournament.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-ANI> Sports /by ANI / Tokyo – October 06th, 2013

Bangalore to host International Coffee Festival from January 21

October 11, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), World Opinionadmin

The conference will be held from Jan 21-25, 2014. The previous edition of IICF was held in Delhi in 2012

Bangalore is set to host the fifth edition of India International Coffee Festival (IICF 2014), the flagship event of the coffee sector, from January 21-25, 2014. The Coffee Board of India is organising the event, which will showcase India as an emerging global coffee destination.

The previous edition of IICF was held in Delhi in 2012.

“The IICF 2014 will be all about in depth discussion on the latest in coffee market and retailing in India, on the cutting edge developments in coffee technology relevant to the Indian scenario with papers and demonstrations by world renowned experts,” Coffee Board said.

The event comprises conference and exhibition on the coffee sector. The conference aims to capture the changes taking place in the coffee sector and will discuss current trends related to production as well as take a close look at the prevailing market scenario. It will focus on issues such as changing role of Arabica and Robusta, health aspects of coffee, innovative and alternate channels of coffee delivery to consumer among others.

It will also lay stress on the changing patterns of coffee production including farm mechanisation, discuss parameters of good coffee and take a close look at sustainable production methods including prudent water management, the Board said.

The Expo of IICF will showcase latest technologies, new products and services and new coffees and blends.

There will be workshops on processing, brewing, roasting, espresso making, cooking with coffee, art on silk and coffee entrepreneurship.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by BS Reporter / Bangalore – October 11th, 2013

Kodagu First

a Celebration. Positive News, Facts & Achievements about Kodagu, Coorgs and the People of Kodagu – here at Home and Overseas