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Deccan Herald
3 days ago
- General
- Deccan Herald
Tracing Kembatti traditions in Kodagu
Kodagu folklore speaks of seven divine siblings — six gods and one goddess — who were from Kerala and settled in various parts of Kodagu and the adjacent districts in northern Kerala (Kannur and Wayanad)..In this legend, the three elder brothers living in Kannur send their remaining siblings into Kodagu and Wayanad. The three younger brothers (the eldest among them being Igguthappa) and the only sister enter Kodagu on foot. The sister is the best archer among them; she shoots arrows the farthest. She cooks food for them without using fire, instead relying on the hot sand on the banks of a flings an arrow that lodges itself in the trunk of a mango tree. The sister takes the form of an egret and flies to that tree, near which she takes up residence. There, she fulfils her destiny. This is Pannangalatamme, the goddess of the Kodava-speaking Dalit community, the Kembattis. .The worship of Pannangalatamme and the celebration of her temple festival are central to the Kembatti identity year, during a two-day festival, members of the Kembatti community gather at the main temple of Pannangalatamme, which is near Kakkabe, a large village in Kodagu. The men dress in traditional wraparound tunics called kuppyas, often coloured red or white. There are also temples dedicated to Pannangalatamme in Beppunaad Armeri and a few other kuppya is a long coat worn by the Kodavas and other natives of Kodagu. It is secured at the waist by a sash called a chele. In the past, the kuppya and chele came in various colours. These days, the kuppya is often black or white, and the chele is gold-embroidered and usually has a silver-covered dagger called the pichekaththi tucked into it. .The Kembattis were also village musicians, playing the vaalaga, a double-reed wind instrument similar to the oboe, the shehnai, and the nadaswara, which lent its name to the popular folk music of the Kembattis also blew long brass horns called kombu and played with thaala cymbals. They were often accompanied by drummers called Medas, who otherwise worked with cane, making baskets and mats. Their large drums were of two types: pare and dhol. This motley band of musicians performed at Kodagu weddings, funerals, and temple is difficult to trace the historical timeline of these traditions and temples, which are rooted more in folklore than classical literature. The Kembatti community and the Igguthappa temple are referenced in nineteenth-century texts of the Haleri Rajas, who ruled legend of Igguthappa, Pannangalatamme, and their brothers is old and appears probably for the first time in print in the 1870 Gazetteer of some villages such as Chembebelloor and Bilugunda, the Kodavas, the Kembattis, and others celebrate their annual village festival through various performances in groups, either in disguise or as Dr Bodukuttada Radhika Kuttappa, who belongs to the community, notes that there are currently 51 Kembatti clan names. On the other hand, Dr M G Nagaraj claims in his 2017 book Kodagina Kembatti Samskriti that there are 97 Kembatti clans in existence. While Dr Radhika listed unique names, Dr Nagaraj counted unrelated clans, sharing the same name as separate entries for different villages.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kakkada Padinett celebrated with dishes made of aati leaves
1 2 Madikeri: Sunday was celebrated in Kodagu as Kakkada Padinett. The special tradition here is to bring the medicinal (aati) leaves from the forest and prepare dishes using these leaves. It is believed that the aati leaf has 18 types of medicinal properties on this day. Along with the heat, the juice of this leaf is also rich in aroma. If a dish is prepared with it, its aroma spreads around. A programme called Kakkada Namme Odtorme Koota was organised in Madikeri Kodava Samaj along with Kodava groups in the name of units in Madikeri city called Keris on Sunday. The Pommakkada Koota (women's wing) of Kodava Samaj took the main responsibility for the programmes. Madikeri Kodava Samaj president MP Muthappa, Pommakkada Koota president Kavitha Bollappa, former MLC Veena Achaiah, Padmashree awardee Rani Machaiah, MLA Manthar Gowda, and others were present. Various Kakkada special dishes were prepared for the large number of attendees. Meanwhile, the Codava National Council (CNC) organised the Kakkada Namme festival on Saturday. Former Rajya Sabha member BK Hariprasad attended the event. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Avail Freedom Sale Price on M3M Projects. Book Today! M3M India Book Now Undo Hariprasad said Kodavas are ancient indigenous people of the region and the Kodavas, being a mono-ethnic animistic community, deserve constitutional recognition and redress for their grievances. This perspective aligns with the CNC's longstanding demands for autonomous Kodavaland, constitutional special guarantee for their land, language, cultural heritage, economic and political freedom, and universal recognition for their minority nationality. The CNC volunteers, after performing the ritual encircling the Sacred Mandh, took out a procession from 'mandh' (gathered place) to the paddy fields. This procession ended in a paddy transplantation programme, which is a significant cultural and agricultural tradition for the Kodavas. Speaking at the Kakkad-18 celebration, Kodava National Council president NU Nachappa said that Kodava land should be given self-governance. Special dishes of Kakkad-18 were prepared. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CNC advises Kodavas to obtain ethnic certificate for gun exemption
M adikeri: The Codava National Council has advised Kodavas to obtain a Kodava ethnic certificate to secure a gun exemption certificate instead of relying on Jamma certificates. In a press statement, CNC president NU Nachappa suggested that an ethnic certificate will help protect the rights of the Kodava community. He said that a Kodava ethnic certificate will be helpful in safeguarding the rights of the Kodava community. An ethnic certificate will protect the gun exemption rights of the community as a religious ritual under Articles 25 and 26 of the Indian Constitution. "A Kodava ethnic certificate is needed to maintain the integrity of the traditions and rights of the Kodava community. The ethnic certificate will strengthen the right to gun exemption without relying on the certificates of Jamma holders," he said. He stated that non-Kodavas must be prevented from using the gun exemption facility that can be claimed by purchasing Jamma land. He explained that the Kodava community's legal system and indigenous mono-ethnic identity should be strengthened. It should be ensured that eligible members of the Kodava community are receiving gun exemption certificates, he stated. He alleged that some individuals from outside the Kodava community purchased Jamma land in Bhagamandala and obtained gun license exemption certificates on the pretext of Jamma land exclusive ownership.
News18
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Rashmika Mandanna Faces Backlash For Claiming She's 'First Actress From Coorg': 'People Were Judgy'
Netizens took to social media to correct her claim, pointing out that several actresses from Coorg, including the popular Kannada star Prema, preceded her. Rashmika Mandanna has found herself in hot water after a recent statement where she claimed to be the first actress from Coorg to enter the film industry. In an interview with Mojo Story, the Pushpa star opened up about her early struggles, saying, 'Conversations back home when I got my first paycheck weren't easy. Because, you know, in the Coorg community, nobody has ever entered the film industry. I think I am the first one in our whole community to have entered the industry. People were extremely judgy." While Rashmika may have intended to reflect on her journey, the remark quickly went viral and sparked criticism online. Netizens took to social media to correct her claim, pointing out that several actresses from Coorg, including the popular Kannada star Prema, preceded her. Another wrote, '@iamRashmika Have you ever heard the name of actress #Prema? You weren't even born at that time when she was ruling Kannada film industry! Have u heard of #DaisyOonnanna, #ShwethaChengappa, #NidhiSubbaiah, #AshikaPoonaccha, #ReeshMananaih? Dude you seriously lack sense! Get it fixed." "When I got my first paycheck, it wasn't easy… because no one from my Coorg community had ever entered the film industry. I think I'm the first one from my entire community to step into it."– #RashmikaMandanna — Whynot Cinemas (@whynotcinemass_) July 6, 2025 The comment also drew strong reactions from the Kodava community, who accused the actress of being unaware of their cultural and cinematic contributions. Veteran actress Neravanda Prema, who was among the first from Coorg to earn mainstream recognition, also responded to Rashmika's comment. Speaking to a news portal, she said, 'What is there for me to say? The Kodava community knows the truth. You should ask her (Rashmika) about her version of the statement. What can I say about it?" Prema added, 'Before me, there was an actor, Shashikala from Coorg, who played supporting roles. Then I entered the film industry, and later many Kodavas have done well." As of now, Rashmika Mandanna has not issued a clarification regarding her statement. First Published: July 08, 2025, 00:13 IST
Hindustan Times
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Rashmika Mandanna faces flak from Kodava community for claiming she's 1st Coorgi actor: ‘Forgot Prema, Gulshan Devaiah?'
A simple Google search for 'actors from Coorg' reveals a list of artists who have made it big in the film industry—from Prema to Varsha Bollamma and Gulshan Devaiah. This is why people from the Kodava community are miffed at Rashmika Mandanna for claiming she's 'probably the first actor' to enter this industry from Coorg. People were quick to correct her, as was actor Neravanda Prema. Rashmika Mandanna and her family hail from Coorg in Karnataka and she recently claimed to be the first actor from her community. What did Rashmika Mandanna say? In an interview with Barkha Dutt on Mojo Story last week, Rashmika spoke about how her family reacted when she told them she wanted to be an actor. She said, 'Conversations back home when I got my first paycheck weren't easy. Because, you know, in the Coorg community, nobody has ever entered the film industry. I think I am the first one in our whole community to have entered the industry. People were extremely judgy.' Nervanda Prema says Kodava actors paved the way for Rashmika Mandanna As per a Koduga Express report, famous Kannada actor Neravanda Prema, who was famous in the 1990s and early 2000s, responded when asked about Rashmika's statement, 'What is there for me to say? The Kodava community knows the truth. You should ask her (Rashmika) about her version of the statement. What can I say about it?' However, she also pointed out that long before Rashmika's entry into films, others had paved the way for her. 'Before me, there was an actor, Shashikala from Coorg, who played supporting roles. Then I entered the film industry, and later many Kodavas have done well,' said Prema, who is known for her successful career in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam cinema and is a recipient of the Karnataka State Film Award and Filmfare Best Actress awards. Internet calls out Rashmika Mandanna's ignorance Her statement also triggered a barrage of comments on YouTube and other social media platforms, with people pointing out her ignorance. 'She is not the first frm kodava community ...before that many artist have acted like prema, nidhi subbaih, harishika poonacha, tanisha kuppanda,' pointed out one person. 'She is only the actress who tell lie in front of media and people … Statement ' she is the first actress who came from Coorg city… '100% false statement…Thr was more then 5 to 6 actress who came from coorg …. Even she not born when 'Prema madam ' act in OM Kannada movie who from Coorg,' wrote another. A miffed fan wrote, 'Rashmika maybe you are the only one who thinks u made it big. Yes definitely but u have also forgotten Gulshan devaiah too has made it big.'
