Kodagu is a district of Karnataka state in southern India. Prior to the reorganization of states in 1956 it was called the State of Coorg, an Anglicized form that continues to be used. It occupies about 4,100 sq. km. in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. It had a population of 548,561 as of 2001, 13.74% of which is urbanised.
It is bordered by Dakshina Kannada to the northwest, Hassan District to the north, Mysore District to the east, Kannur District of Kerala state to the southwest and Wayanad district of Kerala to the south. The district headquarters is Madikeri.
Geography
Kodagu lies on the eastern slope of the Western Ghats. It is a mountainous district, presenting throughout a series of wooded hills and deep valleys; the lowest elevations are 900 m above sea-level. The highest peak, Tadiandamol, has an altitude of 1,750 m; Pushpagiri, another peak, is 1,715 m high. The principal river is the Kaveri River, which rises at Talakaveri on the eastern side of the Western Ghats, and with its tributaries drains the greater part of Kodagu. In. the rainy season, which lasts during the continuance of the southwest monsoon, or from June to the end of September, the rivers flow with violence and great rapidity. In July and August the rainfall is high, and the month of November is often showery. The yearly rainfall may exceed 4,000 mm; in the dense jungle tract it reaches from 3,000 to 3,800 mm; the bamboo district in the west from 1,500 to 2,500 mm. Kodagu has an average temperature of about 15 °C, the extremes being 11 °C and 28 °C. The hottest season is in April and May.
The principal town and district capital is Madikeri or Mercara, with a population of around 30,000. Other significant towns are Virajpet (Viraranjendrapet), and Somwarpet. The district is divided into the three administrative talukas of Madikeri, Virajpet, and Somwarpet.
Some of the south of the district is part of the Nagarahole National Park, part of a complex of wildlife sanctuaries that stretch into neighbouring parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Representation and politics
At present, three Memmbers of the Legislative Assembly (MLA's) are elected from Kodagu to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, one each from Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet talukas. Kodagu is part of the Mangalore Lok Sabha Parliament constituency.
After being reduced from statehood to the status of a district in 1956, organizations like Kodagu Rajya Mukti Morcha (the Kodagu State Liberation Front),now known as Coorg National Council have been active in the region, demanding separate statehood, dereservation of the scheduled tribe constituency, separate Lok Sabha constituency and autonomy.
Flora and fauna
Much of the district is cultivated. Characteristic scenery has rice fields in valley bases, with plantation crops with tree cover in the surrounding hills. The most common plantations are of coffee; however many other crops are grown, including black pepper, para rubber, teak, and cocoa. In some regions there is still natural forest, especially toward the forest reserves in the south.
The flora of the jungle includes Michelia champaca (Champak), Mesua (Ironwood), Diospyros (Ebony and other species), Toona ciliata (Indian mahogany), Chickrassia tubularis (Redcedar), Calophyllum angustifolium (Poon spar), Canarium strictum (Black Dammar), Artocarpus, Dipterocarpus, Garcinia, Euonymus, Cinnamomum, Myristica, Vaccinium, Myrtaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubus (three species), and a rose. In the undergrowth are found cardamom, Areca, plantains, canes, wild Black pepper, tree and other ferns, and arums. In the forest of the less thickly-wooded bamboo country in the west of Kodagu the most common trees are the Dalbergia latifolia (Black wood), Pterocarpus marsupium (Kino tree), Terminalia tometosa (Matthi), Lagerstroemia parvifiora (Benteak), Conocarpus latifolius (Dindul), Bassia latifolia, Butea monosperma (Flame of the Forest, made infamous in colonial Indian history due to its association with the Battle of Plassey), Nauclea parvifiora, and several species of Acacia, with which, in the eastern part of the district, Teak and Sandalwood occur. Among the fauna may be mentioned the Asian Elephant, Tiger, Leopard, Dhole, Gaur, Boar, several species of deer. The area is rich in birdlife although they are threatened by hunting.
People
The population in 2001 was 545,322, increasing 11.64% from 1991 to 2001, and 5.75% from 1981 to 1991.
The people of the district are of a number of distinct ethnic or caste origins. However, political and economic domination is with those who bear the name of the area, the Kodava. Other communities have also been traditionally established in the district, including many recent migrants from neighbouring areas.
The Kodavas
The Kodava community numbers about 100,000 in the district, out of a total population of over 500,000. They are of unknown origin, and are ethnically distinct from the other people of the area. However, they have been long established in the region.
The names of Kodava people are characteristic and include a clan name. The clan is central to Kodava culture and families trace their lineage through clans. Marriage within a clan is discouraged.
Kodavas have many cultural differences from other communities in southern India. Though they are nominally Hindu, Kodavas do not usually accept Brahmin priests, preferring that ceremonies are conducted by their own. The elders of the community play the role of the priests. The importance of fire god found in most of the hindu rituals is predominantly absent in the kodava culture. Usage of slokas and vedic chants is also not present. There are distinctive dresses, the men wearing wraparound robes called the Kupya (now only seen at ceremonial occasions), and the women with a distinctive style of wearing the sari. They have many distinctive practices such as carrying ceremonial knives, and martial war dances. The culture also includes communal gatherings where drink, dance and special meat dishes seasoned with Garcinia are central attractions.
Enlistment in the Indian army has been common among the Kodavas. The most famous son of Kodagu is Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa the first Commander-in-Chief (as a general) of the armed forces of free India. He was elevated to the honorary title of Field Marshal at age of 83. In addition, General K. S. Thimayya also became a later commander in chief.
Other communities
The Yerava, or Ravula, live in Kodagu as well as in adjacent Kerala, where they are known as the Adiya. They are primarily Hindu agricultural workers. Among the other communities of Kodagu are the Heggades, cultivators from Malabar; the Ayiri, who constitute the artisan caste; the Medas, who are basket and mat-makers, and act as drummers at feasts; the Binepatta, originally wandering musicians from Malabar, now agriculturists; and the Kavadi, cultivators from Yedenalknad; all these groups speak Kodava Thak, and conform generally to Kodava customs and dress. Of the Tulu people, the Gaudas, who live principally along in western Kodagu, are the most important; they speak Tulu and wear the Kodava ethnic dress during ceremonies. Other castes and tribes are the Tiyas and Nairs, immigrants from Kerala; the Vellala, who are Tamils; and the Marathi. Of the Muslims the most numerous are the Moplahs and the Shaikhs, both chiefly traders,whose origins are from Kerala.
Languages
The Kodava people, with some of the other established communities in the district, speak a Dravidian language, Kodava takk (Coorg language), which has approximately 200,000 speakers, in 18 groups in and near the district. Most speakers are bilingual in Kannada.
Kodagu is home to several other languages, including Kannada, Malayalam, Tulu, and Ravula. All are Dravidian languages.
Economy
As a rural region, most of its economy has been based on agriculture, plantations, and forestry. Kodagu is one of the more prosperous parts of Karnataka. This is based primarily on its production of coffee and other plantation products.
Rice is cultivated in the valleys. A variety of other agricultural crops are also grown.
Plantations of coffee became a characteristic of the district through the 20th century. They are typically planted on hillsides too steep for rice growing, and using the shade of existing forests. It has provided much of the source of local wealth.
In recent years tourism of various types have started to become more important. In particular, plantation houses have been converted to take visitors, and walking and trekking holidays have become common.
History
- See main article History of Kodagu
Kodagu has been an independent or semi-independent kingdom through much of its known history. Its boundaries varied, often taking in some of the surrounding country, especially toward the east. The modern district of Kodagu was incorporated into the state of Karnataka (then named Mysore) in 1956.
The name
The name is Koḍagu in standard transliteration.
The name has alternative derivations. In one, it is said to be derived from the Kannada kudu, meaning steep or hilly. In the Puranas, Kodagu may be the land called Krodha desa, meaning 'Land of Anger' - the Kodavas here are described as Mleccha, meaning foreigners or barbarians. It is also said that Kodagu is derived from the word Kodava, Kod means 'give' and avva means 'mother', i.e mother Kaveri, the river Kaveri.
The form often used by Europeans, Coorg is derived from this, by a transformation of the retroflex 'ḍ' to 'r' (cf. Maḍikeri to Mercara).
The people are called Kodava (sometimes pluralized as Kodavas in English). The people may also be called Coorgs or Coorgi in English. The name of the language is Kodava Takk.
Festivals
The people are traditionally agriculturists and most of their rituals, traditions and festivities center around agriculture. Originally almost six months of their lives were spent in the fields, cultivating and harvesting and the rest of the six months was spent in hunting as a community sport, and also in guarding their fields from destructive wild animals. It is in this context that weapons have become an integral part of their culture.
There are three main festivals; the Festival of Arms or Kailpoldhu, Kaveri Shankaramana, and the harvest thanksgiving at Puttari (puthari). These three festivals fall during the period of September to December.
Kailpoldu
Kailpoldu is celebrated in the first week of September.. The priests in consultation with their temple documents determine the exact date of celebration, which falls between the 2nd and 4th of September. Kail means weapon or armory and Pold means worship. The day signifies the completion of "nati"- meaning the transplantation of the paddy crop,
Normally, during the months in which the family is engaged in the fields, all weapons are deposited in the "Kanni Kombre" or the prayer room. The festival also signifies the day that men should prepare to guard their crop from wild boars and other animals. Hence, on the Kailpoldu day, the weapons are taken out of the Pooja room, cleaned and decorated with flowers. They are then kept in the "Nellakki Nadubade" - the place of community worship.
All the members of the family have a bath and worship the weapons. Feasting and drinking follow. The eldest member of the family will hand over a gun to the senior member of the family, signifying the commencement of the festivities. The whole family assembles in the " Mand " (a open ground), where physical contests and sports including shooting are conducted. In the earlier days hunting and cooking of the wild animals was part of the celebration, but, these days the shooting skills are tested by firing at a coconut target in a tree.
Kaveri Shankaramana
This festival normally takes place in mid October. It is associated with the river Kaveri, which flows through the district, from its source at Talakaveri.
At a pre-determined time, a fountain from a small tank and fills the bigger holy tank at Talakaveri. People throng in thousands, and take a holy dip in this water. This water is filled in bottles and reaches every house in Kodagu and this is treated as Theertha - meaning holy water. This water is preserved in all Kodava houses, and a spoonful of this water is fed to the dying, in the belief that they will attain moksha (emancipation) and gain entry to heaven. - On the day, married women wearing new silk saris, perform puja to a vegetable cut in the form of the goddess Kaveri. This is decorated with flowers and gold ornaments. This is called the Kani Puje. Three sets of betel leaves and areca nut is kept in front of the goddess, with bunches of glass bangles. All the members of the family pray to the goddess by throwing rice and prostrating before the image. The elder members of the family ceremonially bless the younger. Then an older married woman draws water from the well and starts cooking. The menu of the day is dosa and vegetable curry ( usually pumpkin curry ) and payasa. Non-vegetarian food is not cooked on that day.
Puttari
Puttari means new rice, and is the rice harvest festival (also called huttari in adjacent Kannada speaking country). This takes place in late November or early December. Celebrations and preparations for this festival, starts a week in advance.
On the Puttari day, the whole family assemble in their "ain mane"( the common family house ) which is decorated with flowers and green mango and banana leaves. Specific foods are prepared . Then the eldest member of the family hands a sickle to the head of the family, and one of the women leads a procession to the paddy fields, with a lit lamp in her hands. The path leading to the field is decorated. A gunshot is fired to mark the beginning of the harvest, with chanting of "Poli Poli Deva" (prosperity) by all the people present there. Then the symbolic harvesting of the crop starts. The paddy is cut and stacked and tied in odd numbers, and is then carried home, to be offered to the gods there. The younger people then burst crackers and revel, symbolising prosperity. Group of youngsters then visit the adjoining houses and show their dancing skills, and earn monetary gifts. A week later, these monetary gifts are all pooled and a community dinner of the entire village) is celebrated.