India is a bowl of different cultures and traditions. From Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, India has different cultures, languages, and traditions. Different states in India have different types of people who follow their own cultural traditions. Among them, the Kodavas are one such group of people in India. The history or origin of the Kodavas is still unknown; there is no history of the Kodavas in any books or scripts that mention specifically the origin of the Kodavas or the language Coorgi.
Though some believe that the existence of Kodavas dates from the time of Sant Agasthaveera in ancient times, in the story of the origin of the river Kaveri, the goddess Kaveri brings a stage where there is mention of the people of Coorg, where the goddess guides the women to wear the saree in a different style and asks them to pray to her for good prosperity. This traditional style of wearing a saree has been continued to date and is still continued as part of tradition.
Kodavas are located in Kodagu, a district in Karnataka. It is basically a hill station, which is part of the western ghats, filled with lush greenery. The way to Coorg is just breathtaking. Throughout your journey, you find coffee plantations and paddy cultivation in some places.
About the Kodavas:
Kodavas are very traditional people who strictly follow their customs and culture. From birth to death, they follow their own set of culture, and the celebration is different from other traditions. These traditions and cultures are passed on from generation to generation.
Family names:
Each person who is a Kodava has their own family name; this is called ‘mane peda’ (family name). These names are passed down from the past ancestors of that particular family; they are basically clan names of their respective families. There are more than 800+ family names for Kodavas. This name is passed down from father to son, and if the son marries a daughter of a different family, then she will get the family name of her husband.
Festivals:
Although Kodavas are Hindus and pray to many Hindu gods and worship them, they don’t celebrate every festival that Hindus celebrate. Kodavas celebrate three major festivals:
- Kailpodh
- Kaveri sankramana
- Puttari (Huttari)
1. Kailpodh is celebrated in the month of September or October when the paddy sowing comes to an end and the working season comes. It is a festival where all the family members are gathered and they celebrate it together. Houses are decorated and set up with coconut shies. A large feast is organized, and pork (pig meat) is the main attraction. Pork is served with kadbittu (rice balls), and other delicacies are also made. Races are conducted in paddy fields, and other games are also conducted. In the past, people used to go hunting on this occasion, but now hunting is banned and not part of the occasion; instead, shooting competitions are organized by the villagers to satisfy the urge to hunt.
2. Kaveri Sankramana is celebrated in the month of October; it is one of the biggest festivals for Kodavas. This festival is believed to be the revival of goddess Kaveri in the form of teerthadbhava in the holy place of Tala Kaveri. People from all over Kodagu and also from outside Kodagu come here and watch the miracle of teerthadbhava. People also take holy baths in the river, and it is believed that the bath releases all the anxiety and they will feel the bliss of divinity in it.
3. Puttari (Huttari) is the harvest festival of Coorg, and it is celebrated when the crops are ready to be harvested. It is basically celebrated in the month of November or early December. People gather near the holy place that is Ballya Mane (ancestral house), and they go to the paddy fields and cut a bunch of crops. The crops that are cut are tied with the help of mango leaves and taken to their home. The lady of the home ties these near the god and the place where they store all their crops. By doing this, it is believed that the protection of the deities is always on them. After this is done, everyone is gathered together, takes the blessings of the elders, and has a feast.
Kodavas are very passionate about their festival; they follow each and every custom and celebrate it with great commitment, which is brought down and learned from their ancestors.
Marriages:
Kodava marriages are completely different and unique from other marriages; they are one of the main attractions in the Kodava culture. The marriage celebration will be at its peak, and different customs will be followed at the time of marriage, which are different from other cultures. The main attractions are the 'valaga'; it is a song or a tune of music made from the different musical instruments (valagas are played on different special occasions of Kodavas). Going to a Kodava marriage is a one-time experience, and if you are a Kodava, then consider yourself lucky.
Ballya Mane (ancestral home):
Each family who is a Kodava has their own ancestral home. Before, everyone used to live there together as one family, but now they don’t do so as a result of modernization, but on different occasions, they gather there. These ballya manes are very old, and some are believed to be more than 100–200 years old. These houses have a triangle shrine in them where the light is lit every day; it is the place of the god, or Mane Guru (family god).
Deities
Kodavas are the worshippers of nature; they pray to most of the gods who are related to nature elements like fire, water, sun, etc. They worship the sacred river goddess Kaveri, Igguthappa, the god of rain and crops, and Ayyappa, the god of hunting, as well as other gods like Bagavathi, Sarthave, Bhadrakali, Chamundi, Guliga, and other gods from the Hindu pantheon.
Kodavas are very traditional people and have a high mark of independence and integrity; they are one of the highest-numbered people who join the Indian army. Every family has at least one of their family members who has served the country; it is considered pride for the Kodavas to join the army.
This was all about being a Kodava. This culture has many more insights and many more facts that will amaze you once you get to know about them. The deeper you try to study, the more things that will catch your attention.