KODAGU / Coorg Calendar

KODAGU Calendar

1) Daalmiyaar ದಾಲ್ಮಿಯಾರ್
2) Malayaar ಮಲಯಾರ್
3) Kumbiyaar ಕುಂಬಿಯಾರ್
4) Meeniyaar ಮೀನಿಯಾರ್
5) Admiyaar ಅಡಮಿಯಾರ್
6) Kaadiyaar ಕಾಧಿಯಾರ್
7) Adre ಆದ್ರೆ
8) Kakkadha ಕಕ್ಕಡ
9) Chiniyaar ಚಿನಿಯಾರ್
10) Kanyaar ಕನ್ಯಾರ್
11) Toliyaar ತೊಲಿಯಾರ್
12) Birchiyaar ಬಿರ್ಚಿಯಾರ್

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Kaveri Sankramana / History & festval of River Kaveri

Kaveri Sankramana

The Kaveri Sankramana 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 predetermined time, when the sun enters Tula Rasi (Tula sankramana), a fountain from a small tank fills the larger holy tank at Talakaveri. Thousands of people gather to dip in this holy water. The water is collected in bottles and reaches every home throughout Kodagu. This holy water is called Theertha, and is preserved in all Kodava homes. Those who cannot worship at TALAKAVERI will worship GODESS Kaveri at HARISHACHANDRA, BALAMURI & GUYYA. A spoonful of this water is fed to the dying, in the belief that they will attain moksha (spiritual emancipation) and gain entry to heaven.

On this day, married women wearing new silk saris perform puja to a vegetable, symbolizing the goddess Kaveri. The vegetable is usually a cucumber or a coconut or a Papaya, wrapped in a piece of red silk cloth and decorated with flowers and jewels (mainly 'Pathak' (Kodava Mangalasuthra)).

Kanni refers to the goddess Parvathi, who incarnated as Kaveri. Three sets of betel leaves and areca nut are 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 themselves 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 (kumbala kari)) and payasa (sweet dish). The old man of the falily takes the dosa & keeps them on the Bottu ( nishane or a small pole made of bamboo , top spilt into 4 pieces & Both Balli is tagged as well)). Nothing but vegetarian food is cooked on this day, and this is the only festival among the Kodava speaking people where only vegetarian food is had and served; day with veg food.

Totally the celebration starts 1 day before with the planting of the bamboo/ stick on all the paddy field, coffee estates, Grassing field & so on which is a fixed property. Scientific reason is also to get the birds sit on these poles in the paddy field & keep the pests away .Second day is full of Pooja, Dosa, Kanni Puje lasts for 3 days & then the vegetable, the replica of goddess is left to the flowing river, lake or kept under jackfruit tree. After the festival during the seven days married women are supposed to come home as per the tradition & as said & followed by older generation in Kodagu /Coorg.

The legend of River Kaveri

The main river of Kodagu is the legendary Kaveri. River Kaveri has attained a sacred status in Kodagu, not unlike River Ganga in the North. Kaveri takes origin in Brahmagiri hills in Kodagu, in a place aptly called Talakaveri (head of Kaveri). It starts from a small spring (kundike – pond), gathering body as it courses downhill. It is joined by its two tributaries Kanake and Sujyoti. The confluence of these three rivers takes place in Bhagamandala. From here River Kaveri courses through its serpentine route, giving life and sustenance to millions of people, through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to eventually drain into the Bay of Bengal on the eastern shores of Tamil Nadu, near Kaveripattinam.

River Kaveri is said to be an incarnate of Goddess Parvati. Lopamudra was an adopted daughter of Sage Kavera. She was given in marriage to Sage Agatsya, who had crossed the Vindhya Mountains and ventured down south. Sage Agatsya is credited with bringing Aryan religion to the southern regions of India. Goddess Parvati had promised Prince Chandravarma, who had propitiated and meditated on her that she would appear in Kodagu as a river. Lopamudra, who was the incarnate of Goddess Parvati, became River Kaveri in Kodagu.

Chandravarma was the son of king Siddhartha of Matsya kingdom. He traveled to various temples like Kanchi, Tanjavur and Chidambaram and came to Brahmagiri hills in Kodagu. Here he performed penance and Goddess Parvati, pleased with his devotion granted him the boon of a horse, a sword and an army. She gave him the power to overthrow the mlecchas (foreigners) and take over the kingdom of Kodagu. She also promised him that she would bless the land with her incarnation in the form of River Kaveri. A Sudra girl was created by Parvati as a bride to the Kshatriya Prince, who bore him eleven sons. The sons married one hundred daughters born to Sudra wives of the Kshatriya king of Vidarbha. The hundreds of children they bore settled in the land of Kodagu, with the blessings of River Kaveri.

The brave grand children of Chandravarma leveled the hills for cultivation with their bare hands like the wild boars. Hence the land came to be known as Kroda Desa (kroda meaning a hog or a boar). This later came to be called Koda Desa and eventually Kodagu. Chandravarma in his old age relinquished his kingdom to his eldest son Devakanta. Thus the patrilineal society where the succession is based on the primogeniture became the practice.

Tula Sankramana (first day of Kodava month of Toleyar – mid October) is celebrated as the day of birth of Kaveri. Legend has it that Parvati appeared in a dream to Devakanta and asked him to gather the family of his father Chandravarma in Balamuri and await her arrival. He did as he was instructed and on the day of Tula Sankramana, River Kaveri came flowing down. The families of Chandravarma bathed in the holy waters of Kaveri and were purified. The force of the water moved the pleats of the saris of women to the rear. Hence the unique habits of the Kodava women of wearing the sari with the pleats in the back and not in the front as commonly worn by Hindu women
Complied from River Kaveri to the maps of river Kaveri

Promote Kodagu on Kailpodhu Fest across the world

Resoltion- Promote Kodagu on Kailpodhu Fest across the world

To, The people/Lovers of Kodagu, Simple Know how of the Festival - Kailpodhu Kailpodhu is celebrated on the 3rd of September. Officially, the festival begins on the 18th day after the sun enters the Simha Raasi (the Western sign of Leo).

Kail means weapon or armory and Pold means festival. The day signifies the completion of "nati" - meaning the transplantation of the rice (paddy) crop. The festival signifies the day when men should prepare to guard their crop from wild boars and other animals, since during the preceding months, in which the family were engaged in the fields, all weapons were normally deposited in the "Kanni Kombare", or the prayer room. Hence on the day of Kailpoldu, the weapons are taken out of the Pooja room, cleaned and decorated with flowers. They are then kept in the "Nellakki Nadubade", the central hall of the house and the place of community worship. Each member of the family has a bath, after which they worship the weapons. Feasting and drinking follow. The eldest member of the family hands a gun to the senior member of the family, signifying the commencement of the festivities. The whole family assembles in the "Mand" (open ground), where physical contests and sports, including marksmanship, are conducted. In the past the hunting and cooking of wild game was part of the celebration, but today shooting skills are tested by firing at a coconut tied onto the branch of a tall tree. Traditional rural sports, like grabbing a coconut from the hands of a group of 8-10 people (thenge potho), throwing a stone the size of a cricket ball at a coconut from a distance of 10-15 paces (thenge odupo) a stone ball of 30-40cm lying at one's feet and throwing it backwards over the shoulders, etc., are now conducted in community groups called Kodava Samajas in towns and cities.

The Moment anyone thinks of a Coorg/kodagu the First Impression is Simply Boozers and Beautiful Gals and the Tradiational dress. On the event of Kailpodhu just give a simple thought about our place – Kodagu. What have we done apart from roaring on the forefathers property and the tradition. The new generation have changed the way they think or act. Where are the Moustaches or where are the Sarees and Kupyas gone?? All look at the metro life or Page 3 life on a weekend and also not to forget the love to fly abroad and study and work – Good run towards the growth . Ultimately if you turn back and take examples of anyone – one has to return to his Mannu- his own soil –Kodagu.


** Think Over *** Look at Coorg/kodagu as a place You can relate yourself and also look at promoting the place – an alternative to make sure we contribute something for Our Place- KODAGU.
1. A simple Long Ride or Drive to Coorg
2. Cool 2 days plan + Campfire
3. Supercool stay during the winter as good as Ooty/Ninital
4. Not to forget – Cauvery Visit – TalaKaveri, Kaveri Nisarghadhama, River Raftimg at Dubare 5. Orange county /Kadkani/ Mahindra resorts/Coog International
6. Simple Homestays And many more……….
Cool Links/blogs- http://www.indyarocks.com/blogs/blog_visiterview_main.php?id=15087#blog15087