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KODAVA (COORG) MATCH-MAKING: KAKOTUPARAMBU FEST SHOULD BE CELEBRATED ON A GRAND SCALE

By P.T. Bopanna

The great Kodava march held last year to protect Kodava culture and heritage has brought unity and renewed interest in the concept of Kodavame (Kodava way of life) in the Kodava community hailing from Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka.

The lessons learnt from the march from Kutta to Madikeri should be properly utilised to revive Kodava culture and heritage.

It is time we celebrate our nammes (festivals) in a grand manner to promote bonhomie in the community.

Many decades ago, perhaps no other festival attracted so many Kodavas as the Kakotuparambu namme (in picture) held in the month of December. The hillock served as the backdrop for the festival held at the adjoining temples of Kalabhairava and Mandhaka.

I was told the festival attracted huge Kodava crowds several decades ago, mainly to look for prospective grooms and brides. Since the concept of ‘love marriages’ were unheard of and there was no practice of girl and boy meeting each other prior to marriage, the namme came in handy to look for suitable partners to be followed by matrimonial talks.

As I studied at Kakotuparambu school during my childhood, the namme is still etched in my memory. For children, clusters of sugarcane sold on the hillock during the festivities was the main attraction.

I should admit I dreaded the sight of the Martha Tereys (oracles) dressed in red who used to run around the place, being followed by the devotees to seek advice and guidance. I recall the Tereys spoke in Malayalam.

Since match-making has now gone online, I do not think the festival can attract suitable boys and girls anymore. However, the venue should be utilised for bringing together Kodavas from far and near. Kakotuparambu is strategically located on Madikeri-Virajpet road and could be the ideal location for holding Kodava get-togethers and sports.