History of Coorg


 From the 2nd to the 6th century, the Kadambas ruled its northern province. The southern parts were successively connected to the Ganga Dynasty from the 4th to the 11th century. After a war with the Gangas in the 11th century, the Cholas emerged as the sole rulers of the whole of Kodagu. During the 12th century the Hoysalas, who were in Belur, Hassan district, drove away the Cholas from Kodagu. From the 14th century, the Vijayanagara Kings ruled supreme. After their fall, the local chieftans or Nayaks and Palegars, became independent and started ruling from wherever they stayed. Later on the Haleri Kings defeated them all and ruled Kodagu from 1600-1834. From then on Kodagu came under the direct rule of the British. When India became independent in 1947, Kodagu (Coorg) also became a free land. In 1950 as per the new Indian Constitution, Coorg became a state. In 1956 a state reorganization took place. Coorg was merged with Karnataka and became a district in Karnataka, which it remains till today. It has 3 taluks or districts, Madikeri, Somavarapete and Veerajapete. Madikeri is also the district headquarters of Coorg.

Origin of Name


The Puranas refer to this land as Krodadesa or the land (desa) of the people blest by mother Goddess, River Cauvery (kod, meaning bless, and avva for mother Cauvery). The Puranic name for Coorg was also Matsyadesa (matsya, meaning fish) as is recorded in the Kaveri Purana. Down the ages, it came to be known as Kodagu and the people, Kodavas. This has further changed to Coorg. According to some sources, the word Kodagu is derived from the word “Kudu”, which means “Hilly place”.

People of Coorg

It is said about the Coorgs (or Kodavas as they are locally known) “They are easier to love than to like.” One of the most hospitable people in India, the doors of their homes are always open to guests. Cosmopolitan in their outlook, they make friends easily. Kodava texts do not speak much of their origins and so there is no one definite theory to prove it. However, according to one, the 2500 year-old civilization of the Kodavas has evolved from a synthesis of people that originally lived in the region of today’s Oman & Yemen. According to Yemen’s history, people from there had migrated to the Coorg region around the fifth century BC.
Yet another belief claims that Scythian Greek soldiers brought by Alexander of Macedonian, stayed on after his return and married the local women of Kodagu, to form a new, distinct race.
Some even call them the descendents of people belonging to the Mohenjodaro civilization. One of their branches travelled south and stayed on in this land of beauty.
All these different people might have adopted the local Hindu customs and married local women, but they kept their valuable traditions, dress and Peechekati (traditional dagger) intact. These are now the cultural treasures of the Coorgs.
The Coorgs today are Hindus. They are a martial race and belong to the Kshatriya community. The Kodavas follow Hinduism but are more liberal and independent than any other Hindu sect in customs relating to marriage, divorce, remarriage, festivals, worship, ceremonies, dialect and also dress. They are probably the only Indian community that does not observe the dowry system. Child marriages too are unheard of.
They worship ancestors (Karana), and the river Cauvery as mother Goddess, while Lord Iggutappa is the presiding deity. Most of the temples in villages have their origin in Kerala. The Brahmins from the Uttara/Dakshina (north/ south) Kannada districts look after the temples.
Coorg can be called a land of Generals- Field Marshall Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of free India, and General Thimmayya being the most well known of the lot. Almost every household has at least one person serving in the defense force. The birth of a male child, as well as their death ceremonies, are still celebrated with a gun salute.

Culture

Distinct Culture What strikes a first-time visitor to Coorg is probably its stunning beauty – both, of nature and of the people. Not only is Coorg beautiful to look at but its people are equally good looking. They are a fun-loving race, very friendly and pure of heart. Though Coorg is situated in Karnataka in the South of India, the marriage customs of the land seem a mix of the North and South along with some distinct customs of its own. The bride is always dressed in red just like a North Indian bride, unlike a Southern one, normally dressed in green or yellow. The groom’s attire is quite different from that of other Indian grooms. But he always carries a Peechekathi (traditional dagger) reminiscent of the long sword carried by the Northern groom.
And coffee is found throughout Coorg, literally. It is cultivated extensively and used as a beverage too. A visit to Coorg cannot be complete without savouring some delicious Coorg coffee. For the adventurous at heart, stay in Coorg is recommended on a coffee plantation, with coffee plantation owners playing host. A great experience!

Languages
Coorg has its own language known as “Kodava Tak”. It has no script. It is a combination of Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam with Kannada being the most influential of the three. Appaneravanda Appachakavi and Nadikeriyanda Chinnappa are two famous poets and writers of the Kodava language.

Folk Dances & Songs: The “Janapada” (folk) songs rendered during marriages, parties and at the time of deaths and births, even during fairs are very philosophical and have a lot of meaning. Most folk songs are related to specific occasions and there seems to be a song for almost every occasion. Huttariya kunitha, bolukata, ummathata, kolata, olagathata and kathiyata are some of the folk dances of the Coorgs.coorgWedding2

Attire: The Coorg attire is a little different from that of other Indian states. Men wear a traditional ‘Kupya’ or long, black, button less, short sleeved, V-neck coat, reaching below the knees and a ‘chaley’, a beautifully tasselled silken sash, at the waist. The ‘peechekathi’ or dagger is tucked in the sash at the right side. The ‘Mande Thuni” or turban, is flat at the top with ‘jari’ all around. Women wear the sari in a distinct fashion where the pallu doesn’t go over the shoulder but goes around the back, over the right shoulder and a beautifully crafted pin on the right collarbone holds it in place.

Customs: The dowry system quite prevalent among most Hindu communities is almost unknown here. Marriage ceremonies although held in traditional dresses, are performed without a Brahmin or puja. The elders help in the rituals and bless the couples. Another execption among the Hindus is the serving of non-vegetarian dishes and liquor in the weddings of the Kodava community.




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