Mysore/Mysuru: ‘Puthari Namme’, the harvest festival of Kodagu, marking the first harvest of paddy crop, was celebrated in a grand manner in the city yesterday at Kodava Samaja in Vijayanagar First Stage. It featured a variety of Kodava cultural events which drew applause from the audience.

The festival began with the performance of puja to deities Igguthappa and Cauvery followed by symbolic harvesting of paddy crop (kadiru) and firing in the air. Kodava men were dressed in their traditional ‘kupya-chele’, ‘peechekathi’ and ‘mande tuni’ while women were attired in their traditional red sarees  and ‘vasthra’.

They performed popular dances such as ‘kolata’, ‘bolakaat’, ‘kathiyaat’, ‘baalopaat’, ‘taalipaat’ and ‘ummathaat’. Children and youths were given preference this time. Their performance, especially that of children, who were also attired in traditional Kodava dress, was outstanding.

As part of the festival, special dishes such as ‘Puthari kalnji’, ’tambittu’ made out of fried kusubalakki and mixed with ripe banana, new rice payasam etc. were prepared and consumed at houses after prayers.

This was the first time that the ‘Puthari Namme’ was celebrated in Vijayanagar Kodava Samaja and this was because of incessant rains that has been lashing the city for the past few weeks. Cauvery Educational Institutions premise in Kuvempunagar was the usual venue.

For the celebrations yesterday, the harvested paddy was brought from the field owned by Cauvery Educational Institutions. Hundreds of Kodava community members took part in the event and received the blessings of deities.

Mysuru Kodava Samaja President Kekada M. Belliappa, Vice-President Mechanda M. Ponnappa, Secretary Malachira M. Ponnappa, Joint Secretary Padeyanda Vimala Poonacha, Treasurer Mukkatira M. Jeevan and others were present.

In Kodagu district

The festival was celebrated in a grand manner across Kodagu district. The festival began with the performance of ‘Nere Kattu’ at Kakkabbe’s Paadi Sri Igguthappa Temple in the auspicious Mithuna Lagna of Rohini Nakshatra at 7.05 pm, following which special rituals were performed and ‘Kadiru’ was harvested at 8.05 pm.

After the conduct of rituals, the festival was celebrated elsewhere across Kodagu district, including at Omkareshwara temple at Madikeri, Kodava Samaja, Gowda Samaja and other temples and places.

 At Omkareshwara temple, considered as the biggest temple at Madikeri, the ritual was done at 7.35 pm and subsequently ‘Kadiru’ was harvested inside the temple premises and taken inside the temple at 8.35 pm.

Later, the ‘Kadiru’ was taken to Madikeri Kodava Samaja along with Dudi Kotpaat, following which the customary ‘Took Bolcha’ was lit and offered puja. Thereafter ‘Kadiru’ was tied to the lamp and deities Igguthappa and Cauvery were offered prayers.

Similar rituals were held at Gowda Samaja and other places. As there were no paddy fields around, residents of Madikeri took the Nere and Kadiru from the Omkareshwara Temple to their homes and performed the rituals.

 Though the festival ended yesterday, celebrations will continue for a week in rural parts of Kodagu during which the traditional ‘Puthari Kolata’  will be performed along with other dance forms at ‘Mandh’, the designated place in villages.