An unsung bond between the Kodavas and their ecology
The idea of space is built on the foundation of our objective realities. Throughout history, these objective realities have been perceived subjectively based on the idea of self and other. The Greeks identified us by river Sindhu which they called ‘Indus’, the Persian word for us was Hindu derived from the same river and the Sumerians called us Meluha or Delmuni. (Singh,2001). The idea of space in India is fascinating because different topographies carry within themselves the symbiotic relationships people have with their spaces.
India is conventionalized as the land of Animal Gods. This might seem ridiculous to a society that has always been anthropocentric, which strives even today to cement together bricks of capitalism to make an imperialist empire. But we Indians know that this was one way of instilling reverence towards our environment through religious fear. The age-old tradition of attributing human-like qualities to plants was to erase the gap between humans and ecology. It is to remind men that they are just like any other species on this planet and never superior. This belief stopped men from objectifying the forests around them as mere immobile entities.
Kodavas, the aborigines of Kodagu, Karnataka come from a martial lineage and are pagans who worship their ancestors. As a part of their culture, they pay respect to their reserved forests called Devara kadu.
These patches of land are dedicated to ferocious Gods and Goddesses and any form of degradation would lead to catastrophic events. Worshipping them and thus equating sacredness to wilderness is one way of conserving forest lands.
Like tribals across the globe, the Kodava community of Coorg has been the caretaker of the forest. They are the righteous keepers and cautious consumers of the forest and have always maintained the balance of biodiversity. Studies have shown that regions having a high saturation of tribal population have greener landscapes than the agrarian or industrial communities. (K.M., 2007) This is because natives have a sense of reverence towards ecology ingrained in their consciousness which influences their choice and their actions.
The relationship between the Kodavas and their immediate ecology is bridged by their traditional wisdom which contains relevant information about environmental phenology. Phenology is the science of understanding the cyclic natural phenomena in relation to plants, animals, life and climate. According to Martha Johnson, “Traditional wisdom is a body of knowledge built by a group of people through generations, living in close contact with nature. It includes a system of classification, a set of empirical observations about the local environment and a system of self- management that governs resource use” ( Tripathi et al., 2021)
The Kodavas of Kodagu believe that their traditional wisdom influences sustainable behaviour and reinforces the prominence of edible and medicinal flora by bringing them close to the sublimity of wilderness. Consequently, this wisdom becomes a part of their lifestyle, socio-cultural & religious practices, rituals, festivals and wellbeing.
In a community that has no written script, stories are preserved through practices, oral narratives and beliefs. Festivals as practices, especially, become a treasure chest of beliefs and wisdom. The Kodavas celebrate 3 festivals, starting with Kailpodh — a festival of armour and weapons that is celebrated on September 3rd. Kodavas hail from a martial race. Hence, guns and weapons have always been closely connected to their everyday life. The festival is celebrated with full enthusiasm after the completion of paddy transplantation. It is a period where men used weapons to protect their crops from wild animals for centuries. Therefore, the celebration of Kailpodh marks the act of honouring the natural forces and their ancestors for aiding the process of agriculture for it is laborious. During this festival, the Kodava clan worship their guns, Odikathi (broad sharp blade) accompanied by various other equipment, livestock and machinery that have played a crucial role in agriculture. Families come together to celebrate a short breathing spell with traditional delicacies made out of pork. In fact, the celebration of Kailpodh is incomplete without pork. Going back to an era where households consisted of joint families, the consumption of pork was considered to be a sustainable option to feed a large number of people. Hence, Kailpodh is a thanksgiving occasion where Kodavas make time to pay respect to their ecology and acknowledge all their natural resources as a blessing.
Next comes Kaveri Shankramana — the celebration of river Kaveri’s arrival to this mortal world. It is celebrated on the 1st day of Tulamasa according to the Hindu calendar. River Kaveri is known to spring in Talacauvery, a springboard from where she starts her venture to serve the world. For the Kodavas, Kaveri is not just a mere resource; she is considered as the supreme source of power who nurtures the sustenance of this land. Devotees across Kodagu prepare for celebration by cleaning their homes to welcome goddess Kaveri. At a particular time, these devotees worship their wells as it is the primary source of water. They break open a coconut, light camphor or incense and bring home a silver pot filled with water. This symbolises bringing goddess Kaveri home. The next day, this pot filled with holy water is decorated with fabric and adorned with gold ornaments to represent the Goddess. This occasion is called Kani Poojo. Kaveri , the guardian of the land is solemnized on this day — for in her absence, there is no life.
Puthari, the third festival, is celebrated towards the end of November and is considered the harvest festival for the Kodavas. They bring home a sheaf of paddy, hailing goddess Lakshmi. Paddy is held with great respect not because it is a source of food, but it is a symbol for prosperity, luck and fertility. The process of cultivating paddy has a lot of ecological benefits. “Bhoomi Boltho” or paddy cultivation is an organic process. Cattles were involved in growing paddy and their own dung was used as organic manure. The remains, after separating the grains from its husk, were always fed to the livestock. Therefore, the celebration of harvest does not mark the sustenance of humans alone but celebrates the preservation and nourishment of other species as well.
Major delicacies prepared during Puthari are with ‘Puthari Kalnji’ or exotic seasonal yams and turnips. The clan’s beliefs and principles drive them towards becoming conscious consumers rather than greedy exploiters. When these exotic yams are harvested, a small portion is left behind for other animals and creatures to feast on. It is also saved for the following year because if not, these exotic resources would face the brunt of extinction. These practices reveal the ecocentric nature of Kodavas and their traditional wisdom.
Kodava celebrations are not human-centred, but include other forces and creatures of nature. Flora and fauna have equal, if not a larger, contribution to the livelihood of the Kodavas than even themselves. For example, during “Karkada Masa” as the natives call it, the villagers are forbidden from cutting trees, hunting or fishing. A sense of godly fear is attached in order to instill reverence and a sense of discipline. Though these beliefs tend to be misunderstood as superstitions or blind faith, it is inappropriate to think so because, in reality, this particular season is dedicated to the ecosystem to revive and replenish itself. It engraves in human consciousness that men cannot always be the center and superior because nature is mightier. If we do not respect and value our resources, then our successors would have only extinct species trapped in dusty old pages.
