Kodavas cherished pursuing patriotic passions. Thus, one changed into being part of the nation’s defense forces, and the opposite was to play the national game. Hence, it changed into said that a Kodava was born with a hockey stick in one hand and a gun in any other.
Hockey becomes no longer just a game in Kodagu; it turned into a way of living. Kodagu’s youngsters practiced and excelled in hockey. There was untapped talent in Kodagu. However, there was no way to illustrate it.
Considering this, Pandanda Kuttappa (Kutani) and his brother Kashi Ponnappa decided to begin the once-a-year Kodava hockey pageant in 1997. “I wanted this festival to be of use to kids. I wanted them to get a danger to play for India,” says Kuttappa, former first-department hockey umpire.
That year, Kuttappa’s prolonged circle of relatives helped organize the occasion. Teams from 60 Kodava clans got here to take part. The Kaliyanda team gained the Pandanda cup. The occasion is referred to as a festival (name, in Kodava language), and no longer a tournament as it facilitates deliver humans collectively to celebrate. Every 12 months, one Kodava clan conducts the event, and the cup is named after the extended family. The Kodava Hockey Academy governs the yearly competition.
The academy also decides which circle of relatives can organize the event in a specific year. As of now, families have been decided to organize the match till 2025. According to Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa, any circle of relatives that wants to organize the festival must follow the Kodava Hockey Academy. The software will be checked and considered on a primary-come-first-serve basis. They decided that the family could have a year to put together for engaging in the occasion. The kingdom authorities partially price range the occasion in most years. Lok Sabha MP for Mysore-Kodagu also presents some money. The relaxation of the money is accrued with the aid of the circle of relatives through donations.
The family places together with a committee that is responsible for setting up the event. They pick a convenient floor and set up all the centers close to the circle of relatives’ ancestral residence. According to the Limca Book of Records, the Kodava hockey pageant is the most important and the longest hockey event in India. This is probably the world’s largest circle of relatives match as nicely. In 2018, 329 teams participated in the Kulletira Cup held in Napoklu. Men, ladies, and kids take part in the match. There is not any bar on age or gender. Among the prominent girls, gamers are goalkeeper Shivachaliyanda Nilan (Ekalavya awardee) and Malama Lilavati.
In 2014, the Thathanda circle of relatives organized a rink hockey occasion for 35 families. Later, codecs have been supported: league matches for champions who often made it to the semifinals and knockouts for others.
In current instances, several comparable own family tournaments along with Kodava cricket, badminton, tug-of-warfare and golf, Kodagu Gowda cricket, Kodagu Heggade hockey, Amma Kodava cricket, Yerava cricket, Kodagu Muslim soccer, and volleyball activities are held in Kodagu.
The champions
There are a few sturdy circles of relatives teams who regularly make it to the top. The Palanganda crew has won the pageant the best range of instances (5). They entered the finals 8 instances (between 2006-2016).
Kodagu has produced several Hockey Olympians like Maneyapanda M Somaya, Muller P Ganesh, BP Govinda, Arjun Halappa, and S V Sunil. Most of the prevailing groups have Olympians in their midst. The Koothanda crew, led via former Olympian KK Poonacha, comes a near 2d, having received the pageant 4 times (which include the 1999 draw with the Kulletira team) between 1998-2008. The Cheppudira crew, with another Olympian C S Poonacha, had been the runners-up inside the 2001 edition.
Olympian goalkeeper Anjaparavanda B Subbaiah’s group has been constant over time for the reason that 1997. They had been winners two times and inside the finals five instances. Subbaiah attributes the crew’s fulfillment to the outstanding character efforts of its gamers.
The Kaliyanda crew gained thrice and came 2nd twice. The Nellamakkada group received three times and hosted the 2001 Cup. Kulletira won all of the 3 times it got here to the finals. The Mandepanda group gained the event as soon as.
In the 2018 finals, the protecting champion Chendanda scored two goals and didn’t permit Anjaparavanda to score. Two Olympians have been on the field: Nikkin Thimmaiah, a younger ahead, and Subbaiah, veteran purpose-keeper.
