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KODAVAME IS ABOUT BONDING: MEET PATTAMADA KALAPPA (DIKKA)

By P.T. Bopanna

The recent march from Kutta to Madikeri by the members of the Kodava community who hail from Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka, has given a new lease of life to the community.

Following the migration of Kodavas in large numbers to cities like Mysuru and Bengaluru, there were apprehensions that the community was losing its cultural moorings built over centuries.

With the migration, Kodavas began to follow the cultural practices of the mainstream society, thereby diluting the Kodava culture.  

The dwindling numbers of the Kodavas in Kodagu, was taken advantage of by other communities and groups to marginalize them in the district. Probably worried by their insecurity, the Kodavas decided to show their strength and unity by organizing the march.

The Kodava Samajas in Bengaluru and Mysuru play an important role in bringing together the community to keep their culture alive.

One of the senior-most members of the Bangalore Kodava Samaja located at Vasanthnagar, is Pattamada Kalappa (in picture), affectionately known as ‘Dikka’. He has been a member of Bangalore Kodava Samaj since 1951. He recalls there were only around 150 members when he joined the Samaja.

Kalappa Uncle, aged 95 years, does not miss a single function at the Samaja. He makes it a point to drive to the Samaja all by himself from his home located in Koramangala.

While the younger Kodavas are caught up in the rat race, Kalappa Uncle makes it a point to visit his Kodava friends. He will be the first one to arrive whenever there is a bereavement in a Kodava family known to him.   

The younger generation has a lesson to learn from him. Kodavame (Kodava way of life) is all about bonding and love. Through the Kodava Samaja, he has also donated towards the education of students.

Kalappa Uncle was working for HAL from where he retired in 1988 after 37 years of service.

Badalera Ganapathy Uncle who passed away recently in Bengaluru was also someone who kept in touch with all his Kodava friends.

The massive Kodava march has demonstrated the unity and strength in the Kodava community. Kodavame Balo should be the new slogan of Kodavas.