Our Customs
Birth
As soon as a Kodava woman delivers a male child, a gun is fired in the air to announce his birth. A bow and arrow made from the stalk of a leaf of the castor plant is placed in the baby’s hands (symbolic of the martial traditions of the Kodavas). If the child is a female, a bell-metal plate is struck to announce her birth.
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Like most Indian weddings, the Coorg wedding, or mangala as it is called in the Kodava language, is a fun-filled, colourful affair. It is a joyous celebration with much feasting and dancing, eagerly awaited by relatives and friends. It is also an occasion to meet, exchange news and gossip and look for matches for prospective brides and grooms; an occasion that allows women an opportunity to show off their saris and jewellery.
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Death
The corpse of one who has just died is laid on a mat on the floor, with the head to the south, and sacred Kaveri theertha is trickled into the mouth. The corpse is usually taken to the ainmane of the okka to which the person belongs, and death ceremonies are conducted there.
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