“Puttari” – Poli Poli Deva
Kodava nadhra janakh
Puthari nammera shubashaya...
“Puttari” means the harvest festival or rather the rice harvest festival which this community celebrates annually. Along with the other two festivals, namely the Kalipodhu and Kaveri Sankramana, Puttari is an exuberant time for the Kodavas as it brings the entire family and community together. As much of Kodagu is used for agriculture, this particular fiesta is of great importance.
Banana leaves, green mango and colourful flowers are used to decorate the house and the lane leading to the field. The ‘sickle’ plays a crucial role during this festival. Assembling at the ‘Aine mane’ (the Kodava ancestral home), the oldest member of the family hands the sickle to the head of the family and along with a women who carries a lamp in her hand, leads the entire procession. Singing the song ‘Polipoli deva’ the harvesting of rice begins as the gun shot is fired and the stacks of rice are then bundled up which are then offered to the almighty.
Puttari is Here!
This entire process is highly symbolic and ritualistic. Added to this, firecrackers are lit, gifts are exchanged and delicious lip-smacking authentic Kodava dishes are made, making this festival a joyous one. However the festivities don’t end here. What follows is the communal dinner with the money collected a week later. Pork curry, polipoli, tambattu and fish curry are some of the dishes prepared to make this dinner a lavish and sumptuous feast.
Kodavas don’t celebrate their festivals in a sober manner; proud of their culture and heritage, they don’t step back when it comes to rejoicing in a gregarious manner. If there’s something one should really look forward on seeing in Coorg, it is their manner of celebration. It will leave you stunned.