Madikeri: It was an amalgamation of Kodava culture and tradition to revive the age old festivities through ‘Puttari Namme’ organised by Kodava Sahitya Academy in association with Kunjalageri temple.
Inaugurating the festivity, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) executive engineer, Battakalanda Muthanna called upon Kodava people to preserve Mandhmani culture and lauded the efforts of Kodava Sahitya Academy for striving to revive and preserve the culture and tradition.
Presiding over the function, Kodava Sahitya Academy president Biddathanda S. Thammiah said, “Kodava Mandh has been reopened in many places to re-establish the past glory and if people continue to practice ‘Aat, Pat and Padipu’, the holiness of the place can be preserved.”
Without Kembatti community, Kodava heritage does not exist and in the age old system, the Valaga (drums) beats worked in tandem with thought and action of the natives, he said. Keeping that in mind, the academy provided necessary assistance and equipments to preserve the Kembatti culture, he clarified.
UCO organisation convenor Kokkalemada Manju Chinnappa called upon people to assemble in native Kodagu itself to preserve the culture and its holiness and not destroy the same while showcasing at other locations for fun.
Kumari Pratibha welcomed the gathering with her sterling dance performance where as a team led by Swathi performed Kolat. Villagers and different dance troupes enthralled the gathering with diverse dance performances and games including Bolakaat, Ummatat, Thaliyat, Devara id, Pareyakali and Kapala Kali to make ‘Puttari Namme’ celebrations truly memorable.
