BANGALORE: It is 100 years since Kodavas engraved their community’s existence in Bangalore with the formation of The Kodava Samaja Bangalore (KSB). Though the club is celebrating their centenary this year, the community has integrated itself with the culture of the City even as they managed to keep their identities distinct and intact to a large extent.City Express tries to track the development of this fun-loving community since the Samaj’s inception in 1911.Eight Kodava families comprising a total of 30 members came together in 1911 to form the ‘Coorg Association’, which was later renamed as Kodava Samaja Bangalore in 1962. The number of KSB’s members is in excess of 15,000 today. Though the community is essentially South Indian, they claim they have nothing in common with a typical ‘South Indian’.Ironically, there is nothing ‘small’ about this relatively ‘small’ community; be it their cuisine, their life style and aspirations, their culture and most importantly, their physical appearance. Neanderthal noses, big chests, an air of belligerence, and an even bigger appetite for ‘pork and rum’, add to their distinct and characteristic features.But are these the only differences? City Express spoke with president of KSB Chepudira M Thilak Subbiah to find out more. Stating the obvious, the president reiterated, “We are a distinct community.” Adding more, he said that the community has a few other trivia that didn’t just differ with the South Indians, but all of the country as well.“We have no system of dowry and we also allow widow re-marriage in our community,” he said. Adding to this, he also mentioned that contrary to many other communities, the birth of a girl child is a ‘very proud moment’ for them. “There is no poojary (priest) who conducts weddings and other important ceremonies,” he informed and added that the village and family elders conduct it as they consider it another form of respecting their elders.“Their distinctions are not just inherent, but also achieved,” Codanda Susheela Chengappa, a member and teacher at the KSB run Cauvery School said. She shared that at one point in time the ‘Kodavas’ or the Coorg district was one of the largest contributor of personnel from a district to the Indian Armed forces and the Indian Hockey team.One mention of the community and names of personalities now synonymous with the community, such as Field Marshall K M Cariappa, General Thimmiah, M P Ganesh, A B Subbiah, Ashwini Nachappa and more come out, she added.Considered one of the more ‘polished’ communities, the Kodavas have donned other significant roles as well.From politicians to diplomats and bureaucrats, they have reached prominent roles. So, name a topic, and at least one fond memory of a Kodava personality associated with the subject will pop up in the conversation.But the community which comes across as ‘invincible’ are facing a different problem these days. “These days there are many cases of inter-caste marriages, which is not good for the preservation of the community,” said Codanda Shan Kutappa, an active member of Kodavamme, a forum formed by Kodava youth to safeguard, protect and promote the culture.Speaking with City Express, he said that since they were a small community, there should be more onus to keep it intact and urbanisation should not be a cause for further fragmentation, but that it should act as a platform for ‘solidification’.The youth forum has also carried out rallies against existing road conditions in Coorg and other relevant issues that directly affect the community.“It is true that over the years people have migrated to various cities, but this does not mean that any person who leaves their hometown, must leave their culture behind as well.""We are Kodavas by birth and our elders have given us much to be proud about. It is our responsibility as the youth, representing the community, to preserve and promote the quintessential Kodava”, he said.
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