Coorg Festivals - Kailpodh

Early in the month of Leo (July—August), the hard labours of the ploughing, sowing and transplanting of rice are over, there is a lull in the monsoon, and now and then a most lovely day spreads its bright light and sunny warmth over the hills and valleys, forests and fields of Coorg.

(Update - This year, i.e. 2012, Kailpodh is on 3rd September.)

On the morning of Kailpodh, the whole armoury of the house is collected in the verandah, gun and spear, bow and arrow, sword and knife. Some of the young men sit down to varnish the familiar weapons. When this is done, they are carried to some room or to the centre hall, the nadu mane, and there placed in a corner. All now wait for the muhurta, the propitious time assigned by the astrologer. At the right moment incense is burned before the weapons, sandalwood paste is dotted upon them in profusion, and a show-offering of rice and other food (nivedya) is made to them as to idols. As soon as this ceremony is over, a mat is placed before the weapons, and the whole house sits down to lunch.

After the meal, the men take their arms and proceed to the Uru mandu or village-green to spend the afternoon in shooting at a mark, and in athletic exercises. When the evening sets in, the people disperse.

In earlier days, when hunting had not been banned, on the next morning of Kailpodh, the youths assembled for a hunt in the forest belonging to the village. Of whatever game was brought down, the man who had killed the animal received a hind-quarter and the head, the rest belonged to the group. This day was followed by a great hunt of the whole Nadu, a repetition of the village hunt on a larger scale. Kailpodh, to the taste of young Coorg, is the most glorious of all the festivals.

 

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Coorg Festivals - Puthari

The Puthari feast is held in honour of the annual rice harvest. The name is derived from the Malayalam pudi-ari, new rice, by the rules of Coorg grammar transformed into Puthari. The festival occurs under the sign Scorpio, which succeeds Libra. The Malayalam festival takes place two months before that of Coorg, because the rice on the coast ripens two months earlier.

Six days before the chief festival of tasting the new rice, all the males, from six to sixty years of age, assemble on one of the Mands of the Grama, after sunset. Mand is the name of the open public place in which business is transacted or festive games carried on. Gramas have generally three Mands, one called the Panchayati-mand for business; a second, Devara-mand, on which dances are performed in the name of Bhagavati during the after-Puthari days; a third, Oor-mand (i.e. the Mand of the village) on which the Puthari performances take place.

Three Coorg men step into the centre of the open space, and call aloud three names: Ayappa! Mahadeva! Bhagavati! The men stand in a triangle, their faces towards the centre, their backs towards the company. Ayappa is the Coorg forest-god; Mahadeva, the Siva of the Hindus, and Bhagavati his wife.

The chandu-kutti, or ball-and-peg play, now follows. The whole assembly takes part in it, the moon shedding a bright silver light on the scene. A peg is driven into the centre of the chosen ground. A piece of rope is fastened to it by a loose loop. The people who make this preparation, seize some one who must hold this rope. A piece of wood, generally of a creeper called odi, is cut into seven parts, which are called chandu, i.e. balls. The man holding the rope puts six of these balls in a circle round the peg at a distance of the rope's length, the seventh is deposited close by the peg. The whole company now endeavour to pick off the balls without being touched by their guardian. The player in the centre, always keeping the rope's end in one hand, turns round and round, and tries to touch one of the aggressors. If he succeeds, the person touched must take his place and the play recommences. When six balls are abstracted, the seventh must be moved to the distance of one foot from the peg. When this also is lost, the man has to run through the whole crowd, and escape without being caught to the musicians' place. If he reaches this asylum in safety, the play is won and finished. If he be caught on his way, he is brought before the nettleman, an officer of the play-court, who has been waiting all the time with a long angare stick - a large fierce nettle - in his hand, for the victim. His hands and feet are well touched with it, and the play ends.

The assembly next perform different kinds of plays and dances, which one generation learns from another. These appear to represent the wars which in ancient times were waged between people of different districts, and are accompanied with all manner of jokes and buffoonery. The broader the humour the more it is relished.

The seventh or great day of the Puthari falls on the full moon. Early in the morning, before dawn, a quantity of leaves of the asvatha (ficus religiosa), kumbali and keku (wild trees), some hundred of each for big houses, together with a piece of a creeper called inyoli, and some fibrous bark called achchi, are collected and deposited in a shaded place for the use of the evening. At sunset the whole house prepares for a hot bath. The precedence is given to the person whom the astrologer has chosen in the morning for the ceremony of cutting the first sheaves. On his return from bathing, he repairs to the threshing floor, spreads the Puthari mat, and while the rest are engaged in their ablutions cuts the inyoli creeper into small pieces, rolls each piece into three leaves - one of the asvatha, one of the kambali and one of the keku, in the fashion of a native cheroot, and ties up the little bundle with a bit of achchi fibre. All the bundles are placed in the Puthari basket.

Now the women take a large dish, strew it with rice, and place a lighted lamp in it. This done, the whole household march towards the fields. Arrived at the chosen spot, the young man binds one of the leaf scrolls from his basket to a bush of rice, and pours milk into it. He then cuts an armful of rice close to it and distributes two or three stalks to every one present. Some stalks are also put into the vessel of milk. No one must touch the cutter of the first-fruits. All then return to the threshing floor, shouting as they move on: "Poli, poli, Deva!" (increase, God!). A bundle of leaves is adorned with a stalk of rice, and fastened to the post in the centre of the threshing floor.

Festival ends with the ninth day Nad-kolu, which is an assembly of the whole district and in the afternoon of the tenth day, the Devara-kolu which is a stick-dance in honor of Bhagavati. Dinners are held at different houses of appointment, and terminate on the eleventh day with a large public dinner, which is given on some open plain in the forest, when the musicians, bards, drummers, Holeyas and Medas unite their exertions to give eclat to the festivity.

The Bhagavati feast takes place during the two months preceding the monsoon. Different localities differ in the time of its celebration. Two or three villages have one Bhagavati temple in common, and support it jointly. The feast lasts nine days. During the first six days, every morning and evening, the idol is carried three times round the temple in procession.

The Bhagavati festival is celebrated with less vigour that the three main festivals and is one of the Coorg festivals which depict a lot of Brahmanic influences.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Coorg Festivals - Kaveri Sankramana

The festivals of the Coorgs are not numerous. The two great annual festivals take place in quick succession, towards the end of the year - the Kaveri Sankramana in Tula masa i.e. the time of the sun's entering into the sign of Libra in October; and the Puttari or Harvest feast in November or December. The Bhagavati festival is observed all over Coorg before the monsoon, in April and May; and in late August or early September, generally at the first break in the monsoon, the Kailmurta (Kailpodh) or festival of arms, is celebrated by the youths and men of Coorg.

About the middle of October all Coorg prepares for the grand festival of Kaveri. Every Coorg house sends one or two representatives to Tala-Kaveri. With the last ascent of a small elevation near the foot of the Tala-Kaveri hill, the view of the upper basin of the Kaveri valley, which is rather wide and flanked by steep hills, suddenly bursts upon the view. The Bhagamandala temple with its copper roof is conspicuous in the middle of the valley and close to the Kaveri. Hundreds are engaged in bathing in the sacred stream before they enter the temple, which forms a large square with an open centre, like a Coorg house.

Near the summit there is an overhanging rock, called Bhima Kallu, which forms a sheltering abode for some fakirs during the festive season.

The source of the river is enclosed by a stone basin, over which a small shrine of granite slabs is built. From this reservoir the pure water percolates into a tank of about 30 feet square, which by an outlet keeps the water to a level of 2.5 feet. On two sides there are rough stone terraces, scooped out of the hill side, and above the third terrace, on a clip of the hill, there is a small square temple dedicated to Ganapati, with a few huts close by for the abode of the resident Brahman pujari.

At the moment, as fixed by the astrologer, of the sun's entering into the sign of Libra, whether by day or by night, the pilgrim who is anxious to experience the full power of the sin-cleansing bath, must descend into the holy tank. Before leaving, most of the pilgrims fill a hollow reed (watte) with water from the sacred spring, and carry it home for the benefit of their relatives and for purifying their wells. The effectual bathing season lasts for a whole month, but with decreasing virtue.

The Kaveri day is celebrated also in the Coorg houses by those who remain at home. Before sunrise, the mistress of the house leaves her bed early, takes a brass dish, throws into it a handful of rice, and having spread it over the whole plate, puts a common lamp, which has been in daily use, into the centre. The burning lamp is surrounded with flowers gathered from a garden or the jungle. To these a fresh young cucumber is added. Then a red handkerchief is placed behind the lamp. Upon the handkerchief some jewel of gold or silver is laid. This done, she proceeds to bake little cakes from a dough of rice-flour and plantains, well kneaded together on the preceding night, upon a stone mould well heated, three of these little cakes are added to the contents of the plate.

Traditionally, one of the men of the house, used to take three or five of the fresh cakes and carry them down to the rice-fields. There he would put the cakes upon one of the bamboo sticks which have been placed in every field on the preceding day, crowned with a bundle of kaibala creepers. When the cakes are duly laid upon the top of the creeper-crowned pole, the man would give three loud shouts and then return to the house.

And thus ends the Day of Kaveri.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Coorg Law of Inheritance

The following paras detail the prescriptive law of inheritance as followed by Coorg houses. Note that these laws have been captured by Lewis Rice in the 19th century. They may have undergone changes and hence everyone is welcome to leave comments which identify noticeable deviations.

Sons, grandsons, brothers, brothers' sons, daughters, daughters' sons, cousins, and adopted sons have the right of succession to inherit property successively, in the order here mentioned. Property, in default of offspring, on the death of a man devolves on his widow; if he leaves a son under age, the widow is his guardian, and takes possession of the property. If the deceased leaves neither wife nor sons, but a grandson and a brother, or a brother's son, the property is divided, provided the family be undivided; but if it be divided the grandson takes possession of the whole property. The law of primogeniture, however, now prevails and division is strictly prohibited.

If the deceased leaves neither wife, nor children, nor grandsons, the property devolves on his brother or his brother's sons, if any, as the nearest relations. In cases where the deceased has left neither wife nor sons nor brothers, but a daughter not married, the relations of the family put her in possession of the property, and dispose of her in marriage, and on her death her husband or her sons inherit it. But if a man dies leaving a daughter not married, and a brother's son or a grandson, the family being undivided, the property used to be liable to a division. In failure of the preceding persons, the property used sometimes to descend to the cousins, and sometimes not, as the Government determined. In cases where the deceased leaves a son under age without relatives to protect him, the Government appoints the head of the village to act as guardian to the boy and to take charge of his patrimony until he attains his majority, which ranges from 16 to 20 years according to the maturity of judgment shown by the individual, when he puts his ward in possession of it, and renders him an account of receipts and disbursements during the period of his nonage.

If the deceased has left no children, the widow adopts a child of her relations, if procurable, or otherwise of her tribe, and he succeeds to the property on his attainment of the proper age, provided he has been adopted formally and according to the usage of the clan.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

1871 Coorg Census

It appears from Dr. Moegling's book that on an official estimate made in 1839-40, there were at that time 17,096 Coorgs and 64,341 people of other castes in Coorg, or a total of 81,437. After the annexation of the country in 1834, the numbers considerably increased, and in 1854 Dr. Moegling estimates the Coorgs at 25,000, and the total population at 125,000 to 135,000. If these figures are reliable, they indicate an increase at the rate of 70 per cent in 14 years.

The total population of Coorg, according to the census taken on the night of the 14th November 1871, was 168,312, composed as follows -

The distribution by taluks is as follows –

The strength of the Hindu orders is as follows –

  

The following are the subdivisions and numbers of the Sudra castes –

Three classes of Wandering Tribes as follows –

Four classes of Wild Tribes as follows –

The following table shows the classification and distribution of Muslims –

The different classes of Christians are distributed as follows –

We can find details of the 2011 census at the following link –

http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/259-kodagu.html

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Doddavva of Alamanda House

In the 17th century, there was a woman called Dodda Avva who lived at Alamanda house, in the village of Armeri, which belongs to Beppu-nad. She was the mistress of the Alamanda property, being the only child of rich parents. She was a woman of extraordinary size and strength of body. Nor was she less distinguished by qualities of mind and character. Throughout the country, she was known as the wisest, the richest, the strongest of Coorg women. Independent owner of a Coorg estate, she was at liberty to choose a husband for herself. Her choice fell upon a man of the same clan - Uthappa, a son of the Machanda house. He was a good sort of a husband, but much inferior every way to his great wife. Perhaps she had chosen him for this very reason. His place in the house was rather that of head-servant, than of husband and master.

Every year the people of Armeri used to send a caravan to Irkur, in the low country, near Cannanore, to fetch salt. At other times caravans, carrying rice to the coast, would start from Armeri during the dry season. On such occasions Dodda Avva would herself attend to every thing, put the cattle in readiness, prepare provisions, and at last accompany her husband and his oxen to the place of meeting appointed for the whole train from the village. On parting, she would recommend her husband and his beasts to the kind offices of the best men in the caravan, and return home to her great house and her large business. Often, when husband or servants appeared too slow in loading the oxen, she would bid them step aside, and quietly taking up the double sacks with both hands, lay them softly and evenly upon the backs of the cattle — such was her strength.

She was equally famed for wisdom and honesty. On this account Muddu Raja, who ruled Coorg in her time, greatly respected and reverenced her, and often, on coming to Beppu-nad, stopped to have a talk with Dodda Avva of Alamanda house. In course of time Dodda Avva became the mother of four daughters, but to her great grief no son was granted her to succeed to the Almanda property. When the daughters came of age, she gave them in marriage to sons of neighbouring landholders. The eldest became the wife of a member of the Palekanda family, the second married into the Pulanda house, the third was given to the Amnichanda family. The youngest, by a general agreement of the chiefs, was also given to the Palekanda house, but, as heiress of the Almanda property, she was to give her sons, if she bore any, to her mother. This daughter, the youngest, bore four sons in succession. Of these, the two eldest were brought up by their grandmother Dodda Avva at Almanda. The name of one was Thimmaiah, that of the other Machaiah. Machaiah had a son Ayappa, whose son was Bollu, the father of Stephanas, formerly Somayya, the first Coorg Christian.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

The Coorgs

The Coorgs, or Kodavas as they are properly called, are the principal tribe of Coorg, and from time immemorial the lords of the soiL. For the last 5 centuries they are known as a compact body of mountaineers, who resemble more a Scotch clan than a Hindu caste. In the Hindu scale they are Sudras, but it ought to be the right of the Coorgs to discard the notion of caste altogether, which in fact does not apply to them, and to stand upon their own merits as Kodavas, the remarkable mountain clan of Coorg.

The Coorgs are tall, muscular, broad chested, strong limbed and swiftfooted. Men of 6 feet and above are not uncommon. Their features are regular, often distinguished by an aquiline nose and finely chiselled lips, set off by a well trimmed moustache, as worn by their Rajas and men distinguished for bravery. The colour of the Coorgs is lighter than what might be expected under this latitude.

Sir Erskine Perry, in a publication of 1853, says, "The inhabitants of Coorg, in independent bearing, good looks, and all the outward signs of well being, are by far the finest race I have seen in India."

The principal Coorg dress is a long coat (kupya) of white or blue cotton, or dark coloured cloth and even velvet. It reaches below the knees, and is open in front; if not white, it has short sleeves, under which longer ones of a different colour extend to the wrist. The coat is held together by a red or blue sash of cotton or silk, which is several times wound round the waist, and which holds the never failing Coorg knife, with ivory or silver handle and chains of the same metal. A red kerchief, or the peculiarly fashioned turban, which is large and flat at the top and covers a portion of the back of the neck, forms the head-dress.

The Coorg warrior looks more imposing. His dress is of the same cut, but of coarser material and shorter. In addition to his handy waistknife (picha-katti), he wears on his back, in a strong clasp of brass, the curved, broad-bladed Coorg knife (odu-katti). The long matchlock gun is now more a weapon of curiosity than of practical use. In the times of their Rajas, during their wars with Mysore and Malabar, and in their marauding expeditions, the Coorgs proved themselves brave soldiers, and were dreaded for their fierce intrepidity.

The personal appearance of the Kodavatis or Coorg women is not less striking than that of the men. They are remarkably fair, of goodly stature, and many are really beautiful. Their festive costume is one of the most becoming that can be seen in India.

The Amma Kodavas form a small and exclusive sect. They are believed to have been the indigenous priesthood. In language, manners and costume, they are hardly distinguished from other Coorgs, only they wear the brahmanical cord and abstain from animal food and fermented liquor. Their name Amma Kodava or Mother's Coorgs denotes that they are priests devoted to the service of Kaveri Amma, or Mother Kaveri. They have no sacred books or shastras, nor do they exercise any spiritual influence over the people.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

The Arms Act

During the Mutiny in 1857, the Coorgs enjoyed the confidence of the British Government to such a degree, that after its suppression Sir Mark Cubbon, the Chief Commissioner, issued to them the following Notification, in English and Canarese, bearing at its head a medallion representing a Coorg in his full array as a warrior.

Notification dated 26th February 1861

In consideration of the exalted honour, loyalty and intrepidity characteristic of this little nation of warriors, and in recollection of its conspicuous services in aid of the British Government, it is my pleasing duty to notify hereby for general information, in virtue of the power vested in me by the Government of India, that the provisions of the Act commonly called the Disarming Act are not applicable to the gallant people of Coorg.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

The Coorg Medal

After the 1837 rebellion,  the Coorgs were most abundantly praised by the British Government for their loyalty, and in recognition of their services Rs. 20,000 of Vira Raja's recaptured treasure were ordered to be divided amongst those employed on the expedition. But they requested that they might be honoured with other distinctions in lieu; consequently they were rewarded with jaghir lands to a great extent, and pensions for three generations, with horses, gold and silver medals, and broad cloth, according to their merits, or perhaps to the different degrees of relationship and friendship in which they stood to the Divans.

The Coorg medal, in gold, weighs 7 tolas without the chain and 11.5 tolas with, and is two inches in diameter. On one side it represents a Coorg warrior in fighting attitude, and on the other it bears, round a wreath which encircles the Coorg knives—the picha-katti and the udu-katti—the following inscription in English: 'For distinguished conduct and loyalty to the British Government. Coorg, April 1837.' The same inscription in Canarese is given on the reverse side.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Coorg Rebellion of 1837

The Coorg Rebellion was, properly speaking, a rising of the Gowdas, a tribe on the western slope of the Ghats, who resemble the Coorgs in many of their habits. These were disaffected to the Company's Government. After the annexation of Coorg, the districts of Amara-Sulya, Puttur and Bantwala, the latter adjoining that of Mangalore, had been re-transferred to the province of Canara, from which they had been originally taken. Under the Coorg Rajas the assessment had been paid in kind. The Collector of Mangalore now demanded cash payment. This was considered a grievance, as the farmers were laid under tribute by the money changers. One of the four Divans, the above named Lakshmi Narayana, a Brahman, who was displeased with the ascendancy of his Coorg brother-Devans, made political capital out of the ill feeling of the Gaudas. A brother of his, at Sulya in the low country, was in league with some rich and influential men of the malcontent Gowda. The insurgents assembled at Sulya. They were a mere rabble, but they made a successful attack at Puttur on the Collector of Mangalore and two companies of sepoys. A party of the rebels, whose courage and numbers increased after their unexpected success, advanced to Mangalore, opened the gaol, and with the assistance of the prison fraternity, burnt and looted the kacheri and some civilians' houses situated on the hills overlooking the town. All the Europeans of the station were seized with a panic. The civilians, who fled on board a ship bound for Cannanore, were spectators of the conflagration of their houses, and thought the whole country was in arms. The Commanding Officer held a council of war, and would have embarked the garrison had boats been procurable. But they soon recovered their presence of mind, and had no difficulty in maintaining their ground and restoring order; so that when the troops immediately sent from Cannanore and Bombay arrived, they found nobody to fight with.

Though this was altogether a Gowda affair, a rising was also planned amongst the Coorgs at Nalknad and Beppunad, and amongst the Badagas in the Panje, Bellare and Subrahmanya districts, and the northern parts of Coorg inhabited by the late Raja's trusted and favoured Sivacharis. Also the relatives, connections and ever ready tools of the late Devan Kunta Basava were there.

But this insurrection was put down with little shedding of blood and Coorg was once again at peace.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

The End of Coorg Royalty

After being deposed, Chikka Vira Raja had to leave Mercara under the escort of two English regiments commanded by Col. Stewart who delivered him over at Bangalore to the charge of the Commissioner of Mysore on the 12th May 1834. A number of his wives accompanied him. In their palkis and his own he concealed vast sums of money in gold, so that the bearers could hardly carry their loads. At the first halting place beyond the frontier of Coorg, at Sirlecote, he buried a great quantity of treasure, for he found the concealment no longer safe, as he was allowed to carry away only ten thousand rupees. A certain Karyagara from Nalkanad, who accompanied the Raja, afterwards helped himself to a large amount of this treasure, and when the secret oozed out, he found it necessary toinform Captain Le Hardy that he knew of treasure secreted by the Raja. An elephant was despatched to the eastward under the guidance of the honest Coorg, who faithfully delivered to the Company all he had left there, and received a reward of Rs. 1,000 for his loyal honesty.

From Bangalore the ex-Raja proceeded to Vellore, and finally to Benares, where he drew a monthly pension of Rs. 6,000 out of the Coorg revenue. The British Government confiscated the money deposited in Government securities by his uncle Dodda Vira Raja; still the Raja was in possession of the valuable jewelry of his murdered cousin Devammaji, which, together with the money carried away from Coorg, enabled him to play, though under Government surveillance, the role of a rich Indian Prince, and to keep up through paid agents a secret correspondence with Coorg, reviving from time to time rumours of his return to the Principality which caused no little anxiety to the English Superintendent of Coorg. When the ex-Raja was convinced of the hopelessness of ever regaining his Principality, he demanded the payment of the capital of Rs. 680,000, the inheritance of his cousin Devammaji, the interest of which he drew up to 1833 through Messrs. Binny & Co. in Madras. But in vain.

At last, in 1852, he obtained leave from Lord Dalhousie to visit England with his favourite daughter Gauramma, who was then ten years old, in order to give her the advantages of an European education. Arrived there, he expressed a wish to have her brought up in the Christian faith. Queen Victoria took an interest in the Indian Princess, and at her baptism, on the 30th June 1852, stood sponsor through the Archbishop of Canterbury, and gave her the name 'Victoria.' By this achievement feeling himself strong in the royal favor, the ex-Raja commenced a chancery suit against the East India Company for the recovery of the Rs.680,000, but it dragged on a weary course. Meanwhile, in 1858, the Government of India was placed under the Crown and his suit fell to the ground.

The Coorg Princess Victoria Gauramma was, by the Queen, first placed in charge of the wife of Major Drummond, and then entrusted to Sir John Login—the former guardian of Dhulip Sing—in whose family she received a most careful and pious education. She eventually married an English officer, but the union was not a happy one, and she died on the 1st April 1864. Her husband and child afterwards mysteriously disappeared, and have never been heard of since. Vira Raja had died before, and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery in London.

Thus ended with Vira Raja Wodeyar, the Royal House of Coorg, the line of the Rajas of Haleri.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Chikka Vira Rajendra - The Proclamations

Following was the proclamation published by Chikka Vira Raja (Possibly a literal translation) -

Proclamation published for the information and guidance of the Hindus, Musalmans, Palegars, Public servants, Ryots, Chetty Merchants, and people of other castes in Hindustan.

1. It is well known that the Kaffers, Nasara (Christians), low Pheringhies, with the view of converting people of other religions to their dirty faith, have ill intentionally polluted the Devastanams, Muszeeds, and other temples at Bangalore, Cuddapah, Mussulibunder, Nagpoor, Eameetpet and several other countries, sent out their padres and ruined them. This circumstance being certainly too well impressed on the mind of every one, what more need be said?

2. Those who have from time to time strenuously attempted to convert, by force, people of other religions to their faith, have by the commands of God perished—but set this aside, an instance in proof of this may be given. Tippu Sultan attempted to force all the other religions to embrace his religion and with this view ruined a great number of people, destroyed the Hindu temples and committed various sorts of oppressions; which acts not being acceptable to God, he was destroyed. This fact is well known to all of you. Now the Kaffers, Nasara, low Pheringhies have in like manner commenced to destroy the religion observed by people of different castes, and to introduce their own religion. When evil comes, people lose their senses. "When death comes, medicine avails naught; thus then their end is fast approaching. There is no doubt of it. The Hindus and Musalmans having respectively consulted their Shasters have found, that if for the protection of their religions, these Kaffer, Nasara, Pheringhies be now fought with, God will help us and make us successful. There is no doubt of this, so let all be fully convinced of it.

3. These Kaffers, Nasara, low Pheringhies have now wickedly determined to wage war with the Halery Samsthanam, and have accordingly collected some black people of Hindustan whom they are going to send in front, that they may all be cut down and the race thus annihilated in some degree, thinking that by these means they will be able easily to convert the rest to their faith. It is therefore to protect people of all castes against such invasion, the Halery Samsthanam have determined to meet with arms these Kaffers, Pheringhies, Nasaras. Accordingly, if all of you will join the army of the Halery Samsthanam, you will not only be defended but you will also render the devastation of those Kaffers, Pheringhies quite easy; after this is done you will be protected and enabled to live happy and contented, following the religion of your respective castes unmolested. Do not think that another such opportunity will offer itself again.

4. To avert the evil which threatens you now, we have taken all this trouble and published this proclamation. Should any of you pay no attention to it, but keep yourself neutral, you will at last find yourselves under the yoke of the Pheringhies, lose your caste, and experience the greatest misery to the end of your lives, and after death you will not be admitted before God for having thus sinned against him. Do not doubt this. Therefore, if you people of all countries, join the Halery Samsthan and help it, you will meet with every kind of protection from it and be able to live happy. Accordingly it is expected that all of you will come forward and help the Halery Samsthanam.

5. P. S. It is further hereby commanded. Those Nasaras, Kaffers, Pheringhies will, in order to get possession of the Halery Samsthan, spare no pains to gain you over. They will even give ten where one would be enough. Let not this allure you and make you swerve from your real intention or lead you to entangle yourselves; for after they attain their object, they will oppress you and violate your religion. Be sure of this.

In reply, the Governor General, through his Political Agent, Col. Fraser issued the following proclamation —

The conduct of the Raja of Coorg has, for a long time past, been of such a nature as to render him unworthy of the friendship and protection of the British Government.

Unmindful of his duty as a ruler, and regardless of his obligations as a dependent ally of the East India Company, he has been guilty of the greatest oppression and cruelty towards the people subject to his government, and he has evinced the most wanton disrespect of the authority of, and the most hostile disposition towards the former, from whom he and his ancestors have invariably received every degree of kindness and protection.

It would be needless to enumerate the several instances of his misconduct but it is sufficient to state that, in consequence of asylum having been afforded in the British Territories to his own sister Devammaji and her husband Channa Basavappa, who to preserve their lives had fled from his oppression, the Raja has presumed to address letters replete with the most insulting expressions to the Governor of Fort St. George and the Governor General of India, that he has assumed an attitude of hostility and defiance towards the British Government, that he has received and encouraged the proclaimed enemies of that Government, and that he has unjustifiably placed under restraint an old and faithful servant of the Company, named Kulputty Karnikara Manoon, -who had been formally deputed by the British representative for the purpose of opening a friendly negotiation, thus committing a gross outrage, not only upon the authority by whom the above named individual was deputed, but upon the established rules of all civilized nations, by whom the persons of accredited agents are invariably held sacred.

The ancient alliance and the firm friendship which had so happily subsisted between the predecessors of the present Raja and the Honourable Company, have caused his errors to be treated uniformly with indulgence. The most earnest remonstrances have been in vain tried to bring him to a sense of his obligations, and it is not until further forbearance would be culpable, that His Excellency the Right Honourable the Governor General, at the suggestion and with the concurrence of the Right Honourable the Governor in Council of Fort St. George, has resolved on employing the only means left of vindicating the dignity of the Sovereign State and of securing to the inhabitants of Coorg the blessings of a just and equitable government.

It is accordingly hereby notified, that a British army is about to invade the Coorg territory, that Vira Rajendra Wodeyar is no longer to be considered as Raja of Coorg, that the persons and property of all those who conduct themselves peaceably or in aid of the operations of the British troops shall be respected, and that such a system of government shall be established as may seem best calculated to secure the happiness of the people.

It is also hereby made known to all British subjects who may have entered the service of Vira Rajendra Wodeyar, that they are required to place themselves under the protection of the British authorities, by whom they will be kindly received, aud their rights and privileges respected, and that such of them as may in any way render assistance to the enemy, will be considered as traitors and punished accordingly.

This proclamation will be carefully made known in Chitaldroog, Raidroog, Mysore, Bellary, Malabar, Canara, in order that the relatives of such persons as have taken service in Coorg from those places or adjoining districts, may adopt the earliest means of communicating its purport to the parties in whose safety they are interested.

Upon this Vira Raja, through the Devan, published the following counter proclamation -

The explanation of a proclamation issued for the knowledge of the bad English people, who are mean slaves and servants of the auspicious feet of the Halery Samsthan Maharaja.

In answer to a proclamation of bad Englishman, son of a w**re, who in a state of forgetting Mahadeva (God) and through pride had written on a paper whatever occurred to his mind, for the purpose of giving information to the inhabitants of Halery Samsthan, and fastened the same near the boundary, I the slave of my Master's Majesty, let you know as follows, that the proclamation (containing the evil subjects) which was fastened in the boundary by the wicked Englishman, the son of a slave, is not at all possible even to be seen with our eyes or heard with our ears, and in the very time of tying the said proclamations, which are replete with indecent subjects, the hearts of all of us who are the servants of the king's feet were inflamed as the fire through wind. The wicked Christian European, the son ofa slave, who resolved to prepare this, should be beheaded and his head thrown out, the hands, mouth and bead of the person who wrote this should be cut off, the generation of the low caste blasphemer and bad European should be burnt down. These hopes are to be soon effected. All the above subjects are certain. All the wicked Europeans, the sons of whores, have evil intentions. Very well, very well, we will fill up all your bellies according to your wishes. Be this known to you, written on Sunday, 6 th decreasing of the moon, month of Phalguna, of the year Vijaya, corresponding with 30th March 1834.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Chikka Vira Rajendra

With the death of Linga Raja, affairs in Coorg did not improve. The unfortunate people had only changed masters. As soon as the young Vira Raja, who was about 20 years old, had taken possession of his father's throne and treasure, he destroyed the people who had displeased or thwarted him during the life of his father. Many members of the family of the Coorg Rajas seem to have fallen at that time. One Channa Vira escaped with his family across the Mysore frontier. But to no purpose; his relative knew how to turn to account his connection with the British Government. Letters and messages were despatched to Mr. Cole, the Resident in Mysore, requesting him to order the seizure of a refractory farmer who had made his escape from Coorg after having committed a crime, and the delivery of the criminal to the servants of the Raja. Mr. Cole had the man apprehended near Periyapatna, and sent him back to Coorg with a letter to the Raja, requesting information as to the guilt of and the punishment awarded to the refugee. No answer was given to the Resident. Channa Vira was carried to Kantamurnad, where he was massacred with his whole family, twenty two souls on one day. After this inaugural bloodshed, the new Raja seems to have shown less cruelty than his father or uncle.

Though less cruel, Vira Raja, young as he was at his accession to the government of Coorg, became a monster of sensuality. He kept the youngest of his father's wives for his use and increased his establishment of concubines to about one hundred. A number of other women, of the best families, were summoned to Mercara after accouchements, and kept in a house near the palace during the period when they gave milk to their babes. Part of their milk was daily taken for the Raja, to be used as a medicinal ingredient of his food, which according to some superstitious notion became thereby more wholesome and nourishing.

To refuse compliance with the demands of the master of Coorg was certain death, not to the recusant party only, but probably to the whole family. The wretch was free to riot as he pleased. He actually demanded to have the choice of all unmarried girls in the country. When hearing of this outrageous resolution, the Coorgs at once—it is said in one night—married all their grown up daughters. The Raja was furious. Many of the unfortunate parents who thus saved the honour of their children were dreadfully flogged or had their ears cropped, or were thrown into prison.

On the 17th September 1832, Mr. Casamaijor, Mysore Resident, reported to the Chief Secretary to the Government of Fort St. George, that a Coorg of the name of Channa Basava and his wife Devammaji, sister to the Raja of Coorg, had taken refuge at the Residency. They had fled their country to save their honor and their lives, and implored the protection of the British Government. Devammaji had long been kept from her husband. After an engagement of eight years she had been permitted to join him. Of late the Raja had made incestuous proposals to her through an old woman-servant, and had threatened to kill her husband, if she refused compliance, on the following Sivaratri festival. In this extremity they had drugged the guard of honor who watched them, and set off from Appagalla, their residence, at nightfall. During the night they reached Beppunad, passed Amadnad in the morning, and were drawing near the Mysore frontier when they were stopped by the Coorg frontier guard. Being fired at, their party returned fire. Channa Basava placed his wife behind him on his horse, and made his escape into Mysore, followed by a few of his attendants. The rest fell into the hands of the Coorgs and were carried to Mercara. Also the child of Channa Basava, a boy of a year and a half, was seized and delivered to the Raja his uncle. This is the substance of the reports of the Resident.

These cruelties of Vira Raja accelerated his downfall. On the 18th January 1833, Sir F. Adam, Governor of Madras, addressed a long letter to the Raja of

Coorg, giving him a sound lecture on the principles of good government, warning him most earnestly, and positively demanding compliance in future with the order of Government communicated to the Raja in 1827, to report all capital punishments taking place in Coorg. But the personal conference of Mr. Casamaijor with the Raja in the beginning of 1833 proved fruitless. The accounts from Coorg continued as bad as ever.

The patience of the most peace-loving Governor General was thus exhausted, and a British force was organized to march into Coorg and depose the Raja. As it drew near his frontiers, the Raja published a proclamation which can be found here - http://thetaleofkodagu.blogspot.in/2012/07/chikka-vira-rajendra-proclamations.html

The invading force numbered six thousand men, and was placed under Brigadier Lindsay, in whom was vested the supreme command of the expedition, whilst Col. Fraser was to accompany him in the capacity of Political Agent of the Governor General for Coorg affairs. On the 5th April, 1834, Devan Apparanda Bopu, with a party of 400 Coorgs, went to meet Col. Fraser, surrendered to him, and offered to conduct the Company's troops to the capital. At 4 p. m. on the 6th April they entered the Fort of Mercara ; the Raja's flag, which was flying on one of the bastions, was lowered and the British colours hoisted in its stead under a salute of twenty-one guns.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Linga Raja - The Consequences

Since Linga Raja was now actually in possession of Coorg, Mr. Cole, the Mysore resident, advised the English Government to countenance him as long as he would respect the rights of the little Rani. He innocently thought that such a declaration of Government was sufficient to secure the safety and happiness of the princess.

Later that year, Mr. Cole had some disagreeable correspondence with Linga Raja about the seizure of a British subject, Parsi Byramji, who had been cast into prison under a fictitious charge of having forged papers for the Raja of Sode. And then followed reports of Linga Raja's arrogance and dominance.

Now that Linga Raja was the acknowledged guardian of the young Rani and regent of Coorg, the next step was, to make his helpless ward sign a paper, in which she abdicated her sovereignty in favour of her excellent and loving uncle. The document was duly transmitted to Mr. Cole, who was requested to forward it to the Governor of Madras and to the Supreme Government. This was done in the summer of 1810.

One thing remained to be accomplished. Linga Raja had taken possession of Coorg, supplanted his niece, and obtained the sanction or at least the acquiescence of the Government of the East India Company, but there were three lakhs of rupees in the Bombay funds, and upwards of five and a half lakhs of rupees in the Madras funds, both sums standing in the name of Devammaji.

Before the end of 1812 Linga Raja had succeeded to his full satisfaction in all his plans. He had taken possession of the inheritance of his brother Vira Rajendra, Coorg was his, and he was almost formally acknowledged as Raja by the paramount power. The large legacy left to Devammaji by her father, was as good as his own.

Though Linga Raja's actions were of no great consequence to the Supreme Government, he felt uneasy from time to time and distrusted the disposition of the English Government. Drunk with power, he prided himself on his European manners and character, and pretended to be adored by his subjects, while he kept them in the most abject bondage and crushed their spirit by a system of savage cruelty. Cruelty seems to have been his sport. He liked to kill his victims with his own hand, with gun, bow or knife. For small offences people had their ears cropped, their noses cut, or their tongues clipped. For an impertinent answer men or women had their mouths rinsed, that was the phrase, i. e. their lips were cut off all round their mouths, and they were left to perish without food or drink. Others were thrown down a precipice on the hill side, near the Raja's Seat in Mercara. Many seem to have been destroyed merely for the purpose of confiscating their property, for Linga Raja had as great a passion for gold as for blood.

During the first years of his reign he was restrained from giving full vent to his atrocious propensities by the influence of his Devan, Kshauryakere Appanna, who seems to have been a man of character and independence, bold enough to lecture the tyrant whom he had placed on the throne in preference to the rule of a stranger, the Raja of Sode. But by degrees Linga Raja became impatient of the control of a subject. Appanna, relying on the Raja's gratitude, continued to exhort, to warn and at times "to resist his master. He had mistaken his man. One day the Devan was seized and carried before the Raja. He was charged with treason. He knew that he was doomed. The Raja himself conducted the investigation. "Confess your guilt," he cried. "I am guilty indeed," replied the intrepid minister, "of one crime—of having made a wretch like you Raja of Coorg." Linga Raja was mad with rage. Appanna, with several other so called accomplices, was carried out into the jungle to a distance of some miles. There they were nailed to some large trees, the Raja feasting his eyes on the torments of his helpless victims. A large number of people, the families, relations and friends of the condemned men, were slaughtered on the occassion.

After a terrifying reign, Linga Raja died in the year 1820 at the age of forty five, and was succeeded by his son, Vira Raja.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice

Linga Raja - The Coup

When Vira Rajendra died, there seemed to be a good prospect of peace and prosperity for Coorg. A short time before his decease, Vira Raja had permitted the Sode Raja to act for him as principal Devan, and expressed a desire that his son-in-law should have the regency of Coorg during the minority of Devammaji, in conjunction with an Agent of the East India Company, to be appointed by the Governor General.

As soon as the Raja had expired, his daughter Devammaji was acknowledged as Rani of Coorg by the assembled chiefs. The Sode Raja continued to perform the duties of principal Devan, and all people seemed to be happy and contented.

The first serious disturbance was occasioned by a rumour that the Sode Raja had forged the last will of the Raja. Dr. Ingledew inquired into the charge, and found that the copy of the will produced by the Sode Raja had a signature not attached to it by Vira Raja himself, but by a farrier who had been in his favour. However, the alterations in the will itself were of no great consequence, and were in perfect harmony with Vira Rajendra's wishes shortly before his death. Yet, to quiet the minds of the Coorg chiefs, the spurious though honest document was cancelled. The Sode Raja retained his position. But soon affairs began to take a new turn.

Linga Raja, then 34 years old, appears to have had many interviews with Dr. Ingledew, the Coorg resident, and impressed him with a strong conviction of his honesty, simplicity and humility. Linga Raja confessed, indeed, that he was somewhat disappointed at being entirely superseded. But his elder brother, he said, having recovered the country by force of arms, had a perfect right to dispose of the succession. He had therefore no cause, nor any inclination, to complain. He would ever cheerfully submit to whatever arrangements were sanctioned by the Governor General. Dr.Ingledew was quite charmed with the man, and recommended him strongly to the favour of Government, as he had well deserved of the country.

The peaceable Linga Raja, however, was not quite as unworldly minded as he appeared to the honest Doctor. He was much at the palace, and was busy among the principal Coorgs. They certainly did not much approve of the rule of a foreigner like the Sode Raja, but they seem to have had no particular predilection for the late Raja's brother either.

One day there had been a large gathering of the chiefs at the palace, of which Dr. Ingledew knew nothing. It was proposed to displace the Sode Raja by Linga Raja but the proposition was thrown out. Linga Raja mounted his horse and rode away in the direction of Haleri, his own residence. As he rode through the market street of Mercara, actually weeping like a child, Kshauryakere Appanna, one of the Devans, on his way to the palace, met him. Appanna asked Linga Raja about what had happened and upon finding out, took Linga Raja back to the palace claiming that he can get Linga Raja the throne. Being a man of known integrity and considerable influence, he prevailed. The Coorgs changed their minds, and Linga Raja was preferred to the Raja of Sode.

On the 9th of July, five weeks after Vira Raja's death, Devammaji sent for Dr. Ingledew and told him that she had reason to be dissatisfied with the conduct of the Raja of Sode, and wished to have Linga Raja her uncle for her guardian. Immediately afterwards, the Sode Raja came to him and asked his leave to return to his own country, as he had convinced himself that he had to deal with a formidable opposition, and considered it prudent to withdraw from a situation of imminent danger. Dr. Ingledew objected strongly to so hasty a step. He was waiting for orders from Government, and before the Governor General had signified his will, he wished that no change should be made in the arrangements which had been in operation before Vira Rajendra's death. But the Sode Raja informed him that Linga Raja had already taken possession of the government of the principality. A similar announcement was made by Linga Raja himself. Dr. Ingledew now saw that he had been duped by the usurper.

contd.

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice