A Kodava Wedding Song

The following is a specimen of a humorous wedding song, translated by Mr. A. Graeter from the Coorg original -

God Almighty , live and rule,
Rule as our Lord and God,
Rule as our Sovereign and King!
On the surface of the earth
Coorg is like a string of pearls,
Though of smallest kingdoms one.
In this land they count 12 valleys,
And the Nads are 35;
But in our Nad for ever,
Like a flower of paradise,
Blooms the name of Apparanda.
In this Apparanda house
Lived a man of reputation,
Mandanna the mighty hero.
When he offered a petition
To the ruler of the country
For 3 goodly jamma land,
He received it as a present.
For his money he now bought
Holeyas to be his servants,
And they laboured on his farm.
Bullocks too, his fields to plough,
He procured for heavy money,
And completed all his labours.

Though he now lived comfortably,
Mandanna the mighty hero,
In his mind was meditating
And within himself he pondered
Constantly this one idea:
'I have rice and costly garments,
But no one to dress and nourish;
I have precious stones and jewels,
But where is the wife to wear them?
In a household without children
Vain is all our toil and trouble;
Here on earth no joy is perfect
Without wife to share the bliss.
If a tank is without water,
Has it not been dug in vain?
And a garden without flowers,
Has it not in vain heen planted?
Who would like to eat cold rice,
Void of curds and void of salt?
Sons there must be in our houses,
And our rooms be full of children.'

So he thought within himself,
And one lovely Sunday morning,
When the silvery dew was sparkling,
Took a meal, and dressed himself,
Joined his hands in adoration
To the ancestors and God;
Sent a man to call his Ar'va
To conduct him on the journey,
Took his stick adorned with silver,
And then started with his friend.
Where between the woody mountains
Thrones the lofty Kutta-male,
Wandering through the hilly country,
He went off to seek a wife.
Walked he till his soles wore off,
Pondering sat in all the Mandus,
Till his dress in holes with sitting;
Wandered in the scorching sun,
Till his head was hot and giddy;
Wandered till the walking-stick
In his hand was growing shorter.
Mandanna the mighty hero
Sought a wife in every quarter,
But no house would suit his mind.
If he found the house was right,
then the servants would not suit him;
If he found the servants right,
Then he did not like the cattle;
If he found the cattle right,
Then the fields were miserable;
If the paddy land was good,
Then the pasture ground was bad
And if all these things were good,
Then the maiden did not please him.

While he thus was sorely troubled,
News arrived of consolation :—
In the Nalku-nad there lived,
In the Pattamada house,
Chinnavva, a lovely maiden.
When he heard this information,
Mandanna, the mighty hero,
Slowly with his friend proceeded
To the house, and there sat down
On the bench of the verandah.
Chinnavva, the lovely maiden,
When she heard of their arrival,
Came and brought a jar of water,
Poured it in a silver pitcher,
Placed it on a shining mat,
And spread another mat for him
In the seat of the verandah.
Pattamada Chinnavva
Then standing modest on the threshold,
Asked him, saying 'Why, my friend,
Do you not take any water?
Use it, and then call for more.'
So she said, and he replied;
'Certainly I will, my dearest,
If for ever you will bring me
Water as to-day you brought it.'
She replied: 'You shall have water
If you come here every day.'
Mandanna now took the water,
Washed his face and hands and feet;
Thought, I'll come for more tomorrow.
Mandanna, the wise and clever,
Took again the seat of honour,
And began; ' My pretty maiden,
Tell me now, where is your father?'
She replied; "My father's gone
To a meeting in the Mandu.'
'And where is your mother then?'
'She's gone to the potters' village,
Where they celebrate a wedding.'
'And where is your brother then?'
'He went down the Ghat to Kote
With his bullocks, to get salt.'

When an hour or two were spent,
To his house returned the father.
Mandanna made his obeisance,
Bowed, and touched the old man's feet.
When an hour or two were spent,
To her house returned the mother.
Mandanna again saluted.
When an hour or two were spent,
To his house returned the brother.
Mandanna made his obeisance.
Then they had some conversation,
Talked about their friends and kindred.
Last they asked him; 'Dearest cousin,
Will you please to let us know
Why you undertook this journey?'
He replied; 'My dearest father,
I have heard that in this house
There are bullocks to be sold,
And moreover that there lives
In the house a lovely maiden,
Whom you want to give in marriage.'
'All the bullocks, they were sold
In July,' replied the father,
'And the daughter too has gone,
In the month of May she left us.'
Then gave Mandanna this answer:
'Those that went, let them be happy,
Give me her who still remains.'
Spoke again to him the landlord;
Tell me, why you called me father?'
Then spoke Mandanna the clever;
'I have seen your lovely daughter,
That is why I call you father.
Evermore with admiration
You behold the stately palm-tree;
If a tree is poor and crippled,
You forget to look upon it.'
Then the father spoke again;
'I will let you have the daughter,
Give a pledge that you will take her.'
'Shake then hands with me' said joyful
Mandanna 'and as a pledge
Take from me this piece of money.'

After this the father sent
For his Ar'va to assist him
In the wedding ceremony;
Women swept the house and chambers,
Filled the store-rooms with provisions
For the merry wedding feast.
Where the beauteous brazen lamp
From the ceiling is suspended,
Aruvas and near relations
Came together from both houses,
Stood and settled the engagement
And the lucky day of wedding.
Whereupon the happy bridegroom
Gave his bride a golden necklace
As a pledge, and eight days after
Was the wedding celebrated.