PREPARATION FOR KODAVA FAMILY HOCKEY FESTIVAL

Madikeri March 9 The 12th Kodava hockey festival will be held at Ponnampet from April 20th.This will be the third festival in South Kodagu.The prestigious arrangements and preparations are going fast at Ponnampet junior college grounds. Two grounds are getting prepared for the event. If necessary, the forest college ground could be used.

This year it is the term of Alamengada family. The Kodava family hockey was started by pandana Kuttani,12 years back. Every year the different families take the responsibility. About 30 thousand spectators can be accommodated in the gallery which is being constructed. It requires Rs.14 lakh for the gallery itself. The total cost of the tournament estimated is Rs. 40- lakh; Alamengada family members will contribute Rs. 10 lakh for the event. Remaining amount will be collected through sponsorship. Fire pro company from bangalore has already came forward for main sponsorship. D.V.L company is the co sponsoror. Other companies have also come forward. The rent will be collected for various stalls in the premises.

So for, 120 family teams have Regisred for play. Total 270 teams are expected to participate this year. The hockey festival committee chairman Alamengada A. Ponnappa, Technical advisor A.W.Muddappa and the ground supervisor A.P.Rajappa are involved in the preparation works. Rs, 3 lakh will be spent for prizes to various teams. The winning team will get Rs. 50 thousand cash award and also Rs. 75 thousand worth Kodava traditional ornament called “Thodang”. The runners up team will be given Rs. 30 thousand cash award and Rs. 40 thousand worth Kodava traditional ornament called “Pommale”.The third prize consists of Rs. 15 thousand cash award and the ornament “Thookbolcha”.4th prize consists of Rs. 10 thousand cash prize and ornament “Kuthibolcha”.The man of the series will be lucky to get a new motor bike. Commencing day will have an exhibition match between coorg-11 and the team consisting of international level players. The organizers announced the prohibition of hot drinks and any illicit activities in the festival premises.

The Kodava hockey festival was started in the year 1997 and was the brainchild of Pandanda Kuttappa who was a first division hockey referee and an ex-employee of State bank of India. He conceived the idea of creating a platform in which the different Kodava families can get together. Realising the passion of hockey in Kodagu he decided that a hockey festival would be a good event to bring Kodavas together

After the inaugural tournament, an academy called as The Kodava Hockey Academy was started to oversee and have the final say in all matters related to the future tournaments. Each subsequent tournament would be organised annually by a different Kodava family and the name of the family was given as the name of the tournament. The organising family was mainly responsible for arranging the finances and infrastructure needed for the festival. The cost was recovered from the sponsors and raffle tickets. Kodava families which participated in the tournament also shared a part of the cost depending on their capacity and will. The response to the tournament grew year by year and reached a maximum in the year 2003 in which 280 teams participated for the Kaliyanda Cup at Napoklu. The maximum women participation was in the year 2000 when 30 women took part in the Cheppudira Cup held at Ponnampet. The opening and closing ceremonies are held with pomp and splendour and various dances and martial arts of Kodavas are demonstrated. The tournament is inaugurated by a guest by doing a pass-back of the hockey ball using a silver hockey stick. Stalls setup around the venue do brisk business because of the large crowds that come to view the matches. However, unsavory incidents like roughing up of referees and clashes between players and supporters of opposing teams have marred this tradition a bit.

KODAVA HOCKEY FESTIVAL BY YEAR

No. | Year | Name | Held at | teams | Winner

1 | 1997 | Pandanda Cup | Karada | 60 | Kaliyanda

2 | 1998 | Kodira Cup | Kadanga | 116 | Kullettira

3 | 1999 | Ballachanda Cup | Kakotparambu | 140 | Koothanda and Kullettira

4 | 2000 | Cheppudira Cup | Ponnampet | 170 | Koothanda

5 | 2001 | Nellamakkada Cup | Ammathi | 220 | Koothanda

6 | 2002 | Chekkera Cup | Hudikeri | 252 | Kullettira

7 | 2003 | Kaliyanda Cup | Napoklu | 280 | Nellamakkada

8 | 2004 | Maleyanda Cup | Madapur | 235 | Koothanda

9 | 2005 | Biddanda Cup | Madikeri | 222 | Nellamakkada

10 | 2006 | Kallichanda Cup | Ponnampet | 217 | Palanganda

11 | 2007 | Mandettira Cup | Kakotparambu | 186 | Mandepanda

Photo: Preparation at Ground

Photo: Construction of Gallery

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