Kodava Samaja Bangalore completes 100 years

BANGALORE: Kodava Samaja Bangalore completes 100 years this year. The centenary celebration will be from November 11 to 13, and will showcase Kodava culture and the progress of the people. Over the years, the community has made great progress, thanks to the role of Kodava Samaja Bangalore, the mother body of all Kodavas.“Kodava Samaja Bangalore was established in the year 1911 with just eight Kodava families of Bangalore consisting of 30 people. They formed an association and named it ‘Coorg Association’. The name Coorg Association of Bangalore was changed to Bangalore Kodava Samaja in the year 1962,” said K M Subbaiah, president, Kodava Samaja, Bangalore.He added that the Kodava Samaja Bangalore is headed by a president, five office bearers and twenty five committee members. So far there has been 30 presidents heading the institution. In 1960 Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar former Maharaja of Mysore gifted one acre of land at Vasanthnagar to Gen Kodandera M Cariappa (later became Field Marshall) in recognition of his distinguished military service to the nation.Field Marshall late K M Cariappa donated this one acre of land to the Coorg Association, when Rao Bahadur Pemmanda K Monnappa was the president of the association. Now the Samaja is gearing up to observe the century year in November. The century logo was released on January 28 on the 112th birthday celebrations of the Field Marshal late K M Cariappa.The Kodava Samaja Bangalore is like a home away from home for about forty thousand Kodavas in Bangalore. The main festivities like Kailpod, Kaveri Sankramana and Puthari are celebrated in a grand scale in the Samaja premises where all Kodavas of Bangalore generally participate. During the festivities both children and adult achievers in various fields are honoured so that it helps the younger generation to emulate them. In commemoration of the centenary celebration, certain benefits have been given to the members. The membership fee has been reduced from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 1,550 in order to encourage more Kodavas to become members, and one of their function halls called Gen Thimmaiah Bhavan would be given at one rupee per sangaha for one function   in this year.