Historical background
Little shrines dot the hilly terrain, and it is a land where legend prevails over history as there is not much historical information about the origins of the Coorgis, except that they are a martial race that excels in hunting, and even today, they are accurate marksmen and retain their guns.
The locals worship their river Cauvery, and according to a popular legend when the goddess, Kaveri, decided to take the shape of a river, her followers, pleaded with her not to desert them. She assured them that she would return to her birthplace every year and would flow through their land enriching it. One of the greatest of festivals is the ‘Tula Sankaramana’ held usually in October, when thousands gather thousands gather at the Tala-Cauvery temple on Brahmagiri Hill to watch the waters of the Cauvery bubbling and gushing out of a little well that is built around a spring.
The time of this significant happening is predicted to the exact minute by the astrologers, and the Coorgis take it that their Goddess cares for them and is abiding by the promise she made to them thousands of years ago. Sumptuous meals form an important part of the festival celebrations.
Otherwise, there are no big monuments that speak of its past. Some historians conjecture that they may be originating from Mohenjodaro, as their features, fair color, mode of dress and the fact that they are ancestor worshippers, find similarity with the people of the ancient civilization.
The most recent record of history indicates the rule of the Lingayat kings who established their dynasty after defeating the local chieftains in this area around 1600 AD and continued with their presence for the next two hundred years. The third Lingayat king built a mud fort and made Madikeri. This was replaced by a stronger fort in stone by the King of Mysore, Tipu Sultan who ruled for a brief period till the Lingayat kings wrested back their territory from him with British help. The British later took over power in 1834 from the last king Chikkaveerajendra, who was impeached, and this fort remains as an interesting feature on the sightseeing itinerary even today.
The Coorgis are divided into clans and each clan has its ancestral home. There existed a strong joint family system and the entire clan lived together in one huge house called the ‘Ain Mane’, and the lands and everything on it were common property. Although most of the clans have fragmented, you still come across some of the ancestral homes, and these are characterized by their interesting architecture, which is marked by four-winged structures with impressive main doors.
Historical Background
Places to visit
Excursions
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