About Tulunad

Dhanraj sanil
Jun 29, 2017
12 min read

Tulu Nadu or Tulunad is a Tulu speaking region spread over parts of the Karnataka and Kerala states of India. The erstwhile district of South Canara is the core of the Tulu speaking region. This region is not an official administrative region but a region inhabited by Tulu speaking people. Tulunad is the homeland of the Tuluva ethnic people. Mangalore, Udupi and Kasaragod are its important cities. Tulunad is also called as Mangaluru.

The Tulu people, or Tuluva (plural Tuluver), are an ethnolinguistic group native to the Tulu Nadu region of India, presently divided amongst the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and the Kasaragod taluk of Kerala up to river Chandragiri. They are the native speakers of the Tulu language. There is a sizable emigrantTuluva population in Maharashtra, the Middle East, and in several countries of the English-speaking world

Mangalore, officially known as Mangaluru, is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is known as Kudla in Tulu, Kodial in Konkani, Maikāla in Beary and Mangaluru in Kannada. It is located about 352 kilometres (220 mi) west of the state capital, Bengaluru between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges. It is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada District. It developed as a port on the Arabian Sea—remaining, to this day, a major port of India. Lying on the backwaters of the Netravati and Gurupura rivers, Mangalore is often used as a staging point for sea traffic along the Malabar Coast. The city has a tropical climate and lies in the path of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-West monsoons. Mangalore's port handles 75 per cent of India's coffee and cashew exports. Mangalore was ruled by several major powers, including the Kadambas, Alupas, Vijayanagar Empire, Keladi Nayaks and the Portuguese. The city was a source of contention between the British and the Mysore rulers, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Eventually annexed by the British in 1799, Mangalore remained part of the Madras Presidency until India's independence in 1947.[12] The city was unified with the state of Mysore (now called Karnataka) in 1956.

Mangalore is the largest city in Dakshina Kannada district and is one of the most cosmopolitan non-metro cities of India. It is also the largest city in the Coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka, besides being a commercial, industrial, educational and healthcare hub on the West Coast. Mangalore city urban agglomeration extends from Ullal in the south to Mulki in the north, covering a distance of over 40 km. The city's landscape is characterised by rolling hills, coconut palms, freshwater streams and hard red-clay tiled-roof buildings.

Mangalore has been ranked best in India and 2nd best in Asia for Quality of life and 12th in the global list for healthcare. It is the only city from India to appear in top 50. Mangalore was ranked India's 13th and Karnataka's second most favourable destination for business.

Culture

Kambala is traditionally a simple sport which essentially, to entertain rural people of the area.

Namma tulunad shows brief about kambala

The 'track' used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field. The contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, each pair race in wet rice fields, controlled by a whip-lashing farmer. Historically, the winning pair of buffaloes was rewarded with coconuts and bananas. Today, gold coins, silver coins are given in some competitions, cash award is also popular. Some organising committees award eight gram gold coin as first prize. However, Kambala today has become an organised rural sport, with elaborate planning and scheduling to accommodate competietions at different places.

Kambala is an annual Buffalo Race held traditionally under the sponsorship of local land lords and households, in coastal Karnataka, India. The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March. Of late, Kambala Samithis are formed to arranged Kambala in a systematice way and 18 kambalas are being held under the banner of Kambala Samithi (Kambala Association). Currently, more than 45 races are held annually in Coastal Karnataka, including smaller remote villages like Vandaru, Gulvadi etc.

In traditional form of Kambala, racing is non-competitive, and the pair run one by one in paddy fields. A ritualistic approach is also there, as some agriculturists race their buffaloes for thanks giving for protecting their animals from diseases.

Innovations are made in conducting kambala race and in some places day and night races are arranged under floodlights

Kadri Kambala used to be held at Kadri, Mangalore and it is called Devara Kambala (God's kambala) as it is associated with Sri Manjunatha Temple, Kadri, Mangalore. This event was patronised by Alupa kings of Mangalore who were the rulers 300 years ago and for this reason, Kadri kambala is also known as Arasu kambala (king's kambala)

The buffaloes developed for the race are carefully fed and some owners of the buffaloes have even built separate swimming pool for competing buffaloes.

Kambala has been criticised by animal lovers as they perpetuate cruelty due to the use of whips on the racing buffaloes. Noted animal-rights activist, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi has expressed serious concerns about the ill treatment of buffaloes during the race. Kambala organisers, on their part, contend that if whips are not used on the buffaloes, they may not run with speed in the race. Government officials are advising the riders to be gentle on buffaloes and avoid using whips during the race. Kambala still continues to draw rural crowd, as it used to draw large crowd, traditionally since last three hundred years.

In 2014, based on lawsuits filed by animal welfare organizations, the Supreme Court of India ordered a ban on Kambala and Jallikattu (Kambala and jallikattu are different by principle. Kambala is buffalo racing where as jallikattu is bull taming where a group of people try to hold on to the bull and win). There has been a request to remove this ban on Kambala, following a government order to remove the ban on Jallikattu in January 2017

On July 3, 2017, Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India approved the promulgation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 and the festival Kambala has been legalized in Karnataka

The Yakshagana is a night-long dance and drama performance practised in Tulu Nadu with great fanfare.

Yakshagana ( Tulu - ಆಟ , Kannada - ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ) is a traditional theatre form that combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form. This theatre style is mainly found in Tulunadu and some parts of Malenadu region of Karnataka and Kerala, India. Yakshagana is traditionally presented from dusk to dawn.

In the 19th century, Yakshagana began to move away from the strict traditional forms. Practitioners of the day produced a number of new compositions. Also, a large number of troupes arose across coastal Karnataka.

The early 20th century saw the birth of 'tent' troupes, giving performances to audiences made up of common people who were admitted by ticket. These troupes were responsible for the commercialization of Yakshagana. The genre saw major changes in form and organization. Electrical lights replaced the gas lights; seating arrangements improved; the inclusion of folk epics, Sanskrit dramas, and fictional stories formed the modern thematic base of the discipline. Popular entertainment became the criterion, replacing the historic classical presentations. Tulu, the language of the southern part of the D.K. and Udupi district's was introduced; increasing popularity with the common people.

Yakshagana is a separate genre of music, independent of Karnataka Sangeetha and the Hindustani music of India. It is believed to have survived as an indigenous phenomenon only in Karnataka.

A typical Yakshagana performance consists of background music played by a group of musicians (known as the himmela); and a dance and dialog group (known as the mummela), who together enact poetic epics on stage. The himmela is made up of a lead singer (bhagawata)—who also directs the production—and is referred to as the "first actor" (modalane vesha). Additional himmela members are players of traditional musical instruments, such as the maddale (hand drum), the pungi (pipe), the harmonium (organ), and the chande (loud drums).

Yakshagana can refer to a style of writing, as well as the written material itself. It was probably used for poems enacted in bayalaata, such as the ballads of Koti and Chennayya." Yakshagana in its present form is believed to have been strongly influenced by the Vaishnava Bhakti movement. Yakshagana was first introduced in Udupi by Madhvacharya's disciple Narahari Tirtha. Narahari Tirtha was the minister in the Kalinga Kingdom. He also was the founder of Kuchipudi.

The first written evidence regarding Yakshagana is found on an inscription at the Lakshminarayana Temple in Kurugodu, Somasamudra, Bellary District, and is dated 1556 CE. A copy is available at the University of Madras. The inscription mentions land donated to the performers of the art, so as to enable people to enjoy tala maddale programs at the temple. Another important piece of evidence is available in the form of a poem authored by Ajapura Vishnu, the Virata Parva, inscribed on a palm-leaf found at Ajapura (present day Brahmavara). Another historic palm-leaf manuscript, dated 1621 CE, describes Sabhalakshana.

Yakshagana literally means the song (gana) of the yaksha (nature spirits). Yakshagana is the scholastic name (used for the last 200 years) for art forms formerly known as kēḷike, āṭa, bayalāṭa, and daśāvatāra. It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theater during the period of the Bhakti movement. It is sometimes simply called "the play" (ಆಟ) in Tulu Language.

Yakshagana is popular in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Kasaragod, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Shimoga .[6] Yakshagana has become popular in Bangalore in recent years, particularly in the rainy season, when there are few other forms of entertainment possible in the coastal districts

Pilivesha is a unique form of folk dance in the region fascinating the young and the old alike, which is performed during Marnemi (as Dussehra is called in Tulu) and Krishna Janmashtami.

Hulivesha or Pilivesha in Tulu "Tiger Masque" (Kannada: ಹುಲಿ ವೇಷ Hulivēṣa) is a folk dance unique to the Tulu Nadu region of Karnataka. Hulivēṣa is performed during Navratri to honour the goddess Sharada - an aspect of Saraswati whose favoured animal is the tiger. Mangalore Dasara is one of the festivals during which large number of enthusiasts participate in this ritual. It is also performed during the Krishna Janmashtami/Mosarukudike and Ganesha Chaturthi at Mangalore, Udupi, Moodabidri many other places in Tulu Nadu.

Typically, young males form troops of five to ten members or more, which will have three to five males painted and costumed to look like tigers, and a band called thaase in Tulu with two or three drummers. This troop is accompanied by the manager of the group. During Navratri, these troops will be roaming the streets of their towns, with the accompanying drum beats of their bands. They stop at homes and businesses or on the road sides to perform for about ten minutes after which they collect some money from the people who have observed their performance.

The troops perform until the last day of Navratri, and almost all of them form part of the Sharada processions organized by various temples such as Mangaladevi, Gokarnanatheshwara and Venkatramana temple. After the procession is over, performances are stopped and the paint is removed.

Korikatta (Cockfight) is another favourite sport for the people.

Its called Kori Katta in Tulu and Koli Pade in Kundapura kannada. Its a fight between Two cocks, they let their cock fight against each other.This fight is till one cock dies in the fight or wound beyond survive.People usually grow different breeds of cocks just for the purpose of this folk sport, and many are very passionate about the game. Some of the names for the cock usually we call in Cock fight are Bolle, Maipe, Karbolle, Kemmaire, Kadle, Uriye, Kupule and Peradinge. Peradinge look like Hen instead cock, small in size and very cunning, other cock think its hen and do not start fighting. Perade means Hen in tulu.

This sports is usually conducted in the vicinity of temples and still goes on albeit surreptitiously and furtively in many surrounding parts of Mangalore. There may be a religious basis for this sport as I have seen this being conducted during festival seasons.Normally it’s for the entertainment purpose usually held after some special events such as the on Diwali night, After the Kambala etc. Jathre Katta is observed during town fairs and nithya katta takes place near arrack outlets on a full moon or Amavasye. Under the third type, “Sodthi katta”, a dual between two individuals is settled through the cock fight.The venue of the cock fight is called “kala”.People bring their own Cocks and they tie a tiny knife called baal to their legs,and then allowed to fight with each other. Process of selecting the pair for fight called as “Jodi Naadunu” is followed by the actual fight “Kori Muttunu”.

The fight which does not exceed more than three rounds is decided, when one of the cock runs away or is injured. The winning Cocks owner will get both the cocks in Onti Katta, which will be considered as victory for that evening, and its called as Anka.There is a special type of Knock Out fight where they are allowed to fight till one dies. People are so passionate about this folk game is that the venue and dates are decided by a dedicated panchanga for this called as Kukkate Panchanga. Some people do come there with out a fighter cock, and they bet money on the cocks, kind of Gambling. This is normally not the tradition of cock fight, but people added this to make some money, police often ride such places where gambling happen on these cock fights, but it still persist.The defeated cock(died or wounded) given to owner of winner cock. Usually Kori sukka and Kori Rotti is made from this Dead cock to celebrate Victory of cock fight. Lots of betting takes place and is full of fun, betting is illegal.

Bhuta Kola (Spirit worship), which is usually done at night is practised here.

Bhuta Kola or nema is typically an annual ritual performance where local spirits or deities (būtas, daivas) are being impersonated by ritual specialists from certain scheduled castes such as the Nalike, Pambada, or Parawa communities. The būta cult is prevalent among the non-Brahmin Tuluvas of Tulu Nadu region . The word kōla is conventionally reserved for the worship of a single spirit whereas a nēma involves the impersonation of several spirits in hierarchical order.[6] In kōlas and nēmas family and village disputes are referred to the spirit for mediation and adjudication. In feudal times, the justice aspect of the ritual included matters of political justice, such as the legitimation of political authority, as well as aspects of distributive justice. The produce of land directly owned by the būta (commons) as well as certain contributions from the leading manors was redistributed among the villagers.

Thurston counts among the best known deities "Brahmeru, Kodamanitaya, Kukkintaya, Jumadi, Sarala Jumadi, Pancha Jumadi, Rakteswari, Panjurli, Kuppe Panjurli, Rakta Panjurli, Urundarayya, Hosadēvata (or Hosa Bhūta), Dēvanajiri, Kalkuḍa, Tukkateri, Gulige, Bobbariya, Nicha, Duggalaya, Mahisandaya, Varte, Chāmundi, Baiderukulu, Okkuballala, and Odityay. According to some, Jumadi is the small-pox goddess Māri. There are only two female Bhūtas – Ukkatiri and Kallurti. The Bhūtas are supposed to belong to different castes. For example Okkuballala and Dēvanajiri are Jains, Kodamanitaya and Kukkinataya are Bants, Kalkuḍa is a smith, Bobbariya is a Māppilla, and Nicha a Koraga." Some of them are ancestral spirits such as Bobbariya, Kalkuḍa, Kallurti; some are spirits such as Koti and Chennayya, Siri and Kumār. Some are deified wild animals such as the boar - Paňjurli (the female counterpart is Varte Paňjurli) or the tiger - Pilichāmuṇḍi.

Panjurli is said to be the spirit of a boar ,blessed by Lord Shiva and Parvati,to be a daiva on earth.

Some būtas are Androgynous such as some instances of Jumadi who is represented as female below the neck (breasts), but with a male head sporting a mustache. There are anthropomorphic būtas, zoomorphic ones, and mixed forms (such as the Malarāya of Kodlamogaru, Kasargod, who has the head of a wild boar and the body of a woman).

Depending on the significance of the people who worship them, būtas or daivas can be family deities (kuṭuṃbada būta), local or village deities (jāgeda būta, ūrada būta), or deities associated with administrative units such as manorial estates (guțțus), groups of estates (māgane), districts (sīme) or even small kingdoms (royal būtas or rajandaivas)

Pāḍdanas are major part of Tuluva oral literature. Much of the body of this literature has been built on the legends of the būtas and daivas. Pāḍdanas have numerous variations for the same narrative. As in other epic traditions, there is no single author. Pāḍdanas are orally transmitted and recited. The language of the pāḍdanas is old Tulu. Some famous examples are the Siri-Kumar Pāḍdanas and the Koti and Chennayya Pāḍdanas. The pāḍdanas sung by women while planting paddy are referred to as ‘field songs’

Nagaradhane (Snake worship) is practised in the Tulu Nadu according to the popular belief of the Naga Devatha to go underground and guard the species on the top.

It is a form of snake worship which, along with Bhuta Kola, is one of the unique traditions prevalent in Kerala and in coastal districts Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod alternatively known as Tulu Nadu, practiced by Tuluva community members. Snakes are not just seen as deities, but as an animal species which should be respected, appeased and protected for multiple social, religious and ecological reasons.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu takes rest under the shade of the giant snake, Adisesha. Lord Shiva wears a snake Vasuki around his neck.

It is difficult to trace the origin of Nagaradhane, though some clans among Tulu people claim to be of Nagavanshi descent, thus maybe snake worship was popularised by them. Though most rituals of snake worship are done by Brahmins, there is not a single Bunt house that does not have Nagabana ,Where Nagadevatha is worshiped according to Aliyasantana Lineage among Tuluva's. Nagamandala, Ashlesha Bali, Dakke Bali are different types of pooja done for snakes to appease them. The snake worship rituals practiced in Tulu Nadu are quite unique and different from the other rituals. Snakes have their own snake shrines in a sacred grove known as Nagabana. The shrines have images of cobras carved of stones. Accordingly, nobody is allowed to chop the tree near the Nagabana. It is also believed that snakes, specifically the cobras, are not to be harmed or killed by anyone. If harmed, the individual has to perform a ritual to cleanse the sin of killing or harming the snake. The belief is that the individual who refuses to perform the ritual will be cursed by the snake for eternity.

There are two distinct rituals performed in reverence to the snake; Aashleshabali and Nagamandala. Of these, Nagamandala is the longer and more colourful of the two. Nagamandala depicts the divine union of male and female snakes. It is generally performed by two priests. The first priest, called patri, inhales the areca flower and becomes the male snake. The second priest, called Nagakannika or the female snake dances and swings around an elaborate serpent design drawn with natural colours on the sacred ground. The ritual is supplemented by playing an hour glass shaped instrument called as Dakke. The drawings in five different colours on the sacred ground are white (white mud), red (mix of lime powder and turmeric powder), green (green leaves powder), yellow (turmeric powder) and black (roasted and powdered paddy husk). Aashleshabali is similar nature to the after death rituals performed for the humans as per the Hindu tradition.