SHARED THOUGHTS – 14.08.2015
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A welcome getaway it was, past two weeks. Visit to India always ends up wedged between unavoidable obligatory social calls and list of To Do, with insufficient time to tick all or any in the list. At the end of stay, the To Do list is just as it was.. carry over all that to the next visit and so on.. this is the typical scenario experienced by all NRIs.
Contrary to this common premise, my visit to India this time was refreshing leaving many good moments to savour in coming days because the agenda was simple – one specific medical need and a visit to Coorg for a family reunion, needless to say with my mobile office kit.
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The Medical need.
Superstition and beliefs are sustained by the presence of fear. Fear usually generates negative vibes. Fear causes worry and worry causes depression and so on. But here is a nice simple example of fear being subdued by optimism and hope.
I had to be present in Bangalore, while a medical need arose in family. The patient had to undergo a surgical intervention for an eye condition on the right eye. She went through the procedure and the success of the operation would be known a week later. On the morning of the Review appointment with the Doctor, we held a small puja at the nearby local temple. The Goddess Devi was in all her glory decorated with flowers as part of puja; the idol had two small silver eye shaped ornaments, embedded in place of each eye. The puja for the Goddess was short and once it was over, it was noticed that the eye shaped ornament on the right eye suddenly went missing. This was noticed only by the patient about to meet the doctor. This sent a sudden shock of disbelief.. call it a co-incidence? Naturally the patient felt this was a bad omen. Fear took over from here to believe that the eye operation may not have been successful.
Normally in such situations fear give rise to negative vibes.. and thereafter it is difficult to stop depression setting in.
The patient converted this situation to her advantage. Fear was conquered by optimism. Once Fear was isolated, it had to give way to more positive portends.
Devi in her divine dispensation blessed the patient with Her own right eye… is the line of thought. If God be with you, who can be against you. So here it is.
As these thoughts crossed her mind, the patient looked around and could locate the eye shaped small ornament lying among the flowers. This was promptly handed over to the priest who was full of thankful relief and placed it reverently back where it should be. It could easily have been lost forever.
So what is this now? The patient retrieving the right eye of the Goddess.. so all must be okay. The right eye would be restored to its normal form. Feel happy.
Fear without fodder is weak and impotent. Convert Fear into Hope which is self sustaining, radiating optimism.
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Visit to Coorg.
Thanks to the modern hiccups, visit to Coorg is a real getaway literally. No wi-fi, no electricity, no mobile signals, no telephone in working condition et al. One is isolated and cut off. This is the normal scene. One can only sit back and relax, or worry to death. The time spent there feel like a fleeting second, now in recollection. A predictable routine set amidst lush greens and quiet stillness where the chirping of birds, joyful clatter of crickets are the only sounds. At times, it is so quiet that it appears one can hear even the whisper of birds.
A bit of history here … Coorg or Kodagu holds a unique place in Indian history. Kodagu is the only region in India that was not conquered by an invading force. Sultans of Mysore tried and failed though leaving behind a sad legacy of utter violence & bloodshed. British tried and could succeed partially only through a consensus with the local people, for a brief period. This is the only region in India that enjoy some privileges not granted to others elsewhere – eg one does not need a license to own / possess firearms. Statistics show that this is the region with the least record of crime and violence. Jails are mostly filled with those from outside the region. Locals are known for their adherence to law, peaceful coexistence with others, valour & patriotism – Army being the most favoured vocation, followed by sportsmanship – hockey is the most popular game and in recent days men and women from Coorg are in world headlines in Tennis, badminton, cricket etc. Coorg is known as the cradle of field hockey. More than 50 players have represented India and of them about 10 have played in Olympics. The passion for field hockey is so much that about 200 families participate in an annual hockey festival known as Kodava hockey festival. This is recognized as the largest field hockey tournament in the world finding a place in Guinness book of world records and LImca Book of Records.
Today’s Coorg holds in its heart, a colossal tragedy which can never be forgotten. The poignant tragedy perpetrated by the Sultans of Mysore Hyder Ali and later by Tipu Sultan were game changers in Kodagu history. Ethnic cleansing, mass killings, genocide and pure terror were let loose by the Sultan in the name of religion to convert the locals into Islam. Except for this tragedy Kodagu blood was shed only for preserving the honour of the nation in battlefields of war and sports.
For History buffs and those curious to know more of Tipu Sultan’s misadventure in Kodagu. .
In 1770 a disputed succession led to the intervention of Hyder Ali of Mysore in favour of Linga Raja, who had fled to him for justice, and whom he placed on the throne benevolently. As a gesture of his gratitude the Raja ceded certain territories and offered to pay tribute. On Linga Rajas death in 1780 Hyder Ali interned his sons, who were minors, in a fort in Mysore, and installed a governor as their guardian at Mercara with a Mysore garrison. In 1782, however, the Kodavas rose in rebellion and drove out the Mysore troops. Two years later Tipu Sultan incited the Kodavas to become violent by means of a derogatory speech made in Madikeri. In that speech he spoke about five brothers having a wife in common among the Hindus (a reference to the Pandavas). He 'punished' the Kodavas (by capturing them in large numbers, imprisoning them and converting them, those who refused were killed) and reduced the country; but the Kodavas having again rebelled in 1785, he vowed their destruction. Kodagu was partitioned among Mysorean proprietors, and held down by garrisons in four forts. In 1788, however, Dodda Vira Raja (or Vira Rajendra Wodeyar), with his wife and his brothers Linga Raja and Appaji, succeeded in escaping from his captivity, at Periapatam and, placing himself at the head of a Kodava rebellion, aligned with the British and succeeded in driving the forces of Tipu (who had aligned with the French) out of the country. By the ill meant treaty of peace Kodagu, though not adjacent to the British East India Company's territories, was included in the cessions forced upon Tipu. On the spot where he had first met the British commander, General Abercromby, the Kodagu Raja founded the city of Virarajendrapet (this is now usually called Virajpet). Those who were converted into Islam by Tipu were settled in Kodagu in their respective villages. Parts of Northern Kodagu had been depopulated as Tipu's men had killed the Kodava farmers of those regions. So the Raja got Tulu and Kannada farmers (later called Kodagu Gowdas) from neighbouring Sulya (Dakshina Kannada) and Sakleshpura (Hassan) to settle down in those regions. Meanwhile craftsmen and farmers from Northern Kerala, called Airi and Heggade, were also settled in parts of Kodagu at that time. Konkani Roman Catholics who escaped imprisonment in Srirangapatna (Mysore's capital at that time) were settled down in Virajpet town. While some 80,000 Kodavas were reported missing (most of them were killed in the Mysore Sultanate atrocities and a remaining minuscule few were converted into Mappilas), some 10,000-15,000 Kodavas still existed in Kodagu at that time. The total population of Kodagu was very small at that time (around 25,00-50,000) as a result of the mass killings and ethnic cleansing under the Mysore Sultan…(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kodagu)
Coorg in recent years is the favored destination for tourists and holiday seekers. High end resorts are everywhere. Tourism has now come to stay here bringing a new source of revenue besides traditional plantation of coffee, paddy, spices etc.
Another unique feature in Coorg is their fierce adherence to tradition. This is most evident in the naming of new born. Whether male or female, a traditional Kodagu name is a must, besides that of a modern one. The available options of Kodagu names are very few, yet everyone must choose one, however common it may be. For males there is always a suffix in the surname which mark them as Coorgis wherever they are in the world – this is usually from a small list of Aiyya, Anna, Appa – Field Marshal Cariappa, Gen Thimmayya, rising Tennis star Rohan Bopanna et al.
In spite of so much of contribution by Coorgis to the national cause, it remains a mystery how little people elsewhere in India know about this region and its friendly people.
It is only in recent years that Coorg is in limelight mainly due to high end resorts and tourism packages. For many in India even in places as close to Coorg as the next door Kerala, the traditions of Coorg is as much wrapped up in mystery as the lovely hills of the area hold beneath its ever green pastures.
My personal connection to this beautiful region and its gracious people is that a member of the Mukkatira family is the father of our lovely grand-daughters and together with our daughter we are proud of this association.
(The last few Rajas of Kodagu in 1830s and their family members married members of the Mukkatira and Palanganda Kodava families).
An interesting place in Coorg is the Tibetan monastery or the Tibet camp located near Khushalnagar. This Tibetan settlement at Bailkoppa is the second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet. There are over 7000 monks and students here.
After China invaded Tibet, the refugees were settled here and a monastery was established in 1972. The 40’ tall golden statue of Buddha is the major attraction as well as the paintings and mural work at the Golden Temple.
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“Beautiful Bangalore” (sundara nagara) is a city choking and bursting at its seams, expanding wildly at chaotic pace. Visiting the city for a few days, after 2 years was a mixed experience. Pandemonium and disorder are norms here one must learn to live with, in order to survive. The cacophony of horns of vehicles of all sizes is the single most annoying irritant. It is as though each driver thinks the vehicles ahead will move swiftly giving way on the sound of his horn. Extrapolate this presumption by hundred times and you have the typical terrible scene at any street corner. Pedestrians are the cursed unwelcome lot for the sidewalks are virtual death traps.
The beauty of the city in few select areas is a refreshing change to behold because even this much of pretty spots are non-existent in many other cities in India. To appreciate these pretty spots, one must look beyond the mountain of piled up garbage emanating foul smell over vast stretches in most other localities of the city.
Yet, Bangalore is voted as the most beautiful capital city of India !
To the credit of Bangalore, one must make a mention of the amazing opportunities opening up for the young unskilled job seekers. Job wanted ads are now replaced by Wanted posters all over any space that is available. Delivery boys make a handsome earnings on their bikes. The demand is far more than the supply. Drivers with or without own vehicle are known to make a fortune. App based cab operators like Ola, Uber have pushed normal cabs into redundancy.
An average driver earns from Rs.40,000 upwards driving any of the 100,000 cabs of these two operators alone.
In comparison, it is a mystery what makes some of these unskilled young people flock to the Middle East to live a life of virtual slavery earning much less than what they can easily earn in Indian metros. .
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