Karnataka - Madikeri   

12th Kodava hockey festival gets off to a colourful start

Start: Berera Shambhu Aiyanna, president of the Bangalore Kodava Samaja, hitting a silver ball with a silver stick to signal the inauguration of the Kodava hockey festival at Ponnampet in Kodagu on Sunday.

Madikeri: “Alamengada Cup – 2008”, the 12th edition of Kodava hockey festival, got off to a colourful start at Ponnampet in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu on Sunday.

Members of the Alamengada family offered puja at a temple in Ponnampet town in the morning and came in a procession to the venue, Ponnampet Junior College grounds, accompanied by the traditional Kodava “volaga” and fanfare.

Women attired in Kodava costumes carried “taleyatakki bolakk” (burning lamps in bronze salvers) while men sporting traditional “kupya” marched in tandem to the venue.

President of the Alamengada family Thammaiah hoisted the Alamengada flag while founder of the Kodava hockey festival and chief of the Kodava Hockey Academy Pandanda Kuttani unfurled the academy flag.

Convener of the Kodagu Asthitva Horata Samiti Mallengada Dada Belliappa lit a lamp to mark the inauguration of the inauguration function. Mr. Belliappa and C.S. Arun Machaiah, MLC, addressed the gathering later.

Berera Shambhu Aiyanna, president of the Bangalore Kodava Samaja, hit a silver ball with a silver hockey stick to give a start to the festival.

This is the third Kodava hockey festival being organised in Ponnampet.

Mr. Machaiah inaugurated a retaining wall constructed along the ground No. one at a cost of Rs. 3.9 lakh. Ranjan Chengappa, zilla panchayat member, inaugurated the stalls at the venue.

Mysore police band was the main attraction at the event. Dollu Kunita and Pooja Kunita artistes from Mandya stole show through their performances.

The inaugural match was played between hosts Alamengada and last year’s hosts Mandettira. As many as 216 Kodava family teams are participating in the event which will be played on two grounds over 22 days. Finals will be held on May 12.

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12th Kodava hockey festival gets off to a colourful start

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