Traditional Coorgi Jewellery: Kokkethathi

The traditional Coorg jewellery is one of the oldest jewellery pattern that is still seen in India. From olden times till date Kodavas are one community who have tried their level best to preserve their traditions and culture. Kodavas take pride in their culture and customs and believe in passing it on generations after generations. Though with the changing time you would notice the men folk do not wear their traditional dress very often but the female folks have kept the tradition on. However, in festivals and weddings you would find most of them in their tradtional attire. The same is with the traditional Kodava jewellery. In functions and weddings, the Kodava females adorn themselves with the beautiful traditional coorgi jewellery and silk sarees.

One such beautiful traditional Kodava jewellery is Kokkethathi. The typical design of a Kokkethati pendant set is shown in the image below:

 

What is Kokkethathi?

Kokkethathi is a traditional kodava pendant which is in a crescent shape. The upper portion of a Kokkethathi pendant from where it gets attached to the chain is in the shape of distended hood of a Serpant with pearl and rubies embedded on it. The serpant hood signifies fertility and prosperity in life. Followed by which are a few rubies embedded. Just below the sequence of rubies is engraved an image of a seated Goddess Lakshmi being showered upon by flowers by elephants from either of her sides. Goddess Lakshmi in Hinduism is the God of wealth and prosperity and is considered very auspicious. Lastly the rim of a traditional kokkethathi is fringed with small pearls which enhances the beauty of this traditional Kodava jewellery.

 

Kokkethathi pendant is made of gold and is hollow. It is filled with lac from inside. There a few designs available in it now but the basic concept would be same.

Kokkethathi is a mandatory Kodava jewellery that a Kodava bride or a newly wed Kodavathi is ought to have.

How to wear Kokkethathi?

Kokkethathi worn in a bead chain

One can wear Kokkethathi both ways, either as a standalone pendant or as a set with matching Kokkethathi ear rings.

 

When buying, the Kokkethathi pendant will come as a separate piece without any chain attached to it. One is suppose to buy the chain separately. Kokkethathi pendant is not worn with any specific type of chains. So one can put it in any chain. Mostly, the chain is kept long about 26 inches to show it off to advantage.

Though there is no particular design for the chain but many of the Kodavathis wear it in bead chains. The beads of which again differ in pattern. It can however be worn with flat or rope chains also.

How to and from where to buy a Kokkethathi pendant set?

You can buy Kokkethathi from any gold jewellery shops in Coorg. It is also available at selected jewellery stores in Mysore and Bangalore like Malabar Gold, Bhimas and others. As of now it is not available online.

Now a days jewellers are coming up with many modern adaptations of Kokkethathi but if you are intended on buying traditional Kodava jewellery, you should only purchase the typical traditional design. It is an evergreen design and is far beautiful than the modern adaptations.
 

Coorg Public School & PU College Gonikoppal

Coorg Public School & PU college, Gonikoppal is a co-educational boarding/residential school in Coorg, established in the year 1996. It has students not only from different parts of India but also from the world. Long back in the 90s Coorg felt the need of some good schools and colleges in the region. Thus was born Kodagu Academy for Education & Culture which sponsored and established this school in Gonikoppal. Since then Coorg Public School and Coorg Pre-University College have grown and flourished beyond imagination. Today COPS is among one of the best residential schools in India.

The management committee members are Mr.M.N.Belliappa, Mr.K.A.Subbaiah, Mr.K.A.Poonacha and Mr.M.M.Thimmaiah. Prof. M.D. Nanjunda is the Founder Principal of Coorg Public School, Gonikoppal. Academically, COPS believes in the famous Chinese proverb which says, "Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself". The Coorg Public School has a highly qualified and efficient faculty and non faculty staff.

Facilities and Infrastructure of COPS



Coorg Public School Entrance

The school is equipped with the best facilities. It has a big campus. The school has all the basic academic facilities like library, well equipped computer labs, physics, biology and chemistry labs.

Apart from this, the school has a hygenic dining hall which serves wholesome nutritional food to students both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. It has a store for all the stationary requirement of students. COPS has its own medical wing too which has professionally trained nurses and matrons.


Classrooms are well lit and the class interiors are in accordance with the age group of the students. In accordance with the current education trend the school has Educomp-smart classes with all the required audio-visual equipment.


COPS is a residential school and thus has excellent boarding facilities which are like a home away from home for its students. The hostel has all the essential facilities required for the students along with full power back up and 24/7 medical facilities. The store in the campus provides students with their other stationary, toiletry requirements.

Admission in Coorg Public School Gonikoppal

Coorg Public School is affiliated to the ICSE up to 10th std. The Coorg PU college(+2 level) is affiliated to the Karnataka State Pre-University Board. It is a co-ed  English medium school.
The academic year is from June to April.

The school follows ICSE pattern and thus offers English as the first language and Kannada, Hindi or French as the second language. It offers Science stream and Commerce stream at the PUC level.
For admission parents should apply online on the official website of Coorg Public School. Parents need to produce the following documents in original at the time of admission:

• Transfer Certificate from the last attended school
• Report card of the last exam
• Character certificate and caste certificate(if applicable)
• Original birth certificate of the child
• Migration and eligibility certificate
• 10 recent passport size photographs

Apply online for admission: http://www.coorgpublicschool.org/cops/admission/apply-online
Check the fees details at: http://www.coorgpublicschool.org/cops/admission/admission-details

Contact details:
Coorg Public School & PU College
P.B.No.14, Gonikoppal – 571213
 S. Kodagu, Kodagu District Karnataka, INDIA.
Phone : Off : (08274) 247011, (08274) 247881[fax]
Email : cops@bsnl.in
Website: www.coorgpublicschool.org

*Images courtesy: Official website of Coorg Public School, Gonikoppal

Reviews on Orange Country Resort, Coorg

Orange Country resort located on the mystic mountains of Siddapura, Coorg is a 300 acre plantation resort. Surrounded by forests and bordered by the holy river Cauvery, Orange Country resort provides the most luxurious stay to its customers. The resort perfumed with coffee and spice aroma gives you the real feel of Coorg.
 



Orange Country Resort, Coorg

Orange Country resort is one of the best resorts in Coorg in the luxury resort category. It is in 4 star hotel class and has been ranked 1 on Tripadvisor based on the customer reviews on Orange Country resort, Coorg.

 

Rooms in Orange Country

It provides all basic & luxury amenities to its guests. It has bar, lounge, gym, swimming pool, suites, restaurant, children activity rooms etc. It provides free WiFi access, free car parking and free breakfast to all the guests. There is provision for all types of indoor and outdoor activities like golf, table tennis, bird watching, nature walks in their coffee and spice plantation, boat riding etc.

What makes this resort remarkable is the resorts design and facilities. It has beautifully designed cottages & villas with carefully chosen interiors to give that particular feel of relaxation to its guests. The resort also houses an ayurvedic spa for all those tired souls to relax and feel the essence of nature.



Cottages in Orange Country Resort, Coorg

The Cottages/Villas are carefully done keeping in mind all the requirements and needs to make the stay luxurious for its guests. All the rooms are well equipped and provided with the basic features like fridge, flat screen TV, electric kettles, hot water facilities in bathrooms etc. Selected villas are provided with kitchens, private pools and sit outs.

The suite & room charges in Orange Country resort ranges from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 35,000 per night. Based on guest choice the resort has several packages to offer. Coorg being one of the most famous honeymoon holiday spot, Orange Country resort offers several honeymoon packages. The honeymoon packages in Orange Country resort Coorg, ranges in duration from 4D/3N to 6D/5N. The resort also provides corporate outing packages and family suites as per the requirement of the guest.



Tree house dining

There are 4 dining options available the Granary, Pepper Corn, Plantation leaf and Hunter's lodge. Apart from that there are options for in house dining Kodava twilight, Moonlight for Two, By the lake and most famous and romantic, "The Machan" on the tree top. This is exclusively private dining area in a beautiful Tree house.

All in all this is a beautiful property located in a calm place. The staff is very helping and the service is prompt. These guys are famous for their warm hospitality. The only concern here is the road to the resort which is a little disappointing. But once you reach the resort everything is awesome, super clean and well maintained.

For tariff and bookings, please visit http://www.orangecounty.in/coorg-resorts/

Contact details of Orange Country Resort Coorg:

Resort Address: Orange County, Coorg

Karadigodu Post, Siddapur,

Coorg – 571 253

Karnataka, India

Phone : +91 (0)8274 258 481 – 4, +91 (0)8274 258 485(Fax)

Email: coorg@orangecounty.in

Website: www.orangecountry.in

We wish you a pleasant stay!

*Image courtesy: www.orangecountry.in

Learn Coorgi: Simple sentences in Kodava language while on your tourist tour

If you are trying to learn Coorgi language this would be your second step. Like any other language, learning Coorgi is also a step by step procedure. We first learned some basic words in Coorgi. Now lets move further and learn a few simple sentences in Coorgi/Kodava language which would be helpful for you to converse with people in Kodagu.

Lets take up the translations of a few simple questions in Coorgi. Normally when we talk asking name, asking well being, asking directions etc are the most commonly used questions.

We will learn few such simple queries here:

1. What is your name? - Needa peda yentha?
Here, your = needa, name = peda and what = yentha

2. How are you? - Neen yennane ullia?
How = yennane, are = ullia(its not 1-1 mapping for the word) & you = neen

3. How do I go to Coorg? - Kodagikk yennane popa
Lets see this one in a little more detail. Coorg in Kodava takk is  always Kodagu. So "to Coorg" (in direction sense) translates to Kodagikk where the suffix 'ikk' indicates 'to'.
Yennane we saw above means how. Popa = go.

4. Where do you live? - Neen yelli ulla.
You = Neen, where = yelli.

5. What happened? - Yentha aachchi?

6. What to do? - Yentha maaduvo?
Maaduvo = to do, what = yentha.
Maad = do is a new word here. Another example for it is

7. What have you cooked for dinner? - Dinner nalli neen yentha maadiya?
nalli is used here to indicate 'for/in'. So basically this sentence translates to 'For dinner what have you done'.

8. Where are you from? or From where have you come? - Neen yellingee bandiye?
Here neen is you, where = yelli. The suffix 'ingee' here indicates 'from', So from where becomes yellingee. Similarly baa is come and bandiye is have come.

These where some questions in Kodava takk. Lets see some more simple sentences in Coorgi language:

1. My name is .....
Naada peda .....
Naada is the Coorgi word for my.

2. I am fine.
Naan chayil ulla.
Fine or Good translates to chayil in Kodava takk and Me = Naan.
If you want to say I am fine. How about you? It would be like Naan chayil ulla neen?

3. Coorg is a beautiful place.
Kodagu dumba chayil ulla jaga.
Beautiful in Coorgi is dumba which is quite similar to its equivalent in kannada i.e tumba. Jaga is place which sounds similar to hindi jagah.

4. Your home is very nice.
Needa mane dumba chayithe undu.
Here mane = house. It would be easy to understand other words in this sentence as they have already been discussed above.

*Note: Please feel free to suggest corrections if any in the above content. Please mention them as comment/response to this post.