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Kodavas of Kodagu – 2

The Origins

The origin of the Kodava tribe is unknown.  Their strange customs, both marriage and death ceremonies, and the kind of worship has spawned many speculations.  It is generally felt that they are not indigenous tribes but are mlecchas or foreigners who migrated to the region in the remote past. 

The most common theories are:

1. Descendents of soldiers of Rajput ancestry with Indo-Scythian origins. 

2. Group of Kurds/Yemenis, who fled to escape from the onslaught of Islam and forced proselytization in the 7^th century.

3. Early Harappans living on the banks of River Saraswathi in Rajasthan who migrated south during Vedic period.

4. A tribe of people from the northern Mysore who migrated in the 11^th century to escape from famine, searching for fertile grounds.

5. A nomadic group from unknown region, who over centuries slowly migrated south and found a safe haven in the rugged, secluded, sparsely populated mountains of Kodagu.

Wherever the Kodavas originated from, it is clear that they maintained a clear and separate identity of themselves for many centuries.  Skilled in warfare and cultivation, they formed a society that remained different than that of their neighbors for many centuries.

History

Starting from very early in its history Kodagu has been under various dynasties that typically controlled the neighboring regions of Karnataka.  Kodagu has been ruled by the Gangas, Kadambas, Chalukyas, Cholas, Kongalvas and Changalvas (both local prominent dynasties), Hoysalas, Vijayanagara and Nayaks.  There is not much historical record of Kodava history or any record of the origins of Kodava people.  Most of the history is recorded only after the 16^th century. 

The earliest mention of Kodagu is in the Sangam literature in the 2^nd century A.D., where it is stated that the Pandya kingdom extended west up to Kudukam (kuda meaning west in Tamil). It is believed by historians that Kudukam is Kodagu. Early on the northern part of Kodagu was under the control of Kadambas and the southern regions under the Gangas.  Under the protection of Gangas, the Changalva Arasus flourished.  The Gangas and the Changalvas were defeated in the 11^th century by Cholas.  However, under the suzerainty of Cholas, the Changalvas continued to rule the southern regions when Raja Raja Chola was ruling in Tanjavur.

A Kongalva called Nayak Manija had helped the Cholas in their quest to defeat the Gangas.  He was made the ruler in some northern areas of Kodagu and Hassan.  A century later the Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra defeated the Cholas but the Changalvas did not accept them fully as the rulers.  Then Hoysala Bettarasa defeated the Changalva king Pemma Veerappa and made him the vassal of Hoysala Kingdom.  Incidentally, it was during the rule of Pemma Veerappa that the region was called Kodagu for the first time.  When Hoysala kingdom declined after the Muslim invasion in the 14^th century (Alauddin Khilji through his infamous commandant Malik Kafur), the Changalvas became prominent rulers of Kodagu.  They however co-existed with the Kongalvas.  However, both Changalvas and Kongalvas were nothing more than feudal lords of Kodagu and had no influence beyond its borders. 

– Continued

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