Achandira

About the Okka

The Achānḍira okka originally had three bhāgas. Two of them are in Nelji: the keeda Achānḍira and the mēk Achānḍira. The keeda bhāga continues to have an ainmane, while the mēk bhāga no longer has one. The third bhāga was in Kirndāḍ, but that branch eventually became kuthi nasha (extinct)

Origin and Lineage

A well known hero of this lineage was paḍé beera Achānḍira Appayya. After he defeated Karnembāhu Nāyaka of Thāvunāḍ in battle, Karnembāhu made false allegations about him to the king. As a result of these accusations, Appayya was captured and beheaded by the king’s men in Siddhi kāḍ.

Achānḍira Appayya continues to be honoured and worshipped as the karanava by the Gouda Mukkātira okka, since the land on which their ainmane stands originally belonged to the Achānḍira okka, and Appayya’s kaimada is located there. The Mukkātira okka conducts karana in his honour once every five years, on the day after they celebrate Hari Sēve. On the day before Puthari, they also perform a karana pūjé to Achānḍira Appayya ajja, attended by the villagers of the surrounding area.

There is also a connection with the Appaneravanḍa okka. Karana Ponnappa of the Appaneravanḍa okka had married into the now extinct Achānḍira okka of Kirndāḍ. After defeating Karnembāhu Nāyaka of Thāvunāḍ in battle, Ponnappa and his father in law Achānḍira Appayya were returning when Karnembāhu made false allegations about them to the king. Aṇṇira Madappa supported these accusations, and both Ponnappa and Appayya were beheaded in Siddhi kāḍ by the king’s men.

Moolapurusha

Joyappa and Chembavva.

• Joyappa is the moolapurusha.  Kāraṇachi Chembavva is more famous than karanava Joyappa as she was very enterprising.

Ainmane

The first ainmane of the Achānḍira okka stood near the temple of Iggüthappa, and their first ādi karanava was Chunḍayya. More than two hundred and fifty years ago, Joyappa ajja and Chembavva thāyi left the original ainmane after a quarrel and built this ainmane for the keeda bhāga of the family.The earlier house came to be known as the mēk mané, where the mēk bhāga of the Achānḍira okka continued to live. That old ainmane collapsed about seven years ago, though the ancient kaimada still remained and has now been rebuilt. Today, both bhāgas participate in many festivals in each other’s ainmane.There is also a story connected with the building of this ainmane. While Joyappa and Chembavva were constructing it, one of the walls repeatedly collapsed despite several attempts to rebuild it. Finally, they prayed to Iggüthappa for help. Chembavva made a vow and offered the deity a gold chain of seven strands. After this offering, the wall stood firm, and the ainmane was successfully completed.

The othe pore is built on a high foundation, with five steps leading up to it from the yard. On the inner wall of the verandah hang the head of a kāti (bison) and its antlers, reflecting the martial and hunting traditions of the okka.

In front of the ainmane stands an atha kott (cow shed) with a passage through the middle. This structure may earlier have been a bakka pòré.

Inside the house, the main hall has a smoke stained gūḍ and a hanging lamp, giving the space the appearance of an old Kodava ceremonial hall. The walls display photographs of theres conducted in the ainmane. One photograph shows Thōthă in simple attire, Kutti chāthă, and Vishṇu mūrthi, with the person possessed by the karanava standing in the centre. Another photograph depicts Poyl Bhagavathi adorned with an elaborate head dress.

Period of construction of the ainmane

1750

Kaimada 

Ancient kaimada still remained and has now been rebuilt

Pattedara

 

 

Eminent People