Almachanda Ainmane

 

Author

Alamachanda Devaiah

Location 

M-Bāḍaga (Mūrnāḍ Bāḍaga)

Features

Alamachanda  Ainmane  is a ‘Othe poray’ with two roofs. The steps from the yard in front lead towards the right of middle of the long verandah. The hall is a hanging Lakshmi lamp (thook-bolcha), a mud lamp kept in a triangular shaped provision inside the wall, and a ‘Korthi thook’ where weapons like a sword,  cane etc. of few among the “Anji koot moorthy” viz., Korathi and Choundi are hung up which are intended to be out of reach of children.

Architecture:

This iyne-mane is about 120 years old whose entrance is east facing. The verandah has simple woodwork pillars, aimaras and doorframe, with no carvings.
Floors of the entrance hall and portico is laid with ceramic tiles which were replaced in the year 2010 in-place of cemented floor.

Aḷ roopa:

In One made of silver is immersed in the kunḍiké at Talakāvēri, after it is sanctified with a puje by the priest at the Bhagavathi temple, from where it is taken directly for immersion and not brought inside the house. In the past, after the immersion of one al rupa, another one was brought home and worshiped.That is not done since three generations ago. They have five old silver al rupas kept in the kuri kunḍ (niche) in the wall of the hall.

Temples/shrines nearby:

Bhagavathi (Mūrnāḍ Bāḍaga)

Timeline

It’s about 100 years old.

Festivals celebrated in the ain–mane:

Along with the usual three kodava festivals like kyl-podh, Kaveri-changrandhi and Putthari the below occasions are also observed as a mandatory ritual every year performed by okka members.

Kuḷiya’ng kodpa:

Ritual killing is offered (chicken blood) on the entrance / verandah of the ainemane to Paashana-moorthy (Kuḷiya) which is a spirit whom the inhabitants of Kodagu, South Canara and Malabar people the one who protects the area from deadliest diseases and wards off other evil spirits.

Offered chicken flesh is later cooked on the iyne-mane’s kitchen and served to the Okka members gathered on this occassion and usually not taken outside premises.

Also as heard from previous generation, this ritual was practiced after inviting Kuḷiya/Paashana Moorthy from the soil of Mathanda family in Bollumaad as one of the ancestor married a woman from Mathanda Okka few generations ago.

Kaarona’ng kodpa (Patthalodhi):

This comes 10 days after the Kaveri-Changrandi during which time they clean the three beautiful bronze idols of ancestors (see photo – two men holding arms, wearing kupya, chḗlé and manḍé thuṇi that shows clearly at the back, and one woman in a Kodava sari with stylized pleats tucked in at the back) and five old silver aḷ roopas (of two men and three women) are kept on a plate of rice on a special paleya (low stool) used for the worshipping ceremony. Later the prepared rice and non-veg food on this occassions are kept in a kukke (basket) and then taken to Almachanḍa family’s thootengala (cremation ground) which is close to 1.5 kms away from the iyne-mane.

Korthi’k kodpa: 

Offerings of chicken is done in the month of April every year at the Korathi/Choundi sthaana (bana) which is located in a land donated by Pandanda family on the bank of river Kaveri (opposite to Balamberi deva-kaad). The Choundi bana has stone under a wild-jackfruit tree by the river side Kaveri, and neer bali (offerings) to Korthi at the Korthi sthaana by Aramane Pāleya in the years that Korathi theray is not held.

Anji koot moorthy theray:

This is held once in 5 years at the Almachanḍa aiyne-mane where the bhootha-kolas of 5 super-natural spirits (thus the name “Anji”) namely Korathi, Guliga, Nucchitte, Yetthakaara and Choundi is observed in order whose spirits are acquired by Aramane Paaleyas from Kakkabbe/Nelji zone. The duration of this occassion is one day.

During this period along with hen/chicken even pigs are sacrificed at the Choundi bana (the location discussed in above point# 3 / the sthaana at Pandanda land on the Cauvery river banks opposite to Balamberi deva-kaad).