Nari Mangala

Author 

Bachamanda Pooja Nanaiah

About

Long ago, when the forests were denser & wildlife was abundant, it was common for Kodavas to go hunting within the forests as it was an innate part of our culture.
However, most of us believe that killing a tiger did not begin as a sport but a necessity as they were predators of cows & bulls which the Kodavas reared primarily for agricultural purposes. When the respective villagers found out that there was a tiger on the prowl, they would prepare as a team which also included many of them with bow & arrows, hunting dogs etc. before they set foot in the forests.

It is also important to understand that not only men but women too were free to go hunting.

Ritual

Once the Nari was bagged & brought home, the hunter definitely was worthy of admiration & celebrations were due. How best could the celebration happen if not in the form of a mangala?
There was a wedding celebration for the bottekara (hunter) with the carcass of the tiger. The hunter is dressed exactly like a bridegroom and the tiger is tied to a wooden frame and almost all rituals happen just the way it happens in any kodava mangala. It is said that any Man who killed a tiger was almost equally held in honor as the Desha takka and Naad takka and not to forget, he is also given the privilege of sporting a handle bar moustache for the rest of his life.
Did you know the tail of the tiger is of utmost significance in this tradition of Nari mangala?

If the killed tiger did not have a tail for whatever reasons, the bottekara (hunter) is not entitled for any of the celebrations, instead was also subject to ridicule & mockery.

If it was the tiger that was killed, the Nari Mangala was done at the Naad Mandh & if it was a leopard, Nari Mangala would happen at the Oor Mandh.

Over the years, with a view to conserve forests & wildlife, the government introduced ‘The Wildlife Protection act 1972 which came into force in September 1972. This act prohibited any kind of hunting or killing thus, also putting an end to this tradition of Nari mangala. As per our senior historian Bacharaniyanda Appanna, the last Nari Mangala can be dated back to 1962 in Madikeri.

Nari Mangala Paat

Nari Mangala Paat  a type of baloo paat is sung on Narimangala day and the details are in Nari Mangala paat

Heroes 

Smt Kelapanda Cheeyavva  

The only lady so far known to have shot a tigress 

awaiting more details 

Gummattira C Subbaih

Information on the ceremony held in 1922 is with the photograph.

However, total number of cats killed is not available.

G C Subbaiah was G S Nanjappas father.

 

 

 

Kuppanda P Belliappa 

Information on the ceremony held in 1936 with the photograph. However, total number of cats killed is not available. This Photograph is proudly displayed in the Kuppanda Ainmane

 

Biddatanda Nanjunda 

Biddatanda Nanjunda killed cats across Nilgiris, Dubbarey and Malleshwara. He has put down 7 Tigers & 2 Black Panthers so far.

Information on the ceremony held is not available with a photograph

 

Kabbachira Bollanna 

Information on the ceremony held in 1950 is available with a photograph. However, the total number of cats killed is not available

 

 

 

Puttarira Thimmaiah –

Year not known. However, sources say he has killed 12 tigers killed totally.

Puttarira Kushalappa

Chovanda B Cariappa

Year – 1947, ceremony was held at Ammathi Naad Mandh 

Mandeda Subbaih

Year & photograph unavailable

Muruvanda Bopaiah Subbaiah

Picture of the Tiger,  which was shot by Mr. M.B. Subbiah in 1936 in Narasimharajapura 

During his service he has shot 7 tigers, 1 Black Panther and many  Bisons, Elephants, Crocodile, Bear, Python.

Kayapanda  Bolaiah 

Picture with the Tiger,  which was shot by Mr. Kayapanda Bolaiah  in 1948

Mandepanda A Kushallappa ( Chami)

Year – 1965, photograph unavailable

Coluvanda Cariappa

Colovonda Cariappa is in a white Kuppya and seated in this picture published in The Illustrated London News (December 6th 1873) 

Cheppudira Appanna

Information of the ceremony  is unavailable however he killed the tiger in 1939-40

Ajjikkuttira Chittiappa

Akjjikuttira Chittiappa was Ajjikkuttira Achu nayaka’s father
Year & photograph unavailable.

 

Pattada C Uthayya   

Information of the ceremony & year is unavailable

Pattada U. Madappa, (Mapa)

s/o P. C. Uthayya, with the tiger he shot when he was barely 19 years old.

This was in the year 1948

Maletira Appanna ( Chotu ) 

Year 1948, photograph unavailable

Maletira Kalappa ( kalu ) S/o Kuttappa 

Year , photograph unavailable

Channira Kushalappa 

Year & photograph unavailable

Mukkatira Karumbaiah

Year 1950, photograph unavailable

Bollera Aiyappa

Year & photograph unavailable . Two Brothers Subbaiah & Aiyappa hunted down 2 tigers together and the ceremony occured together in the oor Mandh.  know to be the only jodi nari mangala  

Bollera Subbaiah

Year & photograph unavailable.  Two Brothers Subbaiah & Aiyappa hunted down 2 tigers together and the ceremony occured together in the oor Mandh.  know to be the only jodi nari mangala   

Snippets in the Gazetter of Coorg

Nari Mangala