Paleyanda okka

About the okka

Paleyanda-Palangala

Paleyanḍa Subbayya, one of their ancestors, had only one daughter. A Karavattira man married her (maṇṇk nindiya) taking the Paleyanḍa okka name, and they too had only one daughter. She was engaged to marry a Karineravanḍa man – but he did not want to take the Paleyanḍa okka’s name. Later a Palengaḍa man married her, taking on her okka name (maṇṇk nindath) and the Paleyanḍa okka continued. However they intermarry with Palengaḍa and have no pole thale with them.

Another version of the story: The Karineravanḍa man who was engaged to marry the Paleyanḍa girl died, after which the Palengaḍa man married her.

Yet another version of the story: Veeraraja had set his eyes on Karotira/Karavattira Bopu Diwan’s sister. On hearing this, the Diwan got his sister married to a Kodava man in a hurry. But the king’s soldiers intercepted the wedding party as it was going to the bridegroom’s house with the bride, killed the bridegroom and took the girl to the palace. When she became pregnant, the king sent her away. This lady had two children, one of whom, a son, maṇṇk nindiya in two okkas – Paleyanḍa and Allanḍa. When his Paleyanḍa wife died, he married again and had a daughter who carried the Paleyanḍa okka name, because her father had taken that name. A Palengaḍa man married her (maṇṇk nindiya), and the Paleyanḍa okka continued through them.

Paleyanda-Nalkeri

Karanava Muthannajja went to KaỊeghat in Kerala and meditated on KuỊiya, standing neck-deep in water in a tank. When KuỊiya appeared before him, Muthanna asked him to establish himself in his land in Kodagu and make it fertile. KuỊiya warned Muthanna that he was difficult to please and very demanding of his worshippers. But Muthanna was unafraid and prayed that he come. Three years later, Muthanna went to KaỊeghat again and meditated on KuỊiya. When KuỊiya appeared before him he asked if he was satisfied with his worship. KuỊiya said he was, except for one thing that was lacking. He asked Muthanna to establish goddess BhadrakaỊi in Nalkeri and worship her too. Muthanna did that and planted a stone in BhadrakaỊi’s name. His okka became the Deva thakka of BhadrakaỊi. About 20 years ago the okka pooled their resources, collected funds from various sources (including the Government) and built the BhadrakaỊi temple where they installed an image of BhadrakāỊi.

Muthannajja was honest and bold. He refused to be subservient to the Raja, Angered by that, the King wanted to get him killed. But the king’s astrologer warned him that Muthanna could not be overpowered in a straight fight during the day. He could only be killed at twilight if attacked from behind. Muthanna was very fond of his sister who was married to the Kethira okka in Bethri and would visit her every evening. One evening, when he was returning from visiting her, the king’s men lay in wait for him and attacked him from the back and cut off his head. To their horror they found that the head disappeared after being cut. The villagers took the headless body to their balyamane and went in search of the head, but with no success. The next day, when it was time for cremation, they decided to pray to KuỊiya at his sthana, which was more than a km. away from where Muthanna was attacked. When they reached there they found the head lying on top of the KuỊiya stone. That is why on the day of Karanang kodpa, they cut a chicken and offer it to KuỊiya first before cooking it to offer as meedi to the karanava.

Their ancestor, Appayyajja, great-grandson of karanava Muthannajja, was a General in the Raja’s army. He was a man of principles. When the Mysore Raja sought the Kodagu Raja’s help during a conflict, he was deputed to Mysore and helped the king there. Pleased with that, the Mysore Raja gave him a gift – but Muthannajja refused it, saying he had only performed his duty.

Appayyajja was a good shot and used to kill deer and other game with an ajinira thiri thok (match-lock gun made of wood of the Ajini tree, lit with wicks to ignite the gun-powder in the barrel). Once, when a tiger attacked and killed many of the Raja’s cattle, the Raja asked Appayyajja to kill the tiger. During the hunt, the king’s men beat drums to drive the wild animals in the forest towards the hunters. Appayya took aim at a tiger cub and shot it. That enraged the tiger which chased him up a tree and mauled his leg. He was taken to the gayath mane (nursing home), but became worse. When they knew that he would not survive, he was taken to Panḍanḍaṇe mand in Murnaḍ where the Raja asked him for his last wishes. Appayya asked that members of his okka should not be required to work as chavadikara (menials in his palace) or provide the king’s men liquor, meat etc., (as was the practice then) when the Raja camped in their area. The Raja agreed to this. Appayya also asked for a house. Appayya died without any children. The king got the ainmane built for Appayya’s brother Thimmayya and he who continued the okka.

Moolapurusha

• Somanna

Ainmane

• ainmane

Eminent People

PhD

• Paleyanda Supreetha  Ponnappa