The Kodava Hockey Festival is an annual field hockey tournament held in Kodagu<\/span><\/span>, Karnataka<\/span><\/span>, India. Organised exclusively by members of the Kodava community, the tournament is notable for its family-based team structure and large scale of participation. It is regarded as one of the largest field hockey tournaments in the world.<\/p>\n The festival was established in 1997 and has since grown into a major sporting and cultural event in Kodagu. More than 300 Kodava families participate annually. The tournament has received recognition in the Limca Book of Records and has been referred to the Guinness Book of World Records for its scale.<\/p>\n The Kodava Hockey Festival was conceived by Pandanda Kuttappa, a former First Division hockey referee in Karnataka. The idea was to organise an annual hockey tournament that would bring Kodava families together while also encouraging the development of young hockey players in the region.<\/p>\n The first edition of the tournament saw participation from 60 families. Following its success, the Kodava Hockey Academy was established to oversee and regulate tournament-related activities, including rules, scheduling, and coordination.<\/p>\n The festival expanded steadily over the years. The Cheppudira Cup, held at Ponnampet<\/span><\/span> in 2000, marked a milestone with the participation of 30 women players, the highest female participation recorded at that time.<\/p>\n The Muddanda Cup, conducted at Madikeri<\/span><\/span> in 2025, recorded a total of 396 teams, the highest number of teams in the history of the festival.<\/p>\n On 28 April 2024, the Kundyolanda Hockey Carnival, a major edition of the Kodava Hockey Festival, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records<\/span><\/span> as the largest field hockey tournament in the world.<\/p>\n \nHistory<\/h2>\n
Development and Records<\/h2>\n
Families hosting the cup<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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