An Anthropological and Cultural Exploration of the land and the people of Kodagu

A museum has taken root in Chennai, showcasing the rich diversity of the Kodava people. At the inauguration, the former secretary tourism in the Government of India, and a leading member of the community, who was behind this pilot project, Rathi Vinay Jha talked of the necessity of bringing heritage alive, for future generations to understand and share, and remain connected. We bring excerpts from her presentation:

Rathi Vinay Jha
Former Secretary Tourism, Government of India

We often hear of the ethnic and cultural diversity of India, a diversity that is greater than that of Europe. Recognizing this historical fact, post-independence, the organization of states in India was done on a cultural and linguistic basis. This however does not quite give us a complete picture of the diversity in our country. There are more than 730 major tribes in the country. Each of these tribes has unique markers based on ethnicity, beliefs, language, dress and cuisine that are as significant.

Where are these 730+ tribes? Besides Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and the northeastern states of India which have dominant tribal populations, states like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat have significant tribal populations, both scheduled and not. Each of these have ethnicities, belief systems and cultural practices which are different from the majority in the same state. There are some tribes which have greater cultural affinity with peoples from Africa and the neighboring countries of Southeast Asia. Today with the ease of traveling, cultural exchange, migration and even information on social media, there is a lot more for each one of us to understand about the others in our own country. Such understanding and messages are best spread by museums or exhibitions that can showcase heritage and familiarize visitors with the finer cultural differences of our diverse identities.

This unfamiliarity with the ‘otherness’ must be corrected! There is an urgent need to look at these smaller communities with the anthropologist’s eye and document their culture and heritage that are a part of India’s rich cultural tapestry.

Dakshinachitra has been in the forefront of efforts to make the unfamiliar familiar to visitors from India and abroad. It has pioneered anthropological explorations of many communities in South India. It has done remarkable work to research and document these communities in all the states of South India and showcase them for visitors through dioramic interpretations.

The ‘Kodava Ain Mane’ or the ancestral big house, number 19 in the series of such homes to showcase a people and their culture.

As a member of this martial tribe of Kodavas, to have been a part of the team that undertook this anthropological and cultural exploration of the land and the people of Kodagu, better known as Coorg, who despite their small numbers, have made significant contributions to India’s history and culture.

The research and exploration to reflect the heritage of the Kodavas was conducted in a different context and on an independent platform across the last couple of years, which culminated in the launch of a website called Sandooka, the living museum of Kodava Culture. This was launched in December 2023. The idea and concept of virtual museums, including presentation of collections from some well-known museums worldwide for online viewing, came in around the time we all were bound by the restrictions of the pandemic. It was technology that made this possible.

This opportunity made me consider the need to build a repository of knowledge and information on the Kodavas that could in the future also be the foundation for a physical museum. Sandooka, which means “treasure chest”, is an interactive online space for the rich and unique heritage of the Kodavas, offering a glimpse into their history, customs and cultural practices. We worked with the community and scholars to gather information and stories on various aspects of the way of life of the Kodavas.

Providentially, this body of research was ready to support a knowledge bank for this Kodava museum. I would also like to mention that, by the end of this year, Sandooka will be ready to showcase about 800 objects of daily use by the Kodavas with metadata on each item. This repository of information will, therefore, help not just you and me to understand the Kodava culture but will be a precious database for researchers and help conserve knowledge for posterity. This is perhaps the very first such effort to document articles, designs and styles that are unique to the Kodavas.

Our C This year, the 17th of October was celebrated as the first ever International Day of Intangible Heritage. It is indeed a very timely message for Dakshinachitra to continue in its mission of showcasing regional cultures and safeguarding living heritage. And it is also timely message for Governments at the Center as well as the States in India to encourage research and documentation of culture and intangible heritage among our various tribes and communities. Such repositories of knowledge about unique cultures can be then showcased either virtually or more appropriately in museums.”

This massive effort was made possible by the entire Dakshinachitra museum team led by Deborah Thiagarajan. Hyundai Mobis Foundation made it possible to get an ancestral house from Coorg dating back to 1852 to be relocated here and to host a permanent exhibition on the unique heritage and culture of the people of Coorg… the Kodavas. Most of all, it is the Kodava community who lent wholehearted support.


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