KODAVA PAAT | Track title : Valaga track No. 1

Weddings are gleeful occasions, much awaited for their pomp and celebration. In Coorg, the weddings hold more meaning and value than most of us are aware of. So what makes this Kodava ‘Mangala’ so unique?

One of the most differentiating factors of a Kodava wedding is the noticeable absence of Brahmin priests and rituals that sanctify a typical Hindu wedding. Instead, prayers are offered to ancestors at the sacred lamp, and the wedding ceremony is guided by elders whose blessings are sought.

The traditional Coorg wedding these days is a two-day affair. The day preceding it is called the Uur kuuduva or Karik muripa day when the preparations for the wedding take place.

The groom is dressed in a white long-sleeved kupya, a red chele around his waist and a white and gold turban that is partly covered with a red veil. A peeche kathi (Coorg dagger) is tucked into the front of the chele and an odi kathi (war knife with a broad blade) is attached at the back. The groom wears the pavala maale, katti bale (thick gold bangles) and a jasmine garland. The bride is dressed in a red silk sari with gold dots and a gold border, a red long-sleeved blouse and a red musuk (veil) that covers her head and face. She is bejeweled with traditional Coorg gold ornaments for her hair, ears, wrists, fingers and neck. There’s silver jeweler for her feet and a jasmine garland.