Kodagu: The Codava National Council (CNC) paid tribute to the fallen members of their community at the Devaatparambu or Deevatti Parambh memorial on Saturday, December 12.
The memorial has been built at the site where 60,000 Kodavas were massacred by the then Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan on December 13, 1795.
On the occasion, CNC president N U Nachappa and other members offered reverential prayers, oblations, and a floral tribute at the site of the genocide.
Members like Kaliyanda Prakash, Pullera Kalappa, Pullera Swathi Kalapa, Pullera Dhanush Ponnanna, Nandineravanda Parvathi, Kaliyanda Sandhesh Achaiah, Nandineravanda Viju, Pasura Raja, Mandapanda Manoj, Mandapanda Suraj, Pattamada Kusha, Pattamada Ashok, Pattamada Prakash Nachappa, Pattamada Uthaiah, Pattamada Anish Cariappa, Manotira Chinnu, Puttichanda Don Devaiah, Pudiyokada Kashi, Bepadiyanda Biddapa, Chambanda Janath, and Mandapanda Vihan Devaiah were present.
Till the present age, the Kodavas blame Tipu Sultan and other rulers for the fall in their numbers over the centuries. According to historians, the Kodava population was about 4 lakh when Tipu invaded Kodagu. This number came down to less than 1.25 lakhs in the 2011 census by the Karnataka unit of the Bureau of Economics and Statistics.
Kodavas now fear that their community will be extinct by the year 2050, according to a 2015 report by TOI.
