Tulunada Food

                                    Tulunada Food 

Tulunadu is famous for its delicious food items; its main menu includes Neer Dosa, Semeyda adde, Halasina gatti, Harashina gatti, Patrode, Kori Rotti, Fish curry, Crab curry, Kadle manoli, Huruli saaru etc. 

When we talk about Tulunadu food Fish comes first as Tulunadu is famous for Fishing. 

As I mentioned above there were many traditional and delicious food items where exists, but we can rarely find it now. Some of the traditional families follow his food culture. But most of the modern families forgot traditional food style, they prefer for western food.  

Even though traditional food items are healthier for life they go for western food style because to maintaining their status and for the convenience. 

Tulunadu curry uses a lot of coconut and curry leaves while ginger, garlic and chilly are also used.

This is our responsibility to carry forward our traditional healthy and tasty food culture to future generation. 

Traditional Jewellary of Tulunadu

                 Traditional Jewellary of Tulunadu

At the time of wedding as well as numerous other occasions, a Bunt woman is gifted jewelry by her parents and relatives. Jewellery is considered as status symbol. The traditional jewelery of Tulunadu is what makes the Bunt weddings so rich and unique their own manner. The different jewellary includes armlets, bracelets, bangles, necklaces, earnings, fingerings, nose rings etc.  Tulunadu follow their unique designs and they have unique names too.  Such as, 

vadungeela( i.e., the ring that the groom slips into the bride’s finger), Panchaungila( A five ring connected gold jewellery for all the fingers in hand) Kadaga( Thick bangle), Vanki(Armlet, an upper arm ornament), Thang( Support for earnings and is made of gold or pearls and is hooked to the earnings and then attached to the hair above the ear), Kanti Sara( Necklace), Talisman- Urku ( a charm worm by toddlers and young children to avert evil and bring good fortune ), Vonti (Small studs worm by men), etc, These are the traditional jewelary in Tulunadu.

As in other parts of India, the local jewellery is similar to the ones that are traditional to the native Udupi district and the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga and Chikmagalur districts. Woman either inherits or receives jewelry at the time of wedding and other important occasions. Jewelry is a status symbol and most of the families hold jewelry as passed on for generations. There are varieties of jewelries depending on which part of the body it is worn, namely necklace, earrings, finger rings, toe rings, nose rings, bracelets, armlets, pendants, waistbands. The stone-encrusted jewellery is quite common. The local people still have a strong belief in the efficacy of the navaratnas (nine gems) in warding off evil and enhancing the beneficial effects of planets. The Navaratnas find its common use in women’s jewellery too other than the rings worn by the men.

Ear Ornaments: Kempu Bendole, the Kempu ear-stud made of red stones such as ruby is unique to this region. These are worn on ears. Jimki (eardrop) is more of a modern phenomenon of this region. Jimki is a bell-shaped ear jewel set in coloured stones with pearls hanging at the lower end. Traditional ear wear has evolved from the Karna Kundala type, the Koppu, to Vajrada Bendole, the Kudkan Jodi, which are made of natural or manmade Diamonds. Wearing Bugudis on the upper ear lobes is almost extinct due to the heavy weight of the jewel. Bugudis are usually supported by the Kenne Sarapali and is hooked on to the hair to take the weight of the ornament. There is yet another type, the Lavangada Kaddi, a clove shaped ornament is worn by the class that can't afford the Bugudi. As these are of thicker stems, ear-holes are to be too broad and hence are hardly seen nowadays.

Neck jewellery is a world apart and the variety is endless. The traditional Gejje adigai has almost become an extinct due to the complexity in workmanship needed to make the necklace. Gejje Adigai is a thick herringbone band of necklace on which round bells are fixed at the bottom. The necklace of mangoes, the Kukkumudi Sara, consists of either stone-studded or the gold mangoes strung together. Pavan sara or Misri Male, the gold coin chain, consists of coins or tokens with religious figures held together or hung on the gold chain. Other jewellery includes Sarapali, the chain, Kanti, the necklace made of pearls or Coral. Chakra saras are the chains that consisted of three strings formed with golden discs or chakras. Malligemuggu Sara, the Jasmine bud necklace, the Godhi Sara that has tiny golden wheat grains, Gundu sara which is made of round beeds and Navarathna sara consisting of nine precious gems are the other popular necklaces.

The basic jewel for a married woman is the Thaali or Mangalasuthra, the Kariyamani. First tied on string and then replaced by a gold chain, the important part of the Thaali is the Pendant or Padaka, whose design is determined by the community to which the woman belongs.

The feet are adorned with Gejje (silver anklet). Oddiyaana, the gold waist belt adorns the waist. Vanki (armlet) are worn on certain occasions such as wedding, anniversary and other rituals. Hair ornament with hair pin is attached to the top of the braid or in buns to hold them in place is known as Tareta poo. Kedage, Sampige etc. are the flower patterns often seen in these pin heads. Nagara is the earlier version of Bun wear where Gopalakrishna playing flute with Serpent as umbrella is the main theme of art. Nagara has Beads in three or four rows surrounding the above theme.

For nose, Mooguthi, Moonkuda bottu and Natthu are the three known main varieties. The elderly women of older generation mostly wore Mooguthi, the nose-stud that is studded with diamond. The Natthu, the dangling nose stud was mostly worn by the younger population. It is common to see the gold tinsel on the nose, nowadays. Toe ring has the simplest design of all. Finger rings when worn on five fingers are known as Panchungila and the one that is gifted to the groom is known Vadungila. The rich brides braid is often decorated with a long Nagara plait that is studded ith gems.

The children wear Sonta-da-noolu and the coral chain that has a golden Pepal leaf Padaka. With the rising gold price, the old jewelries have seen the molten pot and the new hollow, light weight jewelries are getting more popular.These all about Our Tulunadu traditional jewellary. 

 

Yakshagana

Yakshagana

  Yakshagana is a folk theater form that combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form. This folk theater style is mainly found in the coastal districts and the Malenadu region of Karnataka, India. Yakshagana is traditionally presented from dusk to dawn. Yakshagana is popular in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod district of Kerala. Traditionally, Yakshaganas would go on all night. It is sometimes called as Aata in both Kannada and Tulu.

Yakshagana consists of Himmela and a Mummela that means background musicians and mummela means dance and dialog group, which together perform a Yakshagana Prasanga. There are two types of styles in Yakshagana they are Badagutittu and Tenkutittu.

Badagutittu

The Badagutittū style of Yakshagana Costume. The Badagutittu style is prevalent in Uttara Kannada District; it makes use of a typical Karnataka chande. The Badagutittu style was popularized by Shivarama Karanthas, Yakshagana Mandira," presented at Saligrama Village in Dakshina Kannada as a shorter more modern form of Yakshagana.

Tenkutittu

One of the traditional variations, the tenkutittu style, is prevalent in Dakshina Kannada, Kasaragod District, western parts of Coorg , and few areas of Udupi district. The influence of Karnatic Music is apparent in tenkutittu, as evidenced by the type of maddale used and in bhaagavathike. Yakshagana is influenced more by folk art blended with classical dance aspects. In tenkutittu, three iconic set of colors are used: the Raajabanna, the Kaatbanna, and the Sthreebanna.   The himmela in the tenkutittu style is more cohesive to the entire production. Rhythms of the chande and maddale coupled with the chakrataala and jaagate of the bhaagavatha create an excellent symphonic sound. The dance form in tenkutittu strikes the attention of the audience by 'Dheengina' or 'Guttu'. Performers often do dhiginas (jumping spins in the air) and will continuously spin (sometimes) hundreds of times. Tenkutittu is noted for its incredible dance steps; its high flying dance moves; and its extravagant rakshasas (demons).

Tenkutittu has remained a popular form and has its own audience outside the coastal areas. The dharmasthala and kateelu durgaparameshwari melas are the two most popular melas that have helped to popularize this form. 

Important Components in Yakshagana is,

Raga:

Yakshagana Raga refers to melodic framework used in Yakshagana. It is based on pre-classical melodic forms that comprise a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melodies founded. Ragas in Yakshagana are closely associated with a set of melodic forms called mattu. In the Yakshagana tradition, ragas are associated with different times of the night throughout which the Yakshagana is performed.

Tala:

Yakshagana Tala is frameworks for rhythms in Yakshagana that are determined by a poetry style called Yakshagana Padya. Tala also decides how a composition is to be enacted by the dancers. It is similar to tala in other forms of Indian music, but differs from them structurally. Each composition is set to one or more talas, rendered by the himmela percussion artist’s play.

Prasanga and literature

Yakshagana Padya or Yakshagana Prasanga is a collection of poems written to form a music drama. The poems are composed in well known Kannada metres, using a frame work of ragas and talas. The collection of Yakshagana poems forming a musical drama is called a Prasanga.

In Yakshagana  Maddale, Taala( Bells), Chande, these types of instruments are using. Traditionally, Badagutittu Yakshagana ornaments are made out of light wood, pieces of mirror, and colored stones. Lighter materials, such as thermocol, are sometimes used today, although ornaments are still predominantly made of woodwork.

Yakshagana costumes consist of headgear (Kirita or Pagade), Kavacha that decorates the chest, Buja Keerthi (armlets) that decorate the shoulders, and belts (Dabu)—all made up of light wood and covered with golden foil. Mirror work on these ornaments helps to reflect light during shows and add more color to the costumes. Armaments are worn on a vest and cover the upper half of the body. The lower half is covered with kacche, which come in unique combinations of red, yellow, and orange checks. Bulky pads are used under the kachche, making the actors' proportions different in size from normal.

The character, Bannada Vesha, is used to depict monsters. This often involves detailed facial makeup taking three to four hours to complete. Males play the female roles in traditional Yakshagana. However, more recently, yakshagana has seen female artists, who perform in both male and female roles. The character of Stree Vesha makes use of sari and other decorative ornaments.

(Source:Wikipedia) 

Nagaradhane

                                      Nagaradhane

Nagaradhane is a form of snake worship which, along with Bhuta Kola, is one of the unique traditions prevalent in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod alternatively known as Tulunadu. Snakes are not seen as deities, but as an animal species which should be respected, appeased and protected for multiple social, religious and ecological regions.

Snakes have been associated with power, awe and respect in India. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu takes rest under the shade of the giant snake, Adisesha. Lord Shiva wears a snake Vasuki around his neck.

It is difficult to trace the origin of Nagaradhane, though the Nairs of Kerala and Bunts of Tulunadu claim to be kshatriyas of Nagavanshi descent, thus maybe snake worship was popularised by them. Though most rituals of snake worship are done by Brahmins, there is not a single Bunt house that does not have a nagabana. Snakes are offered sweets and milk to appease them.

 

The snake worship rituals practiced in Tulunadu  are quite unique and different from the other rituals. Snakes have their own snake shrines in a sacred grove known as Nagabana. The shrines have images of cobras carved of stones. Accordingly, nobody is allowed to chop the tree near the Nagabana. It is also believed that snakes, specifically the cobras, are not being harmed or killed by anyone. If harmed, the individual has to perform a ritual to cleanse the sin of killing or harming the snake. The belief is that the individual who refuses to perform the ritual will be cursed by the snake for eternity.

It can also be noted that in Tulunadu or the South Canara region in Karnataka, agriculture is predominant that too paddy is the main crop. In these fields snakes help in saving the crop from rodents. This can be a plausible reason for worship of snakes in line with order nature worships such as cow and the banyan tree.