MADIKERI: In the scorching heat under the searing sun, thousands in Kodavas have gathered, not out of religious pull but to witness a clash of hockey sticks. Leaving behind the impediments that came with natural disasters and the pandemic over the last four years, Kodava Hockey Namme is back in all its glory, sparking unfettered joy after it was inaugurated by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Dodging opponents, defeating them in guile, feigning the next step, with hockey sticks firmly in contact with the ball, and searching for the goal. The sport in which once India could boast of being a behemoth, before being dethroned by cricket, still enthralls uncountable. With speed, craft, and strategy, hockey encapsulates every aspect of a top professional sport.
How did it all start? Pandanda Kuttappa and his sibling Pandanda Kashi ignited the initiative to introduce this tournament for the Kodava community, which has had some stellar players playing at the international level. Rightly, they have earned the epithet of the “father of Kodava Hockey Namme”.
As with sports, which has always galvanised people, they also hoped that hockey would bring together Kodavas and serve as a platform for the talented, who can progress to the next stages from here.
But hockey has an inextricable relationship with the turf since the game depends heavily on the ball’s movements. So, the brothers decided to undertake the beautification and development of various grounds across the district – especially in rural areas, where people do not have access to sports that demand expensive accessories.
In 1997, the first Kodava Hockey Tournament was organised by the Pandanda brothers at Karada village. It was called the Pandanda Hockey Cup. The fund of Rs 2 lakh for the tournament was collected by the community. A total of 60 Kodava ‘okkas’ (families) kick-started the hockey namme that gave an equal opportunity to girls.
From 1997 to 2018, for 22 consecutive years, the hockey namme was organised, which has claimed its justified place in the Limca Book of Records. “The fest was launched keeping in mind the history, culture and heritage of the Kodava community. Kuttappa aimed to promote coexistence and family bonds within the community. However, there were some rules put in place by Kuttappa,” recalled Cheppudira Cariappa, a retired hockey goalkeeper, who has been a commentator for years at the annual hockey namme.
When it started, he recalled, “hockey namme was organised by the community and for the community without any sponsors. If a Kodava family had fewer members, then the girls were allowed to join the team – either from the maternal side of the family or the husband’s side. The umpires, commentators and technical team members, and even the guests who were invited to the event were all Kodavas.”
It began as a simple hockey tournament like those organised in various corners of the country and transformed into one of the biggest attractions.
The evolution
The hockey fest has transcended the fields and reached every household. The scale or the extent of funds never became a deciding factor for its success. Rather, it revolved around the passion and involvement of the community, revivifying within their people an entrenched love for hockey. At present, there are around 856 families.
But with the all-engulfing urbanisation, the native community, which had been knit together for generations, had to gradually move out of the district. Perturbed that the community bond is weakening, Kuttappa and Kashi conceived the plan to organise the annual hockey fest. They had no idea whether it would achieve the objective of bringing the community back to its roots.In 1997, only 60 Kodava families took part. The next year, 116 families participated, which became 140 in 1999 and 170 in 2000.
Participation reached its zenith with a record-breaking 329 families in the 2018 Kulletira Hockey Cup, and Kuttappa entered the Limca Book of Records.
“In 2001, Kuttappa was honoured with the People of the Year Award for Kodava Hockey Namme. In 2018, he received the Limca Book of Record award after hockey namme was recognised as a unique tournament played by a single community with 329 teams for one-and-a-half months. He received the award at the Indraprastha Stadium in New Delhi,” recalls Cariappa. This year, it is set to create another record with the participation of 336 families.
With the crowds swelling over the years, the canopies where few people would watch the games were replaced by massive galleries that can host 25,000 spectators. The organisers, who used to spend Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for the fest, now have a kitty of Rs 2 crore this year.
The fest, which was battling for funds in the absence of sponsorships, is now supported by the government. “In 2002, the namme saw a chief guest from outside the community for the first time, then Karnataka Governor VS Ramadevi,” recalled Cairappa. It opened the gates for celebrities and sports personalities. From Padma awardees Leslie Claudius, and Dhanraj Pillay to Olympian Jude Felix, another Padma awardee Mollera P Ganesh, former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, and late actor Ambareesh, the fest has seen a host of icons during its inaugural events.
With their participation, the fest broke away from its local identity and assumed a place in the tourism sector with its tale of success. Bommai on Saturday inaugurated the fest as traditional Kodava troupes performed to kickstart the event.
Digressing from its motto?
With its exponential growth, a few experts feel that the hockey fest has been digressing from its motto. “For the last 20 years, only a couple of hockey players have made it to the national team. While the tournament was held to make the hockey sticks easily available to young talent, there is everything but that at the arena during the tournament,” opined Cariappa.
Many former hockey players feel that basic hockey training through hockey camps is needed in the district which can be bolstered through the fest. Meanwhile, the residents have also appealed that the district should be represented adequately with government’s support to promote the game.Kodagu, a small district, has produced over 100 international players in various sports and is home to 18 Olympians. “However, there is a lack of facilities for sports,” Cariappa opined.
Nevertheless, hockey is in the genes of Kodavas and the fest promotes the community’s passion for the game. There is no age restriction for participating in the tournament, which has helped many showcase their talent. “After a hiatus of four years, the hockey fest is back with a motto of uniting and motivating the community. The namme this year has already seen many firsts, like special exhibition matches played by the Junior India Hockey team and Coorg Regiment team. The tournament will be held in three grounds where the spectator capacity has been increased from 25,000,” said Appachettolanda Manu Muthappa, president of this year’s Kodava Hockey Namme.
HIGHLIGHTS
The tourney is inaugurated with a silver hockey stick and a silver ball From children aged above five to
nonagenarians participate Every year, a different family hosts the fest. Their name is reflected
in the tournament’s title.
This year, the tournament is called the ‘Appachetolanda Hockey Cup’
The Junior India Hockey team played against the Karnataka hockey team in an exhibition
match