Puttari namme (Huttari festival) - Coorg

"Wish you all a Happy Puttari Namme"

Today we celebrate Puttari at Coorg (Kodagu).

Puttari ( Huttari ) is the traditional harvest festival known for a variety of folk songs and dances being displayed. It is observed in November / December. Each village presents it own set of discipline and dances during the annual fairs at its temple, which is the main center of cultural activities.

When the Paddy crop is ready for harvest, the villagers chant "Poli Poli Deva" and a little crop is cut, bound in small bunches and is handed out to all those present during the occasion. The bunch of Paddy crop will be taken home by the folks and is preserved as a sign of prosperity.

More about "Puttari"

Puttari means new rice, and is the rice harvest festival (also called huttari in adjacent Kannada-speaking country). This takes place in late November or early December. Celebrations and preparations for this festival start a week in advance.

On the Puttari day, the whole family assemble in their ain mane (the common family house) which is decorated with flowers and green mango and banana leaves. Specific foods are prepared: thambuttu, puttari, kari, and poli poli. Then the eldest member of the family hands a sickle to the head of the family, and one of the women leads a procession to the paddy fields, with a lit lamp in her hands. The path leading to the field is decorated. A gunshot is fired to mark the beginning of the harvest, with chanting of "Poli Poli Deva" (prosperity) by all the people present there. Then the symbolic harvesting of the crop begins. The rice is cut and stacked and tied in odd numbers, and is then carried home, to be offered to the gods there.

The younger people then burst firecrackers and revel, symbolizing prosperity. Groups of youngsters then visit the neighboring houses and show off their dancing skills, and are given monetary gifts. A week later, this money is pooled and a community dinner of the entire village) is celebrated. All the family members gather for this meal. Dinner normally consists of meat dishes such as pork and fish curry. Alcoholic drinks are also served at such feasts.