The Kail Poldu festival is celebrated in Coorg and
bears the hallmark of the distinctive Kodava culture. The Kodavas are a
warrior tribe and this festival is held to worship their weapons. In
native Kodava language, Kail means weapon or armory and Pold means
worship. The Kail Poldu festival is usually held between 2nd and 4th of
September.
The festival serves as a clarion call for the Kodavas to bring out
their weapons and to prepare for guarding their crop from wild boars and
other animals. During the months in which the family is engaged in the
fields, all weapons are deposited in the "Kanni Kombre" or the
prayer room. Hence, on the Kailpoldu day, the weapons are taken out of
the Pooja room, cleaned and decorated with flowers.
On the eve of Keil Poldu the Kodavas worship the weapons followed by a
sumptuous feast. The village folk gather in the meadows where physical
contests and shooting competitions are conducted. In the earlier days
hunting and cooking of the wild animals was part of the celebration, but
these days the shooting skills are tested by firing at a coconut target
in a tree.
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
