Māthanḍa-1

 

The okka did not prosper and became extinct. At that time, there were three Maletira brothers in Kedamullur. The eldest of them, Karicha, mannk nindiya here and continued the Mathanda okka. (The second mannk nindiya at Chottera and the third remained as Maletira). The story is that Karicha was ploughing his fields singing of his longing for a lot of land. The Raja’s spies told the Raja about this young man. The Raja summoned him and told him that he would fulfill his wish if he could get rid of a Paradanda manthravadi (sorcerer) who was troubling the Raja. Karicha befriended the sorcerer and went hunting with him. During the hunt he observed that the sorcerer never let go of his hunting weapons. At noon, when they went to a river-side to eat, Karicha put his weapons down and washed his feet and face. When the sorcerer, trusting him, did the same, Karicha attacked and killed him. When the Raja asked Karicha what he wanted as a reward, he asked for the land belonging to the Mathanda okka that was extinct then.

 

This okka has four bhagas. Karanava Karicha built four balyamanes, for his four sons (Appachanna, Monnappa, Karicha and Muthanna) – three here, in a cluster near each other (2 were mund manes - both burnt down, and were rebuilt as othe pores), and one in Kunjalageri. Their descendants are the four bhagas of the Mathanda okka. This balyamane belongs to the eldest of the four brothers, Appachanna, and is considered the arvad. The 2nd balyamane in the cluster is similar to this one, and has a wood-panelled verandah and old pillars. The 3rd has been rebuilt as a modern house. (There are only two families in that bhaga now). The 4th (no longer there) was in Kunjalageri, beyond Bollumad river, near the Bollumad school. 

 

Another okka called the Koteti Mathanda, also from Bollumad village, has an interesting story. Mathanda karana Karicha, who was given this land and established here by the Kodagu Raja, fell in love with a beautiful Thingalanda lady (a Malayali) who was pregnant at the time. The Raja did not want Karicha to marry her, but when he insisted, the Raja said he could marry her only on condition that their children would not be considered as his. So their descendants, known as Koteti Mathanda, are not considered as belonging to the original Mathanda okka although they bear the same name. They are in Kadanga village and do not have an ainmane.

 

There was yet another okka - a cheriya Mathanda across the kadanga - who became extinctlong ago.

 

In the past the four bhagas used to celebrate Puthari together in this arvad. Villagers came, danced here during eed and returned to their homes after accepting athi-pathi. All that changed due to petty quarrels between the bhagas regarding inviting each other for the Puthari meal. Now they celebrate Puthari separately.

 

Diwan Appachu (1834) commanded Veeraraja’s army and repulsed the advance of the British forces led by Col. Waugh in Harangi during the war against the British.  But he could not get enough supplies for the war and wept in despair. When the Raja was deposed and sent to Kashi (Benares), the Diwan was taken to court by the British. At the court hearing, he defended his action boldly and was appreciated. He was gifted a house near Madikeri fort and land in Bollumad and in Thora. (Records of the land gifted are now lost). The okka has 3700 bhatti wet-land, bane land, and land where coffee is now grown. They have donated the land in Thora to schools and for roads etc.

 

Subedar Mathanda Appachu (the Diwan) was named in the list of 34 noted for bravery in quelling the 1837 Amarasulya katakayi in a letter dated 9/5/1837 by Col. Marc Cubbon, Commissioner of Koḍagu, Bangalore. [Source: Pattole Palame, 1924]. These men were offered the money that was looted from the Mangalore treasury by the rebels. But they refused it and were offered medals, pensions (for three generations), jagir and umbali land, horses and broadcloth instead.

 

Mathanda Cariappa, as a desha thakka, represented the Coorgs at Queen Victoria’s coronation in London in 1851.

 

Mathanda C. Mandappa was a well-known Freeḍom fighter during the Indian Independence movement.

 

Mathanda Appachanna was one among the 11 founders of the Madikeri School Endowment Plantation Fund, 1863 (that later became the Coorg Education Fund). 

 

Mathanda Monnappa, a desha thakka, currently heads the Akhila Kodava Samaja that was established in 1942.