Madikeri: Kail Muhurtha (Kail Pold) will be celebrated in Kodagu on Wednesday, marking the end of rice transplanting in the region’s fields. The state govt has declared a holiday in Kodagu on Sept 3.Kail Muhurtha is a traditional festival predominantly observed by the Kodava community to honour weapons and agricultural tools. It signifies the completion of the rice transplantation season after which, families worship their tools and weapons, which are stored in a prayer room during the agricultural season. The celebrations include a feast, shooting competitions, and other sports held in the village. In Kodava language, ‘Kail’ means weapon, and ‘Pold’ means worship.Weapons and farming implements are removed from ‘Kanni Kombare’ (prayer room), cleaned, decorated with flowers, and worshipped. Agricultural tools, and sometimes oxen, are also bathed and offered special food such as jaggery and rice payasam. Families and communities participate in the festivities with a special meal that often includes pork curry. The event culminates in a gathering at the village mand, where shooting contests, such as firing at a coconut tied to a tree, tested marksmanship.The festival celebrates the Kodavas warrior heritage and agrarian lifestyle, preparing them to guard their crops from wild animals like boars. While traditional practices like hunting are fading, modern activities like shooting at coconut targets remained a popular part of the celebrations.The Codava National Council (CNC) had already celebrated the festival this year at Capitol village, near Madikeri. Former minister and MLC AH Vishwanath took part in the celebration, and Dr Mathanda Aiyappa and CNC president NU Nachappa were present.
