Story of Koragajja

One of the most worshipped Daiva throughout tulunadu is koragajja. Anything which is lost, any work to be done or any issue to be solved; first and foremost, people recall this divine.

Koraga thaniya is the historical figure and not a mythical creation. Dravidian of Indian worship their ancestors, who did extraordinary things for the greater goodness to their community. Due to which they were recognized and worshipped by their later descendants.

 

Meaning:

Koraga thaniya who is popularly called koragajja. Here "Koraga" is the community name and "Ajja" is the word in Tulu language usually  used for old male citizen.

Even though he attained divinity during his middle age; people started calling him "Ajja"  because of love and affection towards him.

Story:

Koraga thaniya lost his mother Maire when he was 30 days infant. He even lost his father during his childhood. There was no one to look after him.  So, He left his home town and started his journey towards the south. Near kallapu, he sits under the tree where hundreds of people were passing by. Due to hunger, he started assuming and he eats white sand as rice, He consumed Careya arborea (Wild guava) as a coconut. He used to cry sometimes and sometime laugh because of his loneliness.

At that time, woman named Bairakke baidyedi, with her daughter Athu baidyedi and her brother Chenniya were passing through this place carrying  toddy (kali) in the pot. They observed the behaviour and actions of thaniya and came closer to him. The Child ran away and hid behind the fence. Bairakke baidyedi requested the boy to leave the fence and allow them to go. But Koraga thaniya told that “he doesn't have clothes on his waist, so he refused to leave the fence”.

So, Bairakke baidyedi took off the cloth that was tied to the pot and gave it to Taniya to put on his waist. He tied the cloth to his waist and began crying loudly with sorrow. Bairakke felt compassion for Thaniya, and she started enquiring about him. Thaniya started telling his story and  stated that he had lost both his parents and even the members of his community; there was no one to look after him. So, He decided to go to the places where there is plenty of work to do and plenty to eat”.

Bairakke baidyedi tells thaniya to come along with her. She promised to look after him like her own son. Thaniya agreed  and decided to go along with her. 

 Bairakke Lovingly nourished him like a son. After thaniya 's arrival at their home, the house was filled with money, and their toddy business started to improve. Koraga Thaniya excelled in the work of  Basketry. 

koragajja

(we can see this during koragajja the kola, the basket is usually hanged on the shoulder of koragajja)

It was the day when the Nema was organized For Marlujumadi, Maisandaya,lekkesiri, Kinnikodangade Daivas, which was associated to Bairakke's family. Coconut leaves, tender coconuts and banana plants had been allocated for this event from bairakke’s house. Things were so heavy that, it needs to be lifted by at least 7people. But there was no one to take these things from Ansuru barike ( bairakke’s house).

 Bairakke baidyedi requested thaniya to carry them to the temple. Thaniya decided to lift the things alone which was supposed to be lifted by 7 people. But he demanded to serve him a meal of 7 people. (It had toddy, rice and the curry of 30 mackerel fish). Bairakke happily agreed to his demand.

muttale

After eating, thaniya raised the stuff alone that was supposed to be lifted by seven people. he walked down the yard ; looked back and he began to weep. He emotionally told Bairakke that,"You have been nourishing  me just like my mother, don't expect me to come back. One who went showing his back today might not return ever again showing his stomach."

Bairakke tells that “son, from the day you are with us; we had good fortune. if you do not want to lift those items. Keep it down”.

Thaniya replied that “the promise which is given by me will not be taken back, just like that; burden which I lifted will not be kept down”.

He started his journey towards the temple.

The Chief of the temple noticed thaniya bringing things from a far distance.

 He orders Thaniya to keep the thing near the temple and told him to stay away from the temple strain.

 Thaniya felt bad about this behaviour. He questioned the chief, “things which were brought by me was useful, but not me? Instead, you made me stand far because I belong to lower community”.

Thaniya’s words were ignored by everyone present there.

Thaniya quietly went and stood near the temple’s strain and started to see up. He noticed the branches filled with fruits which is used for pickle. He recalled the words told by his mother to him that; the pickle is empty in the house. Thaniya decided to pluck the fruits for his mother. 

He climbed and kept his foot on temple’s strain. Still, he was unable to reach the branch. So, he kept one more foot on temple’s kalasha. The divine inside the temple vanished him in anger. From then thaniya attained divinity.

Later, he was worshipped as koragajja/ neecha Daiva throughout tulunadu

(the death of Koraga thaniya is not clear. It might be  possible that people might have killed him because he went upon temple’s strain adding to it; he belongs  to lower community. Or it might be also possible that he might have slipped and fell, while plucking fruit from the branch. Since, pardana’s are not in written format, people started to modify it depending upon their convenience. Due to this reason his later descendent  started to tell that he was vanished from the grace of god.)

Arasu katte, kuthar

One day, Arasu daiva came to sarlapatta(kuthar) and they wanted to occupy their position in that place. Panjanthaya Daiva was worried about this. Because; if in case Arasu Daiva takes their position is sarlapatta the position of Panjanthya Daiva will not remain same. So, he requested koragajja to chase them away from coming to this place. Since, arasu daiva are usually offered vegetarian food. During their entry into the place; koragajja killed cow (kubalthi petha) on their way. Due to which arasu daiva might get impure if they touch it; so, they had to leave that place. Panjanthaya was happy from koragajja strategy. so he blessed that thereafter koragajja will be worshipped in 7 different stones in different places ( Manja, Bolya, Agela, Ujjila, Tala, Derlakkatte, Someshwara) and given him sarlapatta.

Why do people offer alcoholic drink to koragajja?

Even though koragajja was born in one community. He was nourished  by Bairakke baidyedi who was into (kali) toddy business. She often gave thaniya to drink this wine. Due to which people started to offer palm wine to koragajja. But this was later exchanged by other alcoholic drinks.

koragajja, nanthoor

Why people restricted women from watching koragajja kola?

During Koragajja kola, the person who became the medium of koragajja used few cloths on their body instead They were only tying palm leaf on their waist. they used to dance for the beats of drums(dollu) narrating the story in the form of pardanas. 

Moreover, people used to offer alcoholic drink to this daiva due to which, people were using minimal lights during this kola. Because of this reason, women were restricted to watch this.

koragajja katte, kuthar

It is sad to tell that, these days people are compressing our historical figure into mythical characters. This can also be seen in this story, people these days tell that Koraga thaniya is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

It might be possible that; Tulu Nadu belongs to lower community people who had their own custom and traditions, but they were ignored and degraded by the upper community people who later migrated to Tulu Nadu. Few communities were not even permitted to enter few holy places, and they were treated separately in society. Due to which, There were few changes in the storyline of these historical figures.

This turned into a disadvantage; alteration has taken place in such a way that; people these days are not ready to believe the true story without the involvement of god and goddesses. However, it is very difficult to bring Pardanas into original form.  

The main intention of writing this is to narrate the true story for future readers and not to degrade or uphold any community.

Kindly do not copy this article without permission.

Ⓒvishal Kadri 