Asutosh, Author at Cycle Tour India

The lesser known facts about Yakshagana performances in Karnataka

3 Comments / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

Yakshagana is the dance-drama theatre play of south India, especially endemic to Karnataka. Its art style is influenced by the bhakti movement during which music was incorporated into stories drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Geeta.

These performances are held in a season called the Pattanaje, which lasts from November till May end (Read this article).

There are several Yakshagana teams from different mandalis (teams) that are carried out in this festive season. These performances take place every single day during the season at different places in the state.

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How is the life of people living in remote places of conserved forests in Karnataka?

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

There are people living in remote locations in Karnataka such as the forest range of Kudremukh. These people settled down at these remote locations as much as a hundred years back and formed tiny pockets of settlements. They continue to thrive to date, if not grow.

Houses here are located in such remote conditions that mobile phones have been under use only around 3 years back, as one wouldn’t receive coverage from any network operator.

How is the life of people living in remote places of conserved forests in Karnataka? Read More »

How is the life of a rural Udupi-based cook?

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

The first thing that comes to the mind of people when we speak about Udupi is the chain of restaurants that are located all around Karnataka and even outside. Famously called Udupi Bhattaru (Udupi cooks), these people are known for their ability to cook tasty food.

If you have lived in Bangalore, you will know by now that there are countless Udupi-based restaurants in the city. The chefs and cooks for all these restaurants come from remote places in the Udupi district to make a living.

How is the life of a rural Udupi-based cook? Read More »

8 – Interesting facts about Dakshina Kannada district nobody knows about

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

Dakshina Kannada is the district with the highest literacy rates in Karnataka, with Mangalore, the capital city as well, ranking 1 in the state. It is also the most religiously diverse district in the state. While Tulu is the most widely spoken language here, it has immense diversity with regard to the number of languages and their derived dialects. This is partly also because of the diverse ethnic groups residing in the location.

The majority of the people residing in Dakshina Kannada also called the Tulu Nadu, are the Tuluvas. This is followed by the Konkani people, Brahmins, Holeyas, Muslims, Mangalorean Catholics, and Arebhashe Gowdas. Each of these separate ethnic groups has its sub-sections with both the Tuluvas and the Brahmins having 6 sub-sections each.

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7 Interesting facts about Kodagu/coorg district nobody knows about

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

The first thing that crosses the mind of people when they speak about the Kodagu district is the tourist locations one can visit. Located just 250 Km away from Bangalore, Madikeri is a weekend getaway place for many Bangaloreans. The place where parents take kids during summer holidays and people from all over the country come to soak in the beautiful view of the mountains and enjoy the cool weather.

Apart from being a tourist location, did you know that the Kodagu district (formerly called Coorg state until 1956 before merging with the Mysore state) was an independent state until 1956? Did you know that the district has the least population amongst all districts in Karnataka? Did you know that Coorgis are majorly agriculturalists but also belong to the warrior clan?

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Who are the Hakki Pikki tribals of India? How is life of the hakki pikki tribals?

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

Of the large number of tribals relocated from forests to main lands by the government, the Hakki Pikki tribals are one of them, who have settled in southern parts of India. These people are specialists at catching birds and have honed in on the art for ages.

They speak in a language of their own called the Adivasi language. The language is close to Gujarati but does not have a script of its own. Neither do these people know where they descended from. Right now, there are about 20 colonies of roughly 100 families each, located around southern parts of India, especially Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

Who are the Hakki Pikki tribals of India? How is life of the hakki pikki tribals? Read More »

Why are farmers turning to commercial cropping and forgetting local crops in south Karnataka?

2 Comments / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

Traditional cropping has been followed for ages in India, providing a wide variety of crops and yields that are endemic to specific regions of the state. Most of these crops do not have much commercial value but serve as nutritious food to the locals.

Maize, pulses, oil seeds, and a wide variety of millets, are the traditional crops of Karnataka. If you happen to go to a village, you get to have local cuisines prepared using the above. Jowar muddhe (Smushed local corn dish), uchellu pudi (Niger seed powder), and pulse sambar, are some of them.

Why are farmers turning to commercial cropping and forgetting local crops in south Karnataka? Read More »

Life of scheduled tribe person in Karnataka

How is the life and mindset of a scheduled tribe in Karanataka?

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

The first thing that comes across our mind when we speak about scheduled tribes is a reservation category. Bred and reared in cities, most of us are hardly aware of how the life or the mindset of a scheduled tribe person is.

Most of the scheduled tribe people are allocated in pockets close to the villages. The reason they tend to stay outside of the mainstream areas is that they are looked down at. Our culture has quite a bit of casteism making it hard for the lives of people who belong to these lower categories.

What exactly is the mentality of these people who are looked down upon and made to reside outside the village premise?

How is the life and mindset of a scheduled tribe in Karanataka? Read More »

The issue of caste based system in Karnataka seen from four different perspectives

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

Caste-based demarkation and hierarchy are long-standing issues passed on over the ages. As city dwellers, we are hardly aware of how much impact it has on the life of people in remote locations.

There have been innumerable arguments from both sides, defending and attacking one another. Both sides, however, can not be completely right or wrong.

On my all-India cycle tour journey starting from Karnataka, I got asked multiple times what caste I belong to. This stirred up some thoughts in my mind. I want to ask why people still thrive forward with the caste-based system.

I was offered perspectives from an 8th-standard category-based kid, a Bhraman, and a mixed group of people sitting together on the caste-based system of the society.

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What is the importance of culture? Is it necessary to follow your culture?

1 Comment / Karnataka, People / Asutosh

When it comes to following culture and age-old traditions, the first thing that younger generations say is “it is a thing of the past”. Cultures hardly exist in cities that raise a mixed breed of people.

In such communities, people are negligent and ‘culture-less’. It isn’t surprising at all that the newer generations deny culture. It is not their fault. They just don’t understand its meaning because of their upbringing.

On my all-India cycle tour, it took me only 5 and a half days to understand the importance of culture. To go from ‘culture-less’ to ‘want to be cultured’. So, why is it necessary to follow your culture? And what is the importance of culture?

What is the importance of culture? Is it necessary to follow your culture? Read More »