All set for Kodava Hockey Namme

The Kodava family hockey festival being organised by various Kodava families every year is looked forward to eagerly by hockey lovers in Kodagu.

All members of a Kodava family irrespective of age and gender take part in the tournament.

This year, it is the Kulletira family that will host the 22nd edition of the festival at Cheriyaparambu.

On Saturday, the labourers were giving the final touch to the arrangement including the main stage and hockey ground.

In the last 21 years, Kaliyanda family has won Kodava Hockey Namme Trophy thrice, Kulletira twice, Koothanda thrice, Nellamakkada thrice, Palanganda five times, Mandepanda once and Anjaparavanda family twice.

In 1999, both Kulletira and Koothanda families won the trophy.

Hockey Samithi President Shambhu Mandappa said that a work on Padebeera Kulleti Ponnanna written by Aithichanda Ramesh Uttappa will be released during the inauguration of the hockey festival.

Special features

The speciality of this edition of hockey festival are all the participating teams will be given Odikathi, all players of final teams will be given Odikathi, flood-lit match, food fest, auto fest, felicitation, "Pommakkada day," children's park, book release and Kodava cultural programmes. As many as 333 teams are participating in the tournament.