Kushalnagar celebrates 'Honnaru'

Villages were embellished with rangoli and other ‘thorana’ and the people exchanged ‘Bevu-Bella’ (neem leaves and jaggery-symbolic of bad and good) on the day. Farmers not only bathed their cattle but also embellished them with flowers, sandalwood paste etc and offered prayers as cattle are the backbone of agriculture.

The cattle were later fed with special dishes which are prepared in the households for the festival. In Thorenoor, people gathered at Basaveshwara temple and offered community prayer to the cattle, thereby initiating ‘Honnaru’ (golden ploughing).

Dressed in traditional Kodava wear, farmer De Lakshmappa initiated the Honnaru ploughing and he was followed by rest of the farmers. The significance of ‘Honnaru’ is that the farmers come together to pray for good, favourable rains so that entire land prospers. Honnaru Utsav Committee President T D Eshwar, Secretary T A Ramachandra and others were present.

Honnaru utsav is being celebrated in Shirangala, Thorenoor, Manajuru, Hebbale, Kudige, Kudluru, Kudumangalur, Huluse, Bhuvanagiri villages in North Kodagu since time immemorial. No matter how strong the influence of modernisation be, people are still following these traditions without fail, which is the indication that our cultural hold on our minds is stronger than our inclination to modernisation.