Propitiating or profiteering?: Post-row, 'Koragajja Nema' ritual cancelled in Bengaluru

Cashing in on Kantara fame

The successful Kannada film ‘Kantara’ seems to have unintentionally opened up avenues for its subject 'daivaradhane' (spirit worship) outside the coastal region of Karnataka.

A pamphlet conveying that a temple in Bengaluru is going to hold ‘Koragajja Nema’ (a ritual for the local deity from coastal Karnataka) for the first time in the garden city did rounds on social media for the last few days, but much to the ire of 'Tuluvas' (people of coastal Karnataka).

A temple at Chokkanahalli, Yelahanka was scheduled to organise a Koragajja Nema on Saturday and started to raise funds for the same from devotees.

Koragajja worshipers from coastal Karnataka widely opposed this, saying rituals related to ‘daivaradhane,’ including Koragajja Nema, cannot be held outside the coastal belt and many accused the organisers of trying to 'profiteer'.

“We received a lot of objections from Mangaluru region. Hence, we are calling off the event,” one of the organisers told DH.

Many took to social media, saying that according to ‘Paddana’ (songs reciting the origins of the spirits) of Koraga Thaniya (original name of ‘Koragajja’), Koragajja rituals should be held only within the boundaries of the coastal region.

Koraga Thaniya is the 'daiva' (demigod) of the socio-economically backward Koraga community. As the 'miracles' of Koragajja became popular over the years, with many claiming that they got their prayers fulfilled, the demigod received widespread devotion across communities.

Pangala Babu Koraga, a leader from the community, said the meaning of the ‘Paddana’ is not exactly how it is being interpreted.

“The particular Paddana does not mention any restriction on the place of Koragajja worship/rituals. Anybody can worship Koraga Thaniya anywhere, if they are doing it with honesty and integrity. But there should not be distortions and the intent of encashing people’s beliefs,” Babu said.

"People from coastal areas have always taken their culture, including 'daivaradhane,' to other places while migrating. We see a lot of daiva-related rituals taking place outside the coastal region as a result of this. But outsiders taking interest in 'daivaradhane' and organising events, especially the one in Bengaluru, looks like a clear case of profiteering," said Purushothama Bilimale, renowned scholar of 'daivaradhane'.

"Appropriation of Koragajja for commercial as well as political reasons has been happening for some years now and the coastal region itself is no exception to it," Babu added.

The popularity of Koragajja worship has barely helped the Koraga community, a classified Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.

With a population of around 14,000 in Karnataka, the community faces social and economic hardships such as untouchability and unemployment.

'Distortion of tradition'

“They need only our 'daiva,' but our people are always oppressed. Even until 10-15 years ago, we were not allowed inside Koragajja temples. These days, our 'daiva' has often been portrayed as an alcoholic and crazy man, which is a complete distortion of tradition,” said Babu, who has authored an encyclopedia on Koragas.