Kodagu Honours Freedom Fighters Kollimada Karumbaiah and Pandyanda Belliappa After Decades
- Bommanda Savera Chengappa
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
"This is Kaliyug, and evil reigns supreme. Goodness is no longer relevant."
Hearing this refrain in different languages and at different times has always rankled me.
The Gonikoppal bus stand has been named after Shri Kollimada Karumbaiah. He was a freedom fighter from Kodagu and a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. Karumbaiah Ajja spent his own money to construct the beautiful Kanoor Road in Coorg, which remains functional even today. Imagine the generosity of Karumbaiah Ajja. In today's world, many politicians fail to use even government funds to improve roads, yet he used his own resources for the public good. The Bekkesodlur School was also started by him. Such was his selflessness.
A bust of the freedom fighter Shri Pandyanda Belliappa (Papaji to me) was also unveiled today. He went to jail eight times during India's freedom movement. His wife, Seethamma Belliappa, was imprisoned three times and must be among the very few women in the Indian freedom movement who went to jail along with her two young children.
Pandyanda Belliappa wore many hats. He introduced the Congress to the erstwhile Coorg State, served as the editor of Coorg's first newspaper, Kodagu, worked tirelessly to strengthen the cooperative movement, and shared a close relationship with Mahatma Gandhi. It was through his efforts that Gandhiji was persuaded to visit Kodagu. He also envisioned and successfully secured approval for the first college in Coorg, now known as Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College. He fought to keep the erstwhile Coorg State separate. His contributions were immense. Sixty years after his death, this bust honours his memory in Kodagu.
When I was a little girl, I would often speak about my grandparents, their contribution to India's freedom movement, and my grandfather's close association with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vinoba Bhave, C. Rajagopalachari, Dr Rajendra Prasad and many other national leaders. Many children would ridicule me and call me a liar. They were only children and did not know any better because no one spoke about these remarkable people.
Today, I feel deeply fulfilled.
No longer will the contributions of such good people be dismissed as fiction simply because of a lack of knowledge. A bust of Shri B.R. Ambedkar was also unveiled today. Ambedkarji's life story continues to inspire generations. History cannot be forgotten because it is the foundation upon which we, as a nation, stand.
If goodness has finally been recognised after nearly 60 years, then perhaps the Kaliyug narrative no longer holds true. This is a powerful message to the next generation—that goodness is never overrated.
Today, my heart is happy. What is there not to be happy about when one's belief that goodness reigns supreme is reaffirmed?
When the soul is satiated, gratitude flows. I am deeply grateful to everyone who made this happen.
(Views expressed are the author’s own.)
About Author: Bommanda Savera Chengappa is a freelance Psychotherapist and Counsellor. She has authored a book titled Soulful Sojourn - A tale of two souls based on the life story of her maternal grandparents Pandianda .I.Belliappa and Seethamma Belliappa who were legendary freedom fighters. She is a an Alumnus of St.Joseph's Convent,Madikeri and Jyoti Nivas College Bangalore. Married to an army officer Col.Dhiraj Chengappa,She now lives in Delhi.
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