Kumbyaar Kalaadcha Festival at Lord Igguthappa Temple to be Held on March 2

Lord Igguthappa Temple premises in Padi near Kakkabe in Kodagu district. Photo: The Kodagu Express Bureau

Kakkabe: The annual Kumbyaar Kalaadcha festival of Lord Igguthappa will be held on Monday, March 2, 2026 at the temple premises in Padi near Kakkabe in Kodagu district.

Lord Igguthappa, a revered Kodava deity, is worshipped not only by the Kodava community but also by several other communities across the district. The festival is one of the significant annual observances at the historic Padi Igguthappa temple and is expected to draw thousands of devotees.

Rituals during Kumbyaar Kalaadcha include Ett Porata, Thulabara, special poojas and sevas. A highlight of the celebrations is Ett Porata, a traditional ritual in which oxen from designated households are adorned and made to carry loads of rice on their backs, symbolising prosperity and devotion.

The temple serves as a focal point during Puttari, Kodagu’s annual harvest festival, when Lord Igguthappa is particularly venerated as the custodian of the newly harvested crop.

The main annual celebration of the Padi Igguthappa temple takes place during Minyaar, the Kodava month corresponding to Pisces. Apart from Kumbyaar Kalladcha in Aquarius, the temple also observes Chingyaar, Tholyaar and Birchyaar Kalladcha festivals at different times of the year.