‘My life has been about Kodagu and its people’: Bollajira B. Aiyappa

Bollajira B. Aiyappa has worn several hats; he is a social worker, journalist, publisher, editor and actor. He is well-known in Kodagu as the founder president of the Codava Makkada Coota organisation which has published more than 120 books so far.

Q: Can you tell us about your family members and your education?

A: We are originally from Hudikeri. My father Bollajira Bopaiah is a retired sub-inspector. My mother Yasodha was born in the Ajjamada family. My wife Yamuna was born in the Mannera family. She is the fourth daughter of retired sub-inspector Mannera Nanjappa and Rani Nanjappa, who is from the Apparanda family. We have two children: Dechamma and Bopanna. I did my B. Com from Field Marshal College in Madikeri and my CA from Mangalore University.

Q: When was Codava Makkada Coota founded and what does it do?

A: I registered Codava Makkada Coota as a trust on February 18th 2013. It was born to preserve the cultural traditions, language, dances, arts and other customs of the Kodava community. We publish and release books on Kodagu in four languages: Kodava, Kannada, English, and Hindi. We also conduct regular workshops for Kodava children to teach them folk songs and dances. We have named roads after prominent local individuals such as Pandyanda Belliappa (Gandhi of Kodagu), Haradasa Appaneravanda Appacha Kavi, Konganda Ganapathi, Koravanda Nanjappa and others. We have also been organising the Kodava New Year (Edmyar Ondh) every year. On its 13th anniversary, on February 18th this year, Codava Makkada Coota will publish its 125th book.

Q: You acted in the movie ’Kodagra Sipayi’ and you were the hero in ’Nada Peda Asha’ which won the best regional film award in Karnataka. Could you tell us more about this film and the award?

A: Nada Peda Asha (My name is Asha) is about the wife of a dead soldier and is meant to create awareness among the society. This movie showcases the culture of Kodagu and the Kodava community. Nagesh Kalur sir wrote the script for this movie and Kottukathira Prakash Cariappa directed the movie. This is the 21st movie in the Kodava language. This movie won the State Film Award for Best Regional Film for the year 2021.

Q: You published a book on Squadron Leader Ajjamada B Devayya and got a traffic circle named after him in Madikeri. You coordinated the casting and installation of A B Devayya’s statue in Madikeri and conducted his Memorial Day on September 7th every year with help from his Ajjamada family. The Bollywood film Sky Force has distorted A B Devayya’s identity. You also led the protest against this action. Tell us more.

A: Squadron Leader A B Devayya flew his plane into Pakistan shot down an enemy aircraft and fell down to his death during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. He was posthumously awarded the Mahavir Chakra in 1988. We (Codava Makkada Coota) commissioned and published the Kannada book ’1965ra yuddha hagu Kodagina Mahavira’ on his life. We made the statue and named the circle where we placed it after him and we are maintaining the statue as well. The people who made that movie came to Kodagu and the credits say that the film is based on A B Devayya’s life. But they changed his name and identity completely in the book. This is disrespect shown to the martyr.

Q: Besides being a publisher, social worker and actor, you are also a journalist. You are president of the Kodagu Press Club and you had published the now-defunct Kaveri Times newspaper. You were honoured in Dakshina Kannada with an award. Can you let us know more about this award?

A: I am primarily a journalist by training and profession. The Dakshina Kannada District Journalists Association and others honoured me with the Rural Press Reporters’ Prize in Mangalore for my work. This prize was established and named in honour of deceased journalist Padyana Gopalakrishna Bhat.

Q: What are some of the other organisations you have been part of?

A: I am also the president of the Kannada Bhavan’s Kodagu district organisation, Chutuku Sahitya Parishath’s district wing, and honorary president of the old students’ association in FMC College, Madikeri. I was made director of the Kodava Samaja in Madikeri many times and I was a member of the Kodava Sahitya Akademi. I am also director of the Kodagu district journalists’ association, the Field Marshal Cariappa Kodava Keri in Madikeri, and the Bollajira okka (joint family). I was a member of the advisory council of the Kodava research centre in the Mangalore University. I was also a director at the Federation of Kodava Samaja in Balagodu and in the General Thimmaiah School in Madikeri. I was a honorary secretary at the Kodagu district branch of the Sirigannada Vedike.

Disclaimer:

This interview/article is authored by Kodagu-based writer Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and the interviewee. The Kodagu Express has published the article as received and is not responsible for the content therein.

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