Madikeri: The 30th Annual Codava Public Kailpoud was celebrated by the Codava National Council (CNC) near Madikeri on Monday. The celebration also served as a spotlight on the indigenous Codava community’s enduring struggle for constitutional recognition and geo-political autonomy.

The event was a vibrant showcase of Codava heritage, drawing participants from across Kodagu to honour their ancestral traditions and advocate for their rights within Karnataka’s framework. Central to the celebration was the ritual of adorning guns with Thok Poov flowers, a powerful symbol of the Codava’s martial legacy and spiritual connection to their homeland.

Attendees participated in the sacrament worship of traditional weapons, underscoring the community’s animistic mono-ethnic identity. The CNC emphasised the need to protect this heritage, drawing inspiration from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s constitutional legacy to demand statutory safeguards for Codavaland’s cultural and political aspirations. The event concluded with a shared meal of traditional Codava dishes, reinforcing communal solidarity. The CNC’s call for autonomy, aligned with models like India’s northeastern autonomous regions, highlights a broader movement for indigenous rights, positioning Kodagu as a key voice in Karnataka’s cultural discourse.