SSC
The Kodava community of Coorg worships weapons during which festival?
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Answer: Option A — Kailpodh
Detailed Solution
Kailpodh (also spelt Kail Poldu or Kail Muhurtha) is a festival of the Kodava community of Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka, in which weapons, especially guns, are worshipped. It is celebrated every year on 3 September, which falls in the Kodava month of Simha (August-September).
The name "Kailpodh" is explained as coming from "kai" (hand), meaning weapons held in the hand, and "podh" (decoration or festival). The festival marks the end of the season of transplanting paddy seedlings in the fields. During the planting season, the weapons of the family were kept aside, in the care of the family deity, so that the people could concentrate on farming. On Kailpodh, the weapons are taken back, cleaned, decorated with flowers and worshipped in the prayer room of the ancestral house. After the worship, the men of the family and the village take part in shooting competitions, in which they shoot at targets, such as a coconut tied to a tree, to test their marksmanship. Other traditional games and sports are also held. The festival includes feasts, especially of pork and other traditional Kodava dishes, and rice beer.
The Kodavas are known for their martial traditions and their close relationship with weapons. They are the only community in India that has a special exemption to carry firearms without a licence, because of their traditional and cultural connection with weapons. The Kodavas have produced many famous soldiers, such as Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, and General K.S. Thimayya.
The other main festivals of the Kodavas are Kaveri Sankramana, the worship of the river Kaveri at its source at Talakaveri (in October), and Puthari, the harvest festival of new rice (in November-December).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Puthari is the Kodava harvest festival of the new rice.
- ✗Kaveri Sankramana is the worship of the river Kaveri at Talakaveri.
- ✗Ugadi is the New Year festival of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Quick tip
Remember: Kailpodh = the Kodavas of Coorg, the worship of weapons (guns), 3 September and shooting contests.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.