Culture of Karnataka
Karnataka - Culture
Karnataka is a treasure trove of ritualistic dances, all denoted by the generic term Kunitha.
Dollu Kunitha is a popular drum dance of Karnataka accompanied by singing. The men of the shepherd community known as the Kuruba community perform the vigorous drum dance. Powerful drumming, acrobatic movements and synchronised group formations mark the dance. Drums are decorated with coloured cloth and slung around the necks of the percussionists.Puja Kunitha is another dance, in which a wooden structure with a deity is carried on the dancers’ heads.
Devare Thatte Kunitha, Yellammana Kunitha, Suggi Kunitha and others take their name from the deity or the symbol or instruments which are balanced on the head or held in the hand of the dancer.
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The Pata Kunitha (a dance by men carrying tall bamboo poles decorated with coloured ribbons and crowned with a tiny silver or brass umbrella), the Gorava Kunitha (a dance performed by men in a black rug-like costume with fur caps and carrying percussion instruments and flutes) and the Kamsale (originally a religious dance, performed by men with cymbals) are some of the other common ritual dances.
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The Mysore style of Bharatanatyam, which is the oldest and most popular form of classical dance in India, is widely performed here. Other mainstream classical dances here include Kuchipudi and Kathak.
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Yakshagana
A trip to the coastal belt would be incomplete without watching the Yakshagana – an elaborate dance-drama performance unique to Karnataka. It is a rare combination of dance, music, songs, scholarly dialogues and colourful costumes. A celestial world unfolds before the audience as loud singing and drumming form a backdrop to dancers clad in striking costumes. Hence the name Yaksha (celestial) Gana (music). This is a night-long event, with elaborately adorned performers dancing to the beating of drums in open-air theatres - usually village paddy fields after the winter crop has been reaped.
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Karnataka Cuisine
The delectable Karnataka cuisine is an inseparable part of the state. Here, the range of cuisine is quite varied. The ingredients, flavors and the tastes of its cuisines are distinctive and versatile.
Variety of Cuisines
Mangalore The Mangalorian cuisine is generally spicy and rice based. Fruits are an integral part of the Mangalorean menu. Fresh coconut and chillies are important ingredients used in this cuisine. Rice is eaten in many forms like red grain rice, sannas (idli fluffed with toddy or yeast), pancakes, rice rottis, kori rotti (a dry, crisp, almost wafer-thin rice rotti which is served with chicken curry as a delicacy), and neer dosa.
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One of popular Mangalorian dishes is the spicy kane fry (ladyfish). Another popular dish of Mangalore is Patrode. It is steamed stuffed colocasia leaves, a specialty, worth tasting. The Akki rotti, or rice rotti of Mangalorian cuisine is also popular in Malnad and Kodagu. |
Malnad
This cuisine is a blend of Coorgi and Mangalorean cuisine. Some of the major dishes of this cuisine are the midigayi pickle (small raw mango), sandige, avalakki (beaten rice), and talipittu (akki rotti made of rice flour).
Udupi
The popular Masala Dosa is said to be originated from Udupi. Many other south Indian dishes are named after this town. The cuisine of Udupi is strictly vegetarian, deprived of onions and garlic. Sambar, Rasam, Adyes (dumplings), ajadinas (dry curries), and chutneys are the specialty of Udupi's cuisine. Some of the major ingredients used here are gourds, coconut, jackfruit, colocasia leaves, raw green bananas, mango pickle and red chillies.
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Kodagu
The cuisine of Kodava is quite different from the other cuisines of Karnataka. The most popular dishes of this place are Pandi curry (pork curry) and kadumbuttu (rice dumplings). Apart from these, the koli curry (chicken curry), nool puttu (rice noodles), votti (rice rotti), and bembla curry (bamboo shoot curry) are also worth tasting.
North Karnataka
The wheat and jowar rottis (unleavened bread made of millet) are the popular delicacies of North Karnataka. Here, one can find a wide range of rottis like Jolada rotti, thali peet, khadak rotti and sajja rotti (bajra rotti). They are mainly served with a variety of chutneys or spicy curries. Other dishes with which these rottis are served are the yenne badanekayi, kaalu palya, soppu palya, usli (made from spicy sprouted gram) and jholka (made from channa dal flour). |
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