My previous article focused on the history of education in Coorg and propagation of English education among the Kodava children. While researching further, I came across an account on the progress of education in Coorg – in the JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL INDIAN ASSOCIATION – In Aid of Social Progress in India, published in 1879.
Most fascinating and commendable is the account of Coluvanda Cariappa’s zeal in promoting education among the female children. His 19th Century wish was that – “in time to come the educated Coorgs should be blessed with educated wives.”
Unfortunately, the boarding house for Girls that Cariappa had got constructed with his own money at Mercara Central School was not a success as the conservative-minded Kodava parents did not want their girls to board there. Cariappa seems to have convinced them to at least send their girls as day scholars and some families did send their girls – as day scholars, but the native Matron employed there, resigned as she could not bear the Madikeri weather and though Cariappa requested the British Government to employ a European Matron in her stead, his request was not granted.
Cariappa did not lose hope and as evident from the report published below, he decided to promote education in the interiors of Coorg and encouraged Kodavas to send their girls to be educated in the nad schools.
According to the REPORT ON EDUCATION IN COORG FROM 1834-1882, published in 1884 by Lewis Rice, the DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION MYSORE AND COORG, Rice informs that:
All the Government schools especially, the Nad primary schools are attended by girls, mostly Coorgs, to the extent of nearly one-eighth. They go to the same schools as their brothers or other relatives, pass through the same classes and course of study, and generally remain to a later age than is usual among Hindus.
Their presence, I should judge from what I have seen, has a stimulating and enlivening influence on the schools.
Cariappa’s charity and zeal had paid off and other Coorg headmen took notice of the importance and carried forward his legacy of encouragement and charity, with further helping meritorious students in their higher education. Unfortunately, Coluvanda Cariappa passed away early and could not witness the fruits of his labour.
Richter’s advice that the Kodavas should get their priorities straight – and should spend less money on liquor and extravagant marriages, hold true.
To quote Khaled Hosseini from A Thousand Splendid Suns:
“Marriage can wait. Education cannot…Because a society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated, Laila. No chance.”
Below, I am publishing the account gleaned from the book, in verbatim. Emphasis are mine.
EDUCATION IN COORG – Report from 1879.
The rugged mountain district of Coorg in the Western Ghats is inhabited by a brave, intelligent, industrious race, of fine physical development. Its chief town, Mercara, lies 3,700 feet above the level of the sea, on a table land which to the east and north slopes gradually downwards, but on the other sides towards the coast has steep precipices, some of them of 500 and 600 feet. As Coorg is administered by the Chief Commissioner of Mysore, its schools are under the direction of Mr. Rice, the Mysore Director of Public Instruction. The educational reports of this little State are interesting, and we shall give a few details extracted from the Reports of the last two years.
The total number of pupils under instruction in March, 1878, was 2,719.
At Mercara there is a Central School with 290 pupils, including six girls, who learn with the boys, and in this school a preparatory matriculation class has been formed. Rev. G. Richter used to be the head master, but he has been appointed Inspector of Schools in Coorg. He had done inspecting work from time to time; now however all his time is free for this, and it is likely that great good will result from the appointment.
There is a boarding house in connection with the Central School, with 57 boys, who employ some of their leisure time in gardening. Coorg is divided into six taluks, or districts, and in each taluk, except at Mercara, where there is the Central School, an Anglo-vernacular middle class school has been established. Only about 100 children in all attend these schools, for the trading classes are not yet in favour of education, beyond the mere elements.
The lower class schools, called nad schools (nad being a subdivision of a taluk), are steadily advancing in number of pupils, and more schools are being opened. The language in almost all is Kanarese. There are panchayets, or managing bodies, for the nad schools, and it seems that the members in some places consider that they ought to be rewarded for their services. The Inspector tries to impress on them that their greatest reward lies in the efficiency of the schools and the progress of the people, and he hopes by more frequent intercourse with the people to make the school panchayets more useful. A Normal School exists in Coorg, but its number of students is very small, for it is difficult to get suitable young men for training to be teachers.
At a place called Chembebellur a school-house has been erected in memory of a staunch supporter of education in Coorg, the late Sheristadar Kolavandra Kariyappa. It is on a beautiful hill slope, facing the distant Ghāts, with a spacious compound, on one side of which is Kariappa’s tomb. The building was opened in July, 1877. The brother of the late Sheristadar, his widow and children, and many relations and friends assembled on the occasion, and nearly all the principal Coorg officials were present. After a sumptuous repast in the family house, a procession to the school was formed by about 300 people, the hornblowers and drummers leading the way. Mr. Richter describes it as an imposing sight, “this multitude in festive array slowly wending their way up the green hill, old men of 70 to 84 years of age assuming a firmer step by the side of gay youth and robust manhood.”
The children were assembled in the schoolroom, which was decorated in native fashion, and an enlarged photograph of Mr. Kariappa was placed between two burning candles. Mr. Richter then addressed the assembly in Kanarese, sketching the character of the late Sheristadar, who was good in every relation of life, and a liberal supporter of education and of every charitable scheme. He called on the boys to imitate Mr. Kariappa’s example, and on his relations and friends to carry forward the good work, from which he had been so early called away, in the same spirit and with the same energy. The memorial school-house, which Government had built in his honour, was declared opened.
Mr. Subbaiya, the Assistant Superintendent, spoke also with great feeling in high esteem of Mr. Kariappa, and mentioned that no one had taken up female education with so much zeal and sincerity, or had contributed so much money to it; he had built the girls’ boarding house at Mercara at his own expense, “for holding the opinion that the wife should be a fit and equal companion of the husband, he wished that in time to come the educated Coorgs should be blessed with educated wives.”
Mr. Subbaiya therefore urged on those present to send their daughters to the Mercara Girls’ Boarding House. He dwelt too on the liberality of Government in providing this school-house in Kariappa’s honour; he thought that though there had been many good men in Coorg, faithfully serving Government none had so well deserved this mark of honour, because none had done so much real good for the intellectual progress of the Coorgs. Two cypress trees, reared from Himalayan seed, were planted, and also some jack trees, and then the ceremony was brought to an end; but Mr. Richter adds that it will be remembered to future generations.
Some of our readers will recollect a pleasing young Coorg nobleman, named Changappah, who came over to England about four years ago for study at Cambridge. He became ill while here, and it is sad to record that on returning home he died of consumption. The Chief Commissioner offered him the appointment of an Attaché in the Mysore Commission, but his health did not admit of his accepting it. It was very sad, too, that his elder brother was carried off by cholera a few days before Changappah died. Their family was one of the chief families of Coorg, “distinguished in many heroic traditions,” and now it is nearly extinct.
A young Coorg, K. Appaiya, gained a scholarship at the Medical College, Madras, and after preparing for matriculation at Bangalore he has returned to Madras to complete his course for a medical degree. He is the first Coorg youth who has overcome the prevailing repugnance to medical studies. His career is watched with great interest in Coorg, and the expenses of his education are defrayed by the Coorg headmen. His brother Nanjappa is being trained at Bangalore for the Forest Department.
Mr. Richter has induced some young Coorg officials, who had been his pupils, to build new school houses in different districts. He does all he can, too, to interest the ryots in performing their part as to keeping up the buildings; which, owing to the severity of the monsoon and the ravages of white ants, are constantly needing repairs. When the people object, Mr. Richter tells them it ought to be the pride of every village community, as it is in Germany, to make the school house the best building in the village, and that this could easily be managed if they would spend less money in drink and in wasteful expenditure on marriages. Good progress in education may be expected in Coorg in connection with Mr. Richter’s Inspectorship, but he has to encounter a large amount of apathy among those whose help would be of the greatest value.
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