My India trek Nov 1973 - Feb 1974     -     John van der Woude  www.jvanderw.nl    introduction

Mercara (Madikeri, Kodagu district)

All photos: the yearly feast of the Coorgs in Mercara (1200 m a.s.l.; northern Nilgiri mountains), on the 16th of December 1973.

The arrival of the dignitaries.  General Cariappa in the middle of the above photo. After the ceremony he showed me his estate.

The stick dance.

^ The only music during the dance was this drum. The far-reaching beat (with the right hand) was given a buzzing sound with the bow-with-snare in the left hand.

^ The youngest at the end of the stick dance queue.

Towards the end of the ceremony there was a dance by women, accompanied by the song of the two ladies in the middle.

Dancing and singing after the ceremonies.

^ Mercara's bus station at that time.