Honnavar Visit

After an overnight bus journey from Bangalore, we reached the town of Honnavar. Hop skipping; we dodged through the puddles caused by the continuous rain. We stayed at a Savita’s place, who organised this trip, where we were warmly greeted by her parents. After being allotted to our room, we started with our project work.

DAY 1
The official day 1 started with the traditional ‘kotte rotti’ breakfast. We were then introduced to Hanumi of the
Gomukkul community, who showed us their famous ‘shedi kale’ art. The art materials used is a clay paste with several other stone elements added. The brushed used a like a four tooth comb made out of the husk of a beetle nut on which even we tried our hand on. We visited the Mavinkure islands in the evening where we met a large family taught us to weave mats made out of locally grown tall dry grass and also learned the local way to chiselling a coconut. I was also gifted a grass pouch by one of them as a souvenir.
After the interactive session with this big family, we trekked back to have a traditional south Indian delicacy.
Day 1 at Honnavar taught us what the tribe at Mavinkure island did for a living, and the traditional arts being overtaken by the upcoming technology of fast and cheap products.

DAY 2
Day 2 started with an early note where we visited ‘Salvador Mane’, learning the process of rope making. It starts with decaying coconuts for 9-11 months, beating it to produce fibres and then drying it to make it ready to use. A interesting local invention to see was the use of a cycle wheel like a charka that the locals came up with to substitute the traditional way of making the ropes with hands. The villagers one this island were mostly Christians who mainly worked in fields for a living.
We then the other part of Mavinkure island belonging to the Gomakkul community visiting one of the houses which invited us to their place for a sweet dish delicacy known as ‘shevge hutla’ prepared especially for a pregnant woman. Carefully balancing ourselves through the paddy fields, we reached their house where they showed us the entire process of preparing the rice and coconut milk for the dish.
We met two women of the famous Halakki tribal community who came over at Savita’s house. Sadly, these were the last generation of the traditional of Halakkis who wore their traditional dress. Fully loaded with jewellery were one of their traditions which they would never take off . We had a nice conversation where they asked us questions. Few of the girls then volunteered to be dressed up in their traditional wear.

DAY 3
We set off to visit the Halakki tribe learning about their traditions and rituals. After spending a long time there, were started trekking to reach to the tribe famous for their pots with lizard skin heads forming a tabla. They sing in a group each having a different size table and sing during the harvest times from dusk to dawn. This meeting in particular was a great cultural bonding where we (our group and theirs) danced and sang along with music and dance belonging to each other’s culture.
Back again at Savita’s place, we were shown the Halakki way of extracting threads out of cactus used as threads for their bead necklaces.

DAY 4
The last day was packed with fun as we first experienced a traditional Brahmin meal and then a visit to one of the beaches of Honnavar swimming in the sea with a downpour of rain from above. We were served with hot pakoras which after being in the heavy rain tasted even better. We then left for Bangalore to catch our bus

The experience of Honnavar was one that cannot be forgotten. It gave me a view of how some people in this world are content even with the minimal, yet having so much in them.