TULUNADU LIVING STYLE

PEOPLE

This city has given shelter to people from all walks of life. People of various professions and crafts have migrated to this region at different times. Kannada, Marathi, Konkani and Malayalam speaking people have joined those practicing the same profession here. The migrants have joined the mainstream of Tulunadu through marriage and professional relations. Hinduism is followed by about 60% of the population. Among the indigenous  Hindus, the Billavas, Bunts and Mogaveeras from the biggest groups. Besides the Hindu pantheon of gods, the Mother goddess, Naga (the serpent god) and divine spirits are worshipped throughout the district.

Around 12% of the district population are followers of Christianity. The ancestors of many Mangalore Christians are Goans who were welcomed by the rulers of Bednore for their skill in agriculture. Konkani speaking Catholics Christians , Konkani's,  Bunts, and Poojari's are the highest in number.  Muslims constitute about 18% of the population. The arab traders who came in 7th century to Mangalore  married local women and their progeny were named Bearys in Mangalore (Mangalore is also called South Kanara). Here you can  also find sizeable group of people who were basically land owners, following Jainism. Some famous Jain centers of pilgrimage are located here like Gomateshwara Betta in Karkala and Dharmastala and some more Jain temples in Moodbidri. Buddhism also  flourished here in the early centuries. There is evidence for this in the caves of Kadri Temple  in Mangalore.

   Mangalore is a small place even though it has many interesting places. It has been a tourist attraction place for  many years. Mangalore has got some of the good hotels with comfortable Boarding and Lodging  for the tourists at reasonable prices.It  makes any tourist feel Home away from Home, that is the reason once visited would like to come back again and again.

 

 

 

TRADITION AND CUSTOMS   

  Mangalore is rich in Tradition and Culture. Mangaloreans are not very orthodox. All the Festivals, rituals and customs are very unique from rest of India.

                  DRESS CODE

  Traditionally, men wear Panche or Lungi (Mundu as called in Tulu), usually most men wear white colour mundu only. The women folk wear Saree and Blouse, young girls wear langa and blouse. The older women wear hand woven saree (Maggada saree). These days due to strong  city influence young girls have started wearing nighties and Chudidars.

ORNAMENTS

Married women wear the usual "Thali" or "Karimani" (black beads in gold string) and wear silver Toe Rings on their second toe (kaar oongila in tulu). Their hands are decorated by coloured glass Bangles (kuppida kaaji in tulu),  ears with  gold ear rings, finger with the gold wedding ring (Voddi Ungila) and nose with a single  white stone stud (Moonkuthi in tulu). Men as such do not wear any gold, but these days you can find men  wearing gold chain and finger ring.

                 FOOD HABITS   Mangaloreans eat a very good  and heavy breakfast. There are a  variety of breakfast they make in the morning, these can be Idli, Neer Dose, Urdu Dose, Pundi (Kind of rice idli and is hard), sajjige bajill (Khara bath with pova), Moode (kind of Idli), Pathrode, semige (kind of Rice Noodle). These are all traditional Mangalore dishes and  are made  always in the conventional method.  Breakfast is always served with Tea or Coffee sometimes people prefer "Ganji" (boiled rice water)  with little salt. In villages people eat "Ganji"  in the morning with little Pickle or Dry Fishchutney. Afternoon Mangaloreans do not have heavy lunch, they eat raw rice or "Urpel Ari" (Boiled Rice which is dark brown in colour) with some  coconut vegetable gravy, pickle and butter milk. This region is famous for its unique seafood preparations which are cooked in the variety of ways, from spicy fish curries to pungent masala fried fish, grilled or curried Tiger Prawns, or baked Crabs. In addition to this, pork dishes, Kori Sukkas, Kori Rotti, Ganji, Chutney and dry fish curry are perfectly complemented with boiled rice. Fish is in  Mangalorean`s everyday diet, it is eaten with boiled rice. For dinner boiled rice is eaten with  coconut fish gravy or fish fry.
   Cashew Liquor (Fenny) and Toddy (palm wine) are the traditional drinks that lightens  any social gathering. Snuff, Beedi and Betel-Leaf chewing are the common habits in the rural areas of the district. 

 

 

                        FESTIVALS

               BISU

  ONE OF THE FAVORITE  FESTIVAL OF TULUVAS.BISU MEANS NEW YEARFOR TULUVAS.IT IS ONSMAE DAY OF MALYALIES NEW YEAR VISU.

           KRISHNASHTAMI  

 Sri Krishna Jayanti ( known as "ashtami" in Mangalore)  marks the celebration of the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.The actual day of celebration can be on two different days as the star 'Rohini' and Ashtami may not be on the same day.  This occurs between August and September on the Christian calendar. Celebrations are held on a grand scale in all Krishna temples, especially in Udupi. Sri Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with pomp and splendor all over Mangalore. Plenty of sweets are made on this day. Among them Ashtami Oonde ( Laddu) and Chakli is very famous, the laddus are usually made from Sesame Seeds ("Til" in Hindi and "Yellu" in Kannada)  known as "Yellu Oonde" in local language. In addition, plenty of butter, which was Sri Krishna's favourite  are given as  offerings in many temples, along with fruits and flowers.

RAMANAVAMI
  Ramnavami  is the birthday of Lord Rama  which falls on the 9th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra (March-April). Rama known as  Lord Hari himself,came on  this earth for the destruction of Ravana.  Ramanavi is celebrated by every Hindu in Mangalore, usually the day begins by visiting the temple. Sweets, Flowers and fruits are offered to the god at home as well as in the temple. Bhajans and Kirtan takes place in the Sri Rama temples in the evening.
GANESH CHATURTHI

  Ganesh Chaturthi marks the celebration of the birth of Lord Ganapathi. This is a very important festival for most of the Mangaloreans. On this day special pooja takes place at home as well as in  the temples. People make sweets at home and visit the temples in the evening. Many  voluntary organisations, shops,  and houses install  idol of Lord Ganapathi. The size of the idol varies from person to person and place to place it starts from mear 10 cms to 25 feet. These idols are kept for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days. The idol has to be immersed in water on the last day. At homes people immerse the idol in the well, huge idols are taken on a procession on the streets and then immersed into the River or Temple ponds.


DEEPAVALI 

  Deepavali is yet another imporatant festival. It falls usually in the month of October. It is a 3 day long  festival. The first day  is called "Narakachaturdashi".

The previous day of Narakachaturdashi  wherein in  the evening water is filled in the bathroom "Hande"( huge copper pot), flowers are tied and rangoli of  sun and moon are  drawn on the pot. The next day starts with getting up early in the morning to take oil bath. People wear new clothes and burst crackers on this day. Little  earthen lamps are lit in and around the house especially on either sides of the house entrance (threshold). The second day Special Laxmi pooja also takes place keeping gold, silver and money in front of goddess Laxmi. Sweets are made and guests are invited home to share the joy.

  The third day  is "Govu Pooje" where cows are decorated with flowers and  worshipped by offering sweets and fruits. The "Angadi Pooja" is on the same  evening where shops are decorated with colourful lights and the shop owners perform Laxmi pooja for good business and wealth through out the year. 

TULSI POOJA 

Exactly after 12 days is "Tulsi pooja", on this day the  Tulsi is decorated with flowers, fruits, sugar cane sticks and Goosberi branch. Many lamps are lit around the Tulsi plant and children burst crackers with joy.

NAGARAPANCHAMI

  Naga, the serpent god is worshipped with elaborate rituals on this day throughout the district. Apart from the annual worship of the naga,  on Nagara Panchami special poojas are performed at the Nagamandala. A figure of a snake with several hoods is drawn on the floor with serpentine and wavy patterns using different colour powders.  Women  and men go to the "Naga Hutha" in the afternoon and offer milk and tender coconut. It is beleived that every house will be having one Nagamandala or " Nagamula" and every year the members of the family have to attend the pooja held there and offer milk and tender coconut.
A very special and unique sweet called "Manjol erada teepe gatti" (rice cake with jaggery and grated  coconut on top rolled in Turmeric plant leaf) is made on this festival.