Fri Jan 03 03:30:00 UTC 2025: ## New Book Honors Kodava Culture Scholar Nanjamma Chinnappa

**Bengaluru, January 3, 2025** – A new book, “Nanjamma Chinnappa – Chronicler of Coorg Culture,” pays tribute to the late Nanjamma Chinnappa, a renowned Kodava scholar and statistician, who passed away in March 2024. Authored by P.T. Bopanna, the book is a collection of Nanjamma’s works and a personal account of her collaboration with her husband, Boverianda Chinnappa.

The Chinnappas, a team known for their extensive work preserving Kodava culture, are celebrated for translating the “Pattole Palame” (Silken Lore), a treasure trove of Kodava oral traditions, into English. This monumental task, completed in 2003, took eight years and resulted in a 700+ page book. Their subsequent work, “Ainmanes of Kodagu,” documenting the region’s traditional houses, involved visiting nearly 700 Ainmanes and capturing 1,500 photographs over five years. The resulting book, published in 2014, also features a dedicated website, http://www.ainmanes.com.

Bopanna highlights the Chinnappas’ significant contribution to his own work on Kodava heritage, providing editorial support and guidance for over 15 years. The book includes an interview with Nanjamma conducted by Dr. Nervanda Veena Poonacha, offering valuable insights into her life and work. The foreword, written by Dr. Sowmya Dechamma C.C., situates Nanjamma’s contributions within the broader context of Kodava identity politics.

Priced at ₹195, “Nanjamma Chinnappa – Chronicler of Coorg Culture,” published by Prism Books Pvt. Ltd., is available on Amazon and Flipkart. The book stands as a lasting tribute to a remarkable scholar and her dedication to preserving Kodava heritage.

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