Madikeri/Mysuru, Dec. 5 -- 'Puthari Namme,' the harvest festival of Kodagu that marks the season's first paddy harvest, was celebrated with grandeur across Kodagu and Mysuru last night.

The celebrations began with a puja to Lord Igguthappa and Goddess Cauvery, followed by the symbolic harvesting of the new paddy crop (kadiru) and the customary firing of gun shots into the air to herald prosperity.

Major festivities began at Sri Omkareshwara Temple in Madikeri, the Kodava Samaja, Gowda Samaja and several other venues, where people offered prayers and performed time-honoured rituals.

Families chanted "Poli Poli Deva." as they symbolically welcomed the Dhanya Lakshmi - goddess of grain - into their homes. Kodava men wore the distinctive '...