This article or section should be merged with Kodagu.

A person of an ethnic race which exists in a place called kodagu(coorg),a place found in south india,whos origins in this part of the world is still uncertain.In most of the books written on Kodavas,they are mentioned as Coorgs.

Sir Hilton Brown in his article "The Astonishing Land of Coorg" in Blackwoods Magazine,1922. wrote; "Who are the Coorgs(Kodavas)?That is the standing riddle of South Indian ethnologists,and more the amatuer delves into its intricacies,the more hopelessly befogged and lost does he become. Whence came these strikingly different people,and how did they get into coorg? They are certainly not aboringines of the place;for these one most fall back on Yeravas,Kurumbas and other jungle savages,not dissimilar to the hill tribes found all over south india.No doubt the coorg has a good deal of South Indian about him,especially the West Coast South Indian;but his catereristically individual nature,his remarkable and unique dress,and certain of his customs are not South Indian at all.Barring all ethnology and arguing from common sense,one would call the Coorgs a separate people".

Sir Erskine Perry pointed out that "the kodavas(coorgs)have no resemblance to any of the races of South India" and adds that,"by far,they are the finest race I had seen in India in point of independent bearing,good looks and all the outward signs of well-being".

The Kodavas(Coorgs) are a martial race and their customs and traditions are very unique in india.

Lt.Connor,one of the original observers of the Coorgs(Kodavas)has said in his "Memoirs of the Kodagu Survey":- "They may be said to be armed from their childhood,and the military spirit is inculcated in them right from birth.War and agriculture seem to be their twin national pursuits.No harm has arisen from this happy combination of soildier and husbandman.They show no trace of the savage disposition which often characterises the martial class.The feelings that attach the highlander to the mountains and that fondness for the country which distinguishes subjects of small states are observed among coorgs(kodavas)."

References:

1)The Astonishing Land of Coorg",Blackwoods's Magazine,1922 by Hilton Brown

2)Kodagina Ithihasa by D.N.Krishnaiah

3)[Sir Thomas Erskine Perry]http://www.whistler.arts.gla.ac.uk/biog/Perry_E.htm

Links to books on coorgs(kodavas):

http://www.kodava.org/kcontent/k2books.asp