Igguthappa
I
n Coorg every Hindu religious rituals revolves around Igguthappa. He is considered as the presiding deity of the region. In local parlance Igguthappa means the giver (of grains); the rain god; the one who grands everything.Symbolically Igguthappa is portrayed as serpent with open hood. Mythologically Igguthappa is considered as an aspect of Lord Subramanya. There are many legends surrounding Igguthappa. The most popular one is about how Igguthappa came to the region and made it as his adobe. Igguthappa and siblings originally had their adobe in Kerala, located across the mountains. For some reasons Igguthappa felt Coorg a better place and left Kerala and made Coorg as his adobe.
Padi Igguthappa Temple at Kakkabe is popular place for worship for the people of Coorg. As if to underline the Kerala connection of Igguthappa, this temple resembles a lot with the traditional Kerala temples.