KODDABBU
The spirit known as Koddabbu or Kooteda babbu is worshipped by Mera, Mansa and other Harijan Communities as their tutelary spirit since it is the soul of a boy of downtrodden community who met with tragic death due to social discrimination and later transformed into a spirit. Babbu had a miraculous birth but lost his parents in childhood days. He was brought up by his master.When he grew up he developed special talents for soothsaying and divination. A jealous landlord off not like this low-born boy to come to fame and pushed him inside a well and sealed it off with a flat stone. Tanimaniga, a women of Mugera community heard the cry and through her miraculous powers broke open the stone slab and lowered the corner of her garment into the well so that he can catch hold of it and come up. He promised that he will not look up until he completely comes up, but broke his promise and looked up. Tanimaniga cursed him and demanded that he should beat his head sixteen times with sword and offer blood to her.
Hence even now during the annul koola celebration, the impersonator hits his head with sword until a few drops of blood are fallen on the ground. Both Koddabbu and Tanimaniga are worshiped together as brother and sister sprits. One impersonator takes the role of Kodabbu with male costume and the other takes the role of Tanimaniga with women’s costume. The impersonator of Kodabbu wears a big square-shaped head-gear with elaborate ornamentation and performs different kinds of dance along with the impersonator of Tanimaniga.