Puthari Festival 2026
Date, Kodagu Holiday & Harvest Traditions
ಪುತ್ತರಿ ಹಬ್ಬ 2026 · ಕೊಡಗು, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ
Puthari Festival, also called Huttari or Huthri, celebrates the new rice harvest in Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka. Closely associated with Kodava culture, it brings the region’s agricultural traditions into focus through the ceremonial cutting of paddy and prayers for a plentiful harvest.
This guide covers the Puthari Festival 2026 holiday, the status of ritual timings, the festival’s meaning and customs, and practical information for people hoping to experience the celebrations.
Puthari 2026 at a glance
- Also known as
- Huttari / Huthri
- Main region
- Kodagu (Coorg) Karnataka, India
- Festival meaning
- New rice crop A celebration of the paddy harvest
- Government-listed local holiday
- Thursday · Kodagu district
- 2026 ritual date & timings
- Awaiting confirmation Check the temple or local organiser’s announcement
Before planning your visit: 26 November is the government-listed Huthri local holiday for Kodagu. Confirm the ceremonial date, paddy-cutting time and venue with the temple or local organisers. Community events may follow their own schedules.
Information checked:
.
Sources:
Kodagu District Administration — Fairs & Festivals
·
Karnataka Government holiday notification (PDF copy).
Ritual schedule verification is pending.
2026 DATE & HOLIDAY GUIDE
Puthari Festival 2026 Date, Timings & Holiday
Karnataka’s 2026 government notification lists Huthri Festival on Thursday, 26 November 2026 as a local holiday for Kodagu district. The ceremonial festival date and paddy-cutting timings require a separate, verified announcement. [1]
Government-listed Huthri local holiday
Thursday · Kodagu district, Karnataka
What are the Puthari 2026 ritual timings?
As of , a temple-issued 2026 ritual schedule has not been verified for this guide. For the ceremony you plan to attend, confirm the date, venue and paddy-cutting time with Padi Igguthappa Temple or the local organiser.
| Ceremony or event | Date / timing status |
|---|---|
| Temple festival date | Awaiting confirmation A dated 2026 temple announcement is needed to confirm the observance. |
| Ceremonial paddy-cutting time | Awaiting confirmation The exact muhurta has not been verified. Check the announced time in IST. |
| Local and Kodava Samaja events | Check the individual event notice Confirm the organiser’s date, venue and programme start time. |
Choosing the correct date: Use the government notification for holiday planning and the relevant temple or community notice for attending a ceremony. Check that the announcement names 2026 and the intended venue; an earlier year’s ritual timings do not establish this year’s schedule.
Is Puthari a holiday throughout Karnataka?
The notification makes the Huthri local holiday applicable to Kodagu district only. It also lists Huttari as a restricted holiday for state government employees. A restricted holiday is optional leave subject to permission, rather than a statewide general closure. [1]
Government offices in Kodagu
The notification declares the local Huthri holiday on 26 November 2026. Check the relevant office’s notice if you need a particular public service.
State government employees elsewhere
Huttari appears in the restricted-holiday list. Employees may use up to two restricted holidays during 2026, with prior permission under the notification.
Schools and colleges
The government notification provides for a separate Education Department holiday list. Confirm classes and examinations through your school, college or university’s applicable notice.
Banks and branch services
India Post Payments Bank lists 26 November 2026 as Huthri Festival for Madikeri HO. For another bank or branch, check its published local holiday schedule. [2]
Private workplaces: Check your employer’s holiday calendar and leave arrangements before planning time off.
Last checked: . Ritual schedule verification remains pending.
- Karnataka Government notification DPAR 16 HHL 2025, dated 17 November 2025 (PDF copy). See PDF page 7 for the local holiday and leave provisions, and page 8 for the Huttari restricted-holiday entry.
- India Post Payments Bank — Karnataka holiday list: Huthri Festival entry for Madikeri HO.
MEANING, HERITAGE & SIGNIFICANCE
Puthari Festival: Meaning, History & Cultural Significance
At the heart of Puthari is the arrival of a new rice crop. In Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka, the harvest becomes an occasion for prayer and celebration. Understanding this connection with the paddy fields helps explain the festival’s importance in Kodava life. [1]
What does “Puthari” mean?
Pud: new Ari: rice
The name is commonly explained through the Kodava words for “new” and “rice”. It refers to welcoming the season’s new rice harvest. The forms Huttari and Huthri also appear in descriptions of the festival. [2]
Historical roots in Kodagu’s farming life
Puthari belongs to the agricultural and social traditions of Kodagu. Its central act is the ceremonial harvesting of paddy: the crop that has grown in the fields is welcomed into the household with reverence. The district administration describes the cutting of the crop by the family head, accompanied by prayers for a plentiful harvest. [1]
Cultural accounts also describe preparations within the extended family, the bringing home of the harvest, and gatherings with songs and dances. These practices place Puthari within a continuing tradition of family participation and village life. [2]
Why is Puthari important?
Gratitude for the harvest
The ceremonial cutting of rice gives the harvest a sacred place in family life. Prayers express the hope for abundance and acknowledge the importance of the crop.
Family and community ties
Shared preparations and celebrations bring relatives and community members together. Welcoming the harvest becomes a collective occasion.
Continuity of Kodava culture
The festival keeps local songs, dances and household customs in active use. Participation gives younger generations opportunities to learn these traditions.
Padi Igguthappa Temple and the festival
Padi Igguthappa Temple, near Kakkabe in Kodagu, has an important connection with the rice harvest. Devotees bring offerings of the new crop to the temple as an expression of gratitude. This relationship between the shrine and the harvest helps explain its significance during Puthari. [3]
In local religious tradition: Igguthappa is revered as a giver of rice and is associated with Lord Subramanya. These devotional beliefs are part of the temple’s cultural and spiritual significance for worshippers.
Sources and further reading
- Kodagu District Administration — Fairs & Festivals: Huthri, the rice harvest and its ceremonial significance.
- The Vanishing Kodavas — Puthari: name meaning and cultural accounts by Kaveri Ponnapa.
- Bindu Gopal Rao — Paying Obeisance to the Father: a temple visit account published by Evolve Back, including local and priest interviews.
HARVEST CUSTOMS & FESTIVE TRADITIONS
How Puthari Is Celebrated: Rituals, Food & Culture
Puthari celebrations move from the family home to the paddy fields and back again. Preparations, ceremonial harvesting, offerings and a shared meal form an important part of the occasion. The sequence below outlines commonly described customs in Kodagu; individual families and villages may follow their own variations.
Main rituals of Puthari
Preparing the home and gathering the family
Family members gather, often at the ainmane, the ancestral home. Lamps and harvest vessels are prepared. In some households, rice-paste designs decorate sacred spaces, doorways and implements associated with the harvest.
Tying the nere leaf clusters
Selected leaves and creepers are tied into small clusters called nere, which hold stalks of the newly harvested paddy. This preparation is known as nere kettuvo. The leaves used can differ across parts of Kodagu.
Going to the paddy fields
Family members proceed to the fields with the items needed for the ceremony. Traditional accounts describe a lamp-bearing procession accompanied by singers. Prayers honour the land, the crop, the deities and the ancestors.
Cutting the first paddy sheaves
At the locally prescribed auspicious time, the ceremonial harvest takes place. The chant “Poli, Poli, Deva” expresses a prayer for abundance. The newly cut sheaves are collected respectfully for offerings and for taking home.
Welcoming the harvest home
Harvest processions may stop at ancestral or village shrines before returning home. Paddy sheaves are placed or tied at auspicious locations in the household, according to family custom. The arrival of the crop is a central moment of the celebration.
Sharing food and continuing the celebrations
Families share festive dishes after the harvest observances. Songs, visits and community gatherings may continue beyond the main ceremony. The programme depends on the household and village.
A living local tradition: The choice of leaves, procession route, offerings and household practices can vary. Families follow the traditions of their elders and local community.
Traditional food associated with Puthari
Rice features prominently in the festive meal. Preparations differ between households, but the following dishes are associated with Puthari celebrations and Kodava festive cooking.
Thambuttu
A characteristic Puthari sweet made by combining ripe banana with roasted rice flour. Family recipes may include jaggery and cardamom, with coconut, sesame and ghee added when serving.
Puthari payasa
A sweet rice preparation served in some festival meals. Coconut milk and jaggery feature in traditional versions, with ingredients and sweetness adjusted to household preference.
Kadambuttu
Steamed rice dumplings that may be included in the festive spread. Their accompaniments vary with the family’s menu and food customs.
Sweet yam preparation
Elephant-foot yam cooked with jaggery and finished with coconut and ghee is another preparation associated with the occasion. It is sometimes described as Puthari kalenji.
Songs, dances and traditional dress
Puthari kol, a traditional harvest dance using sticks, is associated with community celebrations. Gatherings may take place at the mand, an open community space. The dance programme and its timing vary locally.
Traditional singers, known as dudipatkaras, have a role in documented harvest processions and family observances. Their songs can recall the landscape, village and family history. Participants may wear traditional Kodava attire for ceremonies and cultural gatherings.
PLACES, ACCESS & TRAVEL PLANNING
Where to Experience Puthari: A Visitor Guide
To experience Puthari in Kodagu, begin by finding a celebration that welcomes visitors. Temple observances, village gatherings and family ceremonies have different arrangements. Confirm access with the people organising the occasion before making your travel plans.
Where can visitors enquire about celebrations?
Padi Igguthappa Temple, Kakkabe
The temple is closely associated with the harvest festival. Enquire about the current festival programme, visiting arrangements and areas accessible to guests. Its 2026 ceremonial schedule has not been verified for this guide.
Village and family celebrations
A local host may help you enquire about a village gathering. Attend family ceremonies at an ancestral home or in a paddy field only with the owner’s or family’s permission. A homestay booking alone does not establish permission to join a private ceremony.
A listed Puthari programme in Bengaluru
- Organiser
- Kodava Samaja Bengaluru — Cultural Committee
- Listed date
- Venue
- Haradasa Appacha Kavi Hall, Kodava Samaja Bengaluru
- Location
- No. 7, 1st Main Road, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru 560001
- Visitor arrangements
- Confirm guest access, registration and the start time with the Samaja office.
This is a separate Bengaluru community programme; its date does not confirm the Kodagu temple’s ritual date. Listing checked on . Reconfirm the programme before travelling.
Planning your journey to Kodagu
- Choose the venue first: Get the exact village, temple or meeting point. Choose accommodation and onward transport around that location.
- By train: Kodagu has no railway station. Mysuru and Mangaluru are among the rail gateways; continue by road using the route suitable for your destination.
- By air: Mangaluru and Kannur are nearby airport options. Compare the onward road journey to your chosen venue before booking a flight.
- Local travel: Confirm the final stretch with your host or driver. If the ceremony is in the evening, arrange your return journey in advance.
- Accessibility: Ask about steps, walking distance, seating and toilets if travelling with children, older relatives or anyone with limited mobility.
How to attend respectfully
Follow the host’s guidance
Wear modest, comfortable clothing and follow the venue’s dress and footwear rules. Ask where visitors should stand and which parts of the ceremony they may join.
Ask before taking photographs
Get permission before photographing people, family rituals or sacred spaces. Follow any photography restrictions and keep procession paths clear.
Respect fields and private homes
Use the route indicated by your host. Leave crops, offerings and ritual objects undisturbed, and take your litter away.
Check meals and participation
Ask whether guest meals are arranged and whether a booking or contribution is required. Mention dietary needs in advance rather than assuming a particular menu will be available.
Before setting out: Confirm the event date, arrival time, guest permission, exact location and return transport. For the Kodagu ritual-timing verification status, refer to the date and timings section of this article.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Puthari Festival 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about the festival, its traditions and planning a visit.
When is Puthari Festival in 2026?
The government-listed Huthri local holiday in Kodagu is Thursday, 26 November 2026. A temple-issued ceremonial date and paddy-cutting schedule have not been verified for this guide. Confirm the specific ceremony before planning your visit.
Are Puthari, Huttari and Huthri the same festival?
In the context of Kodagu’s rice harvest celebration, these names refer to the same festival. Different spellings appear in English descriptions, local usage and holiday notifications.
What does the name Puthari mean?
Puthari is commonly explained as “new rice”, combining the Kodava words for new and rice. The name reflects the welcoming of the season’s new paddy harvest.
Is Puthari a public holiday throughout Karnataka?
The notified local holiday applies to Kodagu district. Huttari also appears in the restricted-holiday list for state government employees, subject to permission. It is not a statewide general closure. Check institution-specific notices for schools and workplaces.
Where should I confirm the ritual timings?
Check the current announcement associated with Padi Igguthappa Temple and confirm arrangements with the organisers of the ceremony you will attend. A community programme’s starting time may differ from the ceremonial harvest time.
Can tourists attend Puthari celebrations?
Visitors can enquire about events that welcome guests. Confirm permission first, particularly for family ceremonies, ancestral homes and paddy fields. Follow the host’s directions on participation, clothing and photography.
Which foods are associated with Puthari?
Thambuttu, made with ripe banana and roasted rice flour, is a characteristic festive sweet. Rice payasa, kadambuttu and sweet yam preparations may also feature. Recipes and menus vary between households.
Do celebrations outside Kodagu follow the same date?
Kodava Samajas and other community organisers may schedule their own programmes. Confirm the date, venue and guest access for the specific event. A city programme’s date does not establish the ritual date in Kodagu.
Information status: . The government holiday entry is verified; confirmation of the 2026 ceremonial schedule remains pending.