Madikeri: Along with language, the culture, tradition and food habits should be conserved, Minister for Kannada and Culture Umashree said.

She was speaking at ‘Makkala Kodava Janapada Samskrithika Namme’ organised joinlty by Kodava Sahitya Academy and Kodava Makkada Koota at General Thimmaiah School here on Friday.

“The culture and tradition should be passed on to the future generation. Dance and music are a profession now. There is a need to inculcate the spirit of tradition and culture in children as they are the future ambassador of culture,” she observed.

She called upon parents to attract children to the traditional food habits. Food habits in children have changed drastically in the recent years, she regretted.

“Kodavas have a unique culture. There is a need to conserve it. The Kodava attire should be respected,” she added.

Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy president Biddatanda S Thammaiah said the academy has been organising poets’ meet, women’s meet, ‘Makkala Habba,’ ‘Krishi Habba’ in the last three years.

Twenty-three children were given traditional Kodava attire on the occasion. There are 18 traditional dwellers in Kodava community. The academy is planning to prepare a documentary on Kodava lifestyle, he said.

He said Kodava culture is built on agrarian society.

There has been a decline in the area of paddy cultivation in the recent past. To promote paddy cultivation, the government should provide a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per acre of land, he demanded.

Madikeri Kodava Samaja president K S Devaiah said the Samaja has been mulling over setting up a Kodava Samskrithika Kendra in Madikeri and sought assistance from the Department of Kannada and Culture.

Over 25 teams participated in children’s festival.