Kantabare Boodabare 
THE LIFE STORY
During 17th century Warapadi (Ulepadi) Chandraya Ballala (also known as Sawanta Arasa) was ruling Mulki from Kolloor. Aikalaguttu Pulla Pergadti was his wife. Both of them were unhappy and very much in grief because they did not have any children for many years after marriage.
One day, Manjanna – one of their tenants, visits Pulla Pergadti to offer fresh fruits and observes that she is very worried. Upon enquiry, she narrated her grief to manjanna to which he suggests her “Oh, Mother, Lord Manjunath of Kadire always fulfills the wishes of his worshippers similarly as Lord Vishwanath of Kashi and Lord Jagannath of Puri bless their worshippers. Lord Manjunath of Kadire will definitely fulfill you wishes if you pray and appeal to the Lord”.
Pulla Pergadti – the queen, accepts his suggestions and proceeds in palanquin with her family to Kadire to seek blessings of Lord Manjunatha.
On her way to the holy place, near Suratkal Kajeri gardens she notices a cute girl in the oilseed [teel] field driving away the birds with a stick. The girl comes near the palanquin and rages at family members of the Queen for spoiling the crops.
The Queen was very much impressed with little girl’s justified actions and enquires about her. The girl informs the Queen that her name is Aachu (also known as Aachu Baideti subsequently) and she belongs to billawa caste.
Taking instant liking to the girl, the Queen keeps the girl busy in discussions on various issues. She asks number of questions to the girl who confidently replies to all the questions.
Finally the Queen asks the girl whether she will accompany her. Aachu says she will have to seek her uncle’s permission and returns to the field. The Queen then orders other people in the field to inform Aachu’s uncles to meet her on her return from the temple.
Aachu’s maternal uncles namely Kaje Jetti, Kaje Mainda, Kaje Dooma and Kaje Aita were very much worried thinking that their beloved niece must have irritated the Queen. They wait for the Queen with offerings in the form of fruits and tender (green) coconuts.
Pulla Pergadti requests them to send Aachu with her to palace and tells them that she will take good care of her and treat her as her own daughter.
Aachu’s uncles accede to queen’s request and hands over a sword decorated with ornaments to Aachu. They also worship the venerable Gods to protect their beloved niece. God Jumaadi follows her responding to their prayer.
Aachu comes to palace and as promised, the Queen looks after her as her own daughter. Aachu grows to be a beautiful young woman and the Queen gets her married to one Warapadi Kunda baare – one of her tenants. Aachu continues to stay with Queen in the palace.
One day, the Queen alongwith Aachu goes out of the palace to enquire about children of her tenants. It was a very hot day. Aachu faints near Guddesana due to unbearable heat. Aachu’s sword – which was presented by uncles, falls on the ground and creates a spout of water. The place was desolated & the Queen looks around for help. Meanwhile, the hole created by the sword turns into a well filled with sweet water. Queen gets water from the well by drenching the loose end of her saree and feeds it to Aachu who immediately regains consciousness
Both of them return to palace. Aachu becomes pregnant and it is believed that the sweet water from well was the cause for her pregnancy. The Queen is pleased at this news. One night Lord Manjunath appears in Queen’s dream and informs her that Aachu will give birth to twin boys with divine powers.
As per the customs (prevalent even today), Aachu proceeds to her maternal house with her uncles for her first delivery. While reaching Kolloor mountain she feels labour pain. Local people take her to a house near the lower mountains (tirtha gudde) where she delivers twin baby boys.
Getting the good news Pergadti – the Queen arrives at the place and take Aachu and the babies to her palace. She takes good care of the mother and babies. Aachu dies shortly thereafter, leaving behind the babies in the care of the Queen.
The Queen becomes foster mother of the babies. She names them as Kaanta and Booda. Subsequently they become famous as Kaanta Baare and Booda Baare.
The boys grow like shining stars. At the young age of 16 they gain proficiency in fighting skills required for different types of wars / battles at Samanta Garadi situated at Sasihitlu of mulky state.
At Sasihitlu they construct another gymnasium (garadi) and also a well in front of the gymnasium with their divine powers. Legend has it that each of them lifted 2 extremely large sized stones & were bringing them to the site of the garadi. While they were crossing the Pawanje river one stone falls in to the river. They then laid the remaining 3 stones near the gates of the Garadi as steps. Even today the well and the three stones can be seen in front of the Garadi.
Kaanta Baare and Booda Baare return to Kolloor Barke after completing their training and education. They take up people issues and support the poor & downtrodden people. They assist people in agriculture and such other activities. They become famous among local people for their justice, concern for common people and especially for their bravery. They also take liking in the socio-cultural events & organise bull races at karnad (kolachi kambla).
Their name and fame reaches Sawanta Arasa – the King and he invites them to his palace at Simantoor. He tells them that he is becoming older and requests them to take responsibility of guarding and protecting the borders of Mulky state.
The brothers accept king’s appeal. They immediately get forts near the border of the state repaired and make them strong enough to protect the state against enemies. They also introduce proper system to tax collection for the treasury of the kingdom. They build canals, channels for rivers, bridges and fences for the benefit of the farmers. The remains and signs of these establishments in places like Karnad, Valalambe, Panja(pavanje), Bappanad, Talipadi, Aikala, Attoor, Kodettoor, Kubevoor can be seen even today.
As the enemies repeatedly attacked the region, they got a new palace constructed at Panambur near western coast of the sea, as desired by the king. They were very alert in guarding the interests of the region and also the citizens. The king was very much impressed with their commitment and work.
In the meanwhile the King passes away. The Queen gets worried about future of the kingdom and also regarding marriage of her only daughter Duggu (also called as manjamma). The Queen got worried about the prevalent customs and systems of inviting the neighbouring kings and subsequent quarrels arising out of the selection of the groom for marriage. However Kaanta Baare and Booda Baare assure her of arranging the marriage ceremony without any disturbances. They get Duggu married to Beesabannar Pergade of Aikala by breaking age-old irrelevant customs and systems to avoid any unpleasant situation during the auspicious occasion.
King (locally called as chautarasa during those days) Kubera of Bedra Puttige got wild as he thought that people of Mulky humiliated him by breaking age-old customs and systems. He always thought of expanding his kingdom over Mulky and this was a good reason for him to attack the borders of Mulky.
One night he alongwith Dugganna Konde – another enemy of Mulky, cross Mundkoor region and reach the borders of Mulky. Kaanta Baare and Booda Baare from infantry of Mulky’s army aggressively fight with enemies and defeat them. During the battle they behead Dugganna Konde. Kubera somehow manages to escape their assault and flees the battlefield. The army of Mulky celebrates the victory.
The Queen pleased with the victory asks the Baare brothers to demand any thing that they want. Booda Baare requests the Queen to present them the land at Rajapuri. The Queen tells them that the said land is already been occupied by other people for many years and it would not be justified if she orders them to vacate it now. In lieu of the said land she offers them other properties. But Booda Baare insists for the same land and nothing less than that. Kaanta Baare tries to pacify Booda Baare but does not succeed in convincing his brother. Due to this incident, misunderstandings develop between them consequent to which Booda Baare gets separated from his brother and joins hands with Bailasoodarasa of Karkala. He single-handedly wins number of battles including one with Nanje Gowda for the said king.
Kubera who was earlier defeated by the revered brothers gets to know about the split between brothers and conspires to attack Mulky once again. On getting the news of the possible attack by Kubera, one old spy and a trusted fighter of Mulky approaches Booda Baare and informs him that “Kaanta baare is seriously injured in the battle and you should accompany me immediately”. Booda Baare gets worried and rushes to meet his brother. There he gets a pleasant surprise when he sees his brother welcoming him with open arms. Both of them forget and forgive each other for the issues of the past.
Once again they fight unitedly with the enemies. Again Kubera flees the battlefield in the hard-fought battle at Kubemar. The brothers defeat the enemies and kill Shivamunguli – the army chief of Mundkoor Ballal. They then coronate Beesabannar Pergade as the King at Simantoor.
The brothers assure the King “Oh, King, don’t you worry. We have been doing right things through out our lives and we have always respected truth and justice. We have always fought against injustice and bad powers. God is with us. We are still very strong. We will fight the war and definitely defeat the enemy and will guard the borders of the country”
But this time Kubera was indeed very strong with blessings of Koraga Babbu and does not run away from the battlefield. He keeps on attacking the twin brothers with different weapons and at the same time continues to abuse them. Enraged with his antics, the angry Booda Baare attacks Kubera and severs his head. Seeing their king being killed in the battle, Kubera’s soldiers accepted the defeat and surrender to the Baare brothers.
Though the twin brothers defeat and kill Kubera in the battle, Kaanta Baare’s right arm is badly wounded with a blow of the enemy’s sword. He ignores it and the wound does not heal for a very long time.
One day, after the war & after finishing all their duties, they were resting under a tree at Kolloor. Looking at the deteriorated condition of the wound on Kaanta Baare’s right arm, Booda baare – the younger one laments in a soulful voice “ Oh, elder brother look what happened to your arm. Whether we have finished all our duties on this earth?”
Kaanta Baare taken over by his younger brothers grief replies “ Yes, my beloved younger brother, we have already finished all our duties on this earth. This wound on my arm is not likely to get healed now. If we live on this earth any more in this condition, it may cause disgrace to our reputation. Let us leave this humanly body on earth and depart for heaven”.
The brothers bow down before the mother earth. They also offer prayers to all the gods they believed in. Thereafter they walk to Simantoor by holding each other’s hand. Then they stand near the sweet water well at Simantoor and disappear from there – departing to their holy abode in the heavens.
KOTI-CHENNAYYA AND KANTA BAARE AND BOODA BAARE
People say, during the same time another pair of revered twin brothers koti-chennayya, the bravehearts of Padumale-Enmoor who fought jamindars against injustice and atrocities meted out to poor people, were building gymnasiums (garadis) at many places stretching from Badagana Barkoor to Tenkana Chandragiri lake (borders of tulunad in those days). On hearing the news of them reaching the borders of Mulky, Kanta Baare and Booda Baare decide to stop them.
Legend has it that Koti-Chennayya and Kanta Baare and Booda Baare fought against each other at Hejamadi basti paddu. The battle continued for 7 days and 7 nights without result. Seeing the fierce battle Goddess Durga Parameshwari of Bappanad appeared before them and told them to stop the fight. She told them “ all of you are equally strong and brave. All four of you are my devotees. Hereafter none of you will encroach on each other’s area. Borders of Mulky shall continue to belong to Baare brothers”. She permits Koti-Chennayya brothers to construct a gymnasium (garadi) near Mahalingeshwara temple at Hejamadi. All four of them respect the verdict of Goddess Durga Parameshwari.
MORE ABOUT KANTA BAARE AND BOODA BAARE
It is also believed that the length of bows used by Kanta Baare and Booda Baare were about 7 feet and both of them were “AJANUBAHU”s (people with long arms stretched upto the knees).
It is believed that the brothers had planted a jackfruit tree in the field at bakimar, which gave 2 types of jackfruits namely soft (tuluva) and hard (barke) for the first time.
The cloth they wore, the wooden equipments, weapons (including bows and arrows) used by them, the temple where they would pray are well preserved and worshipped at Ulepadi Kshetra till date. The well filled with sweet water which was the cause of their birth, their cradle, the field cultivated by them are still preserved at Kolloor (tirthagudde).
The brothers are being worshipped at Ulepadi Guddesana and also at Karnad Beedisana sasihittilu garadi. There is no system of offering kola to these revered brothers but people offer prayers in the form of agelu seva. The heroic Baare brothers never got married and left the earth at the age between 30 and 40 years.