Category Archives: About Kodagu / Coorg

Coorg, a green escape in Karnataka

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment

If you find Ooty, Kodaikanal or Munnar a bit too touristy and crowded a destination in southern India, Coorg is that perfect holiday spot in Karnataka that is sure to please toddlers, youth and the old alike.

Not that this hill station needs to be chosen for a sojourn by eliminating other similar destinations in the vicinity. Just a three-hour drive from Mysore, 150 km away, Coorg district on its own has much to offer, beyond its coffee, cardamom, pepper and beetelnut estates.

There is much to see, admire and soak in at this hill station, which the locals call Kodagu, on the slopes of the Western Ghats, what with some pristine trekking trails, picnic spots, waterfalls, wildlife, woods, forests, valleys and some mouth-watering cuisine.

Situated at a height of 1,525 metres, Madikeri or Mercara is the capital of Coorg, with a nice bazaar, quaint houses with red-roofs and liberal use of teakwood reapers for doors and furniture, so common among homes and clubhouses in Indian hill stations.

It may come as a surprise to some that Coorg has one of the largest settlements of Buddhists in India, just about 30 km away from Madikeri, with their own Namdroling Monastery built in 1963, which the locals call the Golden Temple.

Once you enter the monastery, you feel transported into some other world in the Orient, packed as it is with some 5,000 monks in bright yellow and red robes, with some soothing Buddhist chants, smell of incense and breathtaking sights of pagodas.

After seeing those large golden statues of the Buddha and Tara, the intricate murals and Tangkha paintings, don’t forget to taste some authentic Tibetan food here, especially the delectable momos and the subtle thugkpa, their noodle soup.

One is told it is the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapa – a major lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world – and the present Dalai Lama gave its shorter name, as opposed to Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling that this mesmerising place was called originally.

Before dwelling further, where to stay is a question that is bound to crop up. While there are plenty of hotels and resorts, including the Orange County, that can even set you back by as much as Rs.25,000 per day, it is best to opt for a home stay.

There are some 35 of them in and around Medikeri in a range of Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000 per day where one gets not just to retire but also taste authentic Coorgi food and take some refreshing strolls on their plantations that grow coffee and other cash crops.

As far as the season goes, October to March — like most places in India — are the best months. The weather is pleasant with that welcome nip in the air. But Coorg during monsoons can be equally mesmerising and enchanting.

There are also plenty of places one can go to. There is Abbey Falls, not far, where one has to make his or her way through some dense woods, dotted with coffee bushes, trees and creepers, to suddenly find a cascading gush of water.

Abbey falls, among the many in Coorg, with cascading water
Then about 80 km away is the Iruppu Falls, right next to the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, also called Nagarhole, which is famous for its elephants, with a lot of other game and some 50 species of birds.

Children, especially, are certain to enjoy a visit to Dubare Forest, around an hour and a half from Medikeri. A ferry there takes you across to an elephant camp where one can see the pachyderms being bathed and fed, after which they are ready for a joy ride.

Talacauvery, around an hour away, is the source of the river Cauvery, with a temple to pay homage to this main source of water for some parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Not far is Bhagamandala, the confluence of three rivers: Cauvery, Kanika, and Sujyothi.

Another must-see is Tadiyendamol, which is the tallest peak in Kodagu and gives a breathtaking view of the entire Coorg, apart from the distant Arabian Sea. There is also the Naalkunaadu Palace built by Kodagu king Dodda Raja Veerendra in 1792.

After all this exploring, a bungalow at the plantation is perhaps the best place to retire. Toddlers can chase butterflies, and a hammock and freshly brewed coffee are sure to be at hand!

How far: Around 150 km from Mysore and 260 km from Bangalore

How to reach: By bus or car from Mysore. Closest airport is in Bangalore; the airport in Coimbatore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu is another alternative.

Cost: Around 35-40 home stays in Coorg ranging Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000 per day

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Collections> Coffee / Life & Style> Travel / by IANS / February 21st, 2012

At the summit of faith

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Temple history

Kodagu’s Paadi Igguthappa temple became a prominent place of worship during King Lingarajendra’s reign. The temple, located atop a hill in a forested area in Kakkabe, has been in existence since 1153, writes C P Belliappa

Goddess Cauvery and Lord Paadi Igguthappa are the two presiding deities of Kodagu. If legends are to be believed, Igguthappa temple located atop a hill in a forested area in Kakkabe, in the southern part of Kodagu, has been in existence since 1153 AD. Legend also has it that Igguthappa is one of the seven divine siblings who chose Kodagu as his abode.
The temple became a prominent place of worship during Lingarajendra’s reign. Legend has it that in 1811, Lingarajendra came to the densely forested area surrounding the temple to hunt for elephants. Lingarajendra’s main source of income, besides taxes collected from his subjects, used to be cardamom and ivory. Every pod of cardamom grown and every tusk extracted from an elephant had to be surrendered to the raja at a price fixed by him!

Lingarajendra was camping at the nearby Nalknad palace and had instructed his dewan Apparanda Bopu to organise the hunt. Dewan Bopu arranged for machaans to be built on trees and had hunting dogs and drum-beaters to herd the elephants. On the appointed day Lingarajendra and Bopu sat on a machaan armed with powerful guns especially designed to shoot elephants.
In spite of all the drum-beating and dogs barking, not a single elephant was to be seen. The raja started getting restless and directed his ire at Bopu. Lingarajendra’s nasty temper was well-known and Dewan Bopu who was a devotee of Igguthappa started silently praying for some divine intervention. Suddenly a huge pachyderm with mammoth tusks appeared silently from the nearby bushes.
The elephant looked up at the machaan where Lingarajendra and Bopu were seated and started scratching itself on the tree trunk. The raja and dewan froze and were too petrified to shoot the beast. The action of the elephant shook the large tree so violently that they were about to fall off from their perch. This time around, Dewan Bopu prayed loudly to Lord Igguthappa to save him and the raja. Lingarajendra too joined Bopu in prayer. Suddenly the behemoth stopped, once again looked up, and gently sauntered away into the forest.

Lingarajendra, a Lingayat, was a worshipper of Shiva and had not visited Igguthappa temple which was dedicated to Vishnu. He made an exception and asked Bopu to immediately take him to the temple. It was a modest shrine. The head-priest welcomed the raja and advised him to perform various poojas including tulabhara (donation of grains equivalent to the weight of the devotee), to thank Igguthappa for saving his life.

After all these rituals, Lingarajendra asked the priest if he could do anything for the temple. The priest was quick to request for a punarnirmana (renovation) of the temple.

Lingarajendra immediately agreed and the temple was renovated and the approach improved. He also made grants of wet-lands in the vicinity, the income from which continues to be used for the upkeep of the temple. When the reconstruction was completed, he visited the temple again. At the temple, he had a sack full of silver coins brought. Lingarajendra dipped both his hands and scooped out three heaps of silver coins. He then ordered Dewan Bopu, who was present, to get an idol of an elephant made out of the coins. The coins weighed about three kilograms.

Silver elephant

The best silver-smiths from Mangalore were commissioned to craft an idol of an elephant. On the back of the idol is inscribed in halagannada (old Kannada), the year in which it was dedicated to Igguthappa for favours granted to Lingarajendra. This exquisite silver elephant is used daily in the poojas performed at the temple.

In 1835, the year after Lingarajendra’s son Chikka Veerarajendra was deposed by the British, Dewan Apparanda Bopu took it on himself to renovate the temple. The structure was reconstructed and was fitted with tiles replacing the earlier thatched roof. The temple once again went through reconstruction in 2008. Descendants of Apparanda Bopu along with other devotees have provided silver cladding for the entrance door.

Paadi Igguthappa is an important deity for the people of Kodagu. He is considered a provider of bounty and one who fulfills his devotee’s wishes. Iggu means grain and thappa means give.

Puthari, the harvest festival in Kodagu, is normally celebrated 90 days after Onam. Every year, paddy is first harvested in fields belonging to Lord Igguthappa. People of Kodagu celebrate the festival the following day. On a daily basis, those who visit the temple are served a simple but scrumptious lunch.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> Supplements> SPECTRUM/ February 07th, 2012

Indian Republic is incomplete, says CNC

About Kodagu / Coorg, Uncategorized

Members of the Codava National Council (CNC) demanding an autonomous Kodava homeland comprising 45 erstwhile ‘nads’ (nad is a group of villages) on Thursday, staged a satyagraha at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Madikeri and presented a memorandum to the Kodagu Additional Deputy Commissioner pressing for their demands.

The Indian Republic was “incomplete” without positively addressing the concerns of the Kodava people in Kodagu for creation of an autonomous homeland for the Kodavas, N.U. Nachappa, president of the CNC, who led the satyagraha, said. Granting ethno-linguistic tribal minority status to the Kodavas, ensuring Constitutional special guarantee to their customary laws, including Kodava language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution, unhindered exemption under the Indian Arms Act to hold weapons, were some of the other demands.

Census

Mr. Nachappa appealed to the members of the Kodava community to ensure that the caste names in the caste census enumeration was entered as Kodava. Kodavas should see that the caste was not entered as ‘Codaga’ or ‘Coorgi’ or ‘Coorgs’ in the column meant for entering the name of the caste. The move would help the Kodavas to maintain their identity in future, Mr. Nachappa said.

The Prime Minister’s Office and the Chief Minister’s Office had acknowledged the memorandums submitted in this regard, Mr. Nachappa said.

The Assistant Registrar General, Government of India, attached to the Union Home Ministry, Pratibha Kumari, too had acknowledged the memorandum of the CNC on entering the caste, Mr. Nachappa added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com/National> Karnataka> Mysore / by Staff Correspondent / January 27th, 2012

Flower show in Madikeri today

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Madikeri:

Former Rajya Sabha member F M Khan has organized a flower show for public view on his Balyantri estate at Boikeri near Madikeri. The exhibited will be held on Saturday and Sunday, with free entry.

Khan has been organizing the show every year since 1998.The garden has been named after Yousuf Ali Khan memorial. Over 1,000 varieties of flowers are grown here.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Mysore> Home> Collections> Madikeri / TNN / January 21st, 2012

Participants applaud clean venue

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Napoklu (KODAGU):
The eco-friendly measures taken up by the organizers of the Storm Music Festival has been appreciated by music lovers. The sprawling venue was free from litter. Dustbins were placed to prevent participants from littering the venue. A separate gallery was set up for drinkers and smokers.

A band member of Faridkot, I P Singh from Delhi, was glad that measures were taken to maintain the cleanliness of the place. “We should preserve nature. Without spoiling the beauty of nature, humans can do whatever they want. In the name of entertainment we cannot spoil the environment. The organizers have done a fantastic job by setting up dustbins,” he says.

A student of Mumbai Pratiti, who was on her first visit to Napoklu, was mesmerized by the greenery of Kodagu. “It’s a beautiful place to unwind. The organizers have planned the event meticulously. I hope the greenery remains the same even the after the event,” she added.

A Mumbai-based businessmen Ramachandran who was disappointed when the event was postponed last November, said: “The ambience was fantastic, we can sit wherever we want and chill out. I also hope we have more such events. I am impressed by the cleanliness of the area,” he added.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Collections> Music Lovers / TNN / January 21st, 2012

The Bearded Bandit of Coorg!

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nature, Uncategorized

The Bearded Bandit of Coorg!

Robber Fly, Coorg / Photographed by: Samyak Kaninde
Being mugged is every traveller’s nightmare. Being mugged and then consumed as the main course in a mugger’s banquet, is the stuff that makes it to the horror movie hall of fame. But being killed and converted into a Smoothie to be slurped at leisure, takes the (dis)honours and is certainly not something you’d like on your resume. That, however, is exactly what happens to unwary air-travellers in Coorg if they don’t keep a lookout for the most feared bogeyman of the area – the Robber Fly. This bearded brigand perches quite innocuously on a twig, and when a beetle, dragonfly or wasp is spotted approaching incautiously, smacks his hirsute lips and takes off on a roundabout flight, before veering back suddenly and grabbing the unsuspecting insect, mid-flight, with his powerful legs. A short jab with his rapier-sharp beak injects venomous saliva that paralyses the prey while liquefying the body matter. From there on it’s a smooth return flight to the home perch, where the Robber proceeds to slurp up his Insect Smoothie. If he’s particularly peckish, and feels like a larger serving, the Robber Fly doesn’t balk at taking on prey much bigger than himself, trusting to his well-honed predatory skills and the power of his proboscis.

Talking of skill-sets, the predatory career of this successful bandit begins quite early: the larval baby brigand hides in the soil and in decaying wood, and learns the ropes by preying on the larvae, eggs and pupae of other insects around him. While this is bad news for some, a healthy Robber Fly population is good for humans, as it is our first line of defence against destructive and disease-carrying insects. Much like the legend of Robin Hood, the Robber of Coorg has shown that a bandit for some could well be a saviour for others.

We at Orange County have loved sharing this story with you, and shall bring you one every fortnight, as part of our Responsible Tourism Initiatives to raise awareness about the nature and culture of the environments we operate in.

source: http://www.lifescapes.org.in / LIFESCAPES by Orange County / Home> Lifescapes Gallery / January 11th, 2012

Landscape Garden at Madikeri Gaddige

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment

Madikeri:

The Gaddige in the town here (mausoleums of the erstwhile rulers of Kodagu), which had been in the news for all the wrong reasons – vandals setting its main door on fire, encroachments, haven of illicit activities, etc – is finally being spruced up to attract tourists who are already making a beeline to Kodagu district.

The Madikeri Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has prepared a plan to develop four acres of land around the Gaddige into a landscape garden at a cost of Rs. 45 lakh, MUDA Chairman Shejil Krishnan told SOM yesterday. At present, 35 granite benches have been erected around the Gaddige area and a walkway has been created around the proposed garden, said Shejil, adding that after the famous Raja Seat, this will be the second botanical garden in the town. Ornamental plants have been planted, lawns have been laid and a lotus pond has also been created on the vacant land. The variety of ornamental plants have been brought from SNV Nursery in Rajamundry of Hyderabad. Landscaping for the garden is being done by Bangalore-based Green Stays Landscaping Company and the works are being supervised by the company’s Planning Officer M.S. Sudhir.

Plans are on the anvil to include a children’s play park too in the garden, said Shejil.

The land belonging to Gaddige has been fenced off and the main entrance has been renovated. Works are on to mount the stone statues of elephants on to concrete platforms.

Despite all these development works, it is an irony that the Department of Archaeology seems to be oblivious.

The Gaddige are protected monuments that come under the Karnataka Ancient & Historical Monuments & Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1961.

Gaddige has two identical square structures, which are the tombs of the kings and their queens. They are close to each other, built in Indo-sarcenic style. A small tomb by the side of these structures is of their Guru or royal priest Rudrappa. It was built in 1834.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / January 09th, 2012

Record Tourism Influx Into Kodagu

About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Bangalore:

Kodagu district, aptly called the Kashmir of Karnataka and the Switzerland of India, is fast becoming a popular tourist destination with urbanites from various parts of the country making a beeline to this serene hill station surrounded by coffee plantations, where numerous resorts and home stays have mushroomed to cater to the needs of the tourists whose numbers swell during the holidays and weekends.

The pleasant weather, picturesque landscapes and fresh air are a luxury for many of the urban populace who simply look forward to relax in such serene atmosphere, away from the urban hustle-bustle, noise and air pollution.

According to sources in the Tourism Department, the number of tourists visiting Kodagu is higher than those visiting Munnar in Kerala, one of the most popular hill stations of South India. As per the statistics provided by the Karnataka and Kerala Tourism Departments, the number of tourists who visited Kodagu in 2010 was 5,94,467 (including 5,87,216 domestic and 7,251 foreign tourists), which is double that of Munnar which saw 2,45,438 tourists (including 19,690 foreign tourists). Up to Nov. 2011, Kodagu saw a quantitative leap with over 15 lakh visitors.

Tourism officials are thrilled by the prospects of developing Kodagu as a popular tourist destination. The hill district is situated at an elevation of 1,525 metres MSL.

Though the tourist footfall in Munnar has not gone down, the fact that the numbers have swelled significantly in Kodagu has given it the lead, said officials.

Situated at the confluence of three mountain streams –Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala __ and placed about 1,600 metres above sea level, the hill station of Munnar once used to be the summer resort of the erstwhile British administration in south India. Marked by vast expanses of tea plantations, colonial bungalows and waterfalls, Munnar had so far been the ever-green favourite of tourists in sea-rch of a calm and quiet hill station.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / January 09th, 2012

Picturesque Coorg to get rail connectivity

About Kodagu / Coorg, Business & Economy, Uncategorized

Coorg or Kodagu is in a dilemma today on whether to accept the new development in the region or not. For decades people from Coorg district of Karnataka demanding railway route for the region and at the same time some traditional populace protesting it as such a development can harm the serenity of the terrain. Kodagu district of Karnataka, a prominent tourist place does not have railway or air connectivity. This isolation of the region surrounded by mountains, forest, fields and waterfalls has worked as blessing in disguise.

But now railway department has proposed a train route from Mysore to Madikeri, the headquarters of the district, and the survey is already undergoing. Recently, Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa launched the first stage of the preliminary survey works on the route at Kushalnagar in Kodagu district. The work relating to the preliminary engineering-cum-traffic survey between Mysore-Kushalnagar-Madikeri will be completed in four months and the project would start in less than a year. According to K.H. Muniyappa, although the preliminary survey works were taken up from Mysore to Madikeri, the first phase of the project work would commence from Mysore to Kushalnagar. The project was expected to cost Rs. 600 crore.

M C Nanayya, Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and JD(S) leader from Coorg has a different opinion.
He said, “I am perfectly positive about extending railway line from Mysore to Kushalnagar. As this line goes through Belagola, Hunsur, Piriyapattana and Kushalnagar there is no threat to forest of private plantations. The route covers plains and government land and will not harm environment or farmers. But, I am against this railway line extending to Madikeri as the route goes through hilly terrain forest near Kushalnagar which is of 2800 ft height from sea level and Madikeri forest is 3900 ft height from sea level. The route is not necessary as this covers forest, hilly terrain and private coffee plantations and we can travel same distance by road in 40 minutes. As the route is environmental hazard and not eco friendly I will oppose such plan.”

Though, efforts were made to provide rail links to Kodagu during the tenure of the former Chief Minister late R. Gundu Rao who hailed from Kushalnagar but failed to fulfill the dream in his term. So, at last now the region is going to cheer up with new railway link.

“It is true that serenity of the region will be harmed, but any development we should accept. If railways come the travel will become cheaper. There are positive and negative points attached in it. Knowing such a type of development will harm the environment, it is difficult to accept,” Says Seetha Aiyanna, Vice president, Kodava Samaja, Bangalore.

But, Seetha Aiyanna and others residents of the region accept that protesting voices are becoming weak nowadays. Knowing the necessity of development everyone wants railway and air connectivity to this beautiful district.

source: http://www.TheSundayIndian.com / by N K Suprabha / Bangalore, January 07th, 2012