As hill-stations go, Kodagu, better-known as Coorg, is perhaps the only one that can be visited the year round. If you happen to be in Bangalore, which incidentally is getting hotter every passing year, then Coorg, approximately 200 km away, is just the ideal break you can have. A light rucksack of bare essentials (thin woolens are needed only in the winters) slung over the shoulders and a song on the lips is all you need to discover the splendours of these sprawling woods cradled in the Western Ghats. In this articleDosas with coffeePicnic at plantationsTalaCauvery Dosas with coffee A somnolent paddy-belt in the pre-colonial days, Coorg as we know it now, was annexed by the Brits who introduced coffee plantations and patronized it as a summer getaway. The place is choc-a-bloc with sites to see. Dont let anybody advise you on the ideal itinerary; just do your own thing, as any cocky ad slogan would suggest. Madikeri or Mercara, the capital of Kodagu, in the Brahmagiri hills may be nothing much to write home about, but it is a good base to take off on treks to the surrounding picturesque hills. Here, you might want to indulge in that indispensable travel-related exercise - shopping, though. Check out the roasted coffee beans, honey, and spices fresh from the plantations with its aroma still undiminished! And of course, visit the Udipi hotels for their set dosais - three spongy, steaming pancakes served with piping hot sambaar. The restaurants, however, lack the ambience but our advice is to ignore all else and concentrate on the food. Picnic at plantations On the outskirts of Madikeri, a private coffee estate has been converted into a picnic spot for those without friends as owners of private plantations. At Abbi Falls - streams and waterfalls are a natural element of the Coorg landscape - you can almost breath the greens as you walk through them. Coffee crop with its bright red berries cheek-by-jowl with pepper vines and cardamom for inter-plantations is the coolest canopy anywhere! But the best way to enjoy the coffee country is to track down friends friends who own coffee estates and shack up with them for an insiders experience. Staying in a private plantation, far from the madding crowd, and being able to witness a Coorg wedding - which is quite unlike any other wedding ceremony in India - is what you should aim for. Coorgs or Kodavas - the residents of Coorg - are a unique people with an equally extraordinary history, as British anthropologists have documented in their records. Despite the small numbers, this martial race has carved and maintained its own ethnic identity over centuries. TalaCauvery Head then, towards TalaCauvery (at a height of 4500 feet), the source of river Cauvery, one of the biggest rivers in South India, now a subject of inter-state water dispute between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As you climb up to it halt at Bhagamandala, a temple town at the confluence of Cauvery with river Kanike. The panorama from top of TalaCauvery is breathtaking. The early morning hours and the evening mist enhance this beauty greatly. The TalaCauvery shrine is represented by a placid kundige (a tank) and legend has it that once a year Cauvery springs to life at a source called Teertha Udhbhava. On this October day of Cauvesary Sankramana, devotees come from far and wide on a pilgrimage for a sacred dip. You may want to avoid arduous treks since you are with children, so take the option of visiting Nisargadham set amidst the bamboo forests in Kushalnagar, near Madikeri. This state government resort on Sunthigothi Island has routine tourist facilities such as boating and elephant-back rides. Exotic tree-top machans offer a panoramic view of the bamboo thicket, while quaint pathways lead to an orchidarium and other wonders. Dont just drop in to have a look, camp here; the children will love it.
As hill-stations go, Kodagu, better-known as Coorg, is perhaps the only one that can be visited the year round. If you happen to be in Bangalore, which incidentally is getting hotter every passing year, then Coorg, approximately 200 km away, is just the ideal break you can have. A light rucksack of bare essentials (thin woolens are needed only in the winters) slung over the shoulders and a song on the lips is all you need to discover the splendours of these sprawling woods cradled in the Western Ghats.
A somnolent paddy-belt in the pre-colonial days, Coorg as we know it now, was annexed by the Brits who introduced coffee plantations and patronized it as a summer getaway. The place is choc-a-bloc with sites to see. Don't let anybody advise you on the ideal itinerary; just do your own thing, as any cocky ad slogan would suggest. Madikeri or Mercara, the capital of Kodagu, in the Brahmagiri hills may be nothing much to write home about, but it is a good base to take off on treks to the surrounding picturesque hills. Here, you might want to indulge in that indispensable travel-related exercise - shopping, though. Check out the roasted coffee beans, honey, and spices fresh from the plantations with its aroma still undiminished! And of course, visit the Udipi hotels for their set dosais - three spongy, steaming pancakes served with piping hot sambaar. The restaurants, however, lack the ambience but our advice is to ignore all else and concentrate on the food.
Picnic at plantations
On the outskirts of Madikeri, a private coffee estate has been converted into a picnic spot for those without friends as owners of private plantations. At Abbi Falls - streams and waterfalls are a natural element of the Coorg landscape - you can almost breath the greens as you walk through them. Coffee crop with its bright red berries cheek-by-jowl with pepper vines and cardamom for inter-plantations is the coolest canopy anywhere! But the best way to enjoy the coffee country is to track down friends' friends who own coffee estates and shack up with them for an insider's experience. Staying in a private plantation, far from the madding crowd, and being able to witness a Coorg wedding - which is quite unlike any other wedding ceremony in India - is what you should aim for. Coorgs or Kodavas - the residents of Coorg - are a unique people with an equally extraordinary history, as British anthropologists have documented in their records. Despite the small numbers, this martial race has carved and maintained its own ethnic identity over centuries.
TalaCauvery
Head then, towards TalaCauvery (at a height of 4500 feet), the source of river Cauvery, one of the biggest rivers in South India, now a subject of inter-state water dispute between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As you climb up to it halt at Bhagamandala, a temple town at the confluence of Cauvery with river Kanike. The panorama from top of TalaCauvery is breathtaking. The early morning hours and the evening mist enhance this beauty greatly. The TalaCauvery shrine is represented by a placid kundige (a tank) and legend has it that once a year Cauvery springs to life at a source called Teertha Udhbhava. On this October day of Cauvesary Sankramana, devotees come from far and wide on a pilgrimage for a sacred dip. You may want to avoid arduous treks since you are with children, so take the option of visiting Nisargadham set amidst the bamboo forests in Kushalnagar, near Madikeri. This state government resort on Sunthigothi Island has routine tourist facilities such as boating and elephant-back rides. Exotic tree-top machans offer a panoramic view of the bamboo thicket, while quaint pathways lead to an orchidarium and other wonders. Don't just drop in to have a look, camp here; the children will love it.
Sorry. Due to our site's regulations and policies, your message has not been posted. Our moderating team has been notified about your message. If the message is found to be genuine and still did not get posted, you may not post the message again as it will automatically get posted for you within 24hrs time (excluding weekends).
- The Indiaparenting Team
