Travelogue- COORG- scotland of the east

We hired a Tata Sumo, a SUV, from Bangalore, and headed to Coorg, for a vacation. On the way, we had dinner at Jaanapada Loka. I knew we arrived at Coorg, when I felt the cool, fresh mountain air with no smell of smog or the feel of dirt. Close to midnight, we arrived at my aunt's place. It was too dark to observe our surroundings. But this morning, I felt blessed, as I listen to a beautiful symphony of the song birds outside. I open the door to see the surrounding trees cover their nakedness with a layer of mist. I smelled the sweet aroma of the coffee blossoms, almost like jasmine. I hear a rooster crow, adding a new dimension to the music from the lush green canopy. I see miniature houses, on the other side of the valley with red tiles peeping through the mist. If there is a heaven- it is Coorg; Mother Nature's best kept secret, land of legends and folklore. A land of lush green forests, honey, cardamom, pepper, coffee, oranges, hospitable people, beautiful women and sturdy men. Kodagu, as Coorg is known to the locals, was dubbed the "Kashmir of Southern India" and "Scotland of the East" by the British.

 

The History of Coorg has many dynasties, forcible conversions to Islam and fierce battles. In 1834 the British, imprisoned the last ruler, Chikkaveera Rajendra and took over Coorg at the request of the Kodava noblemen. Chikkaveera was a despot, lacking the maturity and leadership of his predecessors. The British granted Coorg, autonomy in exchange for taxes and loyalty of the Kodavas. Coorg was a state until 1956, after which it became a district of Karnataka.

 

 

Kodagu, has a curious mix of peoples. The Kodavas, a dominant group, are very distinct in their facial features, customs and attire compared with the other south Indians. There are also tribes like the Erravas, Kurubas, Banna and Kudiyas. No one really knows the origin of the Kodavas but everyone knows and acknowledges that they are different. They are known for their courage, hospitality and stoicism. Most every Kodava family has someone in the Military/Air/Navy force. Their origins, is an anthropological puzzle. Some say that they are the descendants of the soldiers/noblemen from Alexander's Army. These Greeks fled to the south after they were overthrown by a rebellion in Punjab long after Alexander's death. They settled in the hills of the Western Ghats(a mountain range in southern India) and married the local women, forming martial communities of their own. Others say that the Kodavas are the descendants of a band of Kurds from the Yemen/Oman/Kurdistan/Iraq region who fled to India to escape forceful conversions, to Islam. Whatever their origins, today, they consider themselves Hindus belonging to the warrior class. All their festivals are associated with ancestors, nature, agriculture, and weapons. Their dialect is a concoction of words from Malayalam, Kannada and Tamil, apart from some foreign words.

 

 

Day 1: My aunt and cousins were getting ready to attend a wedding, we tagged along. Coorgi weddings are a unique celebration. They are conducted by the Elders from both, the groom and the bride's family. Unlike other Hindu weddings, wine and non-vegetarian cuisine is a staple.

 

A red sari, draped in the Coorgi style (the pleats are in the back and the edge, called the Pallu, and is draped over the right shoulder), a long sleeved blouse, ornate jewelry and a long red scarf that covers the head, completes the bride's attire. A White Long Overcoat, a traditional sword hung at his side and dagger tucked into his ornate sash and a white turban with gold edges on his head, completes the groom's attire. They sit on a decorated tripod seat, placed under a pavilion, made just for this occasion, decorated with mango leaves and flower garlands.

  

After the bride and the groom are seated, the family members and the guests meet the couple. The couple receives blessings, gifts and wishes. The "setting up of relationship" ceremony takes place, soon after. This is a ritual where the Elders of the families exchange vows regarding the rights of the couple within each other's family. The flower garlands are exchanged by the bride and the groom, after the vow is made. Now, they are Husband and wife, forever entwined in their destiny.

 

Lunch was served soon after. There was typical Kodava cuisine - steamed rice balls served with pork curry cooked with spices and vinegar; rice noodles served with curried chicken; bamboo shoots curry, plain rice served with lentil soup, vegetable stew, fried chicken, fried lentil fritters, a sweet porridge and 3 varieties of pickles. I loved the Pilaf- rice cooked with vegetables and spices, served with hot and sweet mango chutney and raita- shredded cucumber, carrots and tomatoes in yogurt. There was a ripe mango curry that was so delicious, that I had a second serving of it.

 

After the wedding, we headed to the Orange County Resort. We arrived close to dinner time and headed straight to the restaurant, aptly named Granary. I had a tough time choosing from their buffet. It had a wide range and everything looked and smelled delicious. After dinner, we headed to our cottage. The cottages had an old world feel about them. It had a living and a dinning area, a Bath/toilet and a bedroom.

 

 

Day 2: The next morning, we went to the water's edge for a coracle ride. A coracle is a round boat, used to navigate the rivers and lakes in India. It is usually made from bamboo or wood. It was early morning, very quiet and misty all over. We walk a short distance through the coffee estate to the lake. We got into the coracle and our boatman used a long pole to navigate. An occasional home, at the water's edge, suddenly appeared through the mist. We stopped to have breakfast- sandwiches and coffee from a flask, on the grassy banks. It was a meditative experience. It was as though we had some unspoken agreement to not break the calm except for the sound of the water.

 

On our return, we hiked within the estate. We walked amidst the coffee plants and pepper creepers climbing large trees. There were doves in the trees, cooing a duet. We saw the racket tailed drongo, two different types of woodpeckers and birds of the finch family, whose names I don't know. Coorg is a bird watchers paradise. It is home to some 300 species of birds. We visited a nursery, where I learned that there were more colors to flowers, than those in an artist's palette.

  

Later that day, I had a blissful massage at the Ayurvedic spa. The spa is designed in the style of a typical kodava ancestral home with rooms along the four sides and a centrally open atrium. The two masseurs who were assigned to me were really wonderful. I was so relaxed by the time they were done, that I almost fell asleep.

  

Day 3: We packed our breakfast and headed to Madikeri, to visit the Fort, Abbey falls, Raja Seat and Talakaveri. On the way, we stopped many times to photograph the panoramic views.

 

Raja's Seat - Here the Kings of Kodagu enjoyed, watching nature's art gallery, at sunset. This place has breathtaking views of the winding roads, beautiful tree lines, lush green fields and proud mountains. Here we had a picnic breakfast.

 

Abbi Falls - This beautiful water fall is in a private coffee estate. At the peak of the monsoons, the falls cascade over the boulders below with a roar that can be heard from the main road. A path goes through lovely coffee and cardamom plantations right up to the falls. The mist rising from the falls, gives an otherworldly feeling. While a variety of unseen birds fills the air with heavenly music.

 

Madikeri Fort -  The year was 1670. The then Haleri King, Mudduraja, saw the weirdest sight, while hunting atop this small hillock. His fearless hunting dogs were running scared being pursued by a hare! He believed the place as special, as it gave courage even to a meek animal like a hare to face up to pack of hunting dogs. So he built a fort of brick and mortar, with a palace inside. In the years 1786-1790, Tippu Sultan rebuilt the Fort with stone. Dodda Veerarajendra recaptured the Fort and renovated it. He also established Madikeri as the capital. The palace initially had thatched roof until the British took over Coorg in 1834 and replaced thatch with tiles. The fort now contains a small museum housing some historical paintings, arms, armors and possessions of the past rulers.

 

Talacauvery- The birthplace of the river Cauvery, is a holy site for the Hindus. The Kodavas consider this river their Mother. The source of this long river, is on the top of the hill called, Brahmagiri. There are about 435 Steps leading up to the Brahmagiri peak, where the landscape provides an enchanting view, especially at sunrise or sunset.

  

There are two tanks, the big one in which the pilgrims take a dip and a small one, where the river springs forth. According to the local legends, every year on 17th or 18th of October, at a particular time the water gushes up from a spring in the small tank. The day is celebrated as "Tula Sankramana". The two temples are dedicated to Agasthyeshwara(Lord Shiva) and Lord Ganapathi.

  

Bhagamandala - On the way to Talakaveri, is the confluence of three rivers, Cauvery, Sujyothi and Kanike. This is the place were Hindus go to scatter the ashes of their dead. We take off our shoes to go into the temple. It is built in Kerala style architecture. The temple has intricate carvings and a copper roof. It is very calm and quiet inside, except when the priests chant the hymns. The temple is dedicated to four Deities- Shiva, Vishnu, Subramanya and Ganapathi. In Hindu temples, the idols face east, but here the idol of Lord Ganapathi faces west. In the years 1785-1790 it is said that Tipu had converted it into a fort and had a garrison. In 1790, King Doddaveeraraja recaptured and renovated this temple.

 

 

Day 4: Our plan for the day was to go to Kushalnagar to visit the Tibetan Temple and Nisargadhama. We have to reach Nagarahole game sanctuary before 5:30 pm to go on the Jungle safari. After a sumptuous breakfast at the Granary, we checked out of the resort.

 

Tibetan Monastery at Bylekuppe - The settlement was set up in 1960, for over 16,000 Tibetans, who fled their country. There are about 7000 monks and nuns here. This monastery and its temples silence our mind and force us to be in the moment. The intricate paintings and three 60 feet Buddha statues made from copper plated with gold was awesome. There was calmness and a sense of peace as we walked in. This is a spiritually beautiful place. We do require permits for visiting the Monasteries or staying at there.

 

Cauvery Nisargadhama: This is a beautiful Island of about 65 acres, in the middle of the River Cauvery. A suspended bridge connects this resort to the mainland. The tall, lanky Bamboo groves interspersed with watch towers, a deer park, elephant rides and boat rides are a treat to our senses. There are log cabins and cabins on stilts that serve as accommodations.

  

Nagarahole game Sanctuary: A part of a former King's hunting grounds, this one of the best game sanctuaries in South India. The sanctuary, with an area of 700 sq kms., Comprising of semi-deciduous and scrub jungle, is a participant of Project Elephant & Project Tiger. It provides a natural habitat to animals like elephants, tigers, panthers, gaur (bison), deer, wild dogs, peacocks and langur(monkey).

 

We got into the bus along with the other visitors and headed into the Jungle. We could hear the jungle fowl crow. A little further, at a water hole, we saw 4 elephants, part of a herd of some 10 elephants. The bus stopped. There was a stunned silence inside the bus as everyone looked out their windows, some clicking their cameras away. The driver pointed out a peacock sitting on a low branch of a tree, some distance away. We also saw a herd of Gaur and large herds of spotted dear and Sambar- a type of Elk. We didn't see any Tiger but the Driver assured us there were.

 

We stayed overnight at the Kabini River lodge within the Nagarahole Sanctuary. A large herd of deer rested on the grass outside our window. In the darkness of the night we heard the fox howl and the cry of a prey caught by a predator.

 

Tomorrow we return to the hustle and bustle of Bangalore. We don't want to leave, for Coorg has us enthralled in her beauty. We are already making plans for a second vacation here.

 

Getting to Coorg - The only way to get to Coorg is by road.

 

From Bangalore, there are two routes to Coorg. Both routes are about 250-260 kms. One, Via Mysore-Hunsur, is a scenic route and the other via Neelamangala on the National Highway.

  

The nearest airports are Mangalore (135 kms) and Bangalore (260 kms).

 

The nearest railway stations are at Mysore(120 kms), Mangalore(136 kms) and Hassan (146 kilometers).

 

Other places of Interest:

 

· Omkareshwara Temple- Madikeri

 

· Trekking at Irrupu falls - Brahmagiri national forests

 

· Harangi Dam

 

· Padi Igutappa temple-Kakkabe,

 

· Trekking the highest mountain in Coorg, Tadiyandamol-Kakkabe.

 

· Fishing at Valnoor. Fishing permits are obtained from the Coorg Wildlife Society

 

· Golf at virajpet.

 

· Dubare-Elephant capturing and training camp.

 

 

Tourist Information:

 

· Tourist Bureau, PWD Travellers Bungalow, Madikeri-571 201.

 

· Karnataka Tourism, Old Exhibition, Mysore-570 021.

 

· Karnataka Tourism, 64 St Marks road, Bangalore - 560001.

 

 

Hotel accommodations in Coorg:

 

http://www.coorg-hotels.hotelskarnataka.com/index.htm

 

 

Home stay accommodations:

 

http://www.travelcoorg.com/ click on "packages".

 

Items and Tips a Non-Indian might need:

 

It is advisable to bring Toilet paper, Bottled water, flashlight, extra batteries, First aid kit, insect repellent, sleeping bag, a rainproof jacket , sturdy shoes. Leach repellent if you visit in the rainy season.

 

Visit Coorg after monsoons, during Nov-Feb. Dress modestly (no bikinis/shorts for ladies). Rent a Jeep/Car for the trip with a driver who is familiar with the route and knows the local language. Do taste oranges, jackfruits, other local fruits and cuisine. Relax and enjoy the Trip.