Perhaps the best-known among Karnataka hill stations, Coorg enthralls tourists with its breathtaking locales. Miles of luxuriant coffee plantations, misty mountains and lush valleys make this scenic land a perfect getaway for nature lovers. Despite playing host to a number of powerful empires such as the Kadambas, Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and Vijayanagara, the Kodagu region preserved its ethnic cultural heritage.
Kodagu remained a part of the Hoysala Empire from the 11th to the 14th century A.D. Thereafter the Vijayanagara kings and the Chengalvas ruled this tiny kingdom. After the rule of the Wodeyars of Kodagu from the 17th to the 19th century, the British took possession of Kodagu in 1834 by usurping the rein of Chikkaveerarajendra Wodeyar. Upon the reorganization of states in 1956, Kodagu became a district of Karnataka State.
Kodavas, the main ethnic group of Coorg, are a fierce warrior race. Some of India's most valiant and decorated Army officers are Kodavas. The most famous son of Kodagu is Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief (as a general) of the armed forces of free India. He was elevated to the honorary title of Field Marshal at the age of 83. In addition, General Kodendera. S. Thimmaiah, of the same clan as K.M. Cariappa, also became a commander in chief.
Places to See:
Abbey Falls
The magnificent Abbey falls present a breathtaking sight with waters gushing down into a rocky ravine. Tucked away between private coffee plantations, Abbey Falls offers a splendid backdrop for picnics. The ideal time to visit the Abbey falls is the monsoons, when the surrounding vegetation grows thick.
Coffee
Tour of Coorg won't be complete without a feel of the sprawling coffee plantations dot the landscape of this hill station. During the flowering season of March and April, the rich aroma of coffee wafts through the air of Coorg. Most of them are under multiple cropping of coffee, orange, black pepper, and cardamom at the bottom of the slopes. Plantations are beautifully maintained with modern irrigation and curing and processing facilities for the beans.
Madikeri
Known for its quaint old world charm, the town of Madikeri is the district headquarters of Coorg. Situated at an elevation of 1525 m, the cluster of red-roofed dwellings provides a soothing contrast to the rolling hills around. The 19th century Madikeri Fort houses a number of monuments and shrines within its stone ramparts. Raja's seat perched atop a hill, is where the kings of yore spent many pleasant evenings watching the golden sunset.
Trekking
A trekker's paradise, the rolling hills of Coorg present innumerable trekking trails. During the peak trekking season from October to February, avid trekkers embark on the mountain trails dotted with little shrines - some beside waterfalls, and others on the banks of rivers. The Brahmagiri ranges of South Kodagu possess the most-frequented trekking trails, where a forest trail leads from Iruppu Falls to the Brahmagiri peak.
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