English

ACROSS
THE SCOTLAND

OF INDIA

EXPLORING ASIA'S HIDDEN GEMS

ABOUT COORG wild life & ecology
Page 6-7
Page 3-4
"The coffee
"Coorg has given great generals capital of India"
to the Indian Army. It is noted for
culture
its choicest coffee and if I am
permitted to add one more to Page 5-6
these specialties, I can mention

that Coorg is famous for its
beautiful and comely women."–

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first
Prime Minister.

DESTINATIONS coffee estates

Page 4-5 Page 7-8

CONTENT temples

Page 8-10

Coorg or Kodagu as it is officially known HISTORY
now, is an astonishing land in the heart of
the southern Indian peninsula. This unspoilt History tells us that Kodavas are the native inhabitants of Coorg who were an
“country of million hills”, situated on the ancient war like tribe which later slowly civilized and practiced agriculture.
slopes of the Western Ghats, is India’s coffee However, there are other theories which come under the category of ‘Foreign
bowl. The tiny district in the state of theories’ that have a number of things to say when it comes to the origin of
Karnataka is the biggest producer of coffee. Kodavas.
According to one theory, Kodavas are the descendants of a certain race called the
GETTING TO COORG broad headed stock that who entered into the Indus Valley during the
Mohenjodaro period and later migrated down to Coorg.
The only way to reach this nature’ s guarded Another says that during the conquest of Alexander the Great, many of the Indo-
resort is to motor down from Mysore, Greek soldiers stayed back in India who later moved down the south, married the
Mangalore or Hassan towns, all in the state natives and settled in this hilly region which is today known as Coorg. 
of Karnataka or from Kannur or Tellicherry in
Kerala state. Madikeri is 120 km from Mysore
and 260 km from Bangalore. 

COORG

The Scotland of India

Destinations Trecking up to
the Mandal
Magical Hills and deep votes are the Patti viewpoint
highlight of Brahmagiri peak where gives the
you can get to take a trek through the experience of
Raja’ s Seat in Madikeri town, which green landscape, pristine and Chettalli, the tiny adventure and
commands a view of beautiful green quaint village the chance to
hills and valleys, and Talcauvery, 44 km sparkling waters, colorful and rich admire pretty
from Madikeri, a pilgrimage centre flora. situated on the road landscape.
where the mighty Cauvery river takes between Madikkeri
and Siddapur is a
its birth. delightful retreat. It
The Rajiv Gandhi National Park is the perfect place
(Nagarhole) is a wildlife sanctuary that for a cultural
is a must see for the tourists. The Park tourism enthusiast.
is located on the southern tip of Coorg.
From Madikeri, the park is good three Home Coorg is not only rich in nature, but it also
hours drive on serpentine roads, along to over 150 boasts of a deep culture which can be
lush fields and gurgling rivulets. elephants, Dubare
elephant camp witnessed at Bylakuppe, the second biggest
provides you an Tibetan settlement located in India.
opportunity to see
Located only one the elephants being
kilometer from given baths being
Madikeri, Abbey fed and trained.
falls is one
of the most The Namdroling monastery at bylakuppe is
popular tourist built with typical Tibetan way of
destinations of architecture.

Coorg

Attire Coorg is the Place with deep History of Festivals
‘Kuppasathatti’ is called the Kings and Rulers, the culture here The Culture in the festivals like
traditional dress which once their Puthari, Kailmahurtha and Kaveri
regular dress of Kodavas and completely different by other parts of the
Arebhase Gowdas, nowadays the Karnataka State. Main ethnic group and Sankramana goes with rich
dress wear only for some local tradition before the events starts.
festivals, tradition and special majority are Arebhase Gowdas and The culture is almost same both
Kodavas as they settled in the Kodagu for Kodavas and Arebhase gowdas
events. from the time of British and south Indian
dynasties rule. Women’s in the Coorg and celebrates festivals such as
Wedding wear Saree which completely in different Puthari, Kailmahurtha, Kaveri
At the wedding of Kodavas the way compared to other communities and
banana stems are sliced by short people. The Swords and Guns are ritually Sankrama and Dasara.
Coorg traditional Sword. The worship by the Coorg people, Coorg
Feasting, Dancing and Colorful peoples are born fighters from time of culture
tradition makes Coorg wedding
Kings to nowadays. People
as a beautiful event. The Kodavas are the prime and
Dities oldest community of Coorg, they
Food The Kodavas worship a number of lives here from hundreds of years
Coorg People prepare many kind of and appeared in wars for Kodagu
deities, Kaveramma is the main Empire. Arebhashe gowdas also
special dished on festivals and Goddess of Kodavas, besides the one of the major ethnic group in
special events, the dishes are Goddess Kaveramma, they idolize
Kadumbutt, Koogalet, Paputt, coorg and they wear white
Igguthappa, Muthappa, ‘Kuppasathatti’.
Pandi karri and etc. Bhagwathi, Mahadeva,
Bhadrakali, Subramani swamy
and Ayyappa. The Ariri, Meda,
The kembatti and the Amma
Kodavas are very similar in
culture and language.

Coorg has four main types of It has three wildlife sanctuaries, Nagarahole national park is home to
vegetation. The Evergreen Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, some of the wildest beasts like Tiger,
Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary Leopard, Wild Dog ( Dhole ), Jungle Cat,
forests of the north & west and Striped Hyena and countless Jackals.
the Moist deciduous and Dry and Pushpagiri Wildlife Herbivores include Gaur, Axis Deer,
Sanctuary and one national Sambar, Mouse Deer, Four-horned
deciduous forests in the central park, Nagarahole or Rajiv Gandhi Antelope, Wild Boar, Crested Porcupine
and southern parts of the National Park. Among these and the Black-napped Hare. One can also
Pushpagiri is located in the witness primates trooping around while
district and isolated evergreen or northern part of Coorg and has engaged in their monkey business.
Shola forests are found nestled rare and endangered flora and Common Langur and Bonnet Macaque
are plenty here. Other animals are the
between the folds of the fauna. Sloth Bear, Pangolin, Giant Squirrel,
mountain slopes which are Flying Squirrel, Giant Fruit Bat and the
elusive Slender Loris.
covered by grasslands. One can find a large number of birds
including some rare species like the
Yellow Browed Bulbul, Pacific Swallow,
Grasshopper Warbler, Orphean Warbler
and the Yellow Billed Babbler can all be
seen in their magnificent and
resplendent form. Many species of owls
can be found here. The Short Eared and
Oriental Scops Owl can be often seen
after nightfall.

WILDLIFE & ECOLOGY

Karagunda Coffee Plantation, Coorg coffee Thaneerhulla Cottage Room, Plantation
Whiff in the fresh smell of coffee and plantations Trails By Tata Coffee
tour the trails of coffee plantations at
the Karagunda Coffee Plantation. It is Settled in the tranquil frames of coffee
located at an elevation 3,400 feet plantations, the Thaneerhulla Cottage is
one of the best places to witness nature
above the ground and is known for
growing arabica coffee beans. at its best. It lies in the vicinity of
Plantation Trails By Tata Coffee where
Lakshmi Organic Coffee Plantations the robusta & arabica beans are grown.
One of the best coffee plantations of
the region is the Lakshmi Organic Coffee Farm House Coffee Estate - Coorg
Plantations that has managed to grow Delight your eyes with the well-
real Organic Vegi Garden. Right from the
manicured grooves of coffee plantations
medicinal plants to the lush green of Sakleshpur. The best way to explore
blankets of coffee plantations, here you
the extravagant coffee trails is by
can tour each one of them. staying right close to them so that you
can not only walk by them but also gape

at them early in the morning.

TEMPLES

King Lingarajendra II built this

temple in 1820 as an act of

repentance. It is devoted to Lord

Shiva. A linga, the iconic symbol of

Lord Shiva, welcomes the tourists

The Namdroling Monastery or on the entrance and is believed to One of the most famous temples
the Tibetan Monastery, the be brought from the religious in Coorg is the Talakaveri Temple
Golden Temple is one of the lands of Kashi. It is architectured
most renowned Tibetan which is situated on the
Monasteries in Coorg. It is in Muhammadan or Islamic style Brahmagiri hill. It catches the eye
situated in Bylakuppe, which as it has a cupola-shaped
is 34 km away from of thousands of tourists as it
Madikeri. The temple draws structure in the centre and
the attention of tourists possesses great holy significance.
majorly because of the 40 ft consists of four pillars on its
tall golden idols of Budha, The temple’s name, Tala-Kaveri,
corners. One of the unique
Amitayus and Guru Rinpoche, has its own significance as ‘tala’
and the alluring paintings features of this temple is that it means foot and ‘Kaveri’ is the
which decorate the walls of has a water tank in the front name of the river. Even though not
the temple depicting the inhabited by an ample number of
always visible except for the
Buddhist Tibetan mythology. species of fish.
monsoon, as per its name, the

temple is considered to be the

source of river Kaveri which is one

of the seven holy rivers of Hindus.

It has a spring known as Brahma

Kundike near which there is a

shrine.

This temple is considered to be one of the ancient

ones as it was constructed by the king

Lingarajendra in 1810 in the town of Kakkabe. It is

situated in the Igguthappa Devara betta in the

Aiyengeri forest that is around 45 km away from

Madikeri. The architecture of the temple is similar to

those of the ancient Keralite temples. It is quite

significant to the locals of Coorg, as the temple

Bhagandeshwara temple is situated in the dignifies Lord Igguthappa or Lord Subramanya, who
Bhagamandala village at the junction of three rivers: is deemed to be their chief instructor as well as the
Kaveri, Sujyoti and Kannike and thus are known to
be among the most significant temples in Coorg. It lord of crops and rain. The best time to visit this
was built more than 1000 years ago, during the rule temple might be the one when the annual festival is

of the Chola dynasty, to glorify Lord conducted, i.e. in the month of March, during which
Bhagandeshwara, who is a form of Lord Shiva. worshippers from all parts collectively offer their
Except for Lord Bhagandeshwara, the beautiful devotion and prayers to the Lord who is known to
sculptures of Lord Narayana, Lord Ganesha, and Lord fulfil all the desires if prayed with genuine devotion
Subramanya can also be found there. It follows the
and a true heart, followed by numerous dance
performances afterwards.

architectural style of the ancient period known as

the Karavali style, consisting of a saddleback roof.

In 1790 AD, this temple was renovated by the then

ruler of the village, Maharaja Veera Rajendra

Wodeyar. Since the temple is located at the junction

of three rivers and thus is considered holy, it is

compulsory for the tourists, pilgrims, and other

visitors to take a dip in the confluence of the rivers.

LIFE IS ONCE, SO VISIT COORG