Beauty Of Kodagu

• Story of Kodagu 

• Why is Kodagu famous particular/famous for 

• Places in Kodagu to visit 

• How to reach 

STORY/HISTORY OF KODAGU: 

The earliest inhabitants and agriculturists are kodavas in Kodagu. Kodavas are a warrior community; they carry arms in wars and have their chieftains. The earliest mention of Coorg can be seen in the works that date back to the Sangam period (300 BCE - 300 CE). The Ezhimala dynasty had jurisdiction over two Nadus - The coastal Poozhinadu and the hilly eastern Karkanadu. According to Sangam literature, Poozhinadu comprised much of the coastal belt between Mangalore and Kozhikode. Karkanadu consisted of the Wayanad-Gudalur hilly region with parts of Kodagu (Coorg). 

The Haleri dynasty, an offshoot of the Keladi Nayakas, ruled Kodagu between 1600 and 1834. Later, the British ruled Kodagu from 1834, after the Coorg War, until India's independence in 1947. A separate state (called Coorg State) until then, in 1956, Kodagu was merged with the Mysore State (now Karnataka) 

In 1834, the East India Company annexed Kodagu into British India after deposing Chikka Virarajendra of the Kodagu kingdom as 'Coorg'.British rule led to the establishment of educational institutions, the introduction of scientific coffee cultivation, better administration, and an improved economy. This reference notwithstanding - we should remember that the colonial rule by the British in India was about the exploitation of resources, and Kodagu provided a lot of scope for economic benefits to a colonizing empire. 

A small number of Mangalorean Catholics are also found in Coorg.[quantify] They are mostly descended from those Konkani Catholics who fled the roundup and, later, captivity by Tippu Sultan. These immigrants were welcomed by Raja Veerarajendra (himself a former captive of Tippu Sultan, having escaped six years of captivity in 1788), who, realizing their usefulness and expertise as agriculturists, gave them lands and tax breaks and built a church for them. 

WHY KODAGU IS FAMOUS FOR: 

Kodagu is known for its dense forest cover and the exotic flora and fauna. It has three wildlife sanctuaries: Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, and Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, one National Park, the Nagarahole National Park, and the only private sanctuary in India, the SAI Sanctuary. 

Kodagu is home to endemic species of western ghats. It has giant tiger and elephant populations as well. As per the elephant census 2023, Kodagu, with 1,013 elephants, had nearly one-sixth of the total elephant population in Karnataka, second only to Chamarajanagar. 

The economy of Kodagu is dependent on agriculture. Major crops grown here are paddy, coffee, rubber, pepper, cardamom, Coorg, oranges, and honey. Tea, Ginger, and Cocoa are also grown in smaller quantities. 

Kodagu is the largest producer of coffee and pepper; Karnataka accounts for 70% of the coffee in India, and Kodagu alone accounts for 33%. Kodagu produces nearly a quarter of India's Black Pepper. 

PLACES TO VISITED: 

1. Kodagu is rated as one of the top hill station destinations in India. Some of Kodagu's most popular tourist attractions include Talakaveri, Bhagamandala, Nisargadhama, Abbey Falls, Dubare, Nagarahole National Park, Iruppu Falls, and the Tibetan Buddhist Golden Temple. 

2. Talakaveri is the place where the River Kaveri originates. The temple on the riverbanks here is dedicated to Lord Brahma and is one of only two temples dedicated to Brahma in India and Southeast Asia. Bhagamandala is situated at the Sangama (confluence) of the Kaveri and the Kannika rivers. A third river, the Sujyothi, is said to have joined from underground; hence, this spot is called the Triveni Sangama. Iruppu Falls is a sacred Kodagu Hindu spot in South Kodagu in the Brahmagiri hill range. The Lakshmana Tirtha River, with the waterfalls, flows nearby and has a Rameshwara temple on its banks. It is said that this sacred river was created when Laxmana, prince of Ayodhya and younger brother of Lord Rama, shot an arrow into the nearby Brahmagiri hill. 

3. Madikeri is the district's capital, and Raja's Seat Park is popular with tourists. Kootu Poley Dam is also popular among tourists. Omkareshwara Temple is a beautiful temple built in the Indo-Sarcenic style in Coorg. A legend is associated with the temple, built by Lingarajendra II in 1820 CE. The king put to death a pious Brahmin who dared to protest against his misdeeds. The dead man's spirit began to plague the king day and night. On the advice of wise men, the king built this temple and installed a Shivalinga procured from Kashi, North India.  

4. Dubare is mainly an elephant-capturing and training camp of the Forest Department at the edge of Dubare forest, on the bank of the Kaveri River along the Kushalanagara – Siddapura road. Nisargadhama is an artificial island and picnic spot near Kushalanagara, formed by the river Kaveri. In the Tibetan refugee settlement, the Tibetan Buddhist Golden Temple is at Bylakuppe near Kushalnagara (Mysore district). 

5. Abbey Falls is a scenic waterfall 5 km from Madikeri. Mallalli Falls is 25 km from Somawarapet, downhill of the Pushpagiri hills. Mandalapatti is 28 km from Madikeri. On the way to Abbey Falls, 3 km from Abbey Falls, take a right, and from there, 25 km. Kote Betta temple and Kote Abbey Falls are also in North Kodagu. Abbi waterfall and other waterfalls are best during monsoon season, typically some days after it starts raining in June up to the end of the rainy season, while there is more water gushing in the streams and rivers. 

HOW TO REACH: 

There is no railway station in Kodagu district. The nearest railway stations to Madikeri (district headquarters, Coorg) are Mysore Hassan, Mangalore of Karnataka State, Thalassery, and Kannur of Kerala state. The nearest airport to Kodagu is Kannur (CNN) Airport , which is 43 km away. Other nearby airports include Mangalore (IXE) (122.1 km) and Calicut (CCJ) (125.8 km). 

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