|
Coorg or Kodagu as the people of this little district in Karnataka
call their land, is a different facet of India. Unsullied, beautiful,
green and exciting with its lovely blue mountains, the Sahyadaris,
dense forested valleys, gurgling mountain streams and waterfalls. It
is the land of coffee bushes resplendent with red berries, the
cardamom fields profuse with white and purple flowers, old silver oak
trees laden with huge hives and of a sturdy handsome people called
the Coorgis who charm by their hospitality and cuisine, their
hospitality and cuisine, their intriguing customs and the reverence
with which they worship their river, the Kaveri.
The history of the land
as we can trace for others parts of the country into pre-Christian
era, cannot be done for Coorg. There are no big monuments to speak of
its past. Most of its history is pure conjecture. Who were the
ancestors of the proud marital people who today number less than a
lakh? Some historians say that their ancestors came from Mohenjodaro
as their features, fair colour, mode of dress and the fact that they
are ancestor worshippers, find similarity with the people of the
ancient civilization. Other historians discount the theory.
Recent history which has
left its mark is that of the Lingayat kings who rules the area from
1600 A.D. onwards. The first of the kings overthrew the local
chieftains and established a dynastic rule that continued for the
next 200 years. The third Lingayat king built a mud fort and made
Madikeri his capital. Even today, Madikeri, a bustling little town of
about 26,000 people is the capital of Kodagu district. It is 1300
metres above sea level and is an interesting place to explore.
The mud fort was replaced
by a stronger one in stone by Tipu Sultan who ruled for a brief
period till the Lingayat kings wrested back their territory from him
with British help. The British took over power in 1834 from the last
king Chikkaveerajendra, who was impeached. Tipu’s fort is an
essential feature of the town even today. And Tipu has left another
legacy-stories of the cruelty he meted out to the Coorgis who fought
him.
Inside the fort wall
stands the palace of the Lingayat rulers. It is a simple
double-storey structure, quite unlike the grand palaces one sees
elsewhere in India. Two elephants, built of cement and mortar stand
in the compound. The elephants have an interesting story behind them.
The king use to be woken up every morning by two of his favourite
elephants trumpeting under his window. One day he send word to the
mahout that he wanted to sleep late. The order never reached the man
and he brought the elephants at the usual time and woke up the king.
The king was furious. He had the elephants and the mahout killed.
Later he regretted his action and got images of the elephants
constructed. They are not much to look at, but the, one shouldn’t
be looking for sculptural excellence in Coorg.
Other monuments from the
days of the Lingayats are the Omkareshwar temples built in the early
19th century and the tombs of the kings. The structures
have been influenced by Islamic styles.
But come away to enjoy
the natural beauty. Come to Raja’s Seat, a favoutie spot of the
kings from where once can see the sweep of the mist-covered blue
hills and valleys with green fields. The kings used to sit here every
evening enjoying the sunset and the peace and beauty of Coorg. Today,
the area around Raja’s Seat has been developed into a public
garden.
Around Madikeri roll the
coffee estates. Karantaka leads in coffee production and Coorg
accounts for almost half of the total coffee produced in the state.
The British had set up the plantations. But the coffee seed was
probably introduced to the region by the Maplas, the muslim traders
from neighbouring Kerala who carried cardamon and pepper from Coorg
to the Arabs. The fertile land with its plentiful rainfall was ideal
for coffee cultivation. The Coorgis bought back their lands once the
British left and even today many estate houses have British names.
The Coorgis take great
pride in their estates. Coffee bushes are tended with care and the
sky watched eagerly during the months of March and April of the very
essential blossom showers. If the showers come on time, not too much
or too little, the coffee bushes will spring forth a week late with
snowy white blossoms that engulf the entire area with a heavenly
perfume. Quite, quite different from the aroma of hot coffee.
Slowly the little berries
appear, first green then becoming as red as cherries. And its time
for picking. It is the bean within, which is powdered after curing.
There are two main varieties of coffee grown in Coorg-Arabica and
Robusta.
The coffee bushes require
partial shade and huge trees grown on the estates. On these trail the
dark green pepper vines. Pepper is an important spice in Indian
cooking. And green pepper makes the most deliciously pungent pickle.
Oranges, coconuts, cardamon and paddy are also grown as cash crops.
The estates attract a
large variety of birds. At times even the wild elephant and the boar
visit. The elephants revage for tender coconut shoots, jackfruits and
papayas that are grown on the estates. It is not uncommon to come
across a wild elephant while motoring around in Coorg.
The Coorgis are divided
into clans and each clan has its ancestral home. Till a few decades
ago, all members of the clan lived together in a huge house called
ain mane, for the lands and everything on it were common
property. Today, the families and lands have fragmented. But many ain
mane still exist and are kept clean and ready for use by any clan
member who might need or wish to stay there. These ancestral homes
are interesting four-winged structures with impressive main doors.
Though the Coorgi
families have dispersed, it is during the festivals that they come
together to celebrate and rejoice. One of the main festivals of the
community is ‘Huthri’ which marks the harvesting of the
paddy crop in November/December. The first sheaf of paddy is cut by
the male head of the family on a full moon night amid much dancing
and music. The mistress of the house receives it from him and keeps
it near the lamp that burns continuously in a Coorgi home. There are
fireworks and dances, fun and laughter. A big feast follows.
Another festival during
which the martial race worships its arms is the ‘Keil Poldu’.
The Coorgis have contributed more than their fair share generals and
men to the country’s armed forces. They are reputed for their
valour. On Keil Poldu day, which is in September, the men gather in
open spaces to test their marksmanship by shooting the coconuts on
the trees.
But is the Tula
Sankaramana festival when the Kaveri is worshipped which is of
special significance to the Coorgis. The Kaveri, which flows for 475
kilometres originates in the Brahamagiri mountain in the Western
Ghats. On the festival day, usually in October, the water bubbles and
gushes out of the little well built around the spring for a few
minutes. Thousands gather to witness the event. The time of this
significant happening is predicted to the exact minute by the
astrologers. For the Coorgis it means that their Goaddess Kaveri
cares for them and is abiding by the promise she made to them
thousands of years ago. A popular legend has it that when Kaveri
decided to take the shape of a river, her followers, the Coorgis,
pleaded with her not to desert them. She assured them that she would
return to her birthplace every year and would flow through their land
enriching it.
Sumptuous meals form an
important part of the festival celebrations. But the wedding repast
is a treat that should never be missed. Coorg weddings are celebrated
with great pomp. The men dress in the Kupya, a long black coat
worn over trousers and cut at the elbows to reveal the white shirt
underneath. It is tied at the waist with a gold and red tasseled
sash. The bridegroom wears a white Kupua. The men carry two
knives and wear flat topped turbans. The women wear the Coorgi style
sari with the pleats at the back, and the pallar draped over the
bosom and pinned over one shoulder with an attractive brooch which is
either studded with precious stones or made of gold. The bride wears
a red and gold sari.
Coorgi weddings are
usually solemnized only during the wedding season which is from March
to June. The weddings take place in Kalyan mantaps or wedding
halls found all over the district. The best way for the stranger to
see a wedding is to just walk into one of the mantaps. The
Coorgis are very hospitable. You will be invited for the wedding
lunch. Curied pork is a must on the menu. Little rice dumplings,
bamboo shoots, mushrooms and homemade wines at which most Coorgi
women excel, are much relished items.
The Coorgs have no priests. The weddings are
solemnized in the presence of the elders who shower the
couple with rice grains. Ganga puja marks the completion of the
wedding rituals. The bride carries a brass pitcher on her head filled
with water from the well of the groom’s house. She has to go
around the house and into the kitchen, but her way is blocked by
energetically dancing relatives of the groom’s family. The
dancing goes on for hours and the bride is allowed to take a few
steps at a time. The ceremony tests the stamina of the new member of
the family and the mother of the next generation.
Coorg is a place for
treks. There are many hills that can be climbed and beautiful spots
for picnics. Little shrines dot the landscape. And it is a pleasure
to come across these little structures sometimes near a waterfall, or
on the bank of a river or on a hill. One of the most beautiful
temples is at Bhagamandala, the place where the Kaveri, after
descending the Brahmagiri mountain, meets with the Sujoythi and the
Kanike. Built in the multi-roof Kerala style it is a charming place
of worship.
Wildlife abounds in
Coorg’s mighty forests. At the Nagarhole national park one can
see the swift-footed spotted deer, the bison, elephants, the wild
boar and the jackal, different species of monkey, and if lucky even
the mighty tiger.
The Coorgis were fames as
good hunters. Even today, they are accurate marksmen and retain their
guns. But the shots are fired more to scare away a stray tusker on
the estate or to announce the birth of a baby boy. Most of them have
turned ardent conservationists. For they have seen the havoc
deforestation has caused in the neighbouring districts. So they
zealously guard their lands. It is for this reason that they are not
keen to throw open their district for large-scale tourism. There are
no conducted tours and no five-star hotels.
But for the visitor who
wants to discover the deep silence of the thick forests, hear the
gurgle of the little brooks, hear the gurgle of the little brooks,
see the gorgeous dance of the peacocks, breathe in the scent of the
coffee blossoms, taste the delicious Coorg honey and bamboo-shoot
curry or climb a blue hill, Coorg holds a welcome.
VISITING CORG
GETTING THERE
By Air
Nearest airports to Madikeri are Mysore (120
kilometres), Mangalore (135 kilometre) and Bangalore (260
kilometres).
By Rail
Nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore and
Hassan (146 kilometres). From Madikeri, Talacauvery is 47 kilometres
and Nagarhole 93 kilometres away via Virajpet by road.
By Road
Regular state transport buses connect Madikeri with
Mysore, Nagarhole, Tellicherry, Virajpet and Bangalore (via Mysore
and Krishinagar).
In Madikeri unmetered taxis and autorickshaws are
available.
Miscellaneous
Place to see
Bhagamandala (35 kilometres). It is here that the
Kaveri merges with the Kanike and the Sujoythi. There is a beautiful
temple built in the Kerala style. In October/November it is
illuminated by thousands of oil lamps. Pilgrims take a dip at the
confluence and offer prayers. There is a Central Apiary where once
can see modern methods of bee keeping.
Talacauvery (47 kilometres). It is nine kilometers
from Bhagamandala. It is the source of theriver Kaveri and 4187 feet
above sea level. On Tula Sankaramana day usually on October 17, the
spring gushes forth with extra velocity.
Central Orange and Coffee Research Station (24
kilometres), it is on the Madikeri-Siddapur-Virajpet road and is run
by the government. Best time for a vists is between November and
March.
Nagarhole the game sanctuary covers an area of 284
square kilometers with tropical and deciduous forests. The state
transport provides transport inside the sanctuary.
For reservation at the forest lodges at Nagarhole
contact: Assistant Conservator of Forest, Jayaram Gate, Mysore, Tel:
21159.
Abbi Falls (8 kilometres). A good place for
picnics. No regular transport to the place. Own arrangements have to
be made.
Iruppu (91 kilometres). A well known pilgrim
centre, associated with Rama, hero of the great epic, Ramayana. A
shiva Temple stands on the bank of the river Ramathiratha. On
Mahashivrathri day, thousands of pilgrims take a dip in the river.
Tourist Informaton Centres
Tourist Bureau, PWD Travellers Bungalow, Madikeri.
Tel: 394. Tourist Home, Karnataka State Tourism Development
Corporation, Raja Street, Madikeri.
| 