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Travel to Coorg \ Kodagu ... |
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Kashmir of the south - that's the name
given to Coorg. The hill region of Coorg lies 100km west of Mysore in the
western ghats. Birthplace of the River Cauvery and home of some of India'
s bravest soldiers, Coorg is noted for its scenic beauty. Hiking,
cross-country, or simply motoring down mountain trails in Coorg, the
visitor encounters views of the morning mist rolling down thickly wooded
hill slopes and the paddy fields and neat rows of coffee bushes
resplendent under the blue skies. Lush, green valleys, plantations
loaded with green coffee plants sprouting red berries, teak wood forests &
majestic mountain ranges introduce you to nature's Coffee blossoms fill
the air with an exhilarating fragrance in March-April. |
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| Facts and Figures : | |||||||||||||
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| History : | |||||||||||||
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Little is known about the early history of this fertile land. From ad 1600
onwards, the Lingayat rajas ruled over Coorg and established their capital
at Madikeri where they built a mud fort. The Kodavas, as the people of
Coorg are called, harried the Mysore ruler Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan
through sporadic rebellions. Finally, in ad 1785, Tipu marched into Coorg
with a large army and devastated their little kingdom. Four years later,
with the help of the British, Coorg regained its independence and Raja
Veerarajendra set about the task of reconstruction. In ad 1834, the
British took over power in Coorg. They impeached the last ruler
Chikkaveera Rajendra and sent him into exile. |
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| How to Reach : | |||||||||||||
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Air: Nearest airports to Coorg are Mysore, Mangalore and
Bangalore. From Mysore Coorg is 120 kilometers away, the Mangalore airport
is 135 kilometer far and the airport at Bangalore is 260 kilometers away.
Rail: Nearest railheads to Coorg are at Mysore, Mangalore and Hassan (146 kilometers). These railheads further link Coorg with all the major cities of Karnataka and India. Road: Good road networks connect Coorg with Mysore, Nagarhole, Tellicherry, Virajpet and Bangalore (via Mysore). |
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| Best Season to Visit Coorg : | |||||||||||||
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Best season to visit Coorg is between November to
April. |
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| Sightseeing : | |||||||||||||
| ›› Medikeri Fort : | |||||||||||||
| 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. This 19th century fort, in the centre of Madikeri (homely capital of coorg), houses a temple, a chapel, prison and a small museum. The fort offers a beautiful view of Madikeri. | |||||||||||||
| ›› Raja's Seat : | |||||||||||||
 If you have come away to enjoy the natural beauty in Coorg, come to Raja's
Seat, a favourite spot of the kings from where one 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 beauty of Coorg. Today,
the area around Raja's Seat has been developed into a public garden. |
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| ›› Omkareshwara Shiva Temple : | |||||||||||||
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The temple was built in 1820, features unusual combination of red-tiled
roofs, Keralan Hindu architecture, gothic elements and Islamic-influenced
domes.It is dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu, is almost 200 years old
and is a surprising blend of Islamic and Gothic styles. |
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| Excursion : | |||||||||||||
| ›› Talakaveri : | |||||||||||||
 River
Kaveri which is one of the 7 sacred rivers of Sapta Sindhus of the Hindu
scriptures, originated at a place is called Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri
hills, at about 4,500 ft above sea level. Here there are 2 temples, a
Shiva temple and with a rare and ancient Shiva Linga, and another temple
dedicated to Lord Ganesha. |
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| ›› Abbey Falls : | |||||||||||||
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big attraction for tourists and filmdom alike is the Abbey Falls, 8 kms
from Coorg. Even during the summer there is plenty of water in these
falls. The roar of the falls can be heard from the main road, from where a
path goes through lovely coffee and cardamom plantations right up to them.
The chirping of innumerable birds which are easier heard then seen, fill
the air with sweet music. Do remember to take your binoculars and camera
when you go there. |
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| ›› Nagarhole National Park : | |||||||||||||
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The
Nagarhole National Park (93 km) provides excellent opportunity for wildlife
viewing. Here, one can see the swift-footed spotted deer, bison, elephant,
wild boar and jackal, different species of monkey, and with luck even the
mighty tiger. Nagarhole, the game sanctuary, covers an area of 284 sq km with
tropical and deciduous forests. The state transport corporation provides
transport inside the sanctuary. 
