Want a weekend getaway with nature? This lush town offers you a view of one of India's largest coffee plantation. A land with its own unique culture and history.
Coorg aka Kodagu is a district of Karnataka and you can reach here either from Bangalore or Mysore. We took a KSRTC bus from Mysore which took around 3 hours to arrive Madikeri.
When in Coorg, always opt for a home-stay so you can truly experience the cultural aspect and also the locals will definitely guide you better than Google!
You can explore Coorg at its best from October to March although the weather is fine all throughout the year.
Coming to transportation, We hired a scooty because there's nothing better than experiencing the fresh air and scent of coffee which becomes a bit difficult otherwise.
We hired our scooty from Drive Coorg Tours and Travels since they are flexible with timings.
DAY 1
The first place on our list was Raja's Tomb since it is the closest to Madikeri. It is a mausoleum of the royalty and also had a Shiva temple installed which is fascinating because the royalty were mostly Sultans! The fee was Rs. 10 per head. I would suggest you to keep this last on your list if you aren't a history geek.
Although Abbey falls is very famous in Coorg, we decided to explore the less crowded Kotey Abey falls which is enroute to Mandalpatti and 45 minutes away from Madikeri .We were not very fortunate, firstly because the roads were under maintenance (So you'll probably have a better ride to this place now! ) , secondly because the fall wasn't as we expected (Thanks to the hot and dry weather)and thirdly bathing isn't allowed here because its sacred to the locals here. Also you'll have to pay minimal fee of Rs. 5 .
Disappointed by Kotey Abbey we left the place with very little expectation about Mandalpatti. But fortunately not only our journey to this place was phenomenal but the place itself was beautiful. It is a 10 minute walk up to the peak so avoid taking the jeep unless you have an injury or some situation because when you take that walk ,I can't express! It was an ethereal feeling. No wonder the name Mandalpatti, which means market of clouds.
Nature enthusiasts and trekkers , this is undoubtedly your must visit destination .
The journey back was shorter because we didn't take the previous route.But friends, DO NOT FORGET to download offline map before taking a trip to any place .It is imperative. I can tell you.We were blessed enough to be directed well by locals. Everyone isn't.
We managed to arrive back to our rooms. Alas!
Kodagu cuisine has a spicy flavor (why not add it ,when you have it?) which also complements the weather there.But there aren't many restaurants that will offer you this(That's why a home-stay).
Probably the only restaurant is Coorg Cuisine and the name speaks.Although we weren't blown away by the taste and food quality , if you're in Coorg...why not just try it out?
DAY 2
We started off early because we were heading to Talakaveri and it's about an hour away from Madikeri. More than the destination, it was the journey that was super enthralling.The curvy roads, arcade of coffee plantations, amazing scenery and coffee scent really made my morning a good one!
We arrived Talakaveri at 9:12 am. Talakaveri is a temple so please see to your attire or they are kind enough to lend you a 'dhoti' for Rs.10. Now,Talakaveri is said to be the origin of river Kaveri but there was no gushing fall like we expected, just a small pond which is sacred and you are free to take holy dip here.
One thing that disappointed me was seeing money just thrown in another open tank of water.I'm guessing God of any faith wouldn't like that too.
The main attraction in this area is the Brahmagiri hill view point which opens at 10 am .You'll have to walk through the temple and climb 147 steps to reach here.Other than the view, the thing that amazed me was people stacking up stones to form cairns.When I asked few people why they were doing so, they were dumbstruck firstly because of the language barrier and secondly because they didn't know. So I chose the next viable option,Google! And yes my friend had an explanation.
The cairns had a shape similar to folded hands and stacking those stones symbolized raising our prayers to the Almighty. I too performed the ritual as I found the explanation interesting.
By the time we were back to Madikeri, it was noon so we had our lunch and left for Namdroling Monastery. It is a 45 minute drive from Madikeri and you'll find many coffee and spice retailers on the way.
The monastery had 3 beautiful temples and cheerful monks all around and I really felt I was in Kushalnagar.
The main temple had statues of the three main Buddhas. The founder Gautam Buddha,The teacher Riponche also called the second Buddha and the third is Buddha Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternity.There is no entry ticket to the monastery,only a minimal parking fee.
The last location in our trip was Raja's seat which is in Madikeri. This place was the king's favorite recreational spot where he would enjoy the amazing view of his estate during sunset or sunrise along with his wives.
We returned home the next morning. I feel that a 3 day trip would be more relaxed. So plan your trip accordingly.
Also if you have any other places or suggestions,do mention in the comments below. Let's explore,experience and inspire together.