Regular readers here would know about TravelWise, an initiative from Lakshmi and me to conduct well researched tours to give better experience to travellers. Hoysala Trail-our first tour-was well received and the feedback we had was very positive. Our next tour will be to Coorg on 21st November. Like the Hoysala Trail, this is also a well researched tour with insights to nature, culture and heritage of Coorg. Looking forward to see you on the trail. Details below.
Vignettes of Coorg
Green hills, misty rivers, lost monuments and an endless fabric of coffee plantations. Add to this a distinct local culture and a history of conflicts and intrigue.
Welcome to Vignettes of Coorg. You see a different slice of life at every corner of this coffee country. Meet the Kodavas, soak in their culture, follow the call of the birds, wet your feet in a creek, feel the rush of a waterfall, visit an ancestral home.
As you travel, listen to stories of passion and intrigue, myths and legends and blend with the rhythm of nature.
Join us on the Coorg trail. Its time to wake up and smell the coffee.
Tour Highlights
- Guided walk in a coffee plantation
- A closer look at the birdlife
- Know Cauvery saga at Talacauvery
- A tinge of heritage at Nalknad Palace
- Kodava culture at an ancestral home
- Stay with a Kodava family
Itinerary
- Pickup from MG Road on Saturday at 6.30am
- Return to Bangalore by Sunday night (Drop off at home)
Tariff
Rs.3,950 per person on twin sharing basis. Tariff includes all meals, transportation from Bangalore in AC vehicle, stay at the homestay inside a coffee estate and guided tour at all destinations.
To book:
Email: travel -at- travelwise -dot- in
Call: Arun – 9880006460 or Lakshmi – 9902070689
We are preparing for the upcoming TravelWise tour to Coorg with lot of research and information. While we are at it, here are some stories from Coorg area that Lakshmi and I had written for Deccan Herald.
Lakshmi writes about some intriguing stories of the kings of Coorg in Tuesday issue of DH.
As the Vijayanagar empire crumbled, Veeraraja, who dreamt of establishing his own dynasty was looking to exploit the weakness of local kingdoms… Disguised as a jangama or a priest with healing powers, he established a small group of followers in Haleri. He slowly overthrew the local Nayakas, including the formidable Karenbahu of Bhagamandala and Talacauvery, and went on to become the lord of Kodagu with Haleri as capital.
My story about my repeated treks to Thadiyandamol peak appeared in DH a few weeks ago.
Never before has a place beckoned me to return so many times. My second visit followed just a few months after the first. The third and fourth did not take very long either. I had made six visits at the last count and yet, each time I think of Thadiyandamol Peak, I ponder on making another journey soon.
Finally, here is another story I wrote a few months ago about the trek to Brahmagiri.
Wildlife is plentiful on the grasslands above the forest bungalow. Sambar deer, nilgiri langur and wild gaur are commonly seen along the hills. Elephants can be occasionally sighted grazing on the slopes. Lucky ones may see lion tailed macaques hopping from tree to tree in the shola forests. Tigers are known to exist, but sightings of the big cat are not common.
It was a busy week here working on the ‘Tour of Less Known Hoysala Kingdom’. The monsoon edition of the tour was well received, and was thankfully not interrupted by rain.
Weather gods were friendly to us through the journey. Carpet of greenery had sprung up on the countryside, thanks to the recent showers. Sunflower fields brightened the earth and kept our spirits high. It drizzled constantly as we sped past villages, fields and open countryside. Earth was wet, ponds had filled up, puddles had formed in depression and all forms of life were at their active best. Sun rays barely filtered through the ever present rain-clouds. The moody, romantic atmosphere persisted all through the journey.
At our resort hidden in a coffee estate, I spent most of my free time rocking on the swing and watching the water drip from the tiled roof. The ‘tip-tip’ of the water was relentless, sometimes accelerating into a constant pelting. Ebullient cicadas performed their symphony as the light fell in the evening. The stream that ran past the estate had gathered strength and was flowing with vigour. As darkness fell, peacocks hiding somewhere in the jungle faraway added voice to the conference of frogs, cicadas and the dripping rains. Monsoon had infused a new life into the creation.
The monuments enthused me as much as the rains did, despite having been coming here again and again. The Veeranarayana Temple at Belavadi with its 108 finely polished pillars was not just about art in the stones; it gave me a feeling of peace. In Doddagaddavalli, I was overwhelmed once again to see the nine hundred year old temple appearing suddenly behind a curve, with a vast expanse of rolling landscape behind it. Hulikere’s ancient tank and its surrounding shrines seemed like a new discovery yet again. A mystic feeling always haunts me as I look at the shrines here and muse at the poetry carved into these stones.
Now sitting back at home and letting memories of the places linger in my mind, I am stuck with an unfulfilled feeling, and a wish for more of these indulgences. I could always do with more days of sitting on the swing staring at the dripping water. I could do with more of the cool moisture laden wind that brings in momentary shivers and prolonged happiness. I could do with a lot more of the quiet moments of leaning to the parapet wall at Belavadi Temple and staring at the array of finely polished pillars. Happiness lies somewhere out there!