About Coorg

Kodagu (Coorg) is the smallest district of Karnataka. But it is a lovely and wonderful place with enchanting natural settings. It is the birthplace of River Cauvery. It is located about 5 hours from Bangalore and about 3 hours from Mysore in Karnataka, India. You can visit the Coorg Travel Guide to visit tourist spots and to learn more about this beautiful place in South India.

Kodagu comes from the word “Kudu” (which means “Hilly place”) the word Kodagu was coined. But according to some, it has come from the word “Kodamalenadu”, which means “steep hills and thick forests”.

It's all hills and small mountains here

Nature at CoorgThe whole of Kodagu (Coorg) is mountainous terrain. From west to east it is steep. It’s about 1270 meters from sea level at Madikeri plateau near fort and 907 meters near Kushalanagar in the east.

The average height can be taken as 1170 meters from Kodagu (Coorg) and it runs up to Somavarpet, which is 42 kms to the north of Kodagu (Coorg).

(Photo Credit: hemt)

The geography is different at different spots

The topography is diverse. Near Somavarpet there are small hills and valleys. Near Madikeri (Mercara) the hills are very close and have deep valleys. Near Kushalanagar the hills spread to a long distance and have plains also. Near Virajpet, which is considered as South Kodagu (S.Coorg), have long and wide paddy fields. In the east between Kaveri and Lakshmana Thirtha Rivers there are lot of paddy fields and has rich forest area too. To the west of this, there is evergreen bamboo forests.

A Photographer's delight

The whole Kodagu (Coorg) can be taken as a big hill station dressed with forests and valleys. One can see the sky scraping hills and thick green vegetation everywhere. On the slopes, coffee, oranges, pepper and cardamom are grown in abundance. The hills are covered with green grass and the valleys with evergreen forests. The whole place is full of scenic and natural beauty. It offers an excellent vista to photographers to capture nature, wildlife and the scenery here.

Peaks and Rivers

Coorg is the smallest province in India and mostly consist of Ghats (Hills), reserved and other forests. Coorg was constituted a province not on account of its size, but on account of its isolation. It is a mountainous district, presenting throughout a series of wooded hills and deep valleys; the lowest elevations are 3000 ft. above sea-level. The loftiest peak, Tadiandamol, has an altitude of 5729 feet. Pushpagiri, another peak, is 5626 ft. high.

The principal river is the Cauvery, which rises on the eastern side of the Western Ghats, and with its tributaries drains the greater part of Coorg. Besides these there are several large streams that take their rise in Coorg. In the rainy season, which lasts during the continuance of the southwest monsoon, or from June to the end of September, the rivers flow with violence and great rapidity. In July and August the rainfall is excessive, and the month of November is often showery. In the direction of Mysore the whole country is thickly wooded; but to the westward the forests are more open.

Wildlife

Kodagu is considered rich in wildlife. The district has three wildlife sanctuaries: Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, and Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, and one national park, Nagarahole or Rajiv Gandhi National Park.

Kodavas - Ethnic people of Coorg

Of the various tribes inhabiting Coorg, the Coorgis (also called as Kodavas or Kodagas), and the Yeravas (also known as Eravas), both special to the country, are the most numerous.

The Kodavas or Kodagas are a light-coloured race of unknown origin. They constitute a highland clan, free from the trammels of caste, and they have the manly bearing and independent spirit natural in men who have been from time immemorial the lords of the soil.

Their religion consists of ancestor and demon-worship, with a certain mixture of Brahmin cults. The men are by tradition warriors and hunters. They speak Kodagu, a dialect of Haley (old) Kannada, midway between that and Malayalam.

Kodava Lifestyle

Kodavas have a life style and culture of their own, which is very special and attractive. Even their customs are also interesting as is thier traditional costume. The “Janapada” (folk) songs rendered during marriages, birthday parties and at the time of deaths, during fairs are very philosophical and have a lot of meaning. Kodavas have their own special way of dressing during festivals and marriages.

The male members wear a jaripeta, black shirt and will have a silver sword in their waist. The female members wear beautiful and attractive sarees and dress in their own special style.

Kodavas have their own language known as “Kodava language”. It has no script of its own. It is a combination of Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam. But the words of Kannada are more. Huttariya Kunitha, Bolukata, Ummathata, Kolata, Olagathata and Kathiyata are some of the folk dances of the Kodavas.

Coorg