Coorg - Cofee Plantations in Western Ghats, Karnataka

Kodagu remained a part of the Hoysala Empire from the 11th to the 14th century A.D. Thereafter the Vijayanagara kings and the Chengalvas ruled this tiny kingdom. After the rule of the Wodeyars of Kodagu from the 17th to the 19th century, the British took possession of Kodagu in 1834 by usurping the rein of Chikkaveerarajendra Wodeyar. Upon the reorganization of states in 1956, Kodagu became a district of Karnataka State. the Kodagu region preserved its ethnic cultural heritage.

Kodavas, the main ethnic group of Coorg, are a fierce warrior race. Some of India's most valiant and decorated Army officers are Kodavas. The most famous son of Kodagu is Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, the first CommanderinChief (as a general) of the armed forces of free India. He was elevated to the honorary title of Field Marshal at the age of 83. In addition, General Kodendera. S. Thimmaiah, of the same clan as K.M. Cariappa, also became a commander in chief. Kodagu was a kingdom rulled by the Hoysalas from the 11th to the 14th century A.D. and thereafter by the Vijayanagar kings and the Chengalvas. The Wodeyars of Kodagu ruled from the 17th to the 19th century. The British annexed Kodagu in 1834 after dethroning Chikkaveerarajendra Wodeyar. It was administered by Chief Commissioners till Independence and then in 1952, as a category 'C' state, had a representative in the Rajya Sabha. Upon the reorganisation of states in 1956, Kodagu became a district of Karnataka State.

Four years later, with the help of the British, Kodagu regained its independence and Raja Veerarajendra set about the task of reconstruction. In 1834 A.D., the British took over power in Kodagu. They impeached thethenruler Chikkaveera Rajendra, and sent him into exile. With its misty mountains, wooded hill slopes, and picturepostcard scenery, Kodagu seemed like a little corner of England. The British left behind a legacy of coffee plantations, which remain the main source of the area's revenue today.

The Kodavas are ancestor worshippers. Theirs is a martial race and it is not rare to find a Kodava in the highest echelons of our country's defence services even today. The local language Kodavatak, has influences of Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil. odagu (Coorg), the thickly wooded grandeur on the Western Ghats, is the most beautiful hill station of Karnataka. It is the home of Kodava people. Madikeri (Mercara) is the headquarters of the district. Kodagu is situated at 4000ft above sea level. Kodagu is full of dense forests, plantations, orange groves and paddy fields. The rich heritage of the people of Kodagu, the land the culture and the abundant natural beauty beckons every visitor to conserve this tiny district.