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Over to the land of fragrant beans
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Tucked away in the wilderness, a home stay in Coorg is a breathtaking experience...
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Getting away from it all: a typical Coorg home in the middle of an estate
JUST ABOUT seven hours drive from the dust and noise of Bangalore, the road begins to wind and climb. And on either side of it unfolds endless coffee estates that produce the fragrant bean for the rest of the country's morning cup. Climbing with the tang of spices in the air, to the distant sound of rushing water, you enter an enchanted world tucked away in the wilderness: the picturesque land of Kodagu.
A special way to enjoy Kodagu is to stay at a coffee estate and experience not just the natural ambience up close, but also the hospitality of a typical Coorg family. We had stayed at a coffee estate that lies at a height of 5,000 feet above sea level. Undulating slopes, fringed by deep green forests, all 55 acres of this place is owned by the Chengappa family.
The hosts stay in a large sprawling house on a clearing, while the guest cottages are scattered around on the nearby hillsides. The guests enjoy complete privacy if they so wish, and need mingle with the friendly host family only at meals that are served in a semi-open dining area.
This café-style verandah overlooks colourful flower gardens, fruit trees, spice plantations, the apiary where honeybees are at work, and of course, the ubiquitous coffee blossoms that spread like white cotton wool all over the slopes. A home stay in Coorg is a unique experience, for, you get to taste authentic Kodagu cuisine and coffee, sip homemade wines, and learn about their history and culture. Foreigners come here too, and then promptly return, year after year. They love the long, solitary treks, the isolation, and the joy of self-discovery in the midst of nature. To them, the holiday serves to recharge their batteries and gradually to forge a strange, yet strong friendship with their hosts.
The treks apart, there is a lot to see and explore in Coorg. You can take drives to the birth of the Cauvery river at Talacauvery, and the sangam of three rivers at Bhagamandala, to visit the Abbé Falls in the midst of dense jungle, the Rajiv Gandhi National Park at Nagarahole, and see wild elephants under training at the Dubare Elephant Training Camp. Then there is Nisargadhama, a natural island on a rushing river, overhung with a suspension bridge. You can stay nearby in the thick bamboo jungle dotted with machans and cottages. A unique experience, indeed! A surprise discovery on your drive back home would be the Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe, complete with the monastery, handicrafts market, and eateries.
MALATHI RAMACHANDRAN
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