“I am beginning to feel vaguely guilty about having fallen so deeply in love with Coorg. I set out, after all, to tour South India, and my lingering here seems suspiciously like escapism. Undeniably Coorg is a place apart- clean, quiet, uncrowded, unmodernised, not impoverished at any level of society, never too hot or too cold at any time of the day or night and populated by exceptionally congenial people. Add a truly magnificent landscape to all of this and you have a paradise. No wonder the Coorgs are so proud of their country, with something more than the normal regional pride of Indians” Dervla Murphy wrote this almost three decades back when she famously hiked through Coorg with her five year old daughter. Agreeing to her experience of the place, unmodernised is the word I don’t associate with Coorg (or kodugu) . If we understand modern with broad outlook- innovative and sensibilities associated with western, now global, then Coorgs are as much as Parsis in early twentieth century india. Their alliance with the British to defeat Tipu Sultan and later their own local Rajah worked in favour of Coorgs. Recognizing their proficiency with guns the britishers gave them rights to own guns without license. After independence of India the Coorgs were exempted from Arms Act so that they can carry light rifles without license within the Coorg district limits. A feat equated in recent times by certain parts of Bihar where no rule ever worked! Coorg's affection to guns has added an element of primitive bravado in celebrations, where gunfire is essential part- I read that childbirth is greeted with gun shots!. My experience though was amicable. I happen to witness (glimpse) a marriage ceremony and guns were not out, clamorous nevertheless. There is an interesting piece I read from a book I picked up on my way to coorg: Tale of a Tiger’s Tail & other yarns from coorg by C.P.Belliappa regarding guns “….coorgs believe- believe it or not!-that their souls reside in the guns they leave behind!. During the most important Kodava festival-kailpodu- which is celebrated on third September every year, all the guns are cleaned, oiled and decorated with flowers, especially with beautiful seasonal flower aptly known as the ‘gun flower’. The guns are then worshipped, and offerings of special food prepared is placed in front of them. The guns represent our ancestors…….One of precocious nephews from Mumbai was with us during Kailpodu last year. He was full of questions about the guns I was cleaning prior to the pooja. He was absolutely thrilled with the thought of being a gun in the next life!....The kid , in true tradition of the community, has already made up his mind to join the Army. For his tender age he is quite knowledgeable about powerful modern guns. He avidly watches and identifies all the weapons displayed during republic day parade. After a while he became quiet and pensive. I quizzed him…he said in all seriousness ‘uncle in my next life I would like to be a bofors gun and defend our countries borders!!!’. I gave him a mock punch and said ‘bravo, you Son of a Gun!’… .”
Coorgs contribution to Armed Forces of the country is substantial includes one Field Marshal and an Army Chief (Gen. Thimaiah’s statue finds a proud presence in Medikeri). Two things if it defines Coorgs are pride in kinsmenship and active involvement in sports. And if one may add a taste for refined. The filial pride is strengthened through annual hockey match. This is a must see event. It’s a kind of a huge family get together. Each team consists of members of single family, so we can see 15 year old girl and a fifty year old man in the same team. That is what is unique about this event and a feast to watch. Many of the players were part of National team. The saying goes; Indian hockey team is not complete without a Coorg. Many from this tiny place have captained Indian hockey team in national and international events. Despite the bonhomie of families the matches are fiercely fought. 
Coorgs contribution to Armed Forces of the country is substantial includes one Field Marshal and an Army Chief (Gen. Thimaiah’s statue finds a proud presence in Medikeri). Two things if it defines Coorgs are pride in kinsmenship and active involvement in sports. And if one may add a taste for refined. The filial pride is strengthened through annual hockey match. This is a must see event. It’s a kind of a huge family get together. Each team consists of members of single family, so we can see 15 year old girl and a fifty year old man in the same team. That is what is unique about this event and a feast to watch. Many of the players were part of National team. The saying goes; Indian hockey team is not complete without a Coorg. Many from this tiny place have captained Indian hockey team in national and international events. Despite the bonhomie of families the matches are fiercely fought. 
In the audience women dressed in traditional attire -the sari takes a different route here, and elderly men catch the latest in family gossip (I wouldn’t be surprised if this event also double up as meeting ground for “girl boy family”). The youngsters definitely have a ball, being summer vacation of schools and colleges. They come in full strength. It is delightful to watch 4 year old kids in full sports gear having their own little games on the sidelines. The food for lunch includes pork in tangy spicy sauce and steamed rice balls, and off course liquor.
Back in the hotel at Gonicoppal the owner, a tall man with a content-in-life smile and characteristic long nose, was more concerned about the deteriorating surroundings of Coorg. “This place shouldn’t be tourist a spot”. The way he said spot was almost a spat. Clearly this was an emotional issue for him; rightly so having traveled to “tourist spots” and seen the degradations I shared his sentiments. Though it was a surprise coming from a hotel owner, who always stand to gain from tourist rush. More than a hotel or inn this was a cottage with small self-sustaining rooms, apportioned from his house and few away from the main building. For 100 Rs a day it was a steal, definitely within my budget. The rooms however were cramped with no windows. I asked the reason for this appalling design- a building not able to include the beautiful nature and cozy climate of the place is off course appalling if not vulgar. He didn’t give an impression of a person in dire need of money, to make such cramped rooms like they do in lower end hotels in “famous tourist spots”.
“I have plantations to take care and this was not meant to be a Hotel” he explained. By plantation I gathered of tea, hundreds of acres I saw on the way. “My cousin wanted to start a hospital here. She is a doctor. She had designed it as hospital….but later changed the plan” he explained. Even for a hospital it was strange setting, for wards. A room without ventilation is never healthy. It was while explaining about his doctor cousin that he mentioned her having written some books. My antennas were up. Kavery Nambisan is a quite well known writer. Her recent book The Hills of Angheri I gather is about a village girl who studies medicine in city and want to return to village to set up a hospital. Touché. Albeit Vijay Nambisan is better known. I recollect reading the collection of poems (also including Jeet Thayil) almost a decade back at Sahithya Akademi library. He has also written a book on Bihar.
But our genteel man in the Hotel had the lines drawn clearly in his life “I am allergic to books” and as an afterthought, an apologetic “my wife and mother do read but I never could….and if you would excuse I want to go somewhere”. Next half an hour or so I played cricket with kids in the courtyard, convinced that I am not getting young!!.
This was my second visit to coorg, from kerala some years back. I had come with a kalari ashan (a man in early 30s insisted that I call him Gurukal not ashan “even a carpenter can be an ashan but never a gurukal” was his argument. I told him I will think about it!!). We had come to collect medicinal plants. He also wanted to show me the ayurvedic “modern massage” centre he wanted to start in the “prime spot” he had purchased. This time though I carried a book Feathered Jewel of Coorg, on birds (by Dr. S.V.Narasimhan) a book dedicated to late Brig. Cariappa founder of Coorg Wildlife Society. I do keep an eye open for birds while traveling and was not disappointed this time too. I located multicolor barbet doing kuntroo kuntroo (just as mentioned in the book), minivets, shrikes, quails, ….it is matter of extreme pleasure to let know that early this year I happen to see Paradise Flycatcher in Periyar (thekkadi, I was here before the tourist season….well I aint a tourist season guy). This really is an exotic bird, absolutely enchanting to watch. It’s a kind of once in a life time chance. Just awesome. Coorg is also paradise for birds. That remind: hey what happened to birds in metros? No pigeons not even in that tiny winy sparrow whirring around. You think it’s a bird and turns out to be calls of squirrels or most disappointingly lizard!!. This aint development dude.
“I have plantations to take care and this was not meant to be a Hotel” he explained. By plantation I gathered of tea, hundreds of acres I saw on the way. “My cousin wanted to start a hospital here. She is a doctor. She had designed it as hospital….but later changed the plan” he explained. Even for a hospital it was strange setting, for wards. A room without ventilation is never healthy. It was while explaining about his doctor cousin that he mentioned her having written some books. My antennas were up. Kavery Nambisan is a quite well known writer. Her recent book The Hills of Angheri I gather is about a village girl who studies medicine in city and want to return to village to set up a hospital. Touché. Albeit Vijay Nambisan is better known. I recollect reading the collection of poems (also including Jeet Thayil) almost a decade back at Sahithya Akademi library. He has also written a book on Bihar.
But our genteel man in the Hotel had the lines drawn clearly in his life “I am allergic to books” and as an afterthought, an apologetic “my wife and mother do read but I never could….and if you would excuse I want to go somewhere”. Next half an hour or so I played cricket with kids in the courtyard, convinced that I am not getting young!!.
This was my second visit to coorg, from kerala some years back. I had come with a kalari ashan (a man in early 30s insisted that I call him Gurukal not ashan “even a carpenter can be an ashan but never a gurukal” was his argument. I told him I will think about it!!). We had come to collect medicinal plants. He also wanted to show me the ayurvedic “modern massage” centre he wanted to start in the “prime spot” he had purchased. This time though I carried a book Feathered Jewel of Coorg, on birds (by Dr. S.V.Narasimhan) a book dedicated to late Brig. Cariappa founder of Coorg Wildlife Society. I do keep an eye open for birds while traveling and was not disappointed this time too. I located multicolor barbet doing kuntroo kuntroo (just as mentioned in the book), minivets, shrikes, quails, ….it is matter of extreme pleasure to let know that early this year I happen to see Paradise Flycatcher in Periyar (thekkadi, I was here before the tourist season….well I aint a tourist season guy). This really is an exotic bird, absolutely enchanting to watch. It’s a kind of once in a life time chance. Just awesome. Coorg is also paradise for birds. That remind: hey what happened to birds in metros? No pigeons not even in that tiny winy sparrow whirring around. You think it’s a bird and turns out to be calls of squirrels or most disappointingly lizard!!. This aint development dude.
sunset point or Rajah's seat at Medikari
