Coorg

The history of Kodagu has to be traced chiefly from inscriptions till the end of 16 th Century. Kodagu has seen many dynasties ruling over it. Several dynasties ruled only a part of Kodagu at different times while the chieftains and local princes till the end of 17th century ruled other parts of Kodagu, and they owed allegiance to some bigger ruler outside Kodagu.



The various writings and inscriptions carved over the stone and copper plates found in Kodagu points to a plethora of rulers dating back from 888 AD by the Ganga dynasty to 1633 AD by the Haleri dynasty. The Gangas, Kadambas, Cholas, Kongalvas, Changalvas, Hoysalas, and Nayakas have ruled Kodagu.

Most of the early accounts of Coorg are essentially legendary and the only authentic record of Coorg history is available after the ninth and 10th centuries. According to inscriptions, Coorg was ruled by several south Indian dynasties like Gangas, Pandyas, Cholas, Kadambas, Changalvas and Hoysalas. After the fall of Hoysala rule in the 14th century, Coorg came under the supremacy of the Vijaynagar empire. Subsequently, Coorg was ruled by petty local chieftains called Nayakas, till the advent of the Lingayat Rajas.

The picturesque Coorg district, officially known as Kodagu, is one of the tiniest districts in the southern Indian state of Karnataka covering an area of 4,104 sq. km. with a population of 5,48,561 as per the 2001 census. Coorg consists of three taluks (administrative units) of Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet with Madikeri (earlier known as Mercara) as the district headquarters. Coorg is surrounded by Hassan district in the north, Mysore district in the east, Dakshina Kannada district on the West and the state of Kerala to the south. As per the 1991 census, Kannada is the mother tongue of 37 per cent of the population, followed by Malayalam with 19 per cent. Malayalam is the language spoken by the people in the neighbouring state of Kerala.The climatic condition of Coorg is moderate.Summers are reasonably warmer at 25-35 degrees Celsius. Winters are also pleasantly cool at 15-20 degrees Celsius. However during December to February, the minimum temperature may dip to 9°C.

As a rural region, most of its economy has been based on agriculture, plantations, and forestry. Kodagu is one of the more prosperous parts of Karnataka. This is based primarily on its production of coffee and other plantation products.Rice is cultivated in the valleys. A variety of other agricultural crops are also grown.

Plantations of coffee became a characteristic of the district through the 20th century. They are typically planted on hillsides too steep for rice growing, and use the shade of existing forests. Coffee has been the source of much local wealth.In recent years, tourism of various types has started to become more important. In particular, plantation houses have been converted to take visitors, and walking and trekking holidays have become common.

Much of the district is agriculturally cultivated. Characteristic scenery has rice fields in valley bases, with plantation crops with tree cover in the surrounding hills. The most common plantations grow coffee (especially C. robusta although some parts of south Coorg grow C. arabica); however, many other crops are also grown, including black pepper, para rubber, teak, and cocoa. In many regions, there are still naturally grown forests, especially the forest reserves in the south and east.



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.The flora of the jungle includes Michelia champaca (Champak), Mesua (Ironwood), Diospyros (Ebony and other species), Toona ciliata (Indian mahogany), Chickrassia tubularis (Redcedar), Calophyllum angustifolium (Poon spar), Canarium strictum (Black Dammar), Artocarpus, Dipterocarpus, Garcinia, Euonymus, Cinnamomum, Myristica, Vaccinium, Myrtaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubus (three species), and a rose. In the undergrowth are found cardamom, Areca, plantains, canes, wild Black pepper, tree and other ferns, and arums. In the forest of the less thickly-wooded bamboo country in the west of Kodagu the most common trees are the Dalbergia latifolia (Black wood), Pterocarpus marsupium (Kino tree), Terminalia tomentosa (Matthi), Lagerstroemia parviflora (Benteak), Anogeissus latifolia (Dindul), Bassia latifolia, Butea monosperma (Flame of the Forest, made infamous in colonial Indian history due to its association with the Battle of Plassey), Nauclea parvifiora, and several species of Acacia, with which, in the eastern part of the district, Teak and Sandalwood occur. Among the fauna may be mentioned the Asian Elephant, Tiger, Leopard, Dhole, Gaur, Boar, and several species of deer. The area is rich in birdlife although they are threatened by hunting.