Coorg or Kodagu as it is officially known is one of the tiniest district in the southern part of Karnataka covering an area of 4,104 Sq Km.

Coorg was a state, before its merger with Karnataka in the year 1956, with an elected chief minister and The Legislative Assembly. At present it is a part of Mangalore Lok Sabha Parliament Constituencyand three MLAs [One each from Mercara, Virajpet and Somwarpet] are elected from Coorg to Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

Coorg consists of three taluks or administrative units viz Madikeri or Mercara, the District HeadQartres, Virajpet and Somvarpet. Coorg borders Mysore district to its east, Dakshina Kannada district on the west, Hassan district in the north and the sate of Kerala to the south.

The largest river here, River Cauvery, which the local people worship, rises on the eastern side of the Western Ghats. Its tributaries drain the greater part of Coorg. Besides these there are several large streams that take their rise in Coorg.

Coorg is the largest producer of Coffee in India. Pepper, Cardamom and oranges are grown extensively in this part. Coorg is one of the major places that get heavy rainfall in India. The yearly rainfall may exceed 160”. In the dense jungle tract it reaches from 120” to 150”; in. the bamboo district in the west from 60” to 100”. Coorg, which is blessed with thick forest shelters Sandal wood, Rose wood and numerous variety of trees.

The loftiest peak, Tadiandamol, has an altitude of 5729 ft.; Pushpagiri, another peak, is 5626 ft. high. Coorg has an average temperature of about 60 F; the extremes being 52 and 82.

Coorg holds a Guinness record for the largest family sports tournament in the world. Every year the kodava families play each other for the Family Cup and over 300 family teams participate in it. Some of the teams even include women players, who have the choice to play either for their husband or their father’ team. All the participants aging from 6 to 60 are related by blood.

Climatically, Coorg can be divided into three seasons,

Coorg or Kodagu (originally called Kodaimalenadu) means 'dense forest on steep hill'. Coorg, dubbed as the Scotland of India, lies on the Western Ghats.

There are many versions behind the origin of the name Kodagu. According to the Puranas, Kodava is the redifned name of Krodhadesa, meaning 'Land of Anger', said to have been inhabited by the Kodava tribe.

While for some, it is believed to hve been named after the River Cauveri, where 'kod' means 'give' and 'ava' means 'mother' - which means Cauvery is the 'mother to the people'.

Few believe the name originated from the Kannada kudu which means 'dense forest' on a steep hill. It is said that the history of Coorg dates back to as early as 888 AD.

The kingdom was ruled by many dynasties, starting with Gangas of Talakad, Kadambas, Cholas, Kongalvas, Changalvas, Hoysalas and Nayakas. Information on its early history has come primarily from the various inscriptions on stone and copper plates of 9th - 10th century.

The Haleri dynasty was the last noteworthy dynasty to rule the whole of Kodagu. It came into power around mid-16th century and was founded by a young price from Ikkeri. It was the first dynasty in the history of Kodagu, whch spanned 234 years and ruled the entire region.

Coorg or Kodagu being the tinest district of Karnataka consists of few majour cities or large towns viz, Mercara/Madikeri, Virajpet, Somwarpet, Kushalnagar, Gonicoppa and Ponnampet. Out of which Mercara, Virajpet and Somwarpet are the only 3 taluks/provinces of Coorg District.

Madikeri or Mercara is the district capital. It is also called as the 'Scotland of India' and ' The Kashmir of Karnataka'. It is blest with romantic earlymorning mist, lofty mountains, the picturesque serene, eye catching water falls. Mercara is one of the best place to relax. Mercara attracts lakhs of people from all over during Dushera festival.

Virajpet, Gonicoppa and Ponnampet are the areas where coffee, cardamom, pepper, oranges and now vanila are grown in plenty. Virajpet, a small town, reputed to be the largest producer of honey in Asia. Virajpet is a hot spot especially during the Shivaratri festival.

Many Estate owners are willing to let people spend their holidays in Private Estate cottages and even taste typical local meal for a very nominal amount. The estate owners themselves play the host (Please remember, the people of Coorg are best known for their hospitality)

Kushalnagar is another major town of Somwarpet Province/Taluk. This is more modernised than the others as it is very close to Mysore, say about 45 Kms or approximately 1.30 hrs drive. Kushalnagar also houses one of the largest Buddist Temples and a Tibetian camp.

	Madikeri Taluk/Province Images
	Virajpet Taluk/Province Images
	Somwarpet Taluk/Province Images

Coorg's climate is generally cool and wet. The climate is that of a highland's, with no extreme variations. Coorg receives heavy rainfall between June to September making it a paradise for all the honey-mooners who like to cuddle each other and watch raindrops trough the window! Thereforth the heavy raindrops gives way to the tender showers from of October to December during which time Coorg is covered with mist almost all the time.

The best time to see sunshine in Coorg is in the month of March, April and May. School children get a valid reason to holiday in Coorg as their academic year ends in the month of March.

Many people think that the whole of Coorg experiences high rainfall, in fact, the rainfall in Coorg varies extensively, ranging from 3500mm per year in the western Highlands and to under 1000mm per year near the eastern plateau. During rainy days roads are slippery and drivers usually loose their control. Hence, prevention is always better than cure.

November to January are generally the coldest months in Coorg, with the daytime maximum temperatures that ranges of an average of around 7° to 20°C. April and May are normally the warmest months in Coorg, with temperatures of an average 29°C. The temperatures in Mercara and Virajpet are generally a few degrees cooler than in Kushalnagar because of the hilly terrace.

Very sorry! No snow falls in Coorg. Nature is yet to bless few bags of snow over Coorg!

Coorg often enjoys great visibility, although hill fog sometimes restricts the visibility but noting to panic. A good advice would be: "Drive safe during rainy days!" and always for that matter.

Coorg/Kodagu	Karnataka State-1	Karnataka State-2	Map of India	Map of India (Sattelite)

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