Just back from an early morning flight. I am unpacking my luggage. Sitting besides the sill of my room’s window, I look out and see a large carpet of grey clouds hovering over the Mumbai sea-line. The weather is moist, dreamy-like, bringing back the memories of misty woods of Coorg, which I visited over this weekend.

Ensconced away in the Southern state of Karnataka in India, Coorg or Kodagu (as it is known locally), is one of the popular hill stations  in India. Home to the warrior clan- Kodavas,  the hill station very much remains an untouched treasure and has started to gain popularity just recently as India’s most sought after hill station. Interestingly, the natives- Kodavas are believed to be the descendants of early Kurds. Another circulated theory suggests that many of the Indo-Greek army soldiers from the great Alexander’s army settled down in this region and therefore the lineage belongs to Pre-Christian Greeks.

Since Coorg was my first ever visit to a hill station down south in India, I was pretty kicked to see it stay true to its essence.  Here are a few of my favorite snapshots that explains why Coorg has earned the sobriquet of ‘Scotland of India’:

Right from the time we set off to explore the country side of Kodagu, we were greeted with the lush green canvas. It was going to be one greeny drives indeed 🙂

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A little secret hidden in the Western Ghats of South India, driving in Coorg can be quite unnerving and can give the healthiest of a person a migraine. Keep lots of water and first-aid handy, if hills cause sickness to you.

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While Coorg is fondly heralded as a coffee country, thanks to the abundant plantations here, the landscapes are interspersed with carpets of rice paddy fields. Seen here, is a farmer’s small hut in the middle of the fields. Who wouldn’t want to stay amidst such lovely tones.

Much of Coorg’s livelihood depends on the umpteen Coffee estates that keep us company throughout our drive. Coffee here is mostly of two types- Arabica and Robusta. The coffee here is especially known for its aroma and  its striking ability to stimulate one’s senses in a whiff of a second. Interestingly, if you observe closely, most of the coffee estates also host pepper plants, another specialty of the region. Oh, by the way, did I tell you? If you are in Coorg, not having the coffee is a blasphemy.

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While hill stations are obviously a winter trip, I think Coorg in monsoons is at its best. Though personally for me it did get more than chilly, if asked for, I would recommend Coorg in the wet season, for nature’s play is at is best and why not have romantic conversations over a cup of coffee? Hey, well everything blends in so well! Right? 😉

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While the greens can get a bit monotonous, what really surprises about Coorg is that it’s an Indian coup. Well, wouldn’t that landscape make you feel think that you are in some European hamlet?

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An interesting find for me on the drive was how vast and beautiful flora, Coorg was home to. Every road, every estate, every sharp curve had a bouquet of never seen before flowers. Wow, now that makes for an interesting postcard! Right? 🙂

What do you think? Have you been to Coorg yet?

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