The Beauty Of Nature At Coorg

It is always great to have a friend who lives in the heavenly coffee estates of Coorg. Often referred to as Scotland of India, this gorgeous valley offers solace and serenity for the soul and rejuvenation for the body & mind. Coorg also referred to as Kodagu is a district in Karnataka. This is a popular tourist attraction famous for coffee ad ethnic warrior people. So, when I along with my girl gang got invited to Coorg for the weekend, we simply lapped up the offer. The excitement of living in a coffee estate for the weekend was overwhelming. Without any second thoughts we booked an overnight bus on Friday. At 11 PM, we girls were fresh as daisies and boarded the bus from Bangalore Satellite Bus Station. We were ready to embark on a lovely journey to our friend's coffee estate amid the majestic hills of Coorg.

Journey To Kodagu:

We were five chatty girls inside the bus who could hardly get any sleep. We chirped away through the night. As darkness began to give way to the first rays of light, our bus stopped at the Madikeri Bus Terminus. As we got down, our dear friend Aditi came right in front of the bus door and welcomed us with a big hug. Soon we were being ushered to her coffee estates in an SUV. The early morning view of the place was so enchanting that for a while we forgot everything around. We didn't even talk to each other which is quite an unusual event when all of us are packed together!

The Charming Cottage:

Our car taxied into a cobbled path and came to halt in front of a small black gate. Our hearts were thumping with excitement. We were finally here. We walked through the gate and right in front of our eyes stood the most beautiful cottage I had ever seen. Even before I could breathe in the beauty of the place, Aditi hurried us to our living quarters. Cozy mattresses with warm blankets were neatly laid out for us. Suddenly we realized that we hadn't slept the whole night. And as the thought struck us, we quickly snuggled inside the warmth of the soft blankets.

The Coffee Plantation:

After a good couple of hours, we woke up. By 10 AM we charged ourselves and were ready for some adventure. After a hearty breakfast, we were taken to an outhouse sort of a place. Just when we were wondering as to why we were here, Aditi asked us to pick up gumboots according to our foot size. We hadn't noticed till then that it was drizzling and we would have to tread on mud to explore the plantation. Armed with umbrellas and boots, our gang was ready for the walk! For our safety we had a hero, the friendliest labrador ever, accompany us.

After a short walk, we entered the coffee plantation. Our host doubled up as our guide and began to explain the coffee making process. She showed us the beans, told us about the age and height of the plants, the optimum temperature for them to grow etc. Honestly, I was more immersed in the wilderness and forgot most of what she said. My writer's mind went on full throttle and I began to etch a story board in my mind.

On our way back, we were met by some plantation workers. They were friendly people exuding warm smiles. We asked them to pose for a photo and they were happy to do it for us. My friend chatted with them for some time before leaving. After the visit to the plantation, the walk had made us super hungry. So we just sped up the return and went straight to the lunch table.

The Sumptious Lunch & Delicious Dinner:

The lunch was a gorgeous spread of rice balls, pork curry in Coorg style, spiced chicken and a fragrant rice. It was absolutely lip smacking. As it always happens after a wholesome meal, we were all ready for a siesta.

The evening was spent indoors as it was raining quite heavily. But the atmosphere was blissful. Frogs croaking in the wilderness, rain pelleting on the roof and we comfortably chatting away to our hearts content. It was a picture of absolute peace!

The time flew and then there was a call for dinner. Again, we had a wide variety of dishes to charge our taste buds. We ate so much that we kept sitting at the dining table for quite some time after dinner, conversing and trying to learn the recipes.

Drive Around Coorg:

The next morning, our host woke us up saying "Surprise, Surprise!". She asked us to get ready, finish breakfast and come out. We did as instructed and to our joy, she was right there at the wheels of her SUV. We got inside the car. The rain had stopped and it was a nice breezy day. We went around the valley, meandering through hilly roads with streams and a little river joining us every now and then. Finally we stopped on a bridge. The place was an abode of serenity. We spent some time there, breathing in the fresh air and taking in the unscathed beauty of nature. It was one of a kind experience.

We literally had to force ourselves to get back to the cottage. None of us wanted to leave from there. We bought some additional time at the bridge by someone tying a shoelace and someone walking real slowly. But we knew we had to come back and so did we.

Farewell To The Beautiful Coorg:

The afternoon was spent packing up. Aditi's mother is an excellent cook and a chocolatier. As a farewell token, she made us the most delicious chocolate fudge. One bite into it, you would forget everything in the world and get lost into the richness of the fudge. There were homemade chocolates of all types - dark, regular and white which were boxed for all us.

Though we were extremely sad to leave, we were happy about the sweet gifts inside our bags. The memories of Coorg is forever etched in our minds and soon we will plan another trip away from the cacophony of the city!

Contributed By: Kriti Mazumdar