Though I had heard about Shravanabelagola a long time ago as one of Jainism’s most important pilgrimage, it was William Darlymple’s book “Nine Lives” that got my curiosity heightened. I had been wanting to visit this place since I read that beautiful book 6 years back. Though I am not a Jain (or anyway religious), I love to explore cultural aspects of religions and visit important places of faith. Not far from Shravanabelagola is Coorg, also known as the ‘Scotland of India’. Nestled in the Western Ghats, it’s one of the most enchanting hill stations in south India. Indeed, in Shravanabelagola and Coorg, we had the best of times in 2020.
This article takes you through that road trip in some detail, and captures the essence of these beautiful destinations- Shravanabelagola and Coorg. For more such destinations in south India, refer to my articles on Coastal Karnataka | Ooty.
A road trip in covid times!
A road trip starting in Bengaluru (Bangalore), driving through Shravanabelagola and Coorg, and ending in Mangaluru was a great way to end 2020.
Covid-19 ruined our travel plans completely in 2020. Parina got the virus in Aug-Sep 2020; that made things more complex for us. However, in December 2020, we decided for ourselves that enough was enough! We wanted to travel again, and end the year on a happy note. So, we planned this trip to south India: Bangalore- Shravanabelagola- Coorg- Mangaluru circuit by road.
By December 2020, covid cases in India had leaned down, though the second wave (the more deadlier one) was yet to come. But who knew the second wave was coming! So, we thought covid was history and we must resume normal life. We took good safety measures, and maintained all covid protocols. Moreover, during that trip, we really didn’t face many challenges except strict protocols at the airports. They asked for RTPCR test reports at the arrival terminal, and that was it.
We started the trip in Bengaluru by meeting my best buddy (Silu) and his sweet family and then moved to Coorg via Shravanabelagola. Sajith, another best friend and his adorable family used to live in Mysuru those days, a town not far from Coorg. They came down to Coorg, and we had a family get-together. The road-trip ended in Mangaluru, and we flew back to Delhi from there.
The Garden City, Bengaluru
To start with, flying out of a chilly Delhi weather in December to a pleasant Bengaluru weather was a big relief. We spent more than a day with Silu, Lini, and the kids (Ishu and Sona), and explored Bengaluru a bit together. Moreover, it was so good to meet him after a long time!
We were a close group of six friends at the university. Just after our university days, we had made emotional plans of meeting each other every year! But it panned out, like with most people in modern times, that we hardly meet each other afterwards. So, whenever we get a chance to meet up, it becomes moments to cherish.
Next morning, Silu took us to a nice south Indian cafe- Filter Coffee. They served the best idlis I had ever had. And in the afternoon, we visited the Bangalore Palace and Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace. This article is not about Bengaluru; so, I’m not elaborating on our Bengaluru experience. I’ll write a separate piece on Bengaluru sometime later. Evening was reserved for meeting another friend- Sunil.
Next day around 9:30 AM, we began our road trip to Shravanabelagola and Coorg by a cab.
Shravanabelagola
We reached Shravanabelagola by 12.30 PM. It’s a small pilgrimage town in Hasan district of Karnataka, some 145 kms from Bengaluru. After reaching the town, it was not at all difficult to locate the point of our interest. All the roads led to the Gomateswara statue on a hill.
The landscape:
Two prominent hills- Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri stand testimony to the ancient history of one of Jainism’s most sacred places. The two adjacent hills look like twins with a large water tank and the town spread between them.
However, to a heritage loving tourist, it’s the 58 feet monolithic statue of Gomateshwara that attracts the attention most. One has to climb more than 600 steps to reach atop the Vindhyagiri hill where the statue stands in a temple complex. It’s considered the largest monolithic statue in the world.
I think the previous largest ones were the massive Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. The 175 feet statues were destructed by the then Taliban rulers.
Rich history of Shravanabelagola:
The history of Shravanabelagola goes back to the 3rd century BC when emperor Ashok built the Odegal Basadi (place of meditation and education for Jains) on the Vindhyagiri hill in honour of King Chandragupta. It’s believed that Chandragupta meditated here with his Guru. There are four more Basadis on Chandragiri hill. However, the statue of Gomateswara was built much later in 981 AD by Chamundaraya of the Ganga dynasty.
Archeologists have discovered more than 800 inscriptions in Shravanabelagola dating between 7th and 19th century AD. They are such rich sources information from an era gone by.
It took us about 30 minutes to climb to the top- not too difficult. However, on the way, the inscriptions near Odegal Basadi were particularly impressive. It was fascinating to observe how sculptors had inscribed those words and images on rock walls. I wished I could read those inscriptions myself.
Spiritual experience:
William Darlymple’s book “Nine Lives” narrates a fascinating story of a nun who witnesses her friend and co-nun at a Jain Ashram in Shravanabelagola take a fast onto death, and decided to walk the path herself. The story had left an indelible mark in my mind, and I wanted to see the monks and nuns in their spiritual selves.
I like observing people in their religious elements and experience the vibrant energy that these places exude. Observing a stark naked monk meditating serenely with equanimity at the feet of Gomateshwara (Lord Bahubali) among hundreds of visitors was an extraordinary experience.
Mahamastakabhisheka:
A grand ceremony called Mahamastakabhisheka (head anointing ceremony) is held there every 12 years. The last one was in 2018; so, the next one comes up in 2030. So, if you want to witness the great ceremony, mark your date. It must be awe inspiring to see thousands of devotees pour tons of milk, saffron, flowers, sandal paste, honey, etc on the head of Gomateshwar statue.
If you are fond of spiritual destinations, here is another read: Rishikesh
Coorg / Madikeri
We left Shravanabelagola around 2.30 PM. The distance of 140 kms to Coorg was pleasurable with views of green fields, lakes, sparse forests and villages. It took us about 4 hours to reach Coorg where Sajith and family were waiting for us. They had already checked in at a guest house. It was another wonderful moment to meet Sajith, Anu and their little champion, Siddhu, who we saw for the first time after his birth.
After checking in, we thought of taking a stroll around the town in the evening before retiring for the day. Next two days, we explored all the different colours and corners of Coorg.
History of Coorg
The original name of Coorg is Kodagu (a district), which the Britishers didn’t like pronouncing, so they changed it to Coorg. Madikeri, the head quarters of Kodagu district serves as the hill station that to most of the outsiders, is Coorg now; so, let’s stick to this name for this article.
With a history spanning more than a thousand years, Coorg oozes an ancient vibe. However, it was only after 1834 when the British took over the reigns from the Wodeyars, this quaint little town gradually grew into a beautiful hill station.
Coorg, the Coffee garden of India
In the coffee land, our first stop was always going to be a coffee estate- Mercara Gold Estate (9 kms away). They offered a guided tour of the plantation, and offered us some best coffee. Along with coffee, the lovely estate had quite a few other exotic spices and herbs plantations like cinnamon, black pepper, cocoa, vanilla and cardamom.
We visited their coffee processing unit where the guide showed us the different varieties of coffee beans, and explained to us the process of manufacturing coffee. The walk around the estate was as much enjoyable as educative.
Though I am a tea-person now, I used to be a coffee lover in my younger days. However, if the coffee is good, I still savour a cup; the typically famed south Indian filter coffee (‘kaapi’) is my favorite. If you are a coffee lover, you can thank Coorg for making your mornings better everyday.
One man’s curiosity bears fruit, errr….coffee beans
I think Baba Budan deserves better recognition for being the father of Indian coffee. In 1670, while coming back to India from Yemen after his pilgrimage to Mecca, in his curiosity, he carried a few coffee beans in his bag. Back in Chikmagalur, he planted them on a hill that is now known as Baba Budan Giri. And the rest is history!
Coffee flourished across the terrains of Chikmagalur and Coorg. The British established the first coffee estate in 1801, and slowly private commercial plantation came up in a big way.
Coorg today produces nearly 35% (equivalent to 130,000 MT) of coffee produced in India which is the largest pie. Though there are quite a few varieties of coffee grown in Coorg, the prominent ones are Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica is smoother, and sweeter taste with tinge of chocolaty flavour. On the other hand, Robusta is a little stronger, bitter and harsher in taste. While preferences can change from person to person, it is the Arabica variety that is most popular. The most popular Coffee chain in the world also uses Arabica variety.
Which is world’s most popular beverage?
Coorg, in the lap of nature
The Brahmagiri hills on all sides, green forests and small streams flowing across the landscape of Coorg make it such a lovely place to unwind from a hectic life. People often compare it with Scotland mainly because of its similar terrain (the rolling hills and meadows) and also because of the weather, architecture and society.
Coorg remains pleasant through out the year. But I think it must be especially beautiful in the monsoon with rain soaked hills and forests engulfed by a misty blanket of thick clouds. We were there in December which gave us opportunity to move around without much trouble. But next time, it will be a monsoon that we will choose to be there.
Abbey Waterfall:
Early in the afternoon, we visited the Abbey falls, not far from the town (6 kms). Cascading from a height of 70 feet straight out of a lush green hill slope, it was a charming sight. However, to be honest, it was too crowded to enjoy properly. From the entry point, a walk-way has been created to reach the falls; but with thousands of tourists walking down to the view point was always going to make it not-so-enjoyable. We wanted to spend some time there, but there was hardly any space near the view point! It was hard even to take a few good pictures, let alone spend time!
Mandalpatti Peak:
The Brahmagiri hills in the Western Ghats mountain range surrounds Coorg from all sides. But one doesn’t get to see the rolling hills from the town itself. The rolling hills with the beautiful meadows were all in front of us to have an eye-full of.
Coorg: Things to do in the town
Coorg is not all about nature though. Be it the coffee shops in the town or a mesmerizing sunset viewed from Raja’s seat, or walk around Coorg’s erstwhile fort complex, Coorg has a lot to offer to a traveller looking for alternate experiences.
Madikeri fort
Also known as Mercara fort, this 17th century fort complex is a nice place to spend some time exploring its medieval architecture. St. Mark’s church in the campus is sure to attract one’s attention, which also houses the Madikeri fort museum. Two life-size elephants in the campus are a special point of interest. I couldn’t get any good pictures of the fort itself because of odd angle of the sun just behind the fort! However, we had a good view of the church.
Raja’s seat:
We had planned to watch the sunset from Raja’s seat. It’s actually one of the most popular places among locals because of the beautiful Gandhi Mantap garden there. Sunsets are always so mesmerizing, but the large crowd congregated at the view point was a bit of a distraction. We sat down in the lawns of the garden to relax and chat for a while.
Coffee at Ainmane Cafe
No visit to Coorg is complete without having the taste of original Coorg coffee. So, we headed to Ainmane cafe, one of the best in Coorg. But it was not only about the freshness of coffee, but also the feeling of having it there in the coffee country itself. They also sell varieties of coffee in their brand name; we bought a packet of filter coffee.
Mangaluru, the beach town
After three days of peaceful sojourn in Coorg, we headed for Mangaluru airport while Sajith and family moved to their home in Mysuru. We reached Mangaluru in the afternoon, but our flight to Delhi was late in the evening. So, we got ample time to visit the Panamburu beach.
Even though it was December, it was really hot in Mangaluru, and to be honest, the beach was not much enjoyable in the afternoon. I walked around taking some pictures of the wild flowers on the beach. We sat here and there, had some street food on the beach and waited for the sunset. As always, it was wonderful watching the sun go down the horizon over the Arabian sea.
It was indeed a great way to wind up the road trip (from Bengaluru to Shravanabelagola and Coorg onto Mangaluru), and the year 2020.
For more off-beat destinations, please check out: Gagron | Maheshwar | Kutch
Shravanabelagola and Coorg : Travel Tips
Shravanabelagola and Coorg are both off beat destinations. Though Coorg is relatively popular among local tourists, Shravanabelagola is not much in the list of travellers in general. So, not sufficient travel tips are there on the internet. Here’s an effort to fill that void.
Shravanabelagola : Travel Tips
How to reach:
- By air: Nearest domestic airport is Mysuru (~90 kms) with limited flight options; nearest international airport is Bengaluru (~165 kms). One can take a cab/ train/ bus from there to reach Shravanabelagola.
- Nearest railway station is Tiptur (~43 kms), or Channarayapatna (~9 kms)
- Buses available from nearby towns in Karnataka
Where to stay:
Being a very small place, there are not many good options for putting up. However, one may check out the website of Jain Heritage Centers; they have some good options in the Mutts. Apart from that there is one property near Chandragiri hills: SDK Residency. In any case, one doesn’t need to stay there; one can easily do it as a day trip from Bengaluru or Mysuru.
Helpful tips:
- Best time to visit: winter months of November to February
- While planning your trip, it’s good to look for a Jain festival so that you see some rituals in action
- There are about 600-700 steps to climb; I haven’t seen any porter service there. So, be ready for the climb
Coorg : Travel Tips
Best time to travel:
- Every month is a good month to visit Coorg, for some reason or the other
- For enjoying the rains and lush green landscapes: monsoon months of June- September
- For pleasant stay and walking around: October to March
- For respite from heat: April to June
- If you love festivals: Kailpodhu is celebrated in September; Kaveri Sankramana in October; Dussehra in October; and Puttari in November.
How to reach:
- By air: Nearest major airport: Mangalore (~160 kms); there is a smaller airport- Mysuru, having limited flight options.
- By train: Nearest station: Mysore junction (~95 kms)
- By bus: Luxury buses from major nearby cities like Mysuru, Mangaluru, Bengaluru, even Chennai
Where to stay:
Some budget hotel options: Utthunga Coorg | Parampara Residency | Coorg Lagoon Backwater Stay | The Cocoon | River Near Coorg | Coorg Redstone Villas | Greenline Cottages
Where to eat:
- Pocket friendly: Sri Krishna Bhawan | Freeman’s Family Restaurant
- Local flavour: Coorg cuisine | Raintree | Taste of Coorg | The Fort Mercara
- Fine dine: Coffee Blossoms | The Falls | East End hotel
- If you love your food, and want to try some traditional Coorg recipe, here is a nice article: 13 recipes…
How to move around:
- Auto rickshaws available for local sightseeing
- It’s good to hire a taxi for day trips though
5 Must do things in Coorg:
- Visit a coffee plantation
- Watch the sunset from Raja’s seat
- Morning hike to the Mandalpatti peak
- Taste the original Coorg coffee at a popular cafe
- Visit Abbey waterfalls
Day-trip options:
- Namdroling Buddhist monastery or the Golden temple in Bylakuppe, 34 kms away
- Cauvery Nisargadhama, an artificial island, 29 kms away
- Dubare elephant camp, 29 kms away (this, and the upper two spots are on the same route)
- Iruppu waterfall, 75 kms away
- Tadiyandamol peak (for trekking)
- Mandalpatti peak, 20 kms away
- Talacauvery, origin point of river Cauvery, 43 kms away
Shravanabelagola and Coorg : A concluding note...
Road trips are generally tiring. However, as it was a pandemic year, we took utmost care and did this road trip by taxi at an easy pace. We met two best of friends and their families, spent some unforgettable moments with them. I realize that one travels alone for fulfillment, and travels with loved ones for moments to cherish forever. I can easily say that people who travel together, remain friends forever.
Looking back, I am amazed by the diversity of this road trip- especially covering Shravanabelagola and Coorg. It had everything: started in a modern metropolis, moved to one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India with historic ruins, then to an enchanting hill station in the western ghat mountains, and culminating in a wonderful beach town.
Have you ever had such a diverse road trip? If yes, please share your experience. Also if you have visited any of the destinations covered in this trip, do let us know which one you liked the most. Please share your feedback in the comments section, or write to us at stampedmoments@gmail.com.
Sajith
Yes, the trip with Suvendu bhai and Parina was memorable. Coorg is a pretty nice destination to go if you want to experience the natural beauty. Nature bestows all the blessings to Coorg in the form of natural resources as curly mountains, forests, coffee and spice fields, etc.,
Love to join you and have the fun at Coorg….Will join you in some other trip to have more fun.
Recommending the place to all nature loving people.
stampedmoments
It’s good to make memories together 🙂
That Coorg trip will always remain close to my heart.
Let’s do more such trips 🙂
Jayvanti Einjen
Very Very nice 👌 👍 pictures and information lovely
stampedmoments
Thanks a lot 🙂
Soumen Chatterjee
Travelling during covid time must be thrilling. The 1st visit was Shravanabelagola,It’s a small pilgrimage town in Hasan district of Karnataka, some 145 kms from Bengaluru. It’s interesting to know the two prominent hills- Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri stand testimony to the ancient history of one of Jainism’s most sacred places. It’s the 58 feet monolithic statue of Gomateshwara that attracts the attention most. One has to climb more than 600 steps to reach atop the Vindhyagiri hill where the statue stands in a temple complex. It’s considered the largest monolithic statue in the world , and it’s really thrilling to know this information.
The next was Coorg which is pleasurable with views of green fields, lakes, sparse forests and villages. Quite interesting to know about the history of Coong.
Coorg, the Coffee garden of India and it’s has quite a lot of Coffee estates just like tea estates we find in Darjeeling.Along with coffee, the lovely estate had quite a few other exotic spices and herbs plantations like cinnamon, black pepper, cocoa, vanilla and cardamom. Coffee processing units must have been educative to know about variety of coffee beans and it’s taste .
Coorg, in the lap of nature.The Brahmagiri hills on all sides, green forests and small streams flowing across the landscape of Coorg make it such a lovely place to unwind from a hectic life. It’s wonderful to know that People often compare it with Scotland mainly because of its similar terrain (the rolling hills and meadows) and also because of the weather, architecture and society.
Quite lovely to know about water fall and other information about Coong and I feel it’s a must visit place now .
stampedmoments
Hey Soumen!
Thanks again for reading it in some detail, and sharing the feedback.
Keep engaged.
Sarita Rout
Most enjoyable reading. Certainly it’s a great road trip!
stampedmoments
Yayyy! it was indeed a great road trip!