Category Archives: Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Indian Naval Prowess On Display At ‘Sunny Side’

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  • Vice Admiral adds new Navy attractions to Gen. K.S. Thimayya Museum at Madikeri
  • Modules of INS Shivalik, Sindhughosh Class submarine and AK230 Navy gun mount

Madikeri:

The INS Shivalik (F47) ship module was declared open for public viewing at ‘Sunny Side,’ General Kodandera S. Thimayya’s house in Madikeri that has been converted into a Museum and a War Memorial.

The 24-feet model, along with a Russian-made AK230 Navy gun mount (anti-aircraft gun) and a module of Sindhughosh Class submarine had arrived at the museum two weeks ago and they were dedicated by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command yesterday. He was accompanied by his wife Roopa Dasgupta.

The modules were brought to Madikeri from Visakhapatnam Naval Base. INS Shivalik is designed to escape detection by normal radars and surveillance equipment and is one of the formidable stealth frigates in naval prowess. Apart from India, only the US, Russia, UK, France, Sweden, Japan, Italy and China have the capability to build stealth warships of this size and class.

Impressed by the museum and also the culture of Armed Forces in Kodagu, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta said that the district has emerged as an inspiration to thousands of youth to join the Defence Forces. He said that it was an honour for him to inaugurate critical exhibits at the museum.

On the INS Shivalik, he said that the frigate was built in India and is one among the many warships built by India. “Shivalik was built at Mazagaon Dock. India has four public sector Defence shipyards — Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (Mumbai), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (Kolkata), Goa Shipyard Limited (Goa) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (Visakhapatnam). The Cochin Shipyard is also capable of making warships and INS Virat was built there,” he said.

Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa (extreme left), Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and his wife Roopa Dasgupta, Forum President retired Colonel Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah, Rear Admiral Iychettira B. Uthaiah and Madikeri Tahsildar Mahesh at the helipad in Madikeri when the guests arrived

‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat

“The first indigenous warship was built by the Indian Navy in the 1960s where the concept of ‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat was diligently followed. In the future, the Navy has plans to build  41 warships in the Indian Shipyards and 39 will be fully indigenous. Moreover these are the most advanced machines that have a formidable fire power that can shatter any other powerful ships of any country,” he said.

Giving a patient ear to the office-bearers of the Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum that played a pivotal role in converting the rickety house of the celebrated General that once housed the RTO office into a swanky museum, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta said that the dedication of the Forum, the respect shown by the people of Kodagu to the Armed Forces and also the dedication towards preserving heritage were commendable and inspirational.

Picture shows the dignitaries inside the ‘Sunny Side’ Museum.

AK230 Navy gun mount

On the AK230 Navy gun mount, he said that it has been designed to engage air and surface targets, such as anti-ship missiles, aircraft, helicopters, other types of air strike weapons, as well as small-size surface ships. It can fire 2,000 bullets from its barrel in one minute. The Navy still uses such guns and also the advanced ones, he added.

He appreciated Rear Admiral Iychettira B. Uthaiah for his efforts in bringing in the Navy equipment to the museum. The module of the Sindhughosh Class submarine was unfurled by Rear Admiral Uthaiah who handed it over to Major General (Retd.) Kuppanda Nanjappa of the Forum.  

CDS late Gen. Bipin Rawat remembered

Forum President retired    Colonel Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah narrated the story of establishing the museum and recalled the contribution of late Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, late Lieutenant General Biddanda C. Nanda and former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag. A minute’s silence was observed in honour of Bipin Rawat, his wife and other officers and soldiers who were killed in the recent chopper crash at Coonoor.

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr. B.C. Satish presented a ‘thook bolcha’ (traditional Kodava lamp) to Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and his wife while Lieutenant General Pattacheruvanda Thimmaiah presented ‘Odikathi’ (traditional sword of Kodavas) to Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and also to Rear Admiral Uthaiah.

Before dedicating the Navy war machine modules, the dignitaries paid respects to the Amar Jawan War Memorial. They later went around the museum and were impressed by the collection

Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa, officer from Visakhapatnam Naval Base Nishanth B. Badoria, Kannada and Culture Department Director Darshana, SP Kshama Mishra, Sainik School Principal Col. G. Kannan, Vice-Principal Lt. Col. Seemanth Tripati, Squadron Leader R.K. Dey, students of the school and a large number of uniformed retired soldiers were present on the occasion.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 14th, 2021

This tiny cabin in a Coorg coffee plantation brings sustainability to luxurious living

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CabinA homes are built keeping in mind the local landscape, flora and fauna, but without compromising on modern-life luxuries.

This tiny cabin in a Coorg coffee plantation brings sustainability to luxurious living | Architectural Digest India

Sunny Watwani and Adithya Roongta could be termed as dendrophiles—people who love trees and nature. The two founders of CabinA have been backpacking to the hills for years. Since they live close to the coastal city of Chennai, they love spending time in the Nilgiris.

An experience that usually promises serenity, however, didn’t feel quite peaceful in the last few years. The mountains are inundated with crowds, commercial spaces and reckless new buildings today. “People in India love travelling to the mountains and have, over time, even created second homes there. But the way they’ve built their homes is alarming—there’s little or no regard for the surrounding nature. People have blocked natural streams, cut down trees and damaged the local biodiversity. Looking at this we realized that a sustainable, responsible and sensitive concept for homes was the need of the hour, and that’s how we came up with CabinA in 2019,” says Watwani.

CabinA

One of a Kind

To give their dream a form, the founders reached out to several architecture firms that they’d worked with before, and had strong connections with. The idea that Watwani and Roongta fostered was to have small homes that were fitted with modern-day luxuries. The homes would have minimal carbon footprint, a pre-fab structure that could be transported from the factory to the site, and would not need clearing of land; it would also be able to very seamlessly merge into the surrounding landscape. With several discussions and iterations, they fine-tuned the design.

While the work for these cabins is on-going in several locations such as Coorg and Conoor, with all cabins customized according to the landscape, the first of its kind is now ready in a coffee plantation in the picturesque mountain range of Suntikoopa, Bettagere Estate, Coorg for an upcoming resort called Betta Living.

CabinA

This CabinA24 was built for client Vishal Sivappa, for an upcoming experiential boutique stay called, Betta Living—a concept and design of an upcoming resort that makes use of a series of these cabins to create a wonderful new living experience. While the conceptual render for the cabin is by SPASM Design Architects, the design development and execution was done by the firm Dev Desai Architects and Associates (DDAA), who also made several reiterations to reach the final design.

“We have another company called CabinA Living that speaks to landowners, planters and people in the hill station who want to create homes, resorts or gated communities responsibly—and we help them execute the project,” says Watwani.

True to the Land

On its conceptual render, Sangeeta Merchant, co-founder of SPASM Design Architects says, “Creating a concept for this was challenging for us as we’re used to working on large-scale, high-end residences and such. A small cabin that is fitted with all luxuries was something new yet exciting for us. As for the sustainability factor, we envisioned the entire cabin to be made with recycled, eco-friendly materials. The biggest convenience would be that it can be very quickly put together.” 

The CabinA24 is the smallest cabin in the Cabin A series with a carpet area of 250 square-feet. “Every corner strives to visually, if not spatially, connect with the natural context, be it the bathroom, which is furnished with all the modern amenities or the kitchen that captures stunning views of the valley,” says Dev Desai of DDAA.

CabinA

“The featured project is one of the smallest cabins in the series with a carpet area of 225 square feet. The form stems from the desire to celebrate a strong architectural identity while ensuring efficiency and functionality of each space. Nestled amongst the site’s towering trees and a lush coffee estate, the sleek, prefabricated cabin manages to both, contrast and complement its natural context. The spatial configuration consists of a spacious living space and a cozy bathroom. Every corner in the cabin strives to visually if not spatially connect with the natural context, be it the bathroom which comes furnished with all the modern amenities or the kitchen that captures stunning views of the valley,” avers Desai. 

While the bespoke furniture blends in with the interiors, the tinted pendant lights accentuate the interiors with a warm yellow glow. The exteriors are clad in ACP walls and the outdoors are in ACP black roofing. The flooring is in a granite base with click and lock SPC tiles. The entire cabin can accommodate two-to-four people. What’s interesting is that it rises 2-5 feet above the ground, so that the fauna underneath is left untouched. “We visualize that all other cabins too will be equipped with temperature control. Even the tiniest details like a kettle, to wardrobes hangers, will be provided. The loose furniture—from the beds, breakfast table to lighting—will be equipped in all cabins, so the client literally has to (only) move in with his clothes,” Watwani says.

A Responsible Future

For building these cabins, Watwani and Roongta are cognizant of the fact that not a single tree should be cut. And so, the two, along with the architects, evaluate the position of where the cabin should be placed. “In case we do cut trees, we undertake replantation. Apart from that, we’ve tied up with the global organization called OneTreePlanted.Org. So, for every cabin we sell, we donate for 10 trees to be planted. For our future cabins that are underway, we’ve given completely off-grid solutions so the cabins are self-sufficient and powered by solar energy,” says Watwani.

CabinA

source: http://www.architecturaldigest.in / Architectural Digest / Home> Decorating / by Aditia Mahesh / Photography by Kunal Daswani Photography / November 08th, 2021

700-Year-Old Shiva Temple Discovered Near Virajpet

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Madikeri:

An ancient Shiva Temple, said to be about 700 years old, has been discovered at Bollumadu village in Virajpet taluk. The temple, found at a spot behind the Post Office on Kadanga Paraane is in a highly dilapidated state and is on the verge of total collapse.

The temple, said to be built using red stones, first came to be known to the villagers through Tantris in 2008. Subsequently, the villagers had cleaned up the spot by cutting down the trees around the temple. But as the temple was not accessible by road, no renovation works could be taken up and the temple remained in its dilapidated state.

However, the temple exploration resumed two days ago with villagers again cleaning the vicinity by cutting down the bushes and other plants. During the exploration, a Shivalinga stone sculpture was found in the well of the temple premises. Also, the almighty’s Ayudha (weapon) ‘Kadtale’ and small Ganapathi idols have been discovered. This apart, the stone sculptured images of Tripata, Kumuda, Jagatti, Kanta, Pattika and Devakoshta Sopanas were found at the temple foundation. After the discovery of the ancient temple, Bollumada villagers contacted Nayakanda Prakash, who is staying at Mysuru, seeking his help for tracing the history of the ancient temple. Prakash is a former official of Archaeological Survey of India and had also served as a site supervisor at Ram Janmabhumi in Ayodhya, UP.

Prakash, who visited the spot, opined that the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva may be 600 to 700 years old and it may also be a contemporary of the times of the ancient Bhagamandala Temple.

Prakash, who collected some documents regarding the site, observed that an excavation was necessary to trace the complete history of the temple, according to Bollumadu Gram Panchayat President Matanda Arun.

Pointing out that the spot where the temple has been discovered is said to be a Pysari land, Matanda Arun said that a few families are residing in the vicinity of the newly discovered temple. Though the temple was discovered earlier, it could not be reached as there was no access and as such no one bothered to go there. Now a huge tree has fallen on the temple’s ‘Garbhagudi’ (Sanctum Sanctorum), destroying it.

Now, a villager has come forward to part with his land to make way for accessing the temple, Arun said adding that the Kodagu District Administration will be appealed to take up excavation of this centuries old temple.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 23rd, 2022

Thousands Witness Cauvery Theerthodbhava

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Madikeri:

Thousands of devotees from Kodagu, across the State and Tamil Nadu congregated at Talacauvery in Kodagu last night to witness Cauvery Theerthodbhava amid chanting of mantras and other religious rituals. 

The holy event took place exactly at the predetermined Muhurtha of 7.22 pm in Mesha Lagna at the foothills of Brahmagiri inside the Holy Brahmakundike, considered to be the source of River Cauvery.

It is believed that Goddess Cauvery comes in the form of a fountain-head where water gushes from the Brahmakundike. A team of priests, led by Prashanth Achar, Raviraj Achar and Gururaja Achar chanted Vedic hymns before sprinkling holy water on the devotees. Later, devotees collected the Theertha (holy water) to be distributed among community members and to be kept at homes as holy signs.

The rituals associated with the holy occurrence began at 5 pm and as the predetermined time neared, devotees chanted mantras and welcomed the Goddess. The Theerthodbhava took place after the Sankalpa Puja and Mahamangalarathi. As the water bubbles appeared in the Brahmakundike that was filled with flowers, Kumkum and vermillion, the cries of devotees reached a crescendo. 

Devotees took a holy dip in the main pond (Kalyani) in front of the Brahmakundike and offered their prayers. They jostled to collect holy water in pots from the Kundike and the priests sprinkled the holy water on them.

The area around the pond was barricaded to enable crowd management and only small groups of devotees were let inside by the Police to prevent crowding and stampede. Despite barricades, devotees swarmed around the Brahmakundike and the Kalyani.

Devotees also thronged Triveni Sangama at Bhagamandala and many took a dip in the river and many offered the ritualistic Pinda Pradhana as a mark of respect to their elders.

The Kodagu Ekikarana Ranga distributed free breakfast and lunch to the devotees as part of its 27th year food distribution. Free food will be supplied till the end of Tula month on Nov. 17. Kodagu District Minister B.C. Nagesh, MLAs Appachu Ranjan and K.G. Bopaiah and others were present.

Devotees in traditional attire walk from Bhagamandala to Talacauvery

Unlike the last two years, thousands of devotees turned up to watch the spectacle and notably, many Kodava community members walked from Bhagamandala to Talacauvery along with musical bands and sang songs in praise of Goddess Cauvery. The holy place was teeming with devotees since early in the morning and the place was overcrowded by evening. 

Various Kodava organisations like Akhila Kodava Samaja Youth Wing, Connecting Kodavas, Kodava Riders Club, Jabbhoomi Trust, Thingakoru Mottu Sanghatane, Ammathi Kodava Samaja, Ponnampet Kodava Samaja, Madikeri Kodava Samaja, Balele Kodava Samaja, Kodava Kootaaliyada Koota, Kodava Samajas of Napoklu, Virajpet, Hudikeri, Mysuru, Amma Kodava Samaja, Youth Council, Kodavaamera Kondata, United Kodava Organisation and Codava National Council walked along the route, singing paeans to the Goddess.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / October 18th, 2022

Kodagu Gets Third Elephant Camp At Picturesque Harangi

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Formal inauguration done; tourists to be allowed only in January 2023

The third Elephant Camp in Kodagu at Harangi, which is the ninth elephant camp in Karnataka was inaugurated last Saturday. Along with the Harangi Elephant Camp, a Tree Park was also inaugurated.

The State Government had released Rs. 80 lakh for the project that will ease the burden of the existing elephant camps. Already, Kodagu has two elephant camps, one at Dubare and another at Mathigodu near Anechowkur Gate that borders Mysuru. There are eight elephant camps in Karnataka including the two in Kodagu and the Harangi Camp will be the ninth in the State.

Madikeri MLA M.P. Appachu Ranjan inaugurated the two new tourist attractions. From the Dubare Elephant Camp, six elephants have been shifted to Harangi Elephant Camp. They are Rama (68), Ekadanta (52), Maruti (21), Subramani (35), Vikrama (58) and Vijaya (48).

The eight jumbo camps house more than 100 tamed elephants that are used to rescue wild animals and for logging purposes at Government timber depots. These elephants have been shifted to Harangi in the first phase and more elephants will be moved gradually and this move will ease the pressure on Dubare Camp that has over 31 elephants (the highest in Karnataka).

As per an order by the Karnataka High Court, elephant camps cannot be congested and not more than 15 elephants can be housed in one camp. At present, six elephants have found a new home and more will be moved as and when the funds are released.

Hundreds of tourists who had come to Kodagu on account of Dasara holidays came to the newly-inaugurated Camp and were mesmerised by the beauty of the place located in the backwaters of Harangi Reservoir.

The Tree Park and the Elephant Camp have been set up in a 40-acre land and of that, 10 acres have been reserved for the elephant camp. Staff quarters have been constructed for Mahouts, Kavadis and their families along with a kitchen and a store room. Facilities of boating in the backwaters have been made and basic facilities like drinking water and toilets have been provided for the tourists.

As a precaution, the electrical wiring has been done underground to prevent any accidents either to the elephants or the lush green forests. Final touches are being given to the underground electrification project and works are on to provide drainage facilities. Though the formal inauguration of the Harangi Elephant Camp has been done, tourists will be allowed only from January 2023, said Forest Department officials.

The land on which the Elephant Camp and the Tree Park have been established is located at Athur Reserve Forest. The place, located near the Harangi Dam backwaters, is ideal to set up the elephant camp. The Athur Range Forest extends up to 2,000 acres and it is an ideal elephant habitat with plenty of water and green swathes.

The funds for the camp have been released from Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Apart from setting up a new elephant camp, there are plans to initiate other related development programmes including developing the camp as a tourist centre and at the same time provide shelter to the elephants.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles /October 10th, 2022

Dasara: Kodagu Tableau Gets First Prize, Mysuru 2nd, Chitradurga 3rd

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Mysore/Mysuru:

Kodagu district tableau won the first prize while the tableau of Mysuru district bagged the second prize among the tableaux that took part in Dasara procession held on Wednesday.

A total of 48 tableaux, including one from each of the 31 districts of the State, four of Dasara Sub-Committees and 13 of various Government Departments, institutions and bodies had taken part in the Jumboo Savari procession.

A panel appointed by Dasara Tableaux Sub-Committee for the purpose announced the prizes on Thursday, according to which Kodagu district won the first prize, followed by Mysuru district with second prize and Chitradurga district third prize.

The Kodagu district tableau portrayed Brahmagiri Hill Range, the famed Bhagandeshwara temple, Cauvery Theerthodbhava at Talacauvery and rich flora and fauna of the district. Mysuru district tableau displayed a total of 18 models including the famed Mysore Peta (Turban), Mysore Silk, Mysore Mallige, Betel leaves, Nanjangud Rasabale that have GI tag, Chamundeshwari temple, Mahishasura and Nandi Statues atop Chamundi Hill and the Howdah carrying Dasara elephant, among others.

Chitradurga district tableau that won the third prize displayed Vanivilas Sagar Dam, the Statues of Madakari Nayaka and Onake Obavva and a replica of the famed Deepa Stambha.

The tableau of Chikmagalur, which portrayed the seven rivers that flow in the district, Tumakuru’s tableau that displayed  HAL’s Helicopter manufacturing unit and Vijayapura district’s tableau that displayed the famed Siddarameshwara temple  and the tableau of Dasara Sub-Committee portraying the Somanathapura temple in T. Narasipur taluk, bagged the consolation prizes.

In the Government Departments, Institutions and Bodies category, the tableau of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department bagged the first prize, followed by KMF (Karnataka Milk Federation) tableau that displayed the whole range of Nandini Milk products, with second prize and the tableau of Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Development Corporation that showcased Lidkar products won the third prize.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 07th, 2022

India’s Two Scotlands

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Meghalaya’s Shillong and Karnataka’s Coorg are similar, says Ratan Bhattacharjee

Coorg

One of the most popular poems by Wordsworth is ‘The Solitary Reaper’ about a highland girl reaping the harvest in a pasture in Scotland with a song on her lips. This is a familiar sight for a visitor to Shillong or Coorg.

Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with 143,229 people according to the 2011 census. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland. So did Coorg down south in Karnataka. They found the mist-laden pastures of Shillong and Coorg to be the closest to the paradise they knew back home and began referring to these two hill stations as the Scotland of the East.

There are indeed many similarities between Shillong, Meghalaya’s capital, and Scotland. Shillong’s landscape is beautified with rolling, cloud-kissed hills bestowed with lush greenery. It is often difficult to tell Scotland from Shillong from photographs without any captions. One has to take a backseat in a car on the roads to Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong and the curvaceous Shillong Bypass and let the hair flutter in the breeze and draw in the hypnotic sub-Himalayan panorama. The glittering waterfalls along the roads and the lakes in and around Shillong – boating on Umiam or Ward’s Lake is otherworldly – have a stunning resemblance to those in Scotland. Then there are several places untouched by mass tourism where you can pitch a tent and connect with nature. Shillong and Scotland also have culture connect – the Scottish are as colourful as the Khasis and are proud of their heritage.

Located along the Western Ghats, Coorg is a coffee-producing hilly area well-known for its jaw-dropping scenery and opulence. This misty landscape nurtures a rich culture and a unique clan – the Kodavas who are specialised in martial arts and are widely known for their hospitality. Heavenly Coorg is ideal for lazing around or going on a challenging trek or indulging in an adventure at Abbey Falls or relishing the spicy curries and the heart-melting handmade truffles.

Shillong

Coorg is also called Scotland of India because of its hills – Karkala, Savandurga and Nodda – lording over the coffee plantations. They are lush green mountains of foggy rolling hills with miles of walking trails. The climate is as cool as in Shillong, albeit a shade warmer than in Scotland. Madikeri or Mercara, the headquarters of Coorg is a beautiful hill town. The Chiklihole Reservoir is a wonderful place far from the madding crowd. The Dubare Elephant Camp will please wildlife enthusiasts as much as the Harangi Dam or Honnamana Kere Lake. Kotebetta is the third highest peak in Coorg. Mallalli Falls is one of the best places reminding at every moment of the beauty of the Scottish Highlands or Elephanta and Seven Sisters Falls in Meghalaya.

Coorg is the coffee cup of India and there is no doubt that the people there have Celtic roots, as their traditions and rituals reflect. They celebrate many festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Ugadi and Easter. The locals celebrate Christmas by lighting candles in their homes. The traditional dress of the Coorgis is similar to the Scottish kilt. Their attires have interesting patterns and designs. The cuisine of Coorg, like Shillong’s, has something in common with Scottish dishes made from pork and beef.

Coorg is also home to some magnificent forts and palaces that date back to the medieval era. These structures are a testament to its rich history and culture. One of the most popular forts in Coorg is the Madikeri Fort. Mudduraja, the prominent Haleri king built this fort in the 17th century. It is made from granite and features several turrets and bastions. The British army rebuilt this imposing structure in the late 1800s, and it now serves as a hotel and museum. Other notable colonial bungalows include the Raj Bhavan (Governor’s House) and the Deva Raya Paana (Toddy Tapper’s House). The British built them between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Like Shillong, Coorg is known for its “perfect weather” in spite of the incessant rains. The temperature is mild and comfortable, and the weather is usually sunny with a few scattered showers. This makes Coorg a popular tourist destination like Shillong, especially during the summer months. Coorg and Shillong are also connected to Scotland through the celebration of music in its many forms. All are great hosts of music festivals.

That’s astounding nature, as many would say. Just like Shillong and Coorg that find so many points of commonality, other places in India find resemblances with foreign destinations too. Some of them to find appropriate mentions would be Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir and Switzerland, Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim and Jökulsárlón Lake, Iceland, Thar Desert, Rajasthan and Sahara Desert, Africa and Chitrakote Falls, Chhattisgarh and Niagara Falls. There are many more, as travel enthusiasts would enlist them. However, it resounds that scenic beauty in India is infinite beginning with Shillong, itself.

Just like the Scottish hold immense pride in their culture, land and its people, similarly,  the Khasis of Shillong, and the Kodava’s of Coorg hold their culture and indigenous identities in high regard, worshipping their ancestors and preserving their folklores.

Julia London once said about Scotland: “There are few places in my life that I’ve found more ruggedly beautiful than the highlands of Scotland. The place is magical – it’s so far north, so remote that sometimes it feels like you’ve left this world and gone to another.” This holds true for Shillong and Coorg too.

(Ratan Bhattacharjee is a contributor at The Shillong Times)

source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com / The Shillong Times / Home> Sunday Pullout / by Ratan Bhattacharjee / September 25th, 2022

Madikeri Dasara To Be Inaugurated Today Evening

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

Madikeri:

The Karaga Utsav of Madikeri Dasara will be inaugurated at 5 pm today at Pampinakere in the town.

The Karagas of Sri Kundurumotte Chowti Mariamma, Sri Dandina Mariamma, Sri Kanchi Kamakshiamma and Sri Kote Mariamma will be decorated with flowers and the Madikeri Dasara will be officially launched by offering pujas to the four Karagas.

The Karagas will be brought to Bannimantap, where special pujas will be performed and later, pujas will be performed at Sri Kodandarama Temple, Sri Chowdeshwari Temple and Pete Srirama Temple.

Madikeri MLA M.P.  Appachu Ranjan, DC Dr. B.C. Satish, Madikeri CMC and Dasara Committee President Anitha Poovaiah, Working President K.S. Ramesh, General Secretary Rajesh Yallappa and others will be present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 26th, 2022

This Coorg Homestay Lies By The Serene Harangi River In The Middle Of A Bamboo Forest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Imagine staying in a beautiful property near the tributary of a river in a picturesque location of a village. The thought itself is so tranquil, imagine the level of tranquility the stay would offer. Well, this imagination can turn into reality.

All you have to do is pack your bags and travel to Coorg. Yes, Firefly by the river is a lovely Coorg Homestay which lies right beside Harangi river and in the middle of a bamboo forest. Keep reading to know more. 

Firefly By The River, A Coorg Homestay

Nina and Captain Prio Chaubey are a Bengaluru based couple who built this Coorg Homestay in the most scenic location.

Firefly by the river offers an experience of waking up in a room which is surrounded by coconut, cinnamon, and betel palm trees, paddy fields, orchards, and coffee and pepper farms. It has 5 double rooms which are rustically designed with earthy colours to keep the soothing vibe intact. The lovely garden room has its own private entrance. The two superior and two deluxe rooms are designed as two separate cottages. The rooms have wooden closets, luxury mattresses and are super spacious. There is a hammock placed just beside the river for you to relax. 

Satiate Your Taste Buds With Delicious Coorg Delicacies

Near the well is an elegantly designed common area right in the centre of this Coorg homestay where you can relish meals. You can sit back near the river listening to the sound of water as you enjoy delicious food.

The food is customised as per the taste palate of the guest keeping their preferences in mind. All the meals are prepared using local and fresh ingredients.

The property manager, Rithvik is a local from Coorg and serves meals which are experimented out of his Grandma’s recipes. The food is cooked by the locals using local spice mixes, who are hired for the same. Delicacies like Pandi Curry , Akki Roti, Coorg-style River Pomfret, Nool Puttu, Coorgi mutton pulao and their special south indian breakfast. 

So make sure to consider this place in Coorg for you next close to nature stay !

Instagram: fireflyhomestays / www.fireflyhomestays.com

source: http://www.curlytales.com / Curly Tales / Home> Hotels & Resorts> Travel / by Vaishalee Kalvankar / blog of Kamiya Jani / September 23rd, 2022

Wildlife Biologist From Kodagu In Project Cheetah Core Team

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

Mysore/Mysuru:

A wildlife Biologist and Ecologist from Kodagu is in the team that brought eight Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park which were released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sept. 17.

C.M. Bipin of Kodagu is in the core management team of Dr. Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala, Lead Scientist for Project Cheetah and Dean of Wildlife Institute of India.

Bipin conducted extensive fieldwork and ground study before the extinct felines were reintroduced in India. Project Cheetah is the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.

C.M. Bipin has been working on Project Cheetah since 2011 as a Project Associate at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, autonomous wildlife research and natural resource service institution under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India. Bipin’s name figures prominently among the survey team for the project.

Hailing from Kanoor village near Ponnampet in South Kodagu, Chottekmada Bipin is an Industrial Engineering Management graduate who pursued his passion for wildlife and nature. He finished his schooling at St. Anne’s School, Virajpet and college at Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, Alike. His parents Monnappa and Tara Monnappa, retired teachers, are settled in Kanoor.

Bipin (extreme right) seen with Project Cheetah team members in Namibia where they underwent training.

Engineer to Ecologist

Speaking to Star of Mysore from the Kuno National Park where he is monitoring the Cheetahs, Bipin said that though he worked for an electronics company in Bengaluru soon after his engineering at the RV College, nature and wildlife was his passion.

“I was feeling suffocated, so I left and joined a conservation and ecology team at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, in 2004 working on monitoring tigers and prey populations in Karnataka. During this period, I felt the need of educating, better-equipping and training myself in wildlife science and nature conservation and I completed my M.Sc. in Wildlife Biology,” he said.

Bipin later joined National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru in 2008 for his Master’s and subsequently joined the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun in 2011 and has been involved in Project Cheetah.

“As part of the project, the landscape of five States — Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh — were studied. 10 places were identified as suitable for Cheetah reintroduction and among them, five were shortlisted with the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Shahgarh landscape and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh being identified as priority ones,” Bipin revealed.

Court case

When the project work was on, in May 2012, the Supreme Court stalled the plan to reintroduce Cheetahs into Kuno sanctuary fearing they may come into conflict with a project to reintroduce lions into the same sanctuary.

But in 2020, the SC lifted its stay, clearing the project after an affidavit filed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to take the plunge — under the guidance from an expert committee headed by Dr. M.K. Ranjitsinh, the architect of Wildlife Protection Act — and go ahead with plans to bring the African cat to India.

“During the period of stay, I started work on the population recovery and habitat improvement of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, the grassland and open forests habitat of which the Cheetahs roamed in our country once and I re-joined the Cheetah Project after the Court clearance,” he said.

Picture shows the landscape of Namibia that is ideal for the Cheetah habitat being studied by Bipin and a colleague. Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh where the Cheetahs have been reintroduced has a similar landscape.

Training in Namibia

Bipin was sent to Namibia and South Africa with the team during June 2022 for a training in handling the Cheetah, habitat management, research, methods of conservation at different levels and how to avoid conflict with villagers living on the forest fringes.

“I gave technical inputs after ground studies along with my team and additionally wore many hats as and when needed including providing assistance required in administrative, financial, legal and policy matters. As the days for the release drew close, though rainy season in India is a difficult period to release Cheetahs in India due to inaccessibility to many forest areas and logistical constraints, it would have been wise to wait for the monsoon to end,” he explained.

September was the ideal month and the occasion was PM Modi’s birthday. The officers of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, NTCA and MoEF&CC at various levels very efficiently coordinated and performed their roles meticulously in making the project a reality, Bipin added.

Adequate prey base

“The Kuno National Park, situated on the northern side of Vindhyachal mountains, can handle 35 Cheetahs and has an inviolate area of 748 sq.km. where the Cheetahs have a suitable area of up to 6,800 sq.km surrounding them. We had identified four more areas apart from Kuno National Park and the project Cheetah entails bringing 50 big cats from Africa in the next five years and in the long run establishing a viable cheetah metapopulation in the country,” he said.

The Kuno National Park has a good prey base for Cheetahs, comprising the four-horned antelope, chinkara, nilgai, wild pig, spotted deer and sambhar.

Cheetahs will help restore open forest and grassland ecosystems in India and its dwindling wildlife. This will help conserve biodiversity, consolidate and enhance the ecosystem, mitigate climate change and boost the local economy with various livelihood opportunities.

“Extensive hunting of Cheetahs and habitat loss led to their extinction. The ‘African Cheetah Introduction Project in India’ was first mooted in 2009 by Wildlife Trust of India and we have come a long way in finally bringing the fastest animal on earth to India,” Bipin added.

Standing L-R Bishan (Brother), Bipin, Monnappa (Father), Sitting L-R Rema Bishan, Sachitha Bishan, Tara (Mother), Amrita.

Mother happy

 Elated over her son being in the core Project Cheetah team, Bipin’s mother Tara Monnappa told Star of Mysore that the family is proud of Bipin’s achievements. “I don’t have any words to express and he has been passionate about nature since childhood. I am glad he could pursue his passion with full vigour,” she said.

In fact, Bipin’s wife Amritha too is a sociologist and conservationist and works for The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organisation, working in areas in Assam. Her specialisation is communities living in villages on the fringes of forests and their interactions with wildlife and nature.

Bipin’s elder brother C.M. Bishan is an Orthopaedician in Gonikoppa, Kodagu and an avid wildlife photographer.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / September 22nd, 2022