One Friday evening, I was all set with a cup of coffee to finish my leftover work when I got calls from my friends asking me to join them for a Coorg wedding. The decision wasn’t a tough one at all. So without a clear plan, we were ready for it.
We set out 6 am the next day to avoid the heavy traffic. We had breakfast on the way. This was going to be my first time in Coorg and I couldn’t wait to see the ‘Scotland of India’.
Soon the city slowly drifted away and greenery and tobacco farms started unveiling before us. Our first visit was to the Golden Temple, the beautiful Buddhist monastery in Bylakuppe. It was about fours hours since we started our journey.
We suddenly were amidst a sea of young Tibetan monks and tourists. The Namdroling Monastery is a world in itself, rich in history. The highly ornate temple tower is certainly worth a visit.
Our next stop was where the Coorg wedding was happening. The wedding is called ‘Mangala’ in Kodava language and the wedding is indeed a fun-filled cultural feast. The men wore the traditional black ‘Kupya’, secured with a red ‘Chele’ on their waists and a turban, while the women wore traditional Coorg saris. Unlike the usual Hindu wedding customs, a Coorg wedding is short, simple and filled with an evening of guests letting their hair down, dancing to tribal drums and relishing the customary dishes.
We spend that night in a hotel near Madikeri. Next morning, we woke up early and saw the hills sprawling across the stretch of settlement and streets. It was cloudy, so a hot breakfast at the nearby Shanthi Sagar restaurant was a great start to the day.
Dawn had just broken when we set out to visit MugiluPete (Mandalapatti) on a solitary road with lush greenery and winding vales, often on both sides. The climb to the top was rough and unsafe for cars, hence we had to book a jeep. The narrow roads that take you to the top are pretty scary.
The climb to the top brought us almost into the middle of the clouds. This fog-shrouded breathtaking mound of earth is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The Pushpagiri range made for a magnificent view. We also visited the place considered as the source of river Cauvery – the Talacauvery and the temple there. The legends were good to hear over ‘pakodas’, hot Maggi and a cup of ‘gullak’ tea served near the temple. Coorg was a great experience, perfect for travellers exploring new areas.
(Simon can be contacted at simn.stephns@gmail.com)
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Metrolife / by Simon Ghosh / September 15th, 2017
