Category Archives: Nature

Rainforest Retreat Coorg: Life on an organic farm

November 30, 2016Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

If man learnt the blues pickin’ cotton, he shall rediscover it learning how to grow coffee. And no any ordinary coffee, mind you, but organic gourmet robusta.

The upper echelons of Coorg’s rain-slopes resonate not with the hum of mountain maidens, but Big Mama Thornton belting away the blues. Welcome to Mojo Rainforest Retreat, a 25-acre organic farm perched at 1100m in the lush Western Ghats of Karnataka. Mojo is as famous for its unimaginable shades of green as for its collection of blues, believed to be the largest in the country. If Robert Johnson’s wandering soul were to reincarnate as a farmhand, this is where it would come to rest.

Take it from Doc. That’s Doctor Anurag Goel, who claims to have seen every big blues act while doing his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Toronto. His wife Sujata, a Ph.D. from the Department of Botany (Delhi University), is a walking encyclopedia of natural remedies. Along with their ‘nature child’ Maya, the Goels have accomplished what most people only dream of in their dreams. They quit the rat race of urban drudgery to pursue a more harmonious existence with nature.

After extensive travel through this vast country, they chose to settle in the rainforests of Coorg. The retreat was set up in 1999 to raise awareness about their environmental NGO.

Initially, they intended to name it Worldwide Association for Restoration and Preservation of Ecological Diversity but realized that a name like WARPED would find little credibility.

And so, after a little juggling of alphabets and a National Geographic grant later, they settled for WAPRED Research Foundation in 1996. Today, the idea has blossomed into a heady mix of eco-tourism, offbeat adventure travel and the blues.

Coorg’s rich flora and fauna have earned it international recognition as one of the most important hotspots of biodiversity that need to be preserved. To say that it’s a challenge is an understatement. This here is Wild West Country, where every house boasts of a licensed rifle and most of the region’s wildlife can be found on the walls of living rooms in Coorg.

Some of course, like the wild boar, have met a more honourable end. The transformation from a vile burrowing creature to a bowl of delectable pandi-curry can only be attributed to the genius of a people who have understood the very soul of the animal.

Sadly, the importance of nature’s treasures has been lost on them. The heavy use of toxic pesticides has seriously endangered the region’s fragile eco-system.

The falling prices of coffee have spurred the use of chemical fertilizers and a mysterious disease has wiped out the orange from ‘Orange County’. However, there’s one bastion that seems to be holding out – Mojo.

The farm is a perfect example of how to live in harmony with nature without necessarily exploiting it. The Goels use solar panels for their basic power supply. Crops are grown under the shade of rainforest trees using biological methods of pest control.

A medicinal plant garden nurtures the wealth of traditional knowledge.

Coffee berries are handpicked, hand-processed and specially roasted to obtain a special blend without using chemicals or chicory.

The cuisine – mostly locally grown organic produce – is a delicious blend of continental and Indian dishes, homemade bread, cottage cheese, pastas, roasts, preserves and gourmet organic coffee.

Even the accommodation at the Rainforest Retreat is an unforgettable experience. A beautiful brook-side bungalow, set in a picture-postcard thicket of bamboo, banana, orange and pineapple, conforms to international standards of style and comfort. It has two bedrooms, a spacious living room, sit-out and perhaps the best rainforest loo any side of the equator.

A second, more rustic shelter is the Yin Yang Cottage inside the plantation. A thin wisp of smoke rising from the bathroom chimney indicates that Muttu Pandey (the farmhand) has already heated the water. Before the stimulating bath can lull me to sleep, there’s a Doc on my door. It’s time for a first-hand learning experience at the farm.

Mojo is home to the Habanero, the world’s second hottest chili. The Red Savina Habanero used to be the hottest until it was deposed by our own Nagahari chili from Tezpur, Assam.

Another brilliant flash – this time at the treetop – catches my eye and I wonder if it’s a bird, a plane or Superman. Doc angrily shakes his head and says it’s the Southern Birdwing, India’s largest butterfly.

There’s Dendrobium Nutantiflorum, he motions to an orchid clump and that’s the raucous call of a Green Barbet. Stupefied, I try to keep pace with one new discovery a minute and forget more than I can remember.

Doc plays the razor-sharp schoolmaster to my stupid boy from Botany class. A walk through the dense cardamom under-hang leads to a clearing where Doc comes to a halt in front of a tree.

He has the reverence one would show to an Inca shrine. With all the compassion of a shaman consecrating a totem, he caresses the thick leaves of a creeper. “After saffron, vanilla happens to be the most expensive spice in the world”, he chuckles. “One kilo of cured, processed vanilla extract fetches as much as Rs.11,000 in the international market.”

But before this article can trigger off rampant cultivation of vanilla in any available garden patch, let me add that it takes 5 kg of beans to process 1 kg vanillin extract. A lucky farmer may get about Rs.700 for a kilo of beans.

What’s more, in the absence of its natural pollinator the Melipone bee, the orchid’s flowers have to be hand-pollinated. The flower opens in the morning and closes in the afternoon, never to open again. If left pollinated, the flower will drop the very next day.

Oddly content that I was not a vanilla farmer, I pick up samples of the local produce. Habanero extract, cardamom, pepper (which are indigenous), coffee (which was introduced), Garcinia (aka Kokum, used as a refreshing drink and a souring agent in curries) and a lovely set of picture postcards, all of which fund WAPRED.

Back at the main house, Sujata thrusts into my hand what she calls a ‘hibiscus suspension’. I admire the glass like a potential Nobel Prize winning entry, when a patient feminine voice explains, “It’s a coolant; you are supposed to drink it”.

“And next time, use kerosene on your boots. It’ll keep the leeches away”.

This region gets so much rainfall it would make Mawsynram blush. The rains get so severe that leeches give up their positions on the ground and cling to overhanging branches to throw themselves like kamikaze warriors on to passing targets. If you’re into pain, I highly recommend Mojo in the monsoons.

Among the other denizens of the farm are the dogs – Jupiter, Janis (named after Janis Joplin), UB (Ugly Bastard – a deformed puppy who has grown up into a stocky watchdog) and Pigpen (from a character in Animal Farm), who died recently. It’s advisable to be overtly good to them as it is they who accompany you from the main house to the Yin-Yang Cottage at night.

A solitary jaunt is not exactly spooky, but jungle walks have never been the same after The Blair Witch Project. Everything at Mojo – including Aki the Calf and Maya Hill – has been named by 4-year-old Maya. If she has finished partying with McDuff, John Barleycorn (who has a drinking problem) and her imaginary friends, maybe she’ll show you her ‘panoramic view’ and tell you about her philosophy.

Meanwhile, a Golden Oriole lands on the tree near the verandah. While I gape open-mouthed at it like a 4-year-old kid, an oblivious Maya is content watching UB play with a ball-beetle.

Mojo is the sort of place where you’d hate to blink. It tends to leave you with a strange feeling that can best be described as a mixture of envy, awe, respect, rejuvenation and rage when the honeymoon is over. However, for those few precious moments, it gives people a chance to experience an inner peace that only nature can provide.

Doc has also designed several escorted road tours that take you to interesting places nearby. There are excursions to other plantations like Ludwig Mahal, a nature walk to Galibeedu Ridge, a visit to the Dubare Elephant Training Camp and an insane drive to the Cauvery for swimming and mahseer fishing.

What makes Mojo even more special is that it’s a Mecca for bird-watchers, insect-lovers, soul-trippers and blues-brothers. The misty mountains and dense foliage of this section of the Western Ghats make it one of the best places to get lost.

In fact, Mojo adds up to such a wild weekend you might even be tempted to call it a ‘Doc Holiday’…

Author: Anurag Mallick. This article appeared in the May 2003 issue of Outlook Traveller magazine.

source: http://www.redscarabtravelandmedia.wordpress.com / Blog by anurag mallick & priya ganapathy / May 25th, 2012

Honey with coffee reinforces climate resilience: Kodagu coffee estates’ bee farms

November 9, 2016Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

The famed Kodagu coffee estates are experimenting with bee farms to add to incomes so that the forested landscape of this biodiversity hotspot is better able to sequester carbon.

The forested landscape of Kodagu provides ecosystem services. (Photo by S Gopikrishna Warrier)

While honey can sweeten coffee for the drinker, coffee farmers of Kodagu district of Karnataka are realising that raising bees for honey in the farms can sweeten their economic returns. It is one of the innovative methods being tried out in the district to provide additional financial incentives to coffee farmers so that they conserve the landscape they have inherited.

The concept of payment for ecosystem services (PES) is evolving from eco-certified coffee to that of landscape labelling of Kodagu. If the forests, coffee agro-forestry, rice fields, sacred groves, rivers and streams of Kodagu together provide ecosystem services and climate resilience to the communities living in the hills and the plains, why should not there be payment for sustaining these services?

According to a report on PES prepared by the College of Forestry at Ponnampet, Kodagu, the district has been identified as a micro-hotspot of biodiversity under the larger Western Ghats region. There is tree cover across as much as 81% of the district.

Natural forest ecosystems cover an area of 46% of the total area of the district. This includes evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, dry deciduous and scrub forest types. Evergreen forests also include the high-altitude shola forests along with grasslands.

Key ecosystem services

Biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water regulation are the key ecosystem services from the Kodagu landscape. In addition to the economic benefit, there are also provisional, regulating, cultural and supporting services from the landscape. Thus, while eco-certification of coffee can help individual farmers, landscape labelling can benefit the district in its entirety, giving incentive to the communities to plan their development sustainably.

Charulata Somal, chief executive officer of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat (district council), says that if PES can help channel money for the communities to conserve their landscape, there is a possibility of meeting the genuine aspirations of the people without compromising on the environment. “We plan to take the concept of PES through the elected representatives from the district.”

The PES report from the College of Forestry estimates the economic value of the various ecosystem services in Kodagu. The nutrient recycled has a value between INR 237 and INR 1167 per hectare, with a mean value of INR 700 per ha. The economic value of timber is between INR 530 and INR 8340 per ha. The recreational value of biodiversity is estimated as INR 27,000 per ha.

High sequestration

Carbon sequestration, according to the report, varies from 77 tonnes per ha to 207 tonnes per ha. Even at 90 tonnes per ha and an assumed price for carbon at USD 10 per tonne, the economic valuation is INR 40,500 per hectare.

The project for promoting bee farming (apiculture) in coffee estates was started after a study found the strong economic impact of pollination services of bees from sacred groves adjacent to the coffee farms. Kodagu has 1,214 sacred groves under community management, covering 2,550 hectares interspersed with coffee estates.

Rice paddies in Kodagu. (Photo by S Gopikrishna Warrier)

While Arabica coffee is self-pollinated, Robusta is cross-pollinated. “We researched the interaction between bees in the sacred groves and Robusta coffee to understand what the pollination impact is,” said C.G. Kushalappa, university head for forestry and environment sciences at the College of Forestry in Ponnampet. “Our research proved that in Robusta close to 31% of productivity could be increased if there is sufficient population of honeybees around the farm.”

This research, implemented by the College of Forestry under the Managing Trade-Offs in Coffee Agroforestry (MOCA) project in partnership with ETH University at Zurich, Switzerland, opened the possibility of increasing income for coffee farmers by integrating apiculture into coffee systems.

A premium for honey

“Kodagu honey has a premium in the market because it comes from the flowers of multiple species,” said R.N. Kencharaddi, assistant professor of agricultural entomology at the College of Forestry. “Honey collected from bee keeping in coffee agro-forestry system can get the premium price.”

The college introduced bee boxes in 40 farmers’ fields in 2015 at a density of four to five colonies (bee boxes) per acre, so that they can grow their own bees and produce honey. The team has been researching to select bee colonies that have the most desirable traits for propagation.

“We are looking for bees that do not abscond from their colonies and do not divide into new colonies before the hive is fully built,” said Kencharaddi. “We also check whether the bees are efficient at collecting honey and have disease resistance. Most important, we check on their ferocity, for we do not want the bees to attack the farmers.”

Apis cerana indica or the Indian honeybee is the species that the college is using for propagation. Though the college has not yet done any research on the subject, beehives have been successfully used in East Africa to protect farms from ravaging elephant herds. If this is experimented with and found successful then it could also serve as an additional benefit for Kodagu farmers, who are tired of elephant herds destroying their crops.

“There are elephant herds in Kodagu in which calves and young adults have not seen the forests,” explained M.C. Cushalappa, a coffee farmer from Siddhapura. “These herds have moved out of natural forests years ago and not returned since. They move from farms to villages, without returning to their natural habitat.”

The species of bees used in East Africa and that used in Kodagu are different, according to Kencharaddi. The specie of the African bees that scare elephants is Apis mellifera caucasica, which are more ferocious than their Indian counterparts. The African bees also come out during the night, whereas the ones that the college is working with are active only during daylight.

With bees feeding on the flowers of multiple trees to give premium quality honey, there would be a greater incentive for coffee farmers for protecting their landscape, according to Kushalappa. “This is how we are evolving into the concept of getting landscape labelling for produce from Kodagu’s coffee agro-forestry systems — coffee, honey, pepper and cardamom. Once we can get a brand presence for the Kodagu landscape, the farmers can market multiple produce. Depending on the prices the farmer can move the appropriate produce to the market.”

With the CEO of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat committing to get elected representatives oriented to the concept of PES and landscape labelling, this method of promoting produce from Kodagu even while conserving the environment is likely to grow wings in near future. Honey with coffee could become the trigger for this.

(This piece was originally published on India Climate Dialogue and has been reproduced here with permission.)

source: http://www.thenewsminute.com / The News Minute / Home / by S. Gopikrishna Warrier / Monday -November 07th, 2016

Kodagu’s Cauvery – A River In Trouble

October 27, 2016About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, Alladmin

Kodagu, in Karnataka, is the main catchment area of the river Cauvery – and the environmental health of this district has a direct impact on the river itself. As the battle between states continues over the sharing of Cauvery waters, we visit the source of the river to see the ecological challenges at the birthplace of this precious river.

Kodagu’s Cauvery – A River In Trouble
PUBLISHED ON: OCTOBER 6, 2016 | DURATION: 18 MIN, 49 SEC
04:12 / 18:48

source: http://www.youtube.com

http://www.ndtv.com/video/shows/ndtv-special-ndtv-24×7/kodagu-s-cauvery-a-river-in-trouble-434019

From the lap of nature

October 21, 2016Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

In 2014, when a Coorgi village tribal gave Bheemaiah K K a rattan vine stick for his off-road activities, he contemplated starting a venture selling ‘all-purpose’ sticks. “That was in June-July, the beginning of my journey,” says the founder of Bheem Styx, now with a store on Indiranagar’s 12th Main. After three months of driving between Coorg, his hometown, and Bengaluru, where he lives, with the stick in his vehicle, he decided to act on the idea.

“I often travelled through forests and coffee estates,” says Bheemaiah — Bheem for short — from a family of coffee growers. “I realised then it didn’t make sense to ‘climb a tree to cut a branch’, and that sticks were strewn across roads and paths. You only had to see them and pick them up.” So every summer he goes hunting for sticks, fallen branches and trees, even keeps a look out for landslides along the Western Ghats. “Now that people know what I do, they alert me about fallen trees or about the civic bodies pruning trees,” he says.

He also makes the most of monsoon tree-felling gusts of wind in the city and elephants that uproot trees in the forests and, in all, about 400 sticks find their way into the drying room at his Coorg homestead, where they remain for a few months to a year.

“I seal the ends with wires to prevent cracking. Even so, some crack, some others are already eaten by insects or are rotten from inside,” he admits. But except for these 80 to 100, the rest, he says, turn out strong.

“They are mostly from hardwood trees whose names I know only in Kodava,” says the journalism graduate who moved to the city in 1997 for his schooling. “Some of these, my father tells me, are said to last for 80 to 100 years.” Others sticks come from boughs and branches of coffee plants or fruit trees, also grown abundantly in the Kodagu belt.

Once dried and hardened, these sticks are cleaned, sandpapered and transported to the garage store in the city, where they are painted. Bheem has dipped into his friends circle for this. “Some are artists, but most are students, entrepreneurs in their own right or art enthusiasts with day jobs,” he adds.

From deep-river-walking sticks and hook sticks, which can be used to pull down branches, and catapult sticks, whose ‘Y’ can either fling stones at fruits or work as an armrest, to home decor, fashion and city-walking sticks, there are several options on offer. Smaller bits of wood become keychains. They are priced between Rs 500 and Rs 12,000, with customised ones selling for not less than Rs 6,000.

Bheem reasons: “Collecting sticks is a sweaty, dirty job. I’ve got bitten by leeches, and once by a snake, though it wasn’t venomous. Caterpillars and thorns abound the wooded areas, so you hardly come back without a scratch or rash.”

The going is slow too, he adds. “At a time, one person can’t carry more than four to six sticks, given that often there are no walkways,” he explains. “Some are heavier than the rest, like the jungle palm felled by elephants. Carrying one five-foot-long, half-foot-wide piece of those is a difficult task.” But passion keeps him going back year after year, he muses.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / Chetana Divya Vasudev / DHNS – October 18th, 2016

Thousands witness Theerthodbhava at Talacauvery

October 21, 2016Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

Thousands of devotees witnessed the Cauvery Theerthodbhava at Talacauvery, the birth place of River Cauvery on Monday.

A slew of rituals were performed, near the Cauvery Brahmakundike where the river originates, from the morning by a group of priests led by K P Gopalarishna Achar.

The Brahmakundike was decked up with gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 60 lakh. The priests performed ‘Mahasankalpa Puje,’ ‘Rudrabhisheka’, ‘Kumkumarchane’ and ‘Mahamangalarathi’ before the water sprang from the Brahmakundike.

They sprinkled holy water on devotees, soon after Theerthodbhava. The devotees had arrived with cans, pots, tins and bottles to fetch the holy water to their places.

The devotees believe that river Cauvery makes her presence felt in the form of ‘Theertharoopini’ once in a year and that the holy water is helpful in curing the diseases and bring peace in the land.

The devotees started the day with a divine bath at the holy confluence of Cauvery, Kannike, and Sujyoti at Bhagamandala. Some of them also climbed Brahma Bagiri Betta later in the day.

Simha, Ramya attend
MP Prathap Simha, MLA Appachu Ranjan, former Mandya MP Ramya made it to Cauvery jatre while District Minister M R Seetharam, Kodagu District-in-charge Secretary Kalpana, DC Richard Vincent D’Souza gave the event a skip.

MP Prathap Simha said rainfall is decreasing in Kodagu with each passing year. Let the Goddess Cauvery ward off drought and bring peace and prosperity to the farmers and the citizens, he added. Ramya told reporters that she prayed for an early solution to the Cauvery dispute.

Elaborate security
The district administration had made elaborate security arrangements. CCTV cameras had been installed at strategic locations in and around Talacauvery. More than 500 police personnel, including those from District Armed Reserve (DAR) and Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) had been deployed.

Though a large number of devotees visited Talacauvery for Theerthodbhava, the number of devotees from Tamil Nadu had declined drastically, this year. Only a few vehicles bearing the registration of Tamil Nadu were seen parked near Triveni Sangama at Bhagamandala.

A large number of devotees from Kerala took part in the festivities. “Though the turnout is good, it appears to be less than the previous year,” said a local.

Meals served

As part of Cauvery Jatre, the members of Kodagu Ekikarana Trust and Cauvery Theerthotsava Anna Santharpana Trust served meals to over 15,000 devotees.

The meals will be served for the next 30 days for free. Farmers from Mandya had sent 10,000 laddus to be distributed among devotees, 30 quintal rice, 1,500 coconuts, jaggery and vegetables for the preparation of meals to be served in the next 30 days.

Kodagu Ekikarana Trust and Cauvery Theerthotsava Anna Santharpana Trust members served Uppittu, Idli, Chutney, and carrot halwa for morning breakfast.

Cultural programmes

As part of the Theerthodbhava, the Kannada and Culture Department had organised cultural
programmes. The Health and Family Welfare Department had set up a temporary clinic for the conveniece of the devotees.

The members of Kodava Makkada Okkoota-Madikeri, Hindu Agnidala-Virajpet, Kodagu Hakku Samrakshana Samithi of Palooru, V Friends of Virajpet, Malma Yuvaka Sangha, Yuvashakti Yuvaka Sangha of Ponnampete and Bharavi Kaveri Sangha of Kushalnagar collected theertha in cans and to be distributed among households at their respective towns.

Devapat CD released

MLC K T Srikante Gowda said the people of Mandya have a great respect for the people of Kodagu. He was speaking after releasing Devapat, a CD brought out by Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy at Talacauvery. Gowda appealed to the people to protect Western Ghats and also help in the preservation of River Cauvery.

MLC Appaji Gowda said there is a close relationship between the people of Kodagu and Mandya. River Cauvery is the lifeline of the people of Mandya, he observed. MLCs Sunil Subramani, Veena Acchaiah, Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy President Biddatanda S Thammaiah also spoke.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home / K A Aditya / Talacaurvery (Kodagu District) / DHNS – October 18th, 2016

Nagamma’s herbal medicine has many takers at Food Mela

October 8, 2016Amazing Feats, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Natureadmin

by Rajkumar Bhavasar

If you think that the ongoing Dasara Ahaara Mela is just for foodies, you are wrong. As the venue also is a place to cure your skin diseases and other common ailments.

Nagamma, a nature therapist or Naati Vaidya, has come all the way from Kodagu to provide medicines to visitors. And the medicines given by her are in great demand.

She offers a variety of natural plant medicines, consultation and treats minor illnesses. She has set up her shop inside the Bharath Scouts and Guides Grounds where the Ahaara Mela is being held. So much so that she has gone back to Kodagu to bring more medicines as the stocks what she had got exhausted due to great demand.

68-year-old Nagamma is the recipient of 2014 State Janapada Award and apart from being an expert folk singer, she has innate and immense knowledge about herbal medicines that have been handed over to her by her ancestors.

At Doddabettageri in Kodagu, where Nagamma lives in a tribal hamlet, people with common ailments like stomach and tooth aches, joint pains, fever, ear-related problems and diarrhoea get treatment from her. Her fame is spread far and wide and this time, she has come to Mysuru to offer her expertise.

People who have pain in their ears, fever, hand and leg sprains and allergies flock to her stall and get cured within a day. Jademada, one of her patients, swears by her treatment and says that the illness once treated by Nagamma will never recur.

Talking about her medicines, Nagamma said that the juice extracted from Gandhari leaves cure ear pains and wax discharges in just five minutes. If a person is totally affected by allergies or acne, a juice extracted from Gali leaves mixed with garlic can be applied on the infection.

“The patient will feel a sense of relief and within a couple of days, the skin problems will be completely cured. Also, Black Tualsi available abundantly even in cities is a very good medicine,” she says.

Nagamma is an expert in folk songs as well. Any special occasion within her tribe, she does not fail to sing, soothing the listening ears with her voice. Ganga puja, a prominent ritual in her tribe’s weddings is incomplete without Nagamma singing “Ondele ondadike, ondu gandhada bottu namma sastra…” She sings various folk songs throughout the rituals and continues even after that to entertain guests. Nagamma has also sung Sobane Padha for Akashavani and has gained a lot of praises.

“In my tribal hamlet, I treat hundreds of patients without even charging a single rupee. I have learnt about natural medicines, leaves, barks and roots from my forefathers. Now I am teaching the same to my daughter,” she says with a smile.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / October 05th, 2016

Back from Antarctica, IAS officer has climate change lessons for Kodagu

August 13, 2016Amazing Feats, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Nature, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Maiden feat

Charulata Somal is the first IAS officer to have gone on an expedition to the Antarctica. The 2012-batch officer from Karnataka cadre has just returned from the icy continent.

After getting a first-hand account of the impact of climate change during her 15-day expedition, the Chief Executive Officer of Kodagu Zilla Panchayat wants to use her experience to combat climate change in the district. Speaking to Deccan Herald, the 28-year-old officer said her aim was to improve Kodagu.

Somal was among 140 people from 30 countries who went on the expedition. There were 17 Indians in the team, including Somal. This was the largest contingent from the country, she said.

The team included engineers, educationists, scholars, members of non-government organisations, film makers, photographers and artists.
“We were chosen from among 7,000 applicants across the globe. I am proud to be the first IAS officer to have taken an expedition to the Antarctica,” she said, her face beaming with joy. The expedition was held from March 13 to 26, 2016.

The participants were selected at an expedition organised by the 2041 Foundation of Robert Swan, the first man to have walked the North and South Poles.

He made a 900-mile journey to South Pole, the longest unassisted march in history, from 1984 to 1987. The foundation has been organising expeditions since 2003-04.

A BA graduate in Economics (Honours), Somal said the subject helped her understand how energy resources were being exploited and how they could be conserved.

“We started the expedition by a ship named Endeavour from Ushuaia in Argentina and touched the Antarctic West Peninsula. Every day we landed at a different place. We had ice classroom sessions, where participants are made to sit on the ice. Apart from travelling by ship, we trekked for three to four hours, walked for 30 km with 80-100 kg luggage in -10 degrees Celsius. At times, the temperature was as low as -35 degrees Celsius. We experienced chilly winds blowing at a speed of 45 miles per hour, snow, sunshine and even rain at freezing temperatures,” she recollected.

After returning from the expedition, Somal made a presentation at the Karnataka IAS Officers’ Association to her colleagues and senior officials. She is also preparing to submit a report to the state government about the way of life in the Antarctica and the knowledge she acquired there.

“As an official, we have certain limitations. But in my personal capacity, I am conducting awareness camps for schoolchildren on how to save the last wilderness on earth, the impact of climate change on natural resources and how Cauvery basin, which is the prime source of water for Bengaluru and other areas, can be saved,” she said.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / by Bosky Khanna, Bengaluru / DHNS – August 13th, 2016

For a green escape

August 6, 2016About Kodagu / Coorg, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

Nestled in the verdant landscape of hills and forests, Kodagu is considered as one of the most beautiful hill stations in Karnataka. Popular for its serene nature, rich biodiversity, quality coffee, vibrant culture and brave warriors, the district has made great strides in tourism and agriculture. Located in the Western Ghats mountain range, Kodagu has many places of tourist interest. During the monsoons, nature is at its best here with spectacular sights of rivers and waterfalls. Trekking, water sports and nature-watching are some of the common activities people get indulged in while farmers get busy in agricultural activities. Here is a glimpse into the diversity of Kodagu in the rainy season.

The charm of water
The Brahmagiri hill range in the western and southern parts of Kodagu has some of the highest peaks of Karnataka such as Thadiyandamol. Near Thadiyandamol, and on the way west from the town of Virajpet (about 16 km away) towards Talacauvery, is a beautiful natural cascade called the Chelavara Falls beside the village of Cheyyandane. This waterfall is within a forest and is part of a stream, which eventually joins River Cauvery. Chelavara is also called Embepare or Tortoise rock colloquially. There is a beautiful hill called Choma Kund, a couple of kilometres away. Chelavara is accessible from Madikeri and Virajpet by road.

River Lakshmanathirtha takes birth in the forests of Western Ghats and flows through Kodagu and Mysuru until it merges with River Cauvery at the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) in Mandya. Near Kurchi village in South Kodagu, this tributary cascades down a rocky hill, forming a waterfall. The waterfall is called as Irupu Falls. Legend has it that Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman had come to this place and when Rama was thirsty, Lakshmana shot an arrow into the hills and hence, River Lakshmanathirtha was born. There is one more version of the story, which says that Lakshmana had once unwittingly insulted Rama and later, tried to immolate himself in repentance. In order to douse the fire and save Lakshmana, Rama shot an arrow into the rocks and the stream was formed. A Shiva linga was installed by Rama to aid his prayers. Nearby is the Hanuman Betta. One will be pointed out to a crescent shaped depression on that hill and told that it was formed when the powerful Hanuman wound his large tail around it in an attempt to heave it. The Irupu Falls can be reached by road from the towns of Virajpet or Gonikoppal. The best time to visit the falls is monsoon.

River Barapole near T Shettigeri is accessible from Virajpet and is a good site for white water rafting. It has a number of rapids with strange sounding names such as Grasshopper, Morning Coffee, Wicked Witch, Frame Head and Milky Churn. The river takes birth in the Brahmagiri hills, meanders through forests and coffee plantations and then disappears into the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. The greenery on either side is infested with reptiles and insects, so the traveller needs to take precautions. The rivulet eventually goes west into Kerala and descends into the Arabian Sea.

Nishani Motte is a lesser-known peak near the temple town of Bhagamandala which is known for Triveni Sangam, a confluence of three rivers. Nishani motte is a good place for trekkers but one must seek permission from the Forest Department and follow a ‘leave no trace’ policy in order to safeguard the ecology of the area. A part of the trail has to be taken by jeep. If one is lucky, then he or she can spot elephants grazing below the hills. One also needs to watch out for leeches.

The rain god
The Padi Igguthappa Temple dedicated to Igguthappa, considered as the god of rains, is located near the town of Kakkabe in the Thadiyandamol region and is accessible by road. In Kodagu, Igguthappa is venerated as a hero god and especially remembered during Puttari, the harvest festival. While River Cauvery is called the kula devi or patron goddess, Igguthappa is known as mahaguru, or chief preceptor. He is also considered as the giver of food. It is one of the most ancient temples in Kodagu.

The main annual temple festival of Padi Igguthappa happens around April. The date of Puttari festival is decided in the Igguthappa temple. The festival begins in the temple and the crop is first offered here. Only then the people of Kodagu celebrate the festival. During the harvest festival, people invoke Igguthappa, Mahadeva and Baithurappa (the deity of Vayathur).

According to a ballad, Igguthappa had five brothers and a sister, and all were reincarnations of various deities. Born across the celestial milky ocean, they arrived as children in the northern Malabar coast.While three elder brothers settled in different places of worship as deities, the remaining four siblings crossed the Western Ghats and entered Kodagu. Led by Igguthappa, the eldest among them, they came near a hill in the village of Kakkabe. There, they felt hungry and hence came to a halt. They were in the family property of Nambimada Muthanna, a local farmer and landlord. Later, Muthanna had the Padi Igguthappa Temple built. His descendants became the hereditary managers of that temple. Though the temple’s history dates back to several centuries, the present temple is said to be built by a king a couple of centuries ago.

Among the younger brothers of Igguthappa, one was an avatar of Lord Mahalingeshwara. He settled down in the village of Palur along River Cauvery and came to be known as Palurappa. Pemmayya, the last of the brothers went southward dressed as a yogi. He crossed the Brahmagiri hill range and settled down in Thirunelli, Wayanad. His temple came to be known as Janardhana Temple, named after the deity whose avatar he was. The sister came to be known as Ponnangalatamme as she was destined to settle in Ponnangala in Yavakapadi village.

During the monsoons, races called the naati ota are organised upon the paddy fields of Kodagu. A long strip of land in a paddy field is left uncultivated. Both sides of this strip have three parallel rows of paddy seedlings, called naati. These rows are also called darae naati as they show the way to the runners. The track is set in the night. It is usually the farmers themselves who get together and organise the ota, or race. Traditionally, the runners gather from the neighbouring villages. They race across the track and through the slush, stumbling along the way. The winners are given a prize money. After the race, the track will have seedlings planted in them.

The event attracts large numbers of people from villages and towns. Be it rural sports rooted in culture or historical temples or serene places, Kodagu has something for everyone.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by Mookonda Kushalappa / August 02nd, 2016

Adventurous Treks to Free You from the Shackles of Your 9-5 Job

August 5, 2016Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Sportsadmin

A 9-5 job or rather should be termed as a jail is just a sufficient medium to fetch you with bread and butter, but the passion which you always aspired will give you a life! A life which you always experience in your dreams only. Give it a thought! This slavery of 9-5 shift is doing no good to you other than drawing you away from your true passion. If you feel that you could be the next greatest person to come up with some crazy discoveries, then you really can. You don’t need to be smart or rich to achieve that aspiration of yours. All you need to do is to ignite your passion and follow your own inner voice to which you’ve stopped listening. Imagine waking up every morning and feeling like your life is a vacation. Imagine being free to go anywhere without a job permission. Imagine being truly free! Doesn’t it sound awesome? But there are certain questions which turmoil your head when you try to imagine these things. Questions like ‘How would I feed myself and my family? and ‘How would I get money and resources?’ The answer to your concerns is Coorg.

Coorg is a beautiful town blessed with the natural beauty of the Western ghats. Noted for its lush green hills and soothing climate, Coorg also holds multiple trekking trails and solace-destinations for your weekend escapes. And the best part is that you don’t have to burn a big hole in your pocket to experience what this city has in offer for you. HolidayIQ travellers have compiled some of the awesome trekking trails in Coorg.

Tadiandamol Trek

Having a height of 5740 ft from the sea level, Tadiandamol trek is the highest point in Coorg. The adventure of the Tadiandamol Trek passes through vast expanses of Shola forests, through lush green grasslands and breathtaking falls and streams. The best part is that it’s just 8 kilometers from the city and difficulty level of the trek is also easy. Installing and camp here and lighting up a bonfire and enjoying the whole eye-orgasmic view while sipping wine can be one hell of a doing you’re ever likely to experience in your life. And the gutsy wind blowing across adds wonders to the charm of this destination.

source: http://www.siliconindia.com / Silicon India / Home> SI News> Life / by Silicon India / Friday – August 05th, 2016

Kodagu First

a Celebration. Positive News, Facts & Achievements about Kodagu, Coorgs and the People of Kodagu – here at Home and Overseas