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Glass Bridge In Kodagu Offers Thrilling Encounter With Nature

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021), , , , , , ,

Among the multiple famed tourist attractions in the hill station of Kodagu — a captivating destination for travellers from far and wide throughout the year — is a new must-visit place, a brand-new glass skywalk bridge.

It is made of tempered glass panels or flooring that provide visitors with a thrilling experience of walking above ground level, often offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape

The glass skywalk bridge in the district is the second such attraction in South India, the first one being at Wayanad in Kerala at 900 Kandi Eco Park. This remarkable Glass Skywalk Bridge of Kodagu is nestled amidst the forests and hills of the Western Ghats, attracting tourists like a magnet.

The bridge, standing approximately 78 feet tall, with a length of about 32 metres and a width of 2 metres, has been attracting tourists to the ‘Pappy’s Bridge of Coorg’ at Udoth Motte near Madikeri on the Madikeri-Bhagamandala Road. This bridge, with a capacity to support around 5 tonnes, can accommodate up to 40 to 50 individuals at once, providing them with an opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature.

Through its stunning natural beauty, the tourism sector in Kodagu has successfully garnered global attention and the newly added glass skywalk bridge further enhances this tourism initiative.

Situated amidst the lush green hills, the bridge offers a breathtaking view. Standing and gazing from the bridge not only evokes a sense of fear but also provides an exhilarating experience. The surrounding hills seem to reach out and beckon, their peaks adorned with greenery.

Looking down from the top feels as if the sky is within reach and stepping on the glass, while enjoying the beauty of nature, brings joy to the visitors. While the natural beauty of Kodagu with its umpteen viewpoints has enchanted the tourists, the bridge, amidst the greenery of the hills stands this remarkable creation, skilfully erected by engineers.

Walking on the transparent glass surface, amidst the verdant nature, offers a thrilling experience that takes it to the next level. The facility, allowing tourists to indulge in the beauty of nature, was recently inaugurated by Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna who also walked along the bridge.

He appreciated the significant contribution of the local community to this tourism initiative and noted that the facility holds significance as a unique attraction in the region, surpassing even the famous glass bridge in Wayanad.

He said that the facility will contribute to the Kodagu district’s development as a nature-friendly tourist destination, without causing any harm to the environment. He also mentioned that the implementation of this unique project will lead to an increase in the number of tourists visiting the district.

Fake image

Yet again an image claiming that cracks had developed on the glass bridge went viral and the video generated panic among tourists. Later it was found to be stable and the photo was confirmed to be fake.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles, Top Stories / July 17th, 2023

CNC Delegation Meets CM For Resolution Of Ethnic Issues

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Bengaluru:

The Codava National Council (CNC) delegation met Chief Minister Siddharamaiah yesterday at the CM’s Home Office ‘Krishna’ and the meeting was facilitated by Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnana.

The Chief Minister assured the CNC delegation that he would address the two major ethnic issues raised by the CNC. Firstly, he pledged to change the official nomenclature of the Codava community from ‘Kodagaru’ to ‘Kodava’ in accordance with the recommendations of the Dr. Dwarakanath Commission.

This change would be implemented soon after the Cabinet meeting and the updated name would be included in Government records and published in the State Gazette, the CM assured.

Secondly, the Chief Minister assured the delegation that a comprehensive ethnographic study would be conducted to determine the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Kodava community. The study will be initiated shortly.

The delegation was led by CNC President Nandineravanda U. Nachappa and comprised over 30 members from the community.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home > News / July 16th, 2023

State-Level Inter-Collegiate Sports Week Concludes At MICA

Education, Records, All, Sports, , ,

MICA College, Mysuru, had organised a State- level Inter-Collegiate Hockey, Cricket, Basketball and Football  tournaments in their campus from June 16 to 27.

 Sporting teams from Kodagu, Mandya, Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru fought for the coveted MI trophies and cash prizes.

In the Hockey MI3s tournament, 29 teams participated and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa (FMKMC) College, Madikeri, defeated St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru to win the trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 15,000. Runners-up were awarded a trophy and cash prize of Rs. 7,000. 

In MI Crick, 32 teams participated.  In the finals, SBRR Mahajana PG Centre defeated MIT Tandavapura and won a cash prize of Rs. 10,000 with a trophy.  Runners-up were awarded cash prize of Rs. 5,000 and a trophy. 

A total of 14 teams participated in the MI3s Basketball tournament.  In Boys category SJCE, Mysuru defeated MICA Mysuru and won Rs. 10,000 cash prize and a trophy. Runners-up were awarded cash prize of Rs. 5000 and a trophy.  In Girls category, NIE Mysuru defeated Sapient College, Mysuru in the finals. 

In the flood light MI7s Football tournament, 32 teams participated. Sacred Heart Mangalore defeated FMKMC College, Madikeri to clinch the trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 20,000.  Runners-up were awarded cash prize of Rs. 10,000 and a trophy, according to a  press release from MICA Principal.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / July 10th, 2023

From Coorg to cricket stardom: Meet Vidwath, the next bowling sensation!

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, , , , , , ,

From land of hockey to cricket stardom, Vidwath Kaverappa takes seven-star route

IMAGE: Vidwath Kaverappa bagged seven wickets. Photograph: BCCI Domestic/Twitter

Vidwath Kaverappa entered the Karnataka pace bowling landscape in a rather tough period after the departure of stalwarts such as R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun and S Arvind.

It might have been tough for a 24-year-old to learn the tricks of the trade almost on his own.

But now, Vidwath has established himself as his the state team’s spearhead and a potential candidate to fill an India spot. In the previous Ranji Trophy season (2022-23) Vidwath bagged 30 wickets, and he has already picked up 14 wickets from three innings in the on-going Duleep Trophy.

The numbers give the picture of a young man who is a quick learner and a keen observer. Vidwath emphasised those aspects as his strong points.

The Karnataka right-arm pacer said he has been absorbing lessons from watching the footage of South African legend Dale Steyn and veteran India bowler Mohammed Shami.

“Since I don’t have the express pace, like Prasidh (Krishna) or Vysakh (Vijayakumar), I need to seek other ways to get purchase from the wicket. So, that’s something I’ve watched great bowlers like Dale Steyn or Mohammed Shami do,” he said.

Vidwath said he has been trying to copy the seam position of those two fine bowlers.

“I have seen a lot of moments of their bowling. So, I can see how good the seam presentation is and what the ball does, even in white ball. So, why not do it in the red ball with a prominent seam, and I know I’ll get a lot more help with it,” he said.

Vidwath has shown that trait all along, even from his junior days for Lions Institutions in Gonikoppal, Coorg, and Presidency College in Bengaluru.

Samuel Jayaraj, a KSCA coach who imparted him the first lessons, remembered watching him in Coorg eight years ago during a talent hunt drive by the state association.

Back then he was pleasantly surprised to see the spirited reaction from youngsters to the camp as Coorg is the stronghold of hockey.

“Vidwath had come as an attentive kid. He never gets tired of bowling at nets and wanted to learn as much as he could. He is a natural bowler and athlete.

“Coming from Coorg, he had that natural aptitude for sports. We just have to give him direction once I saw him during that trial. We were convinced that Vidwath would be an asset to the Karnataka team, and if everything goes well, then even at a higher level,” said Jayaraj.

It was not an empty praise as evidenced by future turn of events. In 2022, Vidwath finished as the second highest wicket-taker in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking 18 wickets from 8 matches at an impressive economy of 6.36.

The recognition of that effort came when Punjab Kings picked him up for the IPL 2023 from the mini-auction for his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

Though he did not play a game in this edition, Kings bowling coach Charl Langeveldt is convinced of his ward’s potential


“The team combination is such that it is tough for every player to get a chance to be in the 11. In a tournament like IPL, matches come very fast and you really don’t have time to tinker with 11.

“But this kid is talented and bowls at nets with a wonderful seam (position). He, I am sure, will feature in Punjab’s scheme prominently very soon,” Langeveldt told PTI.

Vidwath knew the importance of waiting for his turn patiently after taking those bold initial steps.

“I feel like I’m learning from every game and that is important at this age for me. I knew even if I didn’t get a chance into the big team this transitional period, my time will come.”

“I’ve watched football a lot, so I know how in a great team new players come when old players leave, you need to be patient with them. So, I had to take my time and perform to the best of my abilities,” said Vidwath.

Vidwath indeed did that. He wrecked a power-packed West Zone batting unit with a seven-wicket haul. His victim list included players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw.

However, Vidwath, typical of him, did not try to wrap the performance in a magic cloak.

“I’ve always been the kind of guy who likes responsibilities, who likes to take up the heavy load and make the big moments for the team,” he said.

Perhaps, he knows bigger moments are on his way. 

source: http://www.rediff.com / rediff.com / Home> Cricket / by PTI / July 14th, 2023

Rajyogini BK Meenakshiji Passes Away

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022)

Gonikoppal (Kodagu):

Brahma Kumari (BK) Meenakshiji, a senior Rajyogini of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, who was popularly called as Meenakshi Akka, passed away on July 11 morning at a private hospital in Mangaluru.

A native of Chikkamandur in Ponnampet taluk of Kodagu district, Meenakshiji was the eldest daughter of Kallichanda K. Machaiah and Parvathi couple and is survived by four brothers

The body was kept at the Gonikoppal Branch of Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya yesterday morning for the public to pay their last respects and the mortal remains were shifted to Chikkamandur, where the last rites were performed.

Brahma Kumaris Mysuru Zone Chief Convenor BK Lakshmiji, Kodagu Zone Chief Convenor BK Gayathriji and others have condoled the death of BK Meenakshiji.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 13th, 2023

DC urges resorts, homestays in Kodagu to upload details on tourism websites

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

The list of homestays and resorts in Kodagu, which are run legally getting all the clearances from government agencies, should be made available on tourism-related websites for the benefit of tourists.

This message was conveyed at a meeting of the associations of hotels, restaurants, resorts, and homestays in Madikeri. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja who suggested uploading information on registered homestays and resorts operated in the district.

Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan said the police have kept a close vigil for controlling narcotics and advised resorts not to engage in illegal activities. The police will act tough if they comes across such activities being encouraged on their properties, he cautioned. Problems can be brought to the notice of the police immediately by calling 112, he advised.

Kodagu Homestays’ Association general secretary Monti Ganesh suggested simplifying the registration process for homestays. Kodagu has about 200 registered homestays. If the process is simplified, more homestays will voluntarily register, he felt. He also suggested establishing tourist information centres and more public toilets besides giving importance to hygiene in tourist spots.

Hotel Owners’ Association president Nagendra Prasad said the district administration must consider giving priority to easing parking issues, which aggravate during weekends when tourist footfall goes up. He suggested establishing more facilities in tourist spots in view of the rise in tourism revenue.

Kodagu Chamber of Commerce and Industry general secretary Ambekallu Naveen said tourists engage in cooking while on visit to Kodagu. There has to be designated places for cooking for tourists, he said. Honey and spices are being faked in the market and this has to be checked for safeguarding the identity of these products.

Somwarpet taluk homestay association president C.K. Rohit said there are no display boards with useful information for tourists on the way to Kote Betta and steps must be taken to install information boards on the route for the benefit of tourists. He sought a ropeway at Mallalli waterfalls and a hanging bridge to Pushpagiri hills.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / July 11th, 2023

Holiday for schools in Kodagu as monsoon gains vigour

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All
The Cauvery near Betri in Kodagu district brimming with water due to heavy rains on Thursday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

All schools and anganwadis in Kodagu will remain closed on Friday as a precautionary measure in view of the incessant rains across the district.

A communique was issued by Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu Venkat Raja. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said monsoon was vigorous and active over south interior Karnataka with very heavy rainfall of 120 mm reported in Bhagamandala during the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.

The IMD has forecast heavy rains at isolated places over Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, and Kodagu district on July 7 and 8.

Though the monsoon progression into Kodagu has been slow, the last 72 hours has shown some traction with moderate to heavy rains in the Cauvery catchment areas.

The cumulative rainfall since the advent of South West Monsoon since June 1 till date is below normal in Kodagu (-79%), Mysuru (-40%), Mandya (-23%), Hassan (-63%), and Chamarajanagar (-32%).

But the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday saw Kodagu registering 58.12 mm of rainfall and this has been the trend since the past few days shoring up hopes of monsoon gaining vigour.

Apart from Bhagamandala (120 mm), heavy rains were also recorded at Sampaje (98.5 mm), Shantalli (100 mm), Madikeri Kasaba (54.20 mm), Napoklu (76.40 mm), Virajpet (68.4 mm), Hudikeri (53.3 mm), Srimangala (59.4 mm), Ponnampet (50 mm), and Ammathi (50 mm). Rains have also lashed other places like Suntikoppa, Kushalnagar, and Kodlipet.

The inflow into the Harangi reservoir was at the rate of 1,557 cusecs and the inflow is expected to increase owing to the current spell of rains in the next few days.

However, the cumulative rainfall since the advent of south west monsoon from June 1 till date is below normal in Kodagu (-79%), Mysuru (-40%), Mandya (-23%), Hassan (-63%), and Chamarajanagar (-32%).

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / July 06th, 2023

Sprinting to Success: Prolific Badminton duo Ashwini and Tanisha reach new heights in BWF Rankings

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022), World Opinion, , , , ,
Badminton - Commonwealth Games Day 10
Badminton – Commonwealth Games Day 10

Indian Badminton Doubles Players, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto have achieved their career-best rankings in BWF Rankings. In the recent update by the BWF, the duo successfully climbed up one place to reach 60th rank. This is the highest they have achieved in their entire career.

The pair recently won the Nantes International Challenge title by defeating the prolific duo of Hung En-Tzu and Lin Yu-Pei of Chinese Taipei. The event took place at the Salle Metropolitana de la Trocardaiare, Paris. Ashwini is a Commonwealth gold medallist and a world-class player with many titles under her belt.

Meanwhile, Tanisha has astoundingly proven herself. She paved her way through the domestic circuit and has shown his talent alongside experienced players. Both of them have performed exceptionally well in the recent past and are willing to stick with the winning ways.

Ashwini attained the highest-ever ranking of 10 in women’s double alongside Jwala Gutta in 2015. While Tanisha had the highest rank of 115 with Shruti Mishra. This duo has come a long way to achieve this feat in the BWF Rankings update. They display the depth in the Indian Badminton pool and the nurturing of this depth.

Other Indian Players to Gain in Recent BWF Rankings

Apart from these two, Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker moved up to 64th rank. Swetaparna Panda and Rutaparna Panda advanced to 66, while the Palak-Unnati pair moved to the 90th position. All of these Ranks were achieved in the Women’s Doubles category.

In the Men’s Single category, Kiran George moved up three places to achieve the 53rd position. While in the Men’s Doubles category, P.S.Ravikrishna and S.Sankar climbed up four places to grab the 70th ranking. The pair of Achutaditya-Venkata Harsha also made meager progress by moving to 80th place in the rankings.

These are some major updates from the BWF Rankings update in July 2023 and the players would be motivated to further progress in the same manner.

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> Badminton / by SportzConnect / edited by Yash Singh / July 05th, 2023

Why 5 families in Coorg’s Bandadka village dread the rains

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, , , , , ,

Bandadka village in Coorg, known as the Scotland of India, faces challenges during the rainy season. Lack of road connectivity, proper bridge, electricity, and necessities affect villagers. Despite requests, the authorities have not provided adequate facilities, putting lives at risk.

Why 5 families in Coorg's Bandadka village dread the rains vkp

Coorg is known as the Scotland of India. It shines with lush green vegetation, numerous waterfalls and rich culture. However, during the rainy season – the lack of basic necessities in the villages comes to the fore. One such unfortunate village is the Bandadka village of Sampaje taluk. 

The village has no road connectivity to the city. Every rainfall disrupts their peace. Agony takes over as the flow of the river is alarming. The local panchayat has not yet been able to provide the village with a proper bridge.

‘Jeevanadi’ going dry: Coorg suffers in tourism

During rainfall, it is risky to cross the Payashwini river, which flows along NH275. If one wants to reach the village, crossing the river while holding on to a rope is mandatory.

The villager’s lack of electricity, road connectivity, and even the link bridge connecting them to the taluk is breathing its last. Surprisingly, even after 75 years of Independence, there are such villages in the state, especially in the tourist hotspot of Coorg, which lack the necessities. 

The link bridge connecting the village and outskirts is ready to set sail if the people set their foot on it. There are five families in the village. Three of them comprise of old-aged people who are leading their lives in danger. The river flow during summer is very low, so the villagers’ daily life is not disrupted. Only during the rainy season do they undergo an adventurous river crossing every day. The Payashwini river, called the Chandragiri river, flows across Sullia, Jalsoor, Chengala and Kasargod.

Karnataka: Expect rainfall within 24 hours; ‘Orange’ alert for the coasts

The Panchayat used to construct a small bridge for the villagers once in 3-4 years. This year, the one constructed last time is on the verge of collapsing into the river. 

For medication, villagers must walk 2.5 km through the wild forest, which elephants and leopards inhabit. They should walk through the small dam and reach NH 275 for transport. The villagers complain that even after requesting the ministers, Panchayat and District administration to provide them with the facilities, no one seems to care.

source: http://www.newsable.asianetnews.com / Asianet News Able / Home> English News> India News / by Vijaykumar Patil / July 04t, 2023

NDRF Leads Mock Drill On Flood Response In Kodagu

Business & Economy, Defence Services (Air,Land,Sea),Police (wef. Dec 09th, 2021), Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All

Kushalnagar:

A mock drill on flood rescue operations was conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescue team and personnel from Government Departments at Hebbatageri village in Kodagu yesterday. Ironically, the drill was held at a time when Kodagu is facing an acute shortage of rainfall which is much below normal.

NDRF personnel, as specialised disaster responders,demonstrated flood response, rescue, evacuation and first aid to educate the local population. The drill was led by Deputy Commissioner Venkata Raja who assumed charge just days ago.

The drill, titled ‘Disaster Demonstration,’ was carried out with the cooperation of various Departments such as District Administration, NDRF, Police, Fire Brigade and Home Guards. The drill was aimed to create awareness among the public about how to undertake rescue operations during natural disasters like floods and landslides.

All the Departments actively participated in the exercise and understood their responsibilities during such challenging times. The training was aimed to equip people with effective strategies to cope with emergencies and disasters and to emphasise the role of NDRF in these situations.

Demonstration on emergency rescue methods

The mock drill included demonstrations of rescues including the collapse of land, tree falls, drowning rescue, boat rescue techniques and rescue from collapsed houses. Demonstration on emergency rescue methods and first-aid for drowning cases were also conducted.

In the event of a natural disaster, various measures were demonstrated in such situations. These included cutting off electricity supply, sealing off the incident site, providing initial medical treatment and transporting severely injured individuals to the hospital. Mock drills of such nature were conducted more than nine times in Kodagu till now.

NDRF Inspector Shantilal Jatiya led the team of 23 members, Assistant Sub-Inspector Chennanayaka from the Police Department with 15 Police officers, a team of 8 members led by Nagaraju from the Fire and Emergency Services Department and a team of 8 members led by Akshay from the Home Guards division participated, taking the total personnel to 54.

The DC stated that the mock exercise aimed to assess the disaster preparedness of different departments and agencies responsible for disaster management. Considering the vulnerability of villages along the river banks to floods, raising awareness among the public and evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of stakeholders was crucial for building disaster resilience.

He revealed that the joint practice sessions were aimed to enhance coordination, address shortcomings and achieve better results during rescue operations. The main objective of the exercise was to raise awareness among citizens about preventive measures and equip them with the necessary skills to deal with any natural or disastrous situation effectively.

Coordinated actions and synergy

Venkata Raja explained that through coordinated actions and synergy among various emergency support functions at the district and village levels, an effective flood response could be ensured during a real disaster situation. Drawing from past experiences, arrangements were being made in advance, including resources, manpower, equipment, communication, and systems, to save lives, he said.

The District Administration took the initiative to provide information through demonstration to instil public confidence in understanding how rescue operations are conducted and safety measures are taken during floods and landslides. Venkata Raja also mentioned the importance of raising public awareness about the procedures and protocols followed during such situations to ensure safety and rescue operations.

‘Though we have received below-average rainfall, there is a possibility of average to above-average rainfall in July and August,” he added. District Disaster Management Officer R.M. Ananya Vasudeva and other officers were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / July 02nd, 2023