Kodagu is very rich in heritage making it a very attractive tourist destination. Given below are the spots that are most frequented by tourists world over. Mountain Blue is a perfect base from where you can visit these
places at leisure.
Abbi falls:
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This is a place situated at about 7 kms from Madikeri amidst natural beauty. This was formally christened as “Jessie falls” in honour of Chiplin’s first daughter, but later on called as “Abbi falls”. This is situated in the border of a cardamom garden surrounded by green hills and the waterfalls from 20-feet height, which has made the place a beautiful spot and attracts lot of tourists.
The Golden Temple: (Namdroling Monastery)
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Namdroling Monastery represents the fruit of the huge investment of
time and energy made by Penor Rinpoche. Today, Namdroling Monastery
in Byalakuppe is a thriving community and home to thousands of lamas,
monks and nuns, making it the largest Nyingmapa teaching center in the
world. Those who have studied or are studying at the monastery include
all the major lineage holding tulkus and lamas of the Palyul tradition
, including the fifth Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, the third Choktrul
Rinpoche and the third Rago Choktrul Rinpoche. Their spiritual training
is directed and guided by Penor Rinpoche himself. Tulkus of other
traditions have also studied at Namdroling, including the Sakyong
(Mipham Rinpoche), Minling Dungsey, and Minling Khenchen Rinpoche.
The temple is situated in Bylakoppe, which is in about 2 kms from
Kushalnagar and about 5 to 6 Kms from Mountainblue homestay which
equates to a 15 minute drive to the golden temple.
Dubare
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Dubare: This is mainly an elephant-capturing and training camp of the
Forest Department, at the edge of Dubare forest, on the bank of the
river Kaveri, on the Kushalanagara - Siddapur road. Wild elephants are
captured from the forest and trained here with the help of tame Forest
Department elephants. The tame elephants are brought down to the river
to bathe in the evening, and tourists may be offered elephant rides or
invited to help in feeding the elephants, which are given
sized laddus made of jaggery and grain.
To reach Dubare: 40 kms from Madikeri. and 15 kms from Kushalnagar.
If you are planning to go by bus from kushalnagar, you have to get down
in Nanjarayapattana. From there its 3kms. It is about half an hours
drive from Mountain Blue homestay.
Cauvery Nisarga Dhama:
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Cauvery Nisarga Dhama is a popular picnic spot in Kodagu District and
is around 35 km from Madikeri.
This man-made island was built in 1988 and is spread over a
sprawling 35-acre land. There is a hanging bridge at the entry.
Machans (tree top shelters) and pargola (wall less shelters),
pedal boating, elephant riding and a deer park are the major interests
here.
It is located about 2 km from Kushalnagar (About a 10 minute drive from
mountainblue) on the Mysore-Madikeri Road.
Palace in the fort:
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At present the fort is situated at a top most point built with stones. Tippu after building a stone fort called this as “Jafrabad”. In the year 1790 Veerarajendra took back this fort to his custody. From then onwards it was in the hands of Haleri kings till 1834. Afterwards British captured it. There was a Veerabhadra temple to the south of the fort, which was later on occupied by the British, who converted it into a prayer hall. Lingaraja, who ruled Kodagu (Coorg) after Veerarajendra rebuilt a palace in between the year 1812-1814 with brick and mortar. During British rule, the palace was renovated twice. In 1933, a portico to park the commissioner’s car and a clock tower was also built. At present different offices of the district administration are lodged here.
Omkareshwara temple in Madikeri:
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In 1820 a significant building built by Lingarajendra was Omkareshwara temple. This has both Islamic and Gothic style of architecture. There is a tank in front of the temple. There is a footpath leading to a small “Mantap”. The surrounding place is abode with peace. There is a story behind building of this temple. It is said Lingarajendra killed an honest and pious Brahmin to fulfill his political ambitions. That Brahmin became a “Brahmarakshasa” and started teasing the king with troubles. It left the king only when the king brought a “Shivalinga” from Kashi and installed it after building a temple. The shivalinga was named as “Omkareshwara” and regular rituals were performed. The bars of the windows of the temple were made of “Panchaloha” and an alphabet “lim” has been placed in between the bars. Four minars have been built on four corners of the temple and the central minar is like a globe, which anybody can see.
The Graveyard (Samadhi) of kings:
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To the north of Mahadevpet in Madikeri city, there is a mount of mud having Samadhi of Kings. There we can see the samadhis of Doddaveerarajendra, his wife and Lingarajendra. His brother Lingarajendra completed the samadhi started by Doddaveerarajendra. Sannaveeraraja built Lingarajendra’s samadhi in the year 1820.
In the year 1834, in addition to king’s samadhis, “samadhis” were built for diwans Teppadikeponnappa and “Rajguru” Rudrappa. We can see samadhis built for army chief Biddanda Bopu, who was the commander-in-chief for the army of Doddaveeraraja and Chikkaveeraraja and his son Somaiaha’s samadhi too. On the samadhi of Biddanda Bopu, there is a plate carved in Kannada praising him for his bravery shown in the wars fought against Tipu Sultan.
All the samadhis of kings are in Islamic style and there is an alphabet “lim” in between two bars of windows.
Raja seat:
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This is a place situated in the heart of Madikeri, where the kings used to spend their evening time enjoying the natural beauty. This is a place, from where you can see the far off green hills and the paddy fields, which are there in valleys. The tar roads look like serpents, which run between the thick forests. It is a very good place from where we can see the snows and clouds moving on the top of green hills. There is no other place from where we can see the wonderful sunset and enjoy the beauty of nature. The Government has many plans to make this place more
beautiful.
Bhagamandala:
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This is a pilgrimage center situated 39 kms to the west of Madikeri. To reach this place there are enough good roads from both Madikeri and Veerarajpet. This is a place, where Kannika and Sujyothi, the two tributaries to Cauvery join. This is known as “Triveni Sangama”. Near to this sangama, there are four temples, where Eshwara, Subramanya, Vishnu and Ganapathi are installed.
This is also known as “Bhagundeshwara Kshetra”. The pilgrims before going to Talakaveri take a dip in the sangama and perform “Karmas” (rituals) to their ancestors. (Known as “pindapradhana”). During the Cauvery
festival and Tula Sankramana, tourists and pilgrims will assemble here in large numbers. There is a stone “Shasana” carved in Tamil language inside “Bhagundeshwara” temple. In between the year 1785-1790 it seems
that Tipu had converted it into a fort and had a company of his army. He had named Bhagamandala as “Afesalabad”. In 1790 King Doddaveeraraja took Bhagamandala back after having a fierce battle for five days. During the time of this battle there was a damage caused breaking three copper plates by the “Firangis” directly handled by Doddaveeraraja, which were later on replaced by four silver plates. The style of the temples built
in Malayali style brings the memory of temples in the far off Nepal.
Talakaveri:
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After performing the “Karmas” to the ancestors taking a bath at Bhagamandala, one has to tread about 8 kms towards Brahmagiri hills, where one can land up at the birthplace of river Cauvery known as Talakaveri.
This Brahmagiri is situated amidst green hills. There is a parapet wall of 30 by 3 feet to a tank. There is another tank adjacent to this, which is of a square 2 and ½ feet. It is in this tank that Cauvery takes her birth and flows. As per the local puranas, every year on a particular day and at a particular time the river Cauvery springs out and gives “Darshan” to her devotees. This is on 17th October every year. That day is known as “Tula Sankramana”.
There are temples at Talakaveri of Agasthyeshwara and Lord Ganapathi. The Brahmagiri hill at the birthplace of Cauvery is about 300-feet height. It is believed that “Saptha Rishis” had gone for a penance here and
got “Moksha”. In evidence of this we can see seven “agni kundas” even today.
In earlier times, only young people could have climbed the Brahmagiri hills but now the Madikeri Lion’s Club have put about 435 stone steps and has made it easy for the pilgrims to go on top and have a view of the
natural beauty. We can see Kudremukh, Chamundi Hills of Mysore and Vainad hills of Malbar and if there is good clear weather, we can have a clear view of Nilgiri Hills and Arabian Sea from the peak of Brahmagiri.
Chettalli:
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This is in the Madikeri-Siddapur road about 24 kms from Madikeri. There is a modern research center for agriculture . It is spread in an area of about 170 acres. There is a coffee research center also.
Iggutappa devara betta:
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About 32 kms from Madikeri. This is situated near Ayyangeri forest in “padithara valley”. There is a peak, which is a pilgrimage center and a holy place for both Kodavas and Hindus. The deity Subramanya is called “Iggutappa” by the kodavas. The people of this district perform special poojas frequently.
Irpu:
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This is a very important holy place and pilgrimage center situated at 48 kms from Veerarajpet(Virajpet is about 30 kms from MAdikeri) very near to the Kurchi village of South Canara on the banks of Lakshmanthirtha, where a Shiva temple had been constructed, the deity, it is believed was installed by Sriramachandra himself. On Mahashivarathri people from all over the district assemble here, after taking a dip in the river Lakshmanthirtha they offer poojas to Lord Shiva. Around Irpu towards Vainad there is another peak Brahmagiri Shikara, which is known for its natural beauty.
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