Kodagu district (Kodava:[koɖɐɡɨ]) (also known by its former nameCoorg) is an administrativedistrict in theKarnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separateCoorg State at which point it was merged into an enlargedMysore State.[4][5]
Mandalpatti Peak nearMadikeri can be reached using road
Geography
Kodagu is located on the eastern slopes of theWestern Ghats. It has a geographical area of 4,102 km2 (1,584 sq mi).[6] The district is bordered byDakshina Kannada district to the northwest,Hassan district to the north,Mysore district to the east,Kasaragod district of Kerala in west andKannur district ofKerala to the southwest, andWayanad district of Kerala to the south. It is a hilly district, the lowestelevation being 50 metres (160 ft) above sea-level near makutta. The highest peak,Tadiandamol, rises to 1,750 metres (5,740 ft), withPushpagiri, the second highest, at 1,715 metres (5,627 ft). The main river in Kodagu is theKaveri (Cauvery), which originates atTalakaveri, located on the eastern side of the Western Ghats, and with its tributaries, drains the greater part of Kodagu.[7]
Kodagu district receives majority of its rainfall fromSouthwest Monsoon winds. It is the 4th highest average annual rainfall receiving district inKarnataka. The amount of rainfall varies significantly due to the effects of El-nino and La-nina.
In the year 2018, Kodagu received 29% excess rainfall of 3,737 millimetres (147.1 in),[8] 3,040 millimetres (120 in) in 2019,[9] 2,541 millimetres (100.0 in) in 2020,[10] and 2,656 millimetres (104.6 in) in 2021.[11]
In the year 2022, Kodagu received 11% Above-Normal rainfall of 3,036 millimetres (119.5 in).[12]
In the year 2023, it received 38% deficit rainfall of 1,690 millimetres (67 in).[13]
Kodagu is home for species endemic to the Western Ghats. It has large tiger and elephant populations as well. As per the elephant census of 2023, Kodagu with 1,013 elephants, had nearly one-sixth of total elephant population inKarnataka, second only toChamarajanagar.
Agriculture
Economy of Kodagu is dependent on agriculture. Major crops grown here are Paddy,[14][15]Coffee, Rubber, Pepper, Cardamom,Coorg Oranges and Honey production.[16] Tea, Ginger and Cocoa are also grown in smaller quantities.[17]
Coffee and pepper production
Kodagu is the largest Coffee and Pepper producing district inIndia. Karnataka produces nearly 70% of the totalCoffee production in India, out of which 33% is contributed by Kodagu district alone.[18] Also Kodagu produces nearly a quarter of India's Black Pepper.[19][20]
The Codava National Council andKodava Rashtriya Samiti are campaigning for autonomy to Kodagu district which would have made Coorg more prosperous and independent.[21][22]
Map of South Indian states prior to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Kodagu (then called Coorg) is in dark green.
TheKodavas were the earliest inhabitants and agriculturists in Kodagu, having lived there for centuries. Kodavas being a warrior community as well, they carried arms during times of war and had their own chieftains.[23]
The earliest mention about Coorg can be seen in the works those date back toSangam period (300 BCE - 300 CE). TheEzhimala dynasty had jurisdiction over twoNadus - The coastalPoozhinadu and the hilly easternKarkanadu.[24] According to the works ofSangam literature,Poozhinadu consisted much of the coastal belt betweenMangalore andKozhikode.[25]Karkanadu consisted ofWayanad-Gudalur hilly region with parts of Kodagu (Coorg).[26]
TheHaleri dynasty, an offshoot of theKeladi Nayakas, ruled Kodagu between 1600 and 1834. Later the British ruled Kodagu from 1834, after theCoorg War, until India's independence in 1947. A separate state (calledCoorg State) until then, in 1956 Kodagu was merged with the Mysore State (nowKarnataka).[27][28][29]
Coorg in British India
In 1834, the East India Company annexed Kodagu intoBritish India, after deposingChikka Virarajendra of the Kodagu kingdom, as 'Coorg'.[30] British rule led to the establishment of educational institutions, introduction of scientific coffee cultivation, better administration and improvement of the economy.[31][32][33] This reference notwithstanding - we should remember that the colonial rule by the British in India was about exploitation of resources and Kodagu provided a lot of scope for economic benefits to a colonising empire.
Demographics
Kodavas, 1875, from: "The people of India: A series of photographic illustrations..." (New York Public Library).
According to the2011 census of India, Kodagu has a population of 554,519,[2] roughly equal to theSolomon Islands[35] or the US state ofWyoming.[36] This ranks it 539 out of 640 districts in India in terms of population.[2] The district has a population density of 135 inhabitants per square kilometre (350/sq mi).[2] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 1.13%.[2] Kodagu has asex ratio of 1019females for every 1000 males,[citation needed] and aliteracy rate of 82.52%. 14.61% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 13.27% and 10.47% of the population respectively.[2]
Hindus are the vast majority. They include the Kodava people, other Kodava language speakers, Arebhashe Gowdas, Brahmins, most Yeravas and Kurubas.A huge minority of Muslims dot the Coorg district, especially the towns ofKushalnagar,Virajpet andMercara. A sizeable of them are theNawayaths who shifted in the eighties fromBhatkal andMurdeshwar in order to pursue coffee & arecanut plantations and textile business. The numerous mosque dotting the landscape is the testimony of Muslim presence in the district.
A small number ofMangalorean Catholics are also found in Coorg.[quantify] They are mostly descended from thoseKonkani Catholics who fled the roundup and, later, captivity byTippu Sultan. These immigrants were welcomed by Raja Veerarajendra (himself a former captive of Tippu Sultan, having escaped six years of captivity in 1788) who realising their usefulness and expertise as agriculturists, gave them lands and tax breaks and built a church for them.[38]
According toKarnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy (Karnataka's Kodava Literary Academy), apart from Kodavas, and their related groups, theAmma Kodavas, the KodavaPeggade (Kodagu Heggade) and the KodavaMaaple (Kodava Muslims), 18 other smaller-numbered ethnic groups speak Kodava Takk in and outside the district including theIri (Airi, or the carpenters and the village smiths), theKoyava, theBanna, the KodaguMadivala (washermen), the KodaguHajama (barber, also called Nainda), theKembattiPoleya (household servants and labourers) and theMeda (basket and mat weavers and drummers).[42]
Among other Kodava speaking communities are: theHeggades, cultivators from shimogga; theKodava Nair, cultivators from Kerala State; theAyiri, who constitute the artisan caste; theMedas, who are basket and mat-weavers and act as drummers at feasts; theBinepatta, originally wandering musicians from Malabar, now farmers; and theKavadi, cultivators settled in Yedenalknad (Virajpet). All these groups speak theKodava language and conform generally to Kodava customs and dress.[41]
The Arebhashe gowdas,[43] orKodagu Gowdas, and Tulu Gowdas, are an ethnic group ofDakshina Kannada and Kodagu. They live in Sulya (in Dakshina Kannada) and in parts of Somwarpet, Kushalanagar, Bhagamandala and Madikeri. They speak a language known asArebhashe a dialect ofKannada. Guddemane Appaiah Gowda along with many other freedom fighters from different communities revolted against theBritish in an armed struggle which covered entire Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada. This was one of the earliest freedom movements against the British[44] called "Amara Sulliada Swantantrya Sangraama"[45] (Amara Sulya Dhange[44] formally called the 'Coorg Rebellion' by the British) started in 1837.[46][47][48][49]
Tourism
Kaveri River in KushalnagaraTibetan Buddhist Golden temple, in Bylakuppe near Kushalanagar
Kodagu is rated as one of the top hill station destinations in India. Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Kodagu include Talakaveri, Bhagamandala, Nisargadhama,Abbey Falls,Dubare,Nagarahole National Park,Iruppu Falls, and the Tibetan Buddhist Golden Temple.[50]
Talakaveri is the place where theRiver Kaveri originates.[51] The temple on the riverbanks here is dedicated to Lord Brahma, and is one of only two temples dedicated to Brahma in India and Southeast Asia.Bhagamandala is situated at the Sangama (confluence) of two rivers, the Kaveri and the Kannika. A third river, the Sujyothi, is said to join from underground, and hence this spot is called the Triveni Sangama.Iruppu Falls is a sacred Kodagu Hindu spot in South Kodagu in the Brahmagiri hill range. TheLakshmana Tirtha River, with the waterfalls, flows nearby and has a Rameshwara temple on its banks. It is said that this sacred river was created when Laxmana, prince of Ayodhya and younger brother of Lord Rama, shot an arrow into nearby hill, theBrahmagiri hill. Chelavara falls and Thadiandamol peak are also in South Kodagu.Nagarahole is a national park and wildlife resort.
Madikeri is the capital of the district andRaja's Seat park is popular with tourists.[52] Kootu Poley dam is also popular among tourists. Omkareshwara Temple is a beautiful temple built in the Indo-Sarcenic style in Coorg. A legend is associated with the temple, built by Lingarajendra II in 1820 CE. The king put to death a pious Brahmin who dared to protest against his misdeeds. The spirit of the dead man began to plague the king day and night. On the advice of wise men, the king built this temple and installed a Shivalinga procured from Kashi, North India.St. Mark's Church is located within theMercara Fort and was raised in 1859, by the officers and men of theEast India Company. The building was funded by the Government ofMadras,[53] and placed under theChurch of England in India, Diocese of Madras.[54] The Church was closed afterIndian independence, and taken over by theGovernment of Karnataka in 1971.[55] The building now houses the Madikeri Fort Museum, managed by the Karnataka State Archaeological Department.[56]
Dubare is mainly an elephant-capturing and training camp of the Forest Department at the edge of Dubare forest; on the bank of the riverKaveri along theKushalanagara – Siddapura road.[57]Nisargadhama is a man-made island and picnic spot nearKushalanagara, formed by the riverKaveri.The Tibetan Buddhist Golden Temple is at Bylakuppe near Kushalnagara (Mysore district), in the Tibetan refugee settlement.
Abbey Falls is a scenic waterfall 5 km fromMadikeri.Mallalli falls is 25 km from Somawarapet, downhill of the Pushpagiri hills.[58] Mandalapatti is 28 km from Madikeri. On the way to Abbey Falls, before 3 km from Abbey Falls take right, from there 25 km. Kote Betta temple, Kote Abbey falls are also in North Kodagu. Abbi waterfall and otherwaterfalls are best duringmonsoon season, typically some days after it starts raining in June up to the end ofrainy season, while there is more water gushing in the streams and rivers.[59]
C. G. Somiah was the first IAS Officer fromCoorg to rise to be the Home Secretary, Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and Comptroller and Auditor General.[71]
^Herbert Feis (December 1926). "The Mechanism of Adjustment of International Trade Balances".The American Economic Review.16 (4). American Economic Association:593–609.JSTOR1.
^"Museums in Karnataka".Government of Karnataka: Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage. 2015. Archived fromthe original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved21 August 2015.
^Kamath (1993).Karnataka State gazetteer, Volume 20. Bangalore: Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press. p. 659. Retrieved11 October 2014.
India
