We live in a world where exploitation of nature and its resources have reached its peak. There is no doubt that awareness towards the environment is slowly and gradually gaining importance, however, if someone would like to witness the aesthetic beauty of nature then Kodagu (commonly known by its former name Coorg) should be on the ‘must visit’ list.
Culture
Coorg is a beautiful hill station in Karnataka, which is approximately 120 km from Mysore. Owing to its appeal, it is popularly known as the Scotland of India. The culture and ethnicity of Coorg are very distinctive. The majority of the population comprises of Hindus. Due to the uniqueness in their customs and traditions, they prefer their elders to perform the ceremonies, rather than priests. People of Coorg are soldiers of our country. They respect and worship their weapons.
There is a far-fetched theory that the Coorgis are descendants of Alexander. When Alexander left India, some of his warriors stayed back in Coorg. This is the explanation of them being born a warrior and their unique customs, muscular appearances and traditions.
I visited Coorg in the year 2018 during the winter season. It was a family trip. We booked our stay in Evolve Back Resort (formerly known as Orange County). Our stay was for three days. In those three days, we stepped out to explore Coorg only on the last day of the stay. Even after spending two days continuously, we felt that we should have extended the trip for a day or two so that we could explore the resort even more. Surprising right? How can two days inside the same resort feel like a short duration? Doesn’t it get monotonous? I would answer these questions by sharing my experience while staying in Evolve Back.
Evolve Back Resort
We have previously visited lots of resorts to relax and enjoy for two-three days. However, as we reached Evolve Back, I experienced extreme calmness surrounding me. Even though the journey exhausted our energy, our surrounding instantly mesmerized us. I could hear birds chirping, winds blowing, and water flowing in River Cauvery. We finished the formalities and room keys were provided. We were taken to our rooms in a golf cart (popularly known as Buggy Ride). That’s when the actual advent started.
1. Villas: Rooms there are referred to as ‘Villas’. Fancy, right? According to me, the architecture of the rooms has completely justified it. The room contained an ancient vibe. The furniture and setting of the room look medieval and elegant. There is even a designated area for the fireplace. Our room/villa was spacious (ranging from 1400 sq ft. to 2400 sq. ft) with living room and private pool.
I am an eco-friendly person so for me, the highlights of the room were two things –
- The products used as toiletries in the room were completely organic. Even the containers used were not of plastic but of locally made glass.
- There was no plastic mineral bottle in the room. Taps with separate RO machine were installed inside the rooms and glasses were provided. We could easily pour water and drink. Even if any occupants called housekeeping and asked for a bottle of water, they would provide glass bottles instead of plastic mineral water bottles.
2. Reading Lounge: Inside the property, there is a small reading lounge. There are several books that can be accessed. We could even carry our own books. There is also the availability of coffee inside. It is fresh coffee from their house brand, Sidapur. Due to greenery around, cold waves of wind brush across your face that will relax your mind. It is such an area where I can spend an entire day without getting bored. It even provides the perfect setting for busy travellers relaxing their mind and finishing their work.
3. Activities: There are several activities that are conducted throughout the day to keep the visitors occupied.
Coracle Ride: Coracles are local fishing crafts that are circular and ideal for navigating these waters. Usually, it is made up of bamboos but for the safety of the visitors, the Coracle is made of metal inside the premises. The ideal time for the ride is in the late afternoon. It gives the view of the habitat all around us. Since Coracle ride is noiseless thus we were able to eyewitness such beautiful birds that we were unsure ever existed also. I have never a single Kingfisher with my naked eyes, however on that particular day I saw five kingfishers at the same time. It was just surreal.
Plantation Walk: In plantation walk, we were given a guided tour of the coffee estate of 300 acres on foot. They explained the entire process of how coffee is grown. Apart from coffee, there were several other spice plants that we explored. My interest reached its peak when we were given samples from each plant to either try or smell. He kept us occupied by asking us to guess what we were tasting or smelling. That made the tour even more interactive. I also got to know an amazing fact in this tour. There is an allspice plant, which is a mixture of all the important ingredients in our kitchen. Amazing isn’t it?
Making newspaper bags: As mentioned earlier, plastic was not used inside the premises of the resort. Thus, in order to make the tourists aware, there was a session on how to make newspaper bags. I personally attended the session and it was captivating. Till date, I use newspaper bags for my everyday use.
There were several other activities like Village Visit, Worker’s trail, storytelling, cultural activities, etc. I could cover only these many activities in my two days’ stay at the resort.
4. Restaurants: There are six to seven restaurants inside the resort that caters to different cuisines.
Granary: Granary is the main restaurant where there are complimentary meals served 24*7 included in your package. It is a multi-cuisine restaurant. The menu keeps changing every day with a new concept every single day. The food at the restaurant is mouth-watering. It was so delicious that after every two hours our family would be spotted sitting in the same restaurant, relishing the delicious food served.
Peppercorn: An Indian speciality restaurant, famous for its kebabs and grills. It is a perfect destination for a romantic candle night dinner with a beautiful setting by the lake. The food is really delightful.
Plantain Leaf: It is a vegetarian restaurant, famous for its South-Indian food. There is the availability of thali as well as the buffet. According to me, if one has an appetite for food then they should definitely opt for the thali. The variety of South-Indian delicacies provided will leave any foodie with awe. The taste of the food is mouth-watering.
There are several other restaurants that can be explored by couples. I personally wanted to explore the Machan. The thought of having an elevated dining experience amidst the greenery, on a treetop is fascinating. Please do explore that place if you get the chance.
I think I have explained enough as to how the stay of two days in the resort was overwhelming and not suffice for somebody who admires nature and lives for these delightful experiences, like me. I have never felt closer to the natural beauty of our country. It left us feeling detoxified from the chaotic and hectic life we live on an everyday basis.
Other places to visit
Yes, I have extensively talked about the resort in which I stayed. However, there are several other places to explore in Coorg.
Taj Property: There is a huge property of Taj on the hill-top of Coorg. It is beautifully made and has an amazing infrastructure.
Abbey Falls: It is a very popular waterfall in Coorg. It is considered as the main tourist spot of Coorg. It is a half a mile walk to reach the spot of the waterfall. It is beautiful to watch, amazing for people interested in photography.
Talacauvery: It is the place of origin of the Cauvery river from the Brahmagiri Hills. It is considered to be a very sacred place and hence attracts many tourists and devotees.
Camping/River Rafting: Coorg is an amazing place for camping. There are several travel agents who arrange for such camps. One should also try white river rafting in Barapole River. It’s a wonderful experience.
There are several other waterfalls, scenic beauty, and sightseeing places that can be explored.
To conclude, I would like to highlight that beauty of the place can’t be simply judged on the basis of scenic beauty. It is the people who make it even more beautiful. Throughout my whole journey in Coorg, I found Coorgis very hospitable, warm and polite. They respect and greet everyone they meet. Whenever the need arises, they are there to help without any complaints. I think that’s what makes Coorg one of my favourite places. I will ensure that I visit this place again; in addition to the other marked places, I would like to visit in India.
About the Writer
A finance-enthusiast by day, dreamer and writer by night. Reading fiction while sipping chai is like a cherry on top of her everyday cake. She has always been an avid follower of critically acclaimed movies and loves grooving to some music. Stock markets can keep her awake all night and writing can give her peace as nothing else can. One thing she is waiting for since her childhood has been her ticket to Hogwarts.
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