Dawn of Indian Coffee - Chikkamagaluru

 

The idol of Chikkamaglur - Mother Earth at Siri Coffee

There are some lovely incidents that happened in the history of India, and the some of the most interesting stories are linked with the culinary history of that country. Thankfully, India is a country that offers a different heritage and culinary culture in every district, ranging from different food choices, different preparations, varied spices and much more. However, this story is for all those people who gets their energy for work from a very special drink that traveled from a distant country and now it is flowing in the veins of many. 

You might have guessed it right .... 

This story is about Coffee, its journey to India and the traveling around.

Chikkamagaluru is a beautiful hill station lying in southern Karnataka. It is said that, coffee came to India from Yamen around 1600 AD, and it was the first coffee plantation in India. The roots of well known cafe chain, Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) grows from Chikkamagaluru. The cultivation got its spreads to other south Indian mountains in times to come. The place has a nicely developed base town which serves as the district capital. The part of the district that attracts travelers is the mountainous region of western ghats which provide every visitors with a green escape and a walk through amazing coffee plantations. The place offers a nice package of activities that a visitor can do. 

Serene Valley of Chikkamagaluru

 

Let us have a walk through with this place.

Places to Visit

1. Baba Budangiri Peak:

At a height of 1895m, this place got is name from sufi saint "Baba Budan". Who is he ? Wait and watch. The hill is a place of devotion for both Hindus and Muslims equally.  Both the shrine of Baba Budan and temple of Dattatray are placed close to each other. Though this place was part of religious fights, but believe me, this place has blessing for every human being, the blessings of nature. Depending on the season you visit, the landscape will vary, the volume of waterfalls around will differ. This place receives heavy rainfalls during seasons.

2. Mullayangiri Hills

At a height of 1930m, this is the highest point of Karnataka. It is a grassy trekking destination. You can drive upto certain height, but the later section is only for trekking enthusiasts. Post monsoon, the place can give you amazing experience. At the top, there is a small shrine of "Mulapa Swamy", a sage who meditated at that height. Both the journey and the destination is very alluring.

Summit of Baba Budan Giri hills

 

3. Jhari Waterfall

Around 12km from Budangiri hills, the waterfall is situated on a steep road down the valley through coffee plantations. It is a rough drive of 4km, so you are advised to either walk or take a jeep ride down the hill which will cost around INR 600-800 for a maximum of 6 people. 

4. Coffee Plantations

If you are at Chikkamagluru, the coffee cup of India, it is a must to have a walk through any coffee plantation. Mostly, if you are staying in any coffee form resort, so this activity will be automatically included.

Coffee Plantation

 

5. Manikyadhara Falls

A beautiful waterfall literally means "String of Pearls", is located in a forested area on the other side of Baba budangiri. 

6.  Hirekolale lake 

 The place is picturesque, a beautiful lake surrounded by lush green hills. After monsoon, the place is completely full. It is basically a man-made lake constructed for water storage. There are many home-stays and resorts around the area for a serene stay.

Hirekolale Lake's serene view

7. Honnammana Halla Waterfalls

The place in an on the road spot, and is basically a man made construction. This is quite close to the parking spot of Jhari falls. The coloration is completely colored in yellow-red giving a attractive picture location. 

8. Coffee Museum

This museum is located at the Chikmagluru town. It is an initiative by the Coffee board of India, which gives a beautiful explanation about the intricacies of the coffee plantation and brewing process. It is open from 10am to 6pm. (Note: Closed on weekends)

 

Wildlife Destinations

1. Kudremukh National Park

This wildlife hot-spot is marked by its natural beauty, alluring hills, lush grasslands which houses amazing collection of wildlife and plant species. The Kudremukh peak is at a height of 1894km, is blessed with evergreen forest. Being a national park, the place prohibits camping but allows  trekking of 9km trail. Government permission and entry pass can be purchased from entry town. The charges of entry pass are Rs 200 for entry. 

Entry charges to Kudremukh

2. Bhadra National Park

This wildlife hot-spot is developed as a Tiger reserve, which is 38km from the district town. It is a hilly terrain, having a beautiful landscape, housing a massive collection of wildlife and plant species. A beautiful, "Hebbe Falls", having a drop height of 551ft. The wildlife park is well drained by serene rivers and connected tributaries like Bhadra River. Facility of Jeep Safari is available at the park.

The gorgeous Hanuman Langurs, residence of the hills

How to Reach

Chikkamagaluru is a hill station is at close proximity to Mangaluru (150km) and Hassan (61km), which are two important cities of Karnataka. The road connectivity is very good with good quality roads. Chikkamagaluru also has a railway station but few trains ply through it. So, if you are traveling from far of places, I will suggest you to reach either Mangaluru or Hassan, and then enjoy the journey through a road trip. 

Visit Schedule

For a family visit, post monsoon season, i.e. August to February is pretty good option. For trekkers, monsoon can give you a lot of adventure options.

Where to Stay

Being a well defined tourist destination, the place has a nice collection of stay options ranging from small stays, resorts, home stays, farm stays and others. Stay options are available in city area as well as on the hilly terrains. It is always suggested to opt for stay options on hills to enjoy the serenity of the destination. Also, i will suggest to pre-book the stay option while planning your journey. If you are using online booking portals like MMT, Oyo etc, do a cross confirm through call with the hotel person to confirm booking. 

During my stay, I stayed at Greenwood Resort. While booking, it showed listed as an Oyo property, so we booked it through Oyo. Once at resort, it came to our notice that they don't accept Oyo bookings. But we continued our stay by paying the regular resort charges, which is INR 3000-4000 depending on type of room. But the stay was good. 

 

Greenwood Resort

Who should Visit

Anyone who can relax their minds and eyes within nature, far from any metro city intervention. The place has network issues also, so it is quite a relaxed feeling. 

Who should not visit

This place may fail to satisfy those who like more of a developed hill stations. For those, i would suggest to visit nearby beautiful place, Coorg instead of it.

No of Days Required

To complete all activities leisurely, a 2 day visit is recommended. 

Estimates Expense

For a family travel scenario, an estimated expense of INR 3000-4000 per person is expected.

Must Do's:

Have ample cup of coffee and purchase some for journey back home.

 

Siri Coffee - an iconic cafe of Chikkamagaluru

Stories of Folklore

Many stories buzz around these mountains. One of them links with the start of Hoyshala Kingdom. It is said that, it was at Sosevur (presently Angadi), that King Sala, the founder of the Hoysala dynasty, killed the legendary tiger, which got immortalised in the Hoysala emblem and can be seen as a symbol of Hoyshalas in all its architechtures. 

Another important story, tells you the origin of Coffee in India. It is said that coffee beans were planted at Chikmagaluru, by sufi saint, "Baba Budan" during 1670 AD. He went for pilgrimage to Mecca, while returing he traveled through the seaport of Mocha, Yemen where he came across coffee. He wrapped seven coffee beans around his belly and got them here in India and planted the beans in the hills of Chikmagalur, and the rest of the history is known to all.

A point of General Knowledge

1. Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) of Coffee Day Enterprise, is an internationally acclaimed cafe chain is based at Chikkamagaluru and they grow their coffee at their coffee estates, which is said to have a cover of 20000 Hectares. It was started by V.G. Siddhartha in year 1996. You can see the industry's roasting plant as you enter the area white traveling from Mangalore side. 

2. In India, the two celebrated varieties of coffee are "Arabica" and "Robusta". Arabica is known for its mild strength and aromatic charm, so it is commercially more valuable. However, Robusta is known for its higher strength and so it suits making various blends. Arabica is grown in higher altitudes than Robusta. The cool temperature of 15-25 C, is suitable for Arabica while for Robusta needs hot and humid climate with temperature of 20-30 C. This information is available from Coffee Museum, Chikkamagalur.

A visit is not just site seeing, its an experience of the fine details of the place, its history, its culinary habits and every possible details. Then and then only, you can call yourself and explorer, and this habit enriches your mind and soul.

Happy Traveling !