Coorg: Neelakurinji Flowers, Pepper Vines, Coffee Plantations & More

Sarika takes us on a tour of beautiful Coorg with its pepper vines, coffee plantations, and rare Neelakurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years. She also tells us about its culture, food, and people, exclusively for Different Truths. 

When our car encountered Coorg, a gentle mist had engulfed the surroundings with rice paddies and sleepy hamlets welcomed us with extended hands. We were heading towards our resort, while watching the rains lash forests. The whiff of coffee made me realise that finally, I am in Coorg. 

Coorg, the amazing destination of Western Ghats, is a place encompassing the beauties of nature. 

It was the autumn break. The first autumn, without our son at home. He had left for further studies. The house looks so empty. He is a reserved boy. But my empty nest syndrome was killing me every time, and I consoled myself saying, it was another phase of motherhood.  

Working days are extremely busy, so Mrinal decided to go out for a few days to rejuvenate us. 

One beautiful sunny Sunday morning, we reached Mysore airport. The pre-booked car came on time to pick us up. The chauffeur looked promising, the way he greeted us, and his neat and clean sanitised car told us about his professionalism and care in no uncertain terms. 

We started our journey. It was a beautiful day. The road winds up pepper vines and green coffee plantations. If you are a nature person, you are bound to love the scenic sight. The upland is filled with rich culture, history, and ageless beauty. On our way, we had an appealing hot South Indian breakfast. 

There is something special about monsoon holidays. I love Indian monsoons and the fact that during this time of the year, nature at its best form and waterfalls add to its beauty. 

One such visit was to Mallalli Falls, in Coorg. Indeed, it is one of the prettiest falls in India. Monsoon is the time when it is in all its glory and we made one of our best memories there.

Walking through the coffee plantation is one of the interesting things to do in Coorg, and we witnessed from seeds to packaging followed by stories related to it. Our tour guide was a handsome, well-versed person, who knew a lot about the coffee plantation and beyond.

It is an ideal destination for trekking lovers. It offers mild to moderate, difficult to extremely challenging trekking experience. 

Apart from the wilderness, picturesque, amazing landscape, we witnessed Neelakurinji flowers in bloom. This year again, after 12 long years, Mandalpatti Hills have been splashed with blue and purple Neelakurinji flowers. It is a rare breed that blooms once every12 years. The hill is painted with mesmerising blue-purple hues. Sometimes I wonder, I planned to visit Coorg several times, but it didn’t work, probably the universe conspired so that I could see Neelakurinji flowers.

At the top of the hills, I also met with the smoky, dreamy clouds. 

Apart from the scenic beauty of Kodagu aka Coorg, it also attracts people for its luscious food cuisines. It is a paradise for non-veg lovers. Pork and meat are the staples for the people of Coorg. Authentic Coorgi cuisines are extremely flavourful yet very simple to prepare. Rice dumplings or Kodumbuttu is a must-have Coorgi dish, served with Pandhi curry or chicken curry or pickle too. The best part is anyone can prepare it effortlessly. Apart from that ghee rice, sweet and spicy mango curry, Kulai Puttu, Pandhi curry, bamboo shoot curry – all the traditional dishes are amazing. 

With a tropical monsoon type of climate, Coorg is also referred to as the Scotland of India. After five days we said bye to Coorg with a promise that we would visit again! Holidays are over, memories linger.

Photos by the author