Natural Romantic Coorg Tourism
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Madikeri is the picturesque capital of Kodagu (also called Coorg) the land of coffee, cardamom, colonels and the Cauvery. The capital of Kodagu district is located in a beautiful hilly setting surrounded by the forested slopes of the Western Ghats. Here, time seems to have stopped. Dotted with a cluster of red-roofed dwellings and a bustling bazaar, the town, situated at an elevation of 1525m, has a charming old-world look. Madikeri provides access to some excellent picnic spots.
Not much is known about the early history of Kodagu. From 1600 A.D. onwards, the Lingayat rajas ruled over Kodagu and established their capital at Madikeri where they built a mud fort. The Kodavas, as the people of Kodagu are called, troubled the Mysore rulers Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan through sporadic rebellions. Finally, in 1785 A.D., Tipu marched into Kodagu with a large army and devastated the little kingdom.
Four years later, with the help of the British, Kodagu regained its independence and Raja Veerarajendra set about the task of reconstruction. In 1834 A.D., the British took over power in Kodagu.
