The Hindu Business Line : Tibetan flavour in Coorg tourism

THE Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949 inadvertently provided an exotic and attractive flavour to Coorg tourism. Refugees from one whole district who fled to India were resettled in 30,000 acres of land at Bylakoppa in the Coorg district of Karnataka.

They built the Namdroling Monastery and the now famous Golden Temple, which houses three majestic 60-ft-tall idols of Buddha, Padmasambhava and Amitayush, richly coated with gold — a lasting tribute to the land of their origins and an enduring tourist attraction of the region.

"These gentle people of Tibet have brought with them their traditional culture, religious beliefs, customary practices, artefacts, and built their magnificent golden temple in South India. A visit to this Tibetan township provides an exotic experience," said Viji John, Managing Director of the Misty Woods resort in Coorg.

Set in the backdrop of 120 acres of coffee, cardamom, orange and pepper plantations, Misty Woods is just the second resort property in Coorg. The first phase of Misty Woods, comprising 10 cottages, was opened last November.

Quite like this resort, tourism also is just beginning to take roots in this coffee country.

The plunging price of coffee in the international market had ruined the lives of thousands of small coffee holdings. But hospitality had been a tradition of the land. And the enterprising Coorgi invited the visitors with wanderlust to his home. Thus the concept of home-stays began much before the advent of resorts.

There are over 1,000 recognised home-stays in Coorg, offering local cuisine and hospitality at cheap and affordable rates. "What tourism has done was to revive the flagging local economy and bring about a new dynamism to the lives of the local people. This has also kindled a new demand for plantation tourism, which only resorts like Misty Woods can offer," John added.

Misty Woods at Kakkabe offers an ideal gateway to the district. Day trips can be undertaken to Namdroling monastery, with stopovers at Abbi falls, Madikeri fort, Raja's seat and Talacauvery (the origin of the Cauvery). Another frequented trip is to Nagerhole, recently renamed the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, with visits to Irpu falls and Nalknad palace also thrown in.

Coorg might have been coffee country habituated by the kadavas, the people of an ancient martial tradition who today excel in the Indian armed forces, sports and bureaucracy. But now, this land is also the rich and exotic home of the second-largest Tibetan colony in India, brewing their homemade recipes of Tibetan tea. The smooth confluence of these two contrasting cultures has bred a happy hunting ground for tourists seeking new and exotic experiences.