The Hindu Business Line : Coffee days in Coorg

"As much as it gives visitors a view into our life, it also helps us stay connected with new and interesting people." Shamveel Nizam of honey pot homes, a home-stay facility in Madikeri.

Manasi M.

Top draw: Scenic Madikeri has several home-stay facilities for tourists.

Manasi M.

Kodaimalenadu (dense forest on a steep hill) was the original name of Kodagu or Coorg which aptly describes the place. Set high in the mountains, there are no direct trains/ flights to Coorg. However, you will more than welcome the drive from Mangalore (closer than Bangalore to Coorg) passing through winding roads lined by silver oak trees all the way to the ‘Scotland of India’, as the British fondly called the place.

Madikeri, or Mercara, is the district headquarters of Coorg. Seated atop a hill, the sleepy town has natural beauty in abundance. Misty evenings and extensive coffee plantations make it a picturesque holiday destination.

The best part is that Madikeri, and Coorg in general, has managed to retain its natural beauty even in the face of increasing tourism. Several ‘home-stay cottages’ have sprung up in the town. We visited one such place called Honey Pot Homes at the Sandalkad Estate. Besides living in a homely setting and relishing home-cooked food, guests get to explore the scenic estate. A freshwater stream running through the estate turns it into a picture-perfect picnic spot. A small tree-house on the estate finds many a visitor snuggled up there with a book for an entire day!

The tree-house at Sandalkad Estate.

The 225-acre estate is managed by cousins Shamveel Nizam and Faisal Siddique. Their family had bought the estate nearly 150 years ago.

Leaving behind a fast-paced life in Bangalore, the two young men returned to Coorg and their love for the estate. They have learnt the ropes through hard work and observation. And they are enjoying every bit of it. “Over the years, as we became more deeply involved in the estate work and made friends in Coorg, we have got used to the estate life. The work keeps us challenged and busy, and it has definitely been a fruitful and healthy lifestyle,” says Nizam.

As a lot depends on environmental conditions, managing an estate calls for meticulous planning and timely execution. Nizam and Siddique became members of a planters’ club to gain a better understanding of the finer nuances of plantation work. They keep themselves updated both on the technological front and on ground realities such as markets, pricing and so on.

Shamveel Nizam of honey pot homes, a home-stay facility in Madikeri.

The estate primarily produces coffee but it also grows pepper, cardamom, oranges and vanilla. While the coffee and pepper are mainly sold to exporters, the other produce finds many buyers locally thanks to the growth in tourism. Describing the idea behind their home-stays venture, Nizam says, “We like what we are doing and love to share our experiences with others. As much as it gives visitors a view into our life, it also helps us stay connected with new and interesting people. We aim to make the experiences of our guests as enriching as possible and are constantly on the lookout to make things better and more interesting.” There are nearly 60 families working on the estate. Besides supporting the education of the workers’ children, the duo ensures both male and female workers are paid equal wages and receive worker benefits such as PF.

Last year, the estate received a State award for its cardamom. With technical and scientific support from the Indian Institute of Spices Research, Appangala, the estate continuously experiments with many varieties of cardamom and supplies capsules to the Spices Board for distribution among other farmers. The estate’s scenic environs have attracted several moviemakers for location shots.

The Kannada movie Mullina Gulabi was almost entirely shot here and some of the labourers even got a chance to work in the film and show off their acting talents.

The many plantations in the region only add to the attraction of the place. Monsoons are the best time to visit, as the Cauvery flows in style and fun activities such as water rafting and elephant bathing add to the excitement.

The Nagarahole Game Sanctuary is close by where one can spot bison, deer, hyena, varied species of birds and reptiles and, if lucky, even tigers. Another must-visit is the huge Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe — home to nearly 16,000 refugees from Tibet after the 1962 war. The Namdroling monastery and the Tashi Lhumpo monastery here are popular tourist attractions.