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| Madikeri (Mercara) |
| Featured Destinations of South India : |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. They impeached thethen-ruler Chikkaveera Rajendra, and sent him into exile. With its misty mountains, wooded hill slopes, and picture-postcard scenery, Kodagu seemed like a little corner of England. The British left behind a legacy of coffee plantations, which remain the main source of the area's revenue today. |
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Omkareshwara Temple |
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The Omkareshwara Temple in Madikeri was built by the Lingarajendra II in1820 in the combination of Catholic, Keralite, Gothic and Islamic styles of Architecture |
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Madikeri fort |
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The Madikeri fort, with its imposing structure crowns the entire town, was rebuilt by Tipu Sulthan. The Veerabhadra Temple inside it was removed by the British and replaced an Anglian Church, which is now converted to Museum. The Madikeri palace is located inside the fort and was built by the Lingarajendra Wodeyar II. The British renovated the structure twice and in 1933 added a clock tower and a portico.
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Cauvery Nisarqadhama |
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TalaCauvery, 7 km from Bhagamandala, the origin of the holy river Cauvery is situated at 44 km from Madikeri. Bus service is available from Madikeri to TalaCauvery and the ride is picturesque. It is situated on the slopes of the Brahmagiri hills |
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Raja's seat |
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This is the spot from where the kings watched the sunsets with their consorts and is the most scenic sport in South India. It offers breathtaking view of towering hills, green valleys, studded with paddy fields. The most fascinating view is the road to Mangalore like a curved ribbon lying in the valley |
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Raja's Tomb |
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This is one of the important monuments in Coorg. The royal tombs provide a commanding view of the town & are in the Islamic style with the domes in center and turrets at the angles |
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Abbey falls |
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Else named Jesse falls (by the British) is only 7km from Madikeri and is really a treat to watch the roaring water torrent in the monsoon season from July to October. One can walk up the falls through a flight of steps. The cascading water descends to the river Cauvery. |
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How to Reach |
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Airport: Bangalore (260 km), Mangalore (135 km)
Railway Station: Mysore (146 km)
Road: The Mysore - Mangalore highway (NH48) passes through Kodagu. The district headquarters Madikeri (Mercara), is 260 km from Bangalore and 120 km from Mysore. The distance from Mangalore is 136 km and from Cannanore and Tellicherry (kerala), it is about 115 km. There are regular buses plying from these places to Madikeri |
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Inorder to savour the natural beauty of South India, we have designed the following tour packages for the discerning travellers |
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