Madikeri in Coorg

I was reminded of Asterix and Obelix when I read this on the menu card "To fight like warriors, you must first eat like warriors"

Had been to Madikeri (Coorg) last week to attend a wedding. 

We stayed at a place by the name "Udaya Home Stay"  The sight of the hammock right at the entrance makes you feel relaxed. 

The warmth and the hospitality of the hosts was genuine. 

Breakfast was complimentary and we had akki roti with scrambled egg and chutney on the first day. 

The next day it was Paputtu with egg curry 

I liked the fire place in the common room and they still use wood (as compared to the modern electric heater) 

The sheaf of grain is supposed to bring prosperity to the house 

The stay in Udaya was just relaxing and we wished we could have stayed for a few more days. 

One of the eating places that we liked was the Coorg Cuisine (which is opposite the post office) The pandhi curry is one of the popular dishes there and so is the bamboo shoot curry. 

The above mentioned menu card was from the same place. 

One of the pages from the menu card - Coorg cuisine is known for its meat dishes, the best known would definitely be the 'pandhi curry' or pork curry. The key ingredient, known locally as kachampuli gives the dish a unique sour taste, besides the dark and delicious look. kachampuli's Latin name is Garcinia Gamagachi. 

It grows in Coorg's rain forest and all along the western ghat mountains surrounding Coorg. Garcinia reduces fat, cools the body, purifies the blood and fights cholesterol. It is used in many Indian Aurvedic preparations. 

The Kodavas of Coorg is one of the few tribes in India who are allowed to posses a gun without a licence.

Visited a Honey bottling plant which was walking distance from Udaya Homestay. I found the area clean and well maintained and the product tasted really good. It was much cheaper than the bottled honey you get in the commercial market. 

They were good enough to open one of the containers and show us where we could see the honey in the crystalline form 

At the town square I found two statues and one of them had these wordings "Lest we forget" 

The usual tourist crowd was not to be seen. Probably due to the hyped news by the media about the recent landslide. I found these two boys carrying home firewood. 

Driving down to Madikeri is the best option, but those who don't want to drive, KSRTC Fly buses ply from Bangalore airport to Madikeri. The drive is very very comfortable and the roads are good.

On the way back we went by the Airavat bus (again KSRTC) Talking of KSRTC, I found that they are the most efficient and well organised road transport company in India. Very polite and customer friendly.

  

Chamraj Golden Tips

Drove down from Bengaluru to Chamraj Tea Estate in the Nilgiris, a distance of 350 kms.  

Once you cross Mysuru (Mysore) it becomes more scenic, especially when you go past the Bandipur National Park and the Madumalai National Park. 

Chamraj is famous for their “Chamraj Golden Tip”, an extra special quality of Nilgiris tea leaf always fetching a record price. Specially hand plucked Chamraj Golden Tips come from the Chamraj Estate, just west of Conoor, a property belonging to The United Nilgiri Tea Estate Ltd. 

If Chamraj was at the southwest end of Nilgiris  “Kotercherry” or Kotagherry was at the north eastern end, now known as Kotagiri. The place is simply beautiful. 

It was the first table land to be reached by the Europeans when Wish and Kindersly ‘discovered’ the cool of the jungle heights in 1819 while pursuing a band of smugglers. It was their ‘discovery’ that led John Sullivan to establish a home in Kotagiri. Of those Europeans who followed Sullivan and opened the Nilgiris, it was said, “If you live in Conoor, you live till 80, if you live in Ooty you will live till 90, but in Kotagiri you will have to be shot!” He wasn’t shot but, John Erskine lived till he was 100 after he arrived in Kotagiri. 

The tea gardens are lush with tea leaves. On a clear sky you get to see the lovely sunrise and sun set 

Spotted some coffee plants too here. 

If you have the patience you are likely to spot different species of birds 

I saw one land crab who was in two minds about staying put and carry on with his feeding (see video) 

We had those “Chamraj Golden Tip” in one of the tea stalls where it was freshly prepared for us 

and some tasty “parippu wada” after a long time. 

To reach there, we had to pass through Ooty and some of those old structures still look grand. 

The military establishments in this area are well maintained. 

On the way back, while passing through the Madumalai National Park, there was this tusker who gave us a threatening charge as we slowed down (can be seen in the video) He was probably trying to protect this little one in the herd.

Connie's at Bangalore

Was in Bangalore last month and had been to this eating joint by the name of Connie’s at St Thomas town, Kamanahalli.

After a long time enjoyed a place for its ambiance, service and the food. Need not be in the same order, but then all the boxes get ticked and you don’t mind spending some money to have a good evening.

Their servings are very generous and delicious. The complimentary garlic bread too is great. You pick any meat and they will do it the right way for you. It has been more than a month, but I can still savour those perfectly done ribs. Sorry, I did not click any of the items that we ordered as I was busy enjoying the music. Or rather taking in how the guests were enjoying the music. 

Its very rare that you see the guests enjoy the music and take part in the live music by singing and dancing. 

And when I say dancing, it includes all age group, right from the small kids to elderly couples as can be seen in the video.

I think one of the reasons for the repeat guests are those old classics from the fifties, sixties and seventies.

 Oh yes I clicked the desert and here it is. 

When you visit, do read the comments left by the guests, which adorns the walls. 

The next time I visit, I will make it a point to read all the comments (and may be attach some more to this blog post)

I would recommend that you book in advance before visiting as the tables are limited and the guests are not in a hurry to leave.

Like one of the comments says – Going Home with a Big Smile. 

Bangalore to Bengaluru

 I just can’t believe that I am looking at a piece of wood which is actually twenty million years old. But that is what the sign board says. Technically known as Tree Fossil, it is right now placed at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bangalore.

Had been in and out of Bangalore many times but this is the first time I actually paid a visit to the famous Lalbagh.

Had been there in the morning, but not early enough to see the morning birds.

The only one I could click was this one who seem to be looking back at me with his beady eyes. 

The early morning joggers were relaxed and they looked like the regulars over here.

The statue of Sri Chamrajendra Odeyar is slowly taking its toll, after all its been standing for more than a century.   

Had to click this as the contrast of the old and new can be seen here. The bandstand in the fore front could be from the British era as every public place had a bandstand in those days.  In contrast the steeple in the background is supposed to be the building owned by Vijaya Mallya. 

Enjoyed some authentic Korean food at a prominent outlet in Kalyan Nagar. I was fascinated by the small figurines kept at the hotel. 

There is a lot of change happening in the city including the fact that the name has been changed from Bangalore to Bengaluru. With the addition of the metro rail, the charm of walking down M G road is not the same. One has to pay the price for development I suppose. 

                                                                             pic source

On the way back home, I had some time to kill at the airport and tried the tea from this outlet known as Chai Point.  

You can pick up a chai as per your choice, and they have a variety to choose from.

I was impressed by their efficiency and cleanliness

It’s a pity that they don’t have an outlet in Pune.

I picked up a Dum Chai and sipped it watching our tricolour lazily swaying in the dusk.  

Come to think of it, there is a flag in front of every airport but we barely notice it in the scramble to catch that flight.

At the airport, I met an acquaintance with whom I had worked with in Pune. He is now busy shuttling between Germany and Bangalore.  While chatting with him I couldn’t help recollect the fact that some decades ago, I had worked with his father too in the same organization.